Awakening: I Became a Legendary Spirit Summoner

For the second time in two days, Karl and Celeste woke before dawn.

Their minds were set on the challenge ahead.

Today was different from yesterday—not just another day of exploration or preparation.

Today, they would truly attempt to conquer the fifth floor.

Yesterday had been about understanding the layout, unlocking their [Specialized Class], and adapting to their newfound strength.

Now, with their power significantly bolstered, they were ready.

Or at least, they hoped they were.

"I'd still be careful if I were you," Celeste muttered as they left their dormitory.

The early morning air was crisp against their skin.

The academy's campus was mostly quiet at this hour, with only a few figures moving about.

"Everyone else who made it to the fifth floor probably received their own [Specialized Class] too."

Karl nodded, already aware of that fact.

"And I bet the [Friendly Fire] rule is removed once we start the floor's actual challenge."

"That's a given!" Celeste agreed with a smirk.

They had spent the night strategizing, laying out every possibility they could think of.

Hesitation would be costly.

There were many powerful awakeners within the [Awakened City], each with unique skills and talents.

Underestimating anyone—whether they were from their academy, another empire, or an entirely different city—would be a fatal mistake.

Inside the tower, it didn't matter where one came from.

Everyone was linked in the same brutal trial, and death could come swiftly.

Following the same path they had taken with Celeste's parents the previous night, the duo retraced their steps toward the [Fifth Floor's Square].

The air was charged with an unspoken tension.

The moment they stepped onto the square, they realized why.

Unlike yesterday, the area was no longer empty.

Several figures stood scattered around the space—some leaning against trees, others resting against pillars, and a few simply seated on the stone benches nearby.

All of them carried an air of quiet confidence, their gazes sharp and unreadable.

"They've reached the fifth floor too," Celeste whispered.

Her voice carried a hint of both admiration and caution.

"I figured we wouldn't be the only ones..."

Karl exhaled slowly, scanning the gathered awakeners.

It would have been foolish to assume that after nearly two days in the academy, no one else had made it this far.

These were the best of the best—the ones who had bulldozed their way through the previous floors, refusing to waste the full month they had been allotted.

What's more, Karl had a strong suspicion that not a single person here had chosen a difficulty below [Hell]-Level.

After all, anyone who had cleared three entire floors in just two days wasn't the type to take the easy route.

"How is it that we're always the last ones?" Karl muttered, narrowing his eyes as he observed the group.

"We're probably not the last ones," Celeste said with an amused smile.

"It's just that these people are... weird."

Weird was one way to put it.

Every person here was among the top awakeners from their respective empires' [Entrance Examinations], all of them carrying an unshakable presence.

The weight of their stares was almost tangible.

Karl didn't recognize any faces, but he was certain he knew some of their names.

He could either seek out information later or—if necessary—introduce himself directly.

Neither option seemed particularly appealing at the moment.

"Hello there~"

A smooth, familiar voice broke through their quiet conversation.

Karl and Celeste turned to see a figure approaching from behind.

[Sylas Crowell.]

The number one awakener from the entrance examination.

Karl wasn't surprised in the slightest.

They had already encountered Sylas yesterday, so seeing him here was inevitable.

"..."

Karl didn't respond to the greeting, maintaining his cautious demeanor.

Sylas' smile widened as he noticed the duo's reluctance to engage.

"Cautious, huh? That's good."

With that, he turned away and headed toward the massive portal leading to the fifth floor.

But instead of stepping through, he stopped just before it, waiting.

Karl frowned slightly.

Why weren't they entering?

The portal should have been open.

Curious, he approached the entrance himself, but the moment he tried to step forward, a translucent panel materialized in front of him.

[The entrance to the fifth floor is currently locked. Please wait until 8:00 AM before entering.]

So that was why.

"Tower checkpoints have a specific timeframe," Sylas said, as if reading Karl's thoughts.

"That's the only reason we're all waiting. Now that we've reached the checkpoint, we can actually start accessing the tower's information about it."

Karl hummed in response.

As one progressed further in the tower, more details became available to them—things the [Authority of the Tower] wouldn't normally allow lower-level challengers to know.

With nothing else to do, Karl and Celeste took a seat on a nearby bench, keeping a close eye on the others while quietly conversing amongst themselves.

Save for Sylas, who remained alone, the other awakeners were doing much the same.

There were exactly twelve of them in total, including Karl and Celeste.

"Don't you think it's weird that we haven't met a single teacher yet?" Celeste mused.

Karl thought about it before shrugging.

"I mean, I guess the dark figures from the broadcast don't count, but yeah... it should be soon. Even the teachers have to climb the tower, right?"

"True!" Celeste grinned.

Time passed in slow increments.

Then—

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Every [Smartwatch] in the square beeped in unison, signaling the awaited moment.

[The first checkpoint: Awakened City, is now open.]

There was no hesitation.

Sylas was the first to move, stepping through the portal without so much as a backward glance.

Two groups of three followed suit, then another duo besides Karl and Celeste, and finally, a lone awakener, much like Sylas.

"Why are they racing?" Celeste muttered, rubbing her temples.

"It's not like being first will get them anything special..."

"Who knows," Karl said, stepping forward himself.

The fifth floor was unlike the previous ones.

There was no difficulty setting this time—no [Normal], [Hell], or [Nightmare]-Level.

It was a checkpoint, meaning everyone shared the same experience.

Without further delay, Karl and Celeste walked through the portal.

...

The sensation of teleportation was disorienting, but only for a brief moment.

They landed on solid ground, surrounded by a flood of other challengers who had materialized at the same time.

[Welcome back to the first checkpoint: The Awakened City.]

Karl's gaze swept across the mass of awakeners.

Hundreds of them had appeared out of nowhere, all arriving at the same time.

"The floor opens for everyone simultaneously," Karl muttered, realization dawning on him.

"So that means everyone who was eager to challenge the fifth floor is here now."

Celeste nodded, gripping her staff tighter.

"That also means every single person here is strong enough to clear the tower's tutorial in just two days."

Motivated. Determined. Deadly.

That was the only way to describe this crowd.

Their spawn point was outside the city walls, meaning they had to traverse the main road leading to the entrance.

And they weren't alone.

The crowd surged forward, weapons at the ready, eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Get ready," Karl said as they neared the towering gates of the [Awakened City].

His instincts screamed that something was coming.

"I've got a feeling this is gonna be... crazy."

Celeste nodded, shifting into a battle-ready stance.

"Just show me those spirits of yours, and I'll try as hard as I possibly can," she said jokingly.

Karl smirked.

"That's a deal."

And then—

[The Fifth Floor's challenge will begin soon.]

[Please be ready.]

The city awaited them.