Chaos.
That was the only word capable of describing the atmosphere inside the viewing chamber. The air itself trembled with disbelief. Dozens of nobles—dukes, marquises, generals, academy heads—sat frozen as they tried to process what they had just witnessed.
A Divine Rank awakening.
The very first in the entire recorded history of Novacter.
And the name attached to this miracle was etched into every onlooker's mind—
Aldric Crestban.
The golden child of the Crestban lineage.
The prodigy everyone expected to shine.
But no one—not even his own father—imagined this level of brilliance.
King Gareth Thornhelm had risen from his seat without realizing it. His normally calm, composed, regal demeanor was completely shattered. His fingers trembled slightly as he stared down at the Awakening Stone, as if trying to confirm that this was not an illusion or hallucination conjured by excessive hope.
Even Duke Alistra Crestban—the man renowned for his emotionless iron composure—sat frozen. His pupils shook. His jaw clenched. His heartbeat thundered in his ears.
A divine rank talent…
A divine rank physique…
Inside Novacter?
Inside a mid-grade world?
Impossible.Unthinkable.Utterly absurd.
Because every powerhouse in the viewing room knew the truth—
Divine awakenings were not for mortals.Not for mid-grade worlds like Novacter.Not even for 99% of high-world geniuses.
Only beings from higher realms—worlds blessed by cosmic entities—had a chance, and even then, the odds were 0.001%.
In Novacter… it shouldn't have existed.It shouldn't have happened.
A whisper broke the suffocating stillness.
"H–How… how is this possible?"
The noble who spoke couldn't hide the raw fear in his voice. His eyes quivered in disbelief, in awe, and in something dangerously close to reverence.
Awakening and the Tower had always been shrouded in mystery—blessings, curses, destinies intertwined by forces beyond mortal understanding.
But this…
This surpassed every known boundary.
King Gareth finally exhaled, his voice low but shaking the silence.
"This is the beginning of something great. I am certain of it."
His gaze remained fixed on the brilliance lingering around the Awakening Stone.
"Not only him… even before today, this year alone has produced an abnormal number of SSS-rank awakeners. Three in the Elven Domain, one in our Human Domain, and four in the Beastmen Territory."
He paused, his expression tightening.
"And now—this. The very first Divine Rank awakening in the entire history of Novacter."
The room buzzed again, loud with unspoken thoughts.
Duke Alistra nodded slowly, acknowledging the weight of those words.
The king continued, his tone steady but full of urgency:
"We must do everything—everything—to raise this boy. To protect him. To ensure he reaches his full potential. He may be the key… the only key… for Novacter to ascend to a higher grade world."
Another nod from Alistra.Though shocked, one thing was clear—he would never allow harm to come to his son.Not now.Not ever.
The king let out a breath, glancing back at Aldric's awakening data.
"…But truly, how unfair. A divine talent and a physique… Their effects are utterly absurd."
Every noble in the chamber silently agreed.
A physique that offered resurrection.A talent that controlled the first flame.A body that could regenerate lost limbs.Immunity to an entire element.
At Novice Rank.
If this wasn't divine… nothing was.
If Arthur had been in the room to witness it, he might've burst into laughter right then and there.
What would these nobles think… if they learned his talent was also Divine Rank?
And not just that—
His divine talent was far stronger, far more mysterious, far more frighteningly versatile than Aldric's.
Aldric looked like he received the "cheapest divine talent in stock."
But that was far from the truth.
Arthur's talent was simply a far more complex monster.One the world wasn't ready to understand yet.Especially when combined with his SS-rank second talent…
The true terror was still hidden from everyone.
The Awakening Hall Slowly Clears
One by one, the ceremonies concluded.Children left.Nobles murmured fervently.Parents hugged their heirs.Discussions spread like wildfire.
Every single person leaving the hall carried awe, shock, pride, confusion—and above all—excitement.
They had witnessed something that might be written in history books centuries later.
The king and the remaining nobles lingered for a final moment, each of them taking one last look at the Awakening Stone, as if hoping it might reveal another miracle.
Finally, the king turned toward Alistra and spoke quietly:
"Valarie's boy… I am certain he awakened something special too. You should look after him closely. You know what I'm implying."
Alistra stiffened, remembering the strange red and purple energy that had erupted around Arthur.
"Yes… that energy was not mana. Not by any means."
The king nodded gravely.
Then he left.
One by one, the nobles followed.
Leaving only Duke Alistra Crestban, who exhaled deeply and rubbed his forehead with growing frustration.
"…Where did those damned troublemakers run off to now?"
He sighed again.
This was only the beginning.
The world had just changed—and both of those boys were at its center.