The morning rush had already reached its peak by the time Albedo stepped off the Mana Train and walked into the heart of the Imperial District.

Albedo could see hundreds of people moving through the street, all going along with their own business. He saw some people around his age walking towards the Awakening Hall alongside him.

Some looked like Nobles, some looked like commoners, some looked dirt poor. Still, none of it mattered,

When it came to awakening, status was irrelevant, improving the world’s power to defend against the Abyss was all that mattered.

After just glancing at them and realizing he didn’t recognize any of them from the Novel descriptions or illustrations, he ignored them and continued on his way, eventually arriving at the Awakening Hall.

He approached the massive front gates, two slabs of white stone twice his height, engraved with the Symbols of the First Awakening: a sword, a flame, a book, and a closed eye.

The guards outside barely spared him a glance. Who would care about some random kid when thousands came every single day.

As Albedo stepped inside, he was greeted by a wave of cool air washing over him, and he was greeted by a receptionist in a white and blue robe with a practiced smile.

“Name?”

“Albedo Neverwinter.”

She tapped a few glyphs into her floating crystal tablet and gave a nod, “Room Twelve. Through the left corridor, second door on your right.”

He bowed slightly and moved on.

The corridor was quiet, only the faint hum of mana flowing through the walls breaking the silence.

Each door he passed was marked with a glowing sigil, gently pulsing in time with a heartbeat. When he reached his destination, the door slid open with a soft whisper of air.

Inside was the Awakening Chamber.

It was a circular room with a single raised platform at the center. Surrounding the platform were rings of floating runes that orbited the platform like tiny moons.

A woman stood waiting. Her ceremonial robe was deep blue trimmed with starlight silver, and she held a crystal tablet in her hands.

“You are Albedo?”

He nodded.

“Step onto the platform. Once the sequence begins, do not resist the mana. It will flow through your body and initiate the Awakening. Your Gift will reveal itself in accordance with your soul’s truth.”

“Will it hurt?”

She smiled faintly, “No, but you may experience nausea and dizziness during and for a short while after awakening as you adapt to the Mana.”

Albedo nodded and walked into the center of the platform.

~WHOOSH!~

The runes immediately began flaring up the moment his feet touched the platform, and Mana began surging.

The air immediately grew thick with pressure, but quickly turned comforting, like a war embrace.

His breathing slowed. His heartbeat steadied.

And then,

Darkness.

Not the absence of light, but the presence of infinity.

Albedo opened his eyes, except he hadn’t closed them, had he?

He found himself floating in a void of galaxies. It was like a cosmos of swirling colors, burning suns and exploding stars that stretched out all around him.

His senses felt like they were going haywire. It felt quiet, yet louder than anything he had experienced simultaneously.

He couldn’t possibly comprehend what was happening, yet he knew.

These stars, they were the Gifts. Each star represented a possible future, a power waiting to merge with him and become his own.

One moved.

It shimmered with gold and crimson. Another flickered like water. A third glowed with perfect white light. So many.

But Albedo didn’t reach for any of them. In fact, Albedo couldn’t move, he was rooted where he stood, only able to move his neck to look around.

However, one of the stars reached for Albedo.

It was far in the distance, dim, black and silent. It didn’t burn or shine, it consumed, leaving a trail of stillness in its wake as it barreled towards him.

And then, it collided with him.

No pain. No light. Just… understanding.

The cosmos vanished. His eyes opened. He was back in the chamber.

The runes beneath him pulsed erratically for a moment, then stabilized. The Awakening Specialist was staring at him with wide eyes, her lips parted slightly.

“…What was that?” she whispered.

Albedo didn’t answer, staring in front of him where his personal system finally awakened.

[ DING! Life Achievement System Activated! System will give the Host random rewards for every life achievement the Hosts achieves. ]

[ DING! Congratulations for Awakening! Rewarding Novice Gift Package! ]

Albedo looked at the system, and after checking through his System quickly, he closed the stream and refocused on the Awakening Specialist who was staring at him.

“Was it successful?” She asked, curious about what happened.

“Yeah it was.” Albedo responded.

“Okay, record your awakening to the clerk outside as successful. Also, state whether you want to apply to Zephyr Academy and your Entrance Examination date will be sent to you later this week.”

Albedo nodded and stepped outside, immediately applying for the Entrance Exam.

While other people in Novels would avoid going to the Academy the main protagonists would be at, Albedo wanted to attend simply because it would increase the rate his strength improved.

He didn’t care about influencing the plot, his main goal was to avenge his family, and he needed power as soon as possible to accomplish that.

With all of that finished, Albedo quickly got on the Mana Train and headed home. He wouldn’t need to pick up Gwen for another couple hours, giving him enough time to explore the system and his new abilities.

Once he arrived home, he quickly pulled up the System Status.

[ Name: Albedo Neverwinter ]

[ Race: Human ]

[ Mana Rank: Low Bronze ( Newly Awakened ) ]

[ Mana Technique: None ]

[ Gift: Echo of Death ]

[ Mana Physique: Crimson Moon Primordial Physique ( Half-Awakened ) ]

[ Inventory: Novice Gift Package ]

Albedo immediately used the system to check the description of the Gift. Most people only receive a vague description of their Gift once it is awakened in their mind, and then spend months figuring out exactly what it does.

However, with the system, Albedo can skip all of that.

[ Gift: ECHO OF DEATH: Host’s gift slot starts as empty. However, host can permanently absorb the gifts of people he kills. Additionally, for a short duration once someone dies next to host, you can draw their Soul Power to heal yourself ]

Albedo read the gift and smiled as he thought of the possibilities. He would become a collector of power, not born with it, but forged through death.

The more he killed, the more his powers would stack up and the stronger he would become.

With that done, he looked towards the rest of his status, more particularly, his Physique.

“System, how is it already half-awakened?” He asked.

Physique’s could be described as innate abilities that every race could obtain. Physiques could be genetic, but people without powerful parents could also spontaneously awaken a Physique.

Most Physique’s provide extensive buffs, such as increased mana capacity and quality, increased spell power, higher physical strength or higher affinity to specific elements.

However, whilst some physiques awaken automatically, some need specific conditions to awaken, but Albedo had never heard of a half-awakened physique before.

[ The System used its power to partially awaken the Host’s physique and use it’s power to protect you 10 years ago. Ever since then, the physique has remained half-awakened, but without mana, Host has been unable to use it. ]

Albedo nodded as he read it, excited at it’s effects. Anything with the world Primordial had to be good.

[ Crimson Moon Primordial Physique – A rare Mana Physique originating from the Primordial Era. This physique is attuned to the essence of the Crimson Moon, an Ancient Celestial Dimension lost to time that symbolized unparalleled power, destruction, and rebirth. Gives host increased training speed, domination over all types of flames, and a Crimson Soul. A Crimson Soul leads to increased memory, comprehension, higher senses, immunity to Spirit based attacks and more. ]

Albedo leaned back, his lips curling into a bemused smirk. “So, I’m basically a walking cheat code.”

[ Host’s interpretation is accurate. ]

He rolled his eyes, “Of course it is. But how can I awaken it?”

[ The Crimson Moon Primordial Physique remains dormant until specific conditions are met. Activation requires the host to absorb a source of Primordial Fire and the Crimson Moon Primordial Technique. ]

“And where am I supposed to find something as specific as ‘Primordial Fire’?” Albedo asked, exasperated.

[ Host has a Novice Gift Package in Inventory. Maybe you’ll get lucky. ]

Albedo chuckled and nodded, “Oh yeah, forgot that. System, Open the Novice Gift Pack.” he said.

[ DING! Host has obtained the Source of the Flames of Crimson Apocalypse ]

[ DING! Host has obtained the Crimson Moon Primordial Technique. ]

Albedo immediately began to inspect the details of the three rewards.

[ Source of the Flames of Crimson Apocalypse – The Flames of Crimson Apocalypse are Primordial Flames that can burn anything to ash, even reality itself. These Flames can invoke terror in all beings, make them see flashes of their deepest fears and can burn away concepts if they rampage for too long. This Source brings these flames under the Host’s control. ]

[ Crimson Moon Primordial Technique – A Mana Technique designed for the Crimson Moon Primordial Physique. Uses the Power of the Crimson Moon to burn away all impurities in the Hosts Body, Soul and Mana, perfecting the Host. Technique allows Host to call forth the Crimson Moon Dimension into reality, and empower himself. ]

Albedo nodded and decided to assimilate the rewards immediately.

[ Acknowledged. Integration commencing… Please prepare yourself, Host. ]

A wave of heat coursed through his veins as the rewards began integrating themselves into him.

It began as a dull warmth in his chest, but within moments, it erupted into a blazing inferno.

“ARGH!” Albedo gritted his teeth as searing pain radiated through his body. His veins felt like molten lava, his muscles stretched and twisted as though they were being reforged, and his bones cracked and healed almost simultaneously.

His heart pounded violently, each beat reverberating with the roar of the Flames now merging with his essence. It felt like hot lava was crawling across his body and attempting to invade his very essence.

A swirling vortex of crimson energy surrounded him.

[ System Blocking Feature Initiated. All Phenomena related to the Host’s current actions are blocked from prying senses ]

Albedo couldn’t even focus on what was said, as the Flames of Crimson Apocalypse were wild, primal, and relentless, threatening to consume him entirely. Yet, as the fire raged within, Albedo’s mind remained resolute.

“Control it… It’s mine!” he roared internally, forcing the flames to submit to his will. Slowly but surely, the chaotic energy began to stabilize, and the flames settled into a steady, powerful rhythm within him, their overwhelming presence now firmly under his command.

[ Source of the Flames of Crimson Apocalypse successfully integrated. Host has obtained Flame Sovereignty. ]

Albedo barely had time to breathe before the second phase began. The Crimson Moon Primordial Technique activated, sending tendrils of crimson light through every cell of his body.

The technique was ruthless in its cleansing. His body felt as though it were being torn apart and reconstructed piece by piece.

Every impurity in his blood, muscles, and bones was burned away by the flames, leaving behind a body that was stronger, leaner, and more perfect than before.

His skin glowed faintly with an otherworldly luster, his already striking features becoming sharper, more defined, and impossibly handsome.

“F*CK…” Albedo hissed through clenched teeth.

The pain was unlike anything he had ever imagined, an unending cascade of agony that refused to relent.

Yet, he never yielded. Compared to the psychological pain of losing his family, this was nothing, he’d never lose to something like this.

As the technique ran, a strange clarity began to form.

His soul felt lighter, more potent. The Crimson Moon Dimension connected with him, an infinite expanse of crimson skies and silvery shadows that filled him.

Power surged through him, as if the very essence of the Crimson Moon was becoming part of his being.

Today, Albedo Neverwinter changed for good!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep