It didn't take long for Leon and his mother to arrive at the Magic Tower. If it wasn't spoken of before, the Magic Tower was not only the key location for awakenings but also the pillar and foundation of any country, kingdom etc.
Reasons being that it increased the quality of mana and also its quantity by larger amounts. It was a key asset when it came to protecting a city and empowering its citizens.
Though the more Magic Towers constructed the better, specialized blueprints were needed for these creations.
Therefore, you either encounter a special blueprint through fortune or pray your family's lineage had one.
So not most countries had one and only a handful had more than one so countries without them weren't even worthy of being acknowledged.
And no, a blueprint could not be reused more than once.
Why? I don't know.
Right, they were also ranked in Tiers but that's a talk for another time. Right now, Leon and his mother stood a few meters away from the Magic Tower.
Staring at its tall and imposing structure, Leon's eyes sparkled. The Magic Tower looked similar to a skyscraper but more bonelike with a large red orb stationed atop its peak.
The Magic Tower also consisted of several floors, an exact amount of fifty in fact. Holding his mother's hand they walked towards the entrance of the Magic Tower as they were greeted by a guard.
The guard seemed to have recognized Cecilia and hurriedly opened the door for her as his body bent forward in a perfect ninety degrees.
"Your Highness, Young Prince." Cecilia smiled at the guard before thanking him whereas Leon patted the guy's head.
He trembled in excitement as he was recognized by one of two rulers and also their inheritor on the same day.
Walking inside Leon's eyes couldn't help but widen once more. The inside was beautifully organized with many powerful people gathered with either their children or disciples.
To the very front Leon saw a large Crystal Ball floating within the air and a magnificent being sitting within the air above it.
Her legs were crossed over one another in a lotus position as her witch's hat covered her amethyst colored hair.
She was one of the legendary Seers, capable of reading the stars to depict someone's fate and their impact on the world whether it be negative or positive, none could be hidden from her gaze.
She was known as Theressa Emberve, a Seer under the Heartfelt Country's Rule.
Many of the gathered people would take their glances at her but wouldn't dare to disturb her in fear of provoking such an influential figure.
Currently her eyes were closed as though she was resting. The fact was it still had five minutes before the official commencement of the awakening so she just took the time to casually ease her mind.
However everyone's gaze at this moment was now focused on the two newcomers that would officially commence the awakening. Seeing the Queen and the Prince arrive everyone suddenly dropped what they were doing and bowed in a respectful manner towards them.
Leon, seeing so many people treating him like this felt a bit awkward but soon enough a satisfied feeling rose within him.
A seed of superiority was finally planted in his chest as he groveled in the status of high royalty, enjoying every second of it.
Cecilia clapped her hands and smiled charmingly, stunning many onlookers as her beauty was truly one worth toppling kingdoms for.
She signaled for everyone to carry on as though she wasn't here earning her smiles and gazes of respect. Everyone nodded and complied with their Ruler's order.
And finally, it was time. One by one people lined with the children at their sides as Seer Theressa opened her eyes and worked the Magic Ball.
Her gaze landed on everyone gathered today especially the children as she would fix her gaze longer in between one or two, Leon included.
She sensed the nervousness of the children and smiled before lifting her hand and releasing a warm and bright white light.
Energy covered the children as their tenseness eased and their hearts calmed. Leon was no different.
Experiencing the calming effects of her energy which he assumed to be Astral Energy, the energy of the stars, he was fascinated.
Her gentle smile stood immovable as she spoke, "Children, today would mark the start of your respective journeys onto the paths fate preordained for each and every one of you. You each will step up one by one and place both your palms onto the Magic Ball for a total of five seconds. Don't worry about reading the results or anything other than what you are instructed to do. I'll handle everything after that. Am I understood?"
"Yes ma'am!" The children answered respectfully, nodding their heads with eyes determined to do their best.
"Okay, when I call your name please come up alone and place your hands on the ball."
"Alana Fernes."
The first name called was that of a little red haired girl. She walked up with furrowed brows and a firm gaze. She looked quite confident and adorable as she stomped towards the Magic Ball.
Arriving before it, she didn't hesitate to place her hands on it for five whole seconds.
1
2
3
4
5..!
Whoosh!
It was then that the Magic Ball shone with a bright fiery orange light as Seer Theressa's eyes lit up right after.
"Oh? Fire affinity, Epic Class: Sorcerer of Ifrit, Category of Mana!" Theressa said aloud as the information within her head still gathered.
She left out stuff like Karma and Fate Lines as the children did not need to know of such things. Hearing her evaluation, Alana's eyes widened as she jumped in celebration!
The surrounding Class Wielders gave her a round of applause whereas Alana's parents ran to hug her in excitement!
"Well done Alana, strive hard to become a powerful Class Wielder for the Heartfelt Country." Seer Theressa smiled warmly as she read her Fate Lines, knowing that she would play a major role in the coming future.
Soon after, it continued with Leon becoming incessantly impatient with every second that flew by. The order of names were adjusted within an alphabetical order and soon an hour had passed.
Names blurred, and finally—
"Leon Heartfelt!" Seer Theressa called out abruptly.
Everyone turned and made way for their Young Prince staring at him with a burning gaze, anticipating just what his evaluation would be.
Cecilia patted Leon's back gently which struck him to move forward and walk towards the Magic Ball.
As he appeared right before it, Leon could have sworn he felt something in his mind ring. Something like a bell?
Ignoring it however, he placed his hands atop the Magic Ball just like everyone else. He then began counting to five when suddenly.
[Ding! Large amounts of mana found]
[Sufficient enough for the system to awaken]
[Beginning the awakening of the system immediately]
Crack!
"What the-"
Seer Theressa mumbled to herself as she saw the Magic Crystal before her visibly crack disturbing her greatly. Though it went unnoticed by the other onlookers, it couldn't pass her eyes.
She scrutinized her gaze even further, looking for any other changes to the Magic Ball. Seeing that there was nothing, Seer Theressa sighed before she was about to reassure herself.
Then it happened. A large influx of information pertaining to Leon rushed into her head causing her brain to ache intensely. She clutched her head in pain, startled at what was happening.
Finally, did everyone notice something amiss. However it was far too late for a sudden realization as what happened next, horrified them beyond common measures.
Theressa took in the information about Leon carefully, her eyes widening as she couldn't believe his rank of class.
Then out of nowhere—
BOOM!
The Crystal was set ablaze, a large and destructive explosion tore away at the environment—children and parents alike affected.
Moments felt like hours—and all but one was affected by such happenings.
Silence did not return to the Magic Tower after the explosion.
Instead, it fractured.
Stone groaned. Mana screamed. The air itself seemed to recoil, trembling as cracks spider-webbed across the first floor's reinforced walls.
Fire crawled along shattered pillars, licking at blood-slick marble and collapsed bodies alike.
Leon Heartfelt stood at the center of it all.
His hands were still pressed against the fractured Magic Ball, fingers numb, skin burning—not from heat, but from something deeper.
Something that did not belong to mana, nor aura, nor any force he had learned about in books.
His mind felt… distant.
As if it were floating several steps behind his body, watching events unfold through a narrowing tunnel.
Around him, people screamed.
Children cried—some weakly, some not at all. Parents clawed their way across rubble, dragging broken limbs, calling names that would never be answered. Guards staggered upright only to collapse again, armor warped inward like crushed tin.
And above it all—
Theressa Emberve no longer screamed.
She knelt in midair, body trembling, blood cascading down her ruined face. Where her eyes had been were only hollow, mutilated sockets. Her fingers twitched uselessly at her cheeks, nails slick with gore.
"Impossible…" she whispered, voice broken raw.
"You shouldn't… exist…"
Leon did not hear her, he didn't hear anyone.
Inside his mind, something had begun to awaken.
[System Awakening: 71%]
[Host Integrity: Unstable]
[External Hostility Detected]
Cecilia Heartfelt dragged herself from beneath a collapsed column, coughing as ash filled her lungs. Her regal dress was torn, stained red and black.
One arm hung at an unnatural angle. Her gaze locked onto Leon's back. At first, there was relief, he was alive.
Then fear crept in.
The Magic Ball—the national relic—was cracked. Theressa, the Seer who had guided their kingdom for decades, was mutilated and broken. The tower itself groaned like a dying beast.
And Leon stood untouched.
Still.
Silent.
Wrong.
"What…" Her voice trembled. "What did you do…?"
Leon's fingers twitched. The Magic Ball let out a sound like glass crying. That was when the hatred bloomed.
Someone screamed his name—not in reverence, but in accusation.
"LEON HEARTFELT!"
The cry spread. Parents,guards, survivors. Their eyes found him, and in them was no confusion—only certainty.
He did this. Leon finally pulled his hands away. The moment he turned, the pressure in the room shifted.
It wasn't mana.
It wasn't killing intent.
It was weight.
Like gravity had thickened around him alone. The crowd recoiled instinctively.
Leon blinked.
Once.
Twice.
The world snapped back into focus. Bodies, blood, fire and screaming children.
His stomach dropped.
"What…?" His voice came out hoarse, small.
"Mom…?"
His gaze searched desperately, finally landing on Cecilia crawling toward him.
Hope surged in his chest.
She would understand. She always did.
"Mother, I—"
"What the fuck did you do?!"
The words struck harder than any blade.
Leon froze. The sound of them echoed inside his skull, overlapping with memories he thought he'd buried—locker doors slamming, laughter, accusations he could never defend himself from.
"I— I didn't—" His hands began to shake. "I don't know what happened. I swear—"
His eyes dropped to his palms. They were clean. Too clean. Around him, bodies burned.
His breath hitched.
"I… killed them?" he whispered.
The realization crushed him. His legs gave out, knees slamming into the fractured marble as bile surged up his throat.
He vomited, shaking violently, vision blurring through tears. "I didn't want this…" he sobbed. "I never wanted this…"
Cecilia stood.
Slowly, painfully.
Her eyes were cold. Not hatefuf, not loving—calculating. If she defended him, the people would riot. If she hesitated, the kingdom would fracture. If word spread that a single child's awakening had driven a Seer mad—
They would come.
Other Seers. Other powers.
They would burn Heartfelt Country to the ground just to erase the stain. Her jaw tightened. "Guards," she said, voice steady.
"Kill him."
The world broke. Leon looked up at her, disbelief hollowing his chest.
"M… Mom…?"
"He is no son of mine," Cecilia said. "Vanquish the demon." Something inside Leon cracked permanently.
[System Awakening: 89%]
[Emotional Stability: Collapsed]
[Initiating Emergency Override]
Steel sang. A guard lunged forward, blade flashing. Leon didn't see it coming.
Pain exploded.
His right arm spun away from him, hitting the floor with a wet sound. Leon screamed. Not loudly, pathetically.
"I don't want to die!" he sobbed, clutching the stump as blood poured out. "Please—!"
The guards closed in. One raised his sword high.
"End it."
[Override Accepted]
[Host Consciousness: Suppressed]
[Annihilator Mode: Engaged]
The scream cut off mid-breath. Leon's eyes lost focus.
His body went still.
Then—He vanished.
Air detonated.
A guard's head left his shoulders without resistance, crushed by a kick that did not hesitate, did not slow, did not care.
Leon reappeared mid-air, eyes glowing a dull, empty red. No emotion, no recognition.
Only execution.
[Skill Acquired: Archaic Touch]
The world dimmed. A wave of primordial force poured from Leon's palms—not mana, not aura, but something older. It brushed across armor, flesh, stone—
—and erased them.
Guards disintegrated into dust. Screams ended instantly. Those farther away ran.
Too slow.
The system did not pursue out of anger.
It pursued because obstacles existed.
When it was done, silence returned.
Leon's body turned toward the shattered exit.
And fled.
Far beyond the burning tower, beyond the screaming city, Leon's body collapsed in the forest outskirts, crumpling into the dirt like a discarded puppet.
Inside his mind, darkness closed in.
The last thing Leon felt was fear.
Then nothing.
[Host Consciousness: Offline]
[Escape Successful]
[Further Awakening Deferred]
High above, unseen, something ancient shifted.
The Abyss watched.
And waited.
To be continued.