Tenebrous Wolf

For the first time in his eighteen years of life, Klaus Schwarz felt a spark of excitement for the future.

With the awakening of his Primordial Attribute, the bleak and oppressive chapter of his past had finally come to a close.

Given the mysterious rank of his Attribute, he was certain it would grant him an ability of immense power. At the very least, it had to surpass those bestowed by Shrouded and Awakened Attributes.

Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long. Change was already taking root within his Soul.

A strange sensation stirred in his chest. It was reminiscent of when his Soul Core first formed within his Spirit Body. But this was far more intense, far more painful.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

"Ack!"

With a sharp cry, Klaus collapsed to his knees, sinking slightly into the dark sea beneath him. He clutched his chest and gasped for breath. It felt as though something deep inside him was about to erupt like a volcano on the verge of exploding. His Soul was being infused with an unknown force.

This energy did not come from an external source. It was welling up from within, as though it had always been there, lying dormant, waiting to awaken.

That energy surged through every fiber of his being, filling his Soul to its very limits. His senses sharpened, his emotions became clearer.

Then, above the dark sea, a white star flickered into existence.

At that moment, his physical body outside his Inner World began to transform. An unbearable heat ignited in his chest, spreading through his Material Body like wildfire.

His bones, muscles, organs, and blood vessels burned as they were torn apart and reforged anew. Soul, mind, and body were all undergoing evolution in perfect unison at the same time.

After some time, the scorching heat finally subsided, giving way to a chilling cold that washed away all discomfort and pain. However, rather than feeling unsettled by the change in his Soul, Klaus found it oddly reassuring.

In fact, he welcomed it like this was how things were always meant to be. He couldn't explain why, but the sensation felt natural, driven more by instinct than rational reasoning.

As he stood up from the dark sea, the voice of his inner world snapped him out of his reverie.

[Your Mysticism has fully awakened.]

"So, it has finally awakened, huh? Let's take a look."

His eagerness stemmed from a simple truth that his First Mysticism would define his path in the Shadow World. It would determine his role, his strengths, and, most importantly, his survival. If his Mysticism leaned toward close combat, he would become a 'Fighter'. If it resonated with sorcery, he would be a 'Sorcerer'. And if it manifested as psychokinesis, he would walk the path of an 'Esper'.

If by some rare chance it specialized in utility, he would be classified as 'Support'. Unlike the other roles, Supports were invaluable not just in the Shadow World but also in the real world.

For instance, healers could mend life-threatening injuries, and if their rank was high enough, they could even regenerate severed limbs or reconstruct damaged organs from scratch.

Come to think of it, he had always wanted to become a healer. The pay was excellent, and even those with a Low-Rank Attribute could secure a comfortable life without worrying about money.

Too bad. He had already awakened an advanced Attribute, and from its description alone, he could tell that it had nothing to do with healing.

[First Mysticism acquired.]

[First Mysticism Name: Adaptation.]

"My first mysticism is adaptation? That's unexpected. I thought I'd get something cliché like devouring, but it seems like 'myself' has a great sense of humor."

Klaus chuckled.

He didn't hesitate. There was an old saying that goes: If you want to become strong, you must first know yourself.

There was another version of that saying related to relationships, but he pushed that thought aside and summoned his information with a single thought.

[Name: Klaus Schwarz.]

[Divine Name: Abyssal Sun.]

[Rank: Apprentice.]

[Traits: Cravings, Black Blood, Shard of Divinity.]

[Aether Core: Shrouded.]

[Mysticism Name: Adaptation.]

[Mysticism Ability Description: You can adapt to anything, this includes changes in physicality and spirituality.]

"What is this? I can adapt to anything? Is that it? There's no further explanation…"

Klaus frowned and tried to manipulate his Inner World's mechanism to read further, but before he could, his surroundings shifted. In an instant, he was back in the real world, standing before Sergeant Griffin.

He was no longer in his Soul Stream.

"Apprentice Klaus Schwarz?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Are you alright? You've been unresponsive for a while. Did something happen during your awakening?"

"Ah, it's nothing, sir. I was just… startled."

Realizing the situation, Klaus quickly masked his thoughts and responded casually. He had forgotten that while his consciousness was within the Soul Stream, his physical body remained motionless.

Perhaps his high-rank awakening had forcefully pulled him in. If that were the case, it was a serious vulnerability.

He needed to be more careful.

If his body was left defenseless every time he entered his Soul Stream, it would be a disaster. Awakening as an Ascendant, only to be killed moments later due to sheer vulnerability, would be the greatest joke of all.

Sergeant Griffin studied him for a moment before clearing his throat.

"I was concerned for a moment, but since there are no issues, I'll leave it at that. More importantly—"

Then, with an approving smile, he said,

"Congratulations on your successful awakening, Apprentice Klaus Schwarz!"

"Thank you, Sergeant."

Klaus had already anticipated the officer's shift in demeanor.

His tone was now warm and composed, a stark contrast to the cold indifference he had shown earlier when mercilessly crushing the hopes and dreams of those who failed to awaken.

The reason for this sudden change was simple.

He was now an Apprentice.

Needless to say, the sentiment wasn't genuine.

If you were useful, you would be acknowledged. If you weren't, you would be discarded. That was the undeniable truth of the world.

The actions of people like him were pathetically predictable.

For instance, the officer's next words would likely be—

"Can you show us what ability you awakened?"

Right on cue.

Klaus remained expressionless.

It was mandatory for newly awakened Apprentices to disclose their Mysticism for official records, all under the guise of "the betterment of humanity."

The truth was far simpler.

They just wanted control over everything, as expected of the government.

Any sane person would have already realised this truth. The military didn't even bother hiding it.

Hmm. But how should I answer this kind officer?

Since he's my senior, I obviously can't lie. He definitely has a truth device on him, so lying is useless.

I might even be arrested and detained for trying to withhold information.

Damn. As I thought, this would be hard. People from Major Clans sure has it easy.

Klaus thought carefully.

If he were an Ascendant from a Major Clan, this officer would have no choice but to swallow his pride and let the matter drop. The Major Clans had long maintained their stance on keeping their secrets, and no one, not even the military, dared to challenge them.

Obviously, in such a scenario, the officer wouldn't dare to resort to force. Unless, of course, he had suddenly grown tired of living.

But for him, the situation was entirely different. He came from a low background, with no powerful clan to protect him.

He lacked the same influence, and if he attempted to dodge the matter as Adrian had, the consequences would be far less forgiving.

That meant he had no choice but to reveal his abilities.

Naturally, he knew he couldn't give up the information about his strange attribute and mysticism abilites or else the results would be even worse. It was highly plausible that he might be captured and used as a lab rat for the rest of his life.

Reveal too much, and he would be in danger. Reveal too little, and he would face suspicion.

Either way, the situation wouldn't end kindly for him.

However, he had already prepared for this exact moment. He didn't need to disclose everything, just enough to throw the officer off.

Even if they used a lie detector, they couldn't accuse him of withholding information when he himself didn't fully understand his abilities.

With that in mind, Klaus finally opened his mouth and answered:

"My ability is Adaptation. I can adapt to low-temperature changes."

Sergeant Griffin seemed shocked. "Wait, is that it?"

"Yes, sir."

He frowned and stared at him. Klaus maintained his Indifferent expression and stared into the sergeant's eyes without flinching.

Perhaps the lie detector hadn't detected his words as a lie, sergeant Griffin then sighed and said with a fake smile:

"Interesting. That's certainly a strange ability."

"Yes, sir."

"Very well, return to the crowd. I'll call the next person."

Klaus nodded and quickly stepped away from the awakening center. As he returned to his previous spot, he could feel the weight of countless stares.

The murmurs of his fellow students reached his ears.

"This guy… he actually awakened?"

"Wait, who is he again?"

"What? You don't know? He's in our class! He used to date Kelsey back in our second year."

"Wait… him? Damn. I feel bad for the guy. Didn't she dump him for that upperclassman?"

"Yeah, Mikhail. That bastard used to make everyone's life hell. Last I heard, he got arrested for drug possession."

"That's messed up. What about Kelsey?"

"She dropped out. No one's heard from her since."

"Hah! Who cares? That slut was sleeping around with half the basketball team anyway."

"No joke. A buddy of mine and I even—"

The group of gossiping students fell silent the moment Klaus shot them a sharp glare. Under his cold, piercing gaze, they hesitated, their words dying in their throats before they quickly averted their eyes.

Although Klaus didn't care about the past, he hated hearing people gossip about that incident, especially about her. That was the source of his irritation.

Just great. My mood was just fine, and now some idiot decided that it was appropriate to bring up that woman's name.

"Tch."

Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Klaus turned away, his mood souring instantly. Without another glance at the crowd, he made his way back to his previous spot at the far back of the hall.

Since his awakening was already complete, there was no reason to listen to anything Sergeant Griffin had to say unless it was something important.

Leaning against the cold wall, he closed his eyes and crossed his arms, patiently waiting for the ceremony to end.

However, what he didn't notice was that amidst the countless murmurs and curious stares, someone else was quietly observing him.

"Alright, everyone, the awakening protocol is not over!"

Sergeant Griffin's voice rang out, snapping the restless students back to attention.

"Once you hear your ID number, step forward and get your luck tested!"

Surprisingly, the remaining students looked more fired up than before.

After all, if someone like Klaus, who came from an unremarkable background, could awaken as an Ascendant, then perhaps they still had a chance too.

Of course, they told themselves it was optimistic thinking. But in truth, it was nothing more than delusion.

"Failed!"

One.

"Failed!"

Two.

"Failed!"

Three.

"FAILED! FAILED! FAILED!!"

One after another.

Sergeant Griffin's expression grew more severe, frustration lacing each shout.

With the exception of Klaus and Adrian, every single graduate of No. 23 High School had failed to awaken as an Ascendant!

It was a total disaster!

Only two people successfully awakened out of an entire batch!

Anyone would be beyond frustrated!

What the hell was he supposed to report to his superiors?!

He had even gone out of his way to train these students too!

Sergeant Griffin felt the urge to rip his hair out if not for the promise he made to himself. The day he retired, he would fully embrace Buddhism.

Until then… anger management.

"Fuck!"

In the end, he failed to contain his anger and resorted to biting his notepad as if it were chewing gum.