Second Awakening

Hunger and poverty drove Ethan toward the military canteen, his stomach growling in harmony with his dwindling finances. 

The soldier's pay was barely enough to survive on, which was two iron-grade cores per month, especially for someone labelled "talentless" - they weren't expected to need long-term financial planning.

The canteen occupied the ground floor of a utilitarian concrete building, its high windows letting in streams of midday light that cast harsh shadows across the metal tables arranged in rows. 

The day's lunch was some kind of meat stew, a basic but nutrient-rich fare designed to fuel soldiers rather than please palates. 

The steam rising from the serving stations carried a blend of familiar spices - the military's attempt to make the synthetic meat somewhat palatable.

Ethan joined the queue, and before long a person called for him.

"Ethan!?"

Ethan turned to find Jack Chen standing behind him, dressed in the grey uniform of the city wall guards. The fabric was notably cleaner than the mud-stained attire of front-line scouts like himself. 

At eighteen, they were the same age, but Jack's position as a wall guard meant he'd likely live to see nineteen - a luxury many "talentless" couldn't count on.

Although Jack had the same rank as the previous Ethan, which was Low-Iron. They were not on the same strength level. Since Jack was given more Iron Cores to absorb, which granted him more attribute points.

"I heard about your mission today," Jack said, genuine concern etched on his features as he patted Ethan's shoulder. "Scouting the surroundings... I'm glad you made it back alive."

"Thanks, I appreciate it," Ethan replied, studying his fellow expendable carefully. His predecessor's memories painted Jack as a classmate from the academy, both of them drafted into military service as cannon fodder.

But unlike Ethan, who had been cursed with no talent, Jack's F-Grade Danger Sense had saved him from front-line duty, relegating him to wall guard instead. A cushy position, relatively speaking. Furthermore, Ethan was given one iron core to reach the Low-Iron Core grade, meanwhile, Jack was given more. 

The serving staff filled their trays, ladling out their portions. The stew landed in their bowls with a wet splat, chunks of meat floating in thick brown gravy.

"Mind if I join you?" Jack asked, following Ethan toward one of the corner tables. "My relief doesn't start for another hour, and I'd love to hear how you managed to survive out there. Might help me last longer if I ever get reassigned to the front."

Ethan nodded, choosing a table with good sightlines to both exits - old habits from his previous life dying hard. He sat with his back to the wall, a position that would have made Jack Thompson, his bully from his past life, mock him mercilessly. The irony wasn't lost on him.

As they ate, Jack leaned forward, voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "So, tell me - how did you really survive out there? Everyone knows the survival rate for talentless scouts is..." he trailed off, realizing too late he was stepping into dangerous territory.

Ethan paused, spoon halfway to his mouth. 

The memories of both lives intertwined in his mind - the terror of drowning, the rage of revenge, his transmigration. But those weren't stories he could share.

"My whole team died," he said finally, voice flat. "I survived by mere coincidence."

Jack's expression went blank for a second before horror crept across his features as he realized his massive social blunder. "I-I'm sorry," he stammered, pushing his food around his plate. "I shouldn't have..."

"It's fine," Ethan cut him off, "don't worry about it. But I really can't help - I don't know how I survived myself." The lie came easily to his lips.

The truth, after all, was far more complicated. The previous Ethan - the original owner of this body - had long since died in that forest.

As he watched Jack fumble through an awkward attempt to change the subject, Ethan couldn't help but wonder - how many talents would he need to devour before he could live normally without worrying about being bullied, or being a prey like the other Ethan was.

...

After Jack left, Ethan tried to think through some excuses that he could use to showcase his new power at some point. He knew that he couldn't hide forever, and he would need to use his talent at some point. He would definitely not show that he can transform into monster, but he can show that he has a talent such as speed talent.

And, after some deep searching in Ethan's memories, or his memories now. He thought of the second awakening.

The second awakening represented one of this world's greatest mysteries. After the first awakening—the crucial moment in adolescence when talents either manifested or didn't—most paths were set. The talented advanced. The talentless served. The system functioned with brutal efficiency.

But the second awakening defied this ordered system. Only three documented cases existed in recorded history, each surrounded by intensive study and speculation. 

The first occurred fifty years ago: a talentless merchant suddenly manifested C-Grade fire manipulation during a bandit attack. 

The second case emerged during the Beast Tide around eighteen years ago.

Where a soldier developed his second talent, an A-grade defensive talent. 

Medical records, talent assessments, and environmental factors had been analyzed exhaustively, yet no common thread emerged to explain these extraordinary events. Some theorists proposed extreme stress as a trigger. Others suggested hidden bloodline activation. None could provide definitive proof.

The lack of understanding made the phenomenon more frightening to the established power structure. Unpredictable talent acquisition threatened the carefully maintained hierarchy. If talents could emerge spontaneously, how could the system maintain control?

After all, talents were known to be awakened at eighteen years old, if people could break that rule. This meant, that some people would awaken a talent and their name as an awakener would not be present in the database.

Second awakening cases historically received significant attention—and protection.

The military valued them as potential keys to understanding how to create more talented soldiers. Even an F-Grade talent through second awakening warranted study.

…

Ethan left the military canteen, declining to explore the city because he needed to understand this world beyond the inherited memories that filled his mind.

The streets of District Three spread before him, a testament to humanity's resilience against the beast tides. 

High walls sectioned off different areas, creating defensible positions in case of breach. Markets and residential areas are nestled within these fortified zones, life continuing under the constant threat.

The memories of his body's previous owner provided context for every sight. 

Twenty years ago, the great beast tide had claimed his parents along with thousands of others. 

The orphanage that raised him stood in District Three, near the danger zone and the first line of defence.

The academy where he'd spent his teenage years till recently occupied District Two, its towers visible over the intermediate walls.

But it was the Research Institute in District Two that drew his attention now. Behind its pristine white walls and elegant architecture, Tiana had a happy life. Her B-Grade Analytical talent had opened doors that his lack of talent had sealed firmly shut.

The memories of their past surfaced. 

A sunny afternoon in the academy courtyard, six years ago. Three older students harassing a young girl with glasses, trying to steal her research notes. Ethan, even then physically unremarkable, standing between them. He'd taken a beating that day, but at least the bullies had left without the notes.

Tiana had helped him to the infirmary afterwards, her small hands surprisingly steady as she dabbed at his cuts. 

That was the beginning. 

Through their remaining academy years, they'd grown closer. She would share her dreams of revolutionary research. 

He would listen, content to be part of her world, even peripherally.

Then came the awakening ceremony. Students gathered in the great hall, each approaching the talent measurement crystal in turn. 

Tiana's crystal had blazed with blue light - B-Grade Analytical talent. The research firms had approached her before she even left the stage.

When Ethan's turn came, the crystal remained dark. No talent. No future. The military recruiters had approached him the next day.

His predecessor's last interaction with Tiana played out in his memory. She had caught him as he left the headmaster's office, her eyes red from crying.

"We can find another way," she had insisted. "My research internship - the salary is very good. We could..."

But he had stopped her there. His memories carried the weight of that moment, the pride and shame warring in his heart.

 "We can't. I hope you have a nice life." he had said, the words tasting like ash in his mouth.

He had always believed that a person who can't protect his spouse doesn't deserve to have one. And, he didn't want to be that person.

She had tried to argue, but he walked away. 

The next day, he reported for military duty. He never saw her again, though his predecessor would sometimes catch glimpses of her name on research publications posted in the city centre.

Standing now in District Three, Ethan assessed this inherited heartbreak from a distance. 

His devoured speed talent and the protection of being a "second awakening" case had changed the equation. 

He could, theoretically, seek her out now.

Although the gap between them remained vast at this moment. His F- grade talent, even with the mystique of a second awakening, paled beside her established position currently. More importantly, he wasn't the man she had loved. 

He wore that man's face and carried his memories, but the soul behind his eyes belonged to someone else entirely.

He turned away from the direction of District Two, it's not like he could afford anything there anyway.