Awakening[3]

As I walked toward my dorm, I caught sight of a familiar figure moving in the same direction. At first, I thought my mind was playing tricks on me, but no—it was Adam. The same Adam I had grown up with, one of my closest friend before the world turned upside down. We locked eyes, and in that instant, we both knew we were thinking the same thing—"Is this real?"

Before we could even speak, both of our phones vibrated at the same time. A notification popped up on the screen:

Professor John has invited you to Classroom A9, Section C.

For a second, neither of us moved. It had been three and a half years since the apocalypse began. The world we once knew had shattered into something unrecognizable. Yet, here we were, being called back by one of our old teachers.

Adam broke the silence. "Professor John… He's alive?"

His voice was laced with disbelief, but there was something else—hope.

"He's the same John who used to teach us physics?" I asked, still processing everything.

Adam nodded quickly. "Yeah, and he's awakened. A lot of our old classmates are alive too. More than you'd think."

That hit me harder than I expected. Back before the apocalypse, we had a class of 24 students, all of us close like family. I had thought most of them were gone. But if they were alive… if we were all being called back together… what did this mean?

A strange mix of emotions swirled inside me—excitement, nervousness, curiosity. Without wasting another second, we changed direction and made our way toward Section C.

Section C wasn't just any part of the academy—it was the heart of it. And as we arrived, the first thing that caught my eye was the Grand Library.

A nine-story architectural masterpiece, built from polished wood and glass, it was both elegant and intimidating. The sunlight bounced off its vast glass panels, making it look like something out of a futuristic novel. I couldn't see inside, but just standing before it felt like being in the presence of something ancient and powerful.

Four guards in violet uniforms stood at the entrance, their posture rigid, eyes scanning the surroundings. They weren't ordinary security—these were Awakened warriors, likely some of the highest-ranked in the academy.

"Damn," I muttered. "I guess the library is more important than I thought."

Adam smirked. "Unfortunately for you, we're not going inside."

He gestured toward a smaller two-story building behind the library. Our actual destination.

It didn't have the same grand design, but it looked modern and well-maintained. A flat rooftop terrace, large windows, and a sleek gray exterior. As we stepped inside, the scent of old wood and fresh paper filled the air, bringing back a flood of memories.

The first floor had several rooms—laboratories, a physical training hall, and what seemed to be an instructor's office. But our focus was on the staircase leading up.

Second floor. Classroom A9.

My heart pounded. It felt unreal.

We pushed the door open.

And there they were.

The Reunion

The moment I stepped in, it was like stepping back in time. The classroom layout was exactly the same as it had been before the apocalypse. The desks, the windows, even the small details like the motivational posters on the walls—all of it was preserved.

But more importantly, the people.

My old classmates, the ones I had laughed with, struggled with, and spent years growing up alongside. All of them.

Some were sitting in their usual spots, others standing and chatting in small groups. The atmosphere was lively, warm, like a home we had long been away from.

I took slow steps forward, scanning their faces. They had changed—stronger, more mature—but there was no mistaking them.

I caught Adam's eye, and we both knew what to do.

We went around the room, meeting everyone one by one. There were hugs, surprised shouts, and even a few tears. Some people I had seen just before the world fell apart, others I hadn't seen in over three years.

And then, I reached my old seat.

The exact same spot I used to sit in.

For a moment, I just stood there, staring at it.

And then—"Yo."

I turned to see Andrew.

One of my closest friends.

He had changed too—his body was leaner, stronger, his posture more confident—but the same sharp eyes and easy smirk were there.

"You gonna sit down or just admire it?" he teased.

I chuckled and took my seat.

Right on cue, Professor John stepped into the room.

The moment we saw him, we all stood up.

And as if by instinct, we all said, in perfect unison—

"Good morning, Sir."

The professor froze.

For a few seconds, he didn't say anything. He just looked at us, his face betraying emotions he was struggling to contain.

And then, before we knew it—some of us rushed forward and hugged him.

It was emotional, raw. Even those of us who stayed back felt the weight of the moment.

He sighed, shaking his head, then suddenly clapped his hands. Sharp. Loud. Commanding.

"Alright, alright. I know you're all happy to be here, but let's get to business."

He stepped forward and placed a black bag on the desk, pulling out something strange.

A small purple orb.

"Today," he said, voice firm but warm, "we will conduct a Rank Assessment."

Silence.

Excitement crackled through the air.

"This orb," he continued, "will reveal your rank when you place your hand on it. You will also state your power in front of everyone."

He paused, glancing around.

"Since we are not strangers, I expect honesty. However, if anyone does not wish to reveal their power, you may opt out."

No one moved.

Not a single hand was raised.

We all trusted each other.

Professor John smiled. "Good. Then let's begin. We will go in order of our old roll numbers."

He turned to Adam.

"Roll Number 1."

Adam who was sitting on the last desk pushed his chair back, standing up. He walked to the front, placed his hand on the orb—

And in a flash of red light, his rank appeared.

"E-Rank."

A murmur spread across the room.

Even Professor John seemed surprised. "An E-Rank… impressive."

Adam took a deep breath, then said in a steady voice,

"My ability is Phoenix Flame. I can merge my body with a phoenix, the legendary fire bird. Right now, I can fly a little, enhance my strength, and create fireballs."

The room was stunned.

Some people gasped. Others leaned forward, eyes wide.

I clenched my fists. Damn.

Adam was strong. And here I was, barely an F-Rank.

Before I could dwell on it, the next name was called.

"Roll Number 2. Nodam."

He was quiet, but we all knew him. Sitting on the front desk in 2nd row he stepped forward, placed his hand—

Brown light. F-Rank.

"My ability is Size Manipulation. I can manipulate my body size, and also objects."

He demonstrated—growing from 5'6" to 6'0" in a blink. Then, just as fast, he shrank down to 4'5".

Another round of impressed whispers.

And then—

"Roll Number 3. Aaron."

Who was sitting in my left stepped up.

Blue light flashed.

D-Rank.

"My ability is Super Shield."

A transparent sphere shimmered around his body.

And then—

"Roll Number 4. Andrew."

I turned.

It was the turn of another on my closest friend 

And something told me… this was going to be interesting.