I Awakened The Most Powerful System

Chapter 3

Three

When the Tower first selected an individual to become a Ascender, the chosen person was forced through a brutal and painful transformation known as the First Awakening.

This process marked the moment when an ordinary being stepped beyond the limits of normal existence and into the world governed by mana.

From the moment of birth, every living creature in the world was endowed with three fundamental components. The body, the soul, and the mana pathway.

The body was the most obvious. It was the physical vessel that allowed a creature to exist in the world, to move, eat, grow, and survive. Upon entering life, every species began learning how to use this vessel, though the time required for mastery differed wildly. Some animals could walk within minutes of birth. Humans, by comparison, required years before they could properly control their bodies.

Hidden alongside the physical network of veins, arteries, and capillaries was something far more elusive. A metaphysical structure known as the mana pathway, sometimes called the mana circuit.

Unlike the circulatory system, the mana pathway could not be seen, touched, or detected by ordinary means. Yet it was no less real. This invisible network was responsible for circulating mana, the mystical energy that powered spells, abilities, and every supernatural feat known to mankind.

For most humans, this pathway remained sealed throughout childhood and adolescence. It lay dormant, like a locked channel waiting for permission to open. Only when the Tower of Ascension deemed someone worthy did it interfere, unsealing the mana circuit and allowing that person to experience mana for the first time.

How the Tower made its selections remained one of the greatest mysteries of the age. Countless theories existed, but no one had ever found proof. The only certainty was that those chosen would never be the same again.

The moment the mana circuit was unsealed, the First Awakening began.

For many, it was the most traumatic experience of their lives.

The body, unaccustomed to mana, reacted violently when the world’s natural energy flooded into the newly opened pathways. Some awakeners collapsed instantly, overwhelmed by the sudden influx. In extreme cases, the shock was fatal, and the person died before their awakening could stabilize.

For those who survived, the sensation was impossible to fully describe. Mana rushed through channels that had never been used before, carrying unfamiliar sensations that ranged from burning heat to bone deep cold. Every nerve screamed as the body struggled to adapt.

Despite differences in individual experiences, there was one constant shared by nearly all awakeners. Pain.

As mana surged through the body, it reinforced and purified the physical form. This process forced impurities out through the pores in the form of a thick, foul smelling black gel. The substance clung to the skin, sticky and heavy, carrying toxins and waste that had accumulated within the body over a lifetime.

The greater the quantity of this expelled substance, the more thoroughly the body had been cleansed.

A Ascender who expelled large amounts of the black gel was believed to have superior long term potential, as their mana pathways were cleaner and more efficient from the very beginning. Such individuals found it easier to learn spells and cultivate mana in the future.

However, the black gel was extremely dangerous.

Highly toxic, it posed a severe risk to ordinary humans. Even brief contact could lead to serious infection or poisoning. Because of this, strict procedures surrounded every First Awakening.

Across secondary and higher secondary schools worldwide, students were taught what to do if someone nearby began awakening. They were instructed to keep their distance and immediately call the Ascenders Association emergency line at 922. Trained healers would be dispatched to handle the situation safely.

In Rhys’s case, that step was unnecessary.

He was already inside the Tiger Guild when his awakening began. The guild maintained its own team of professional healers, fully equipped to handle even the most extreme cases.

“Guildmaster, I have never seen someone expel this much black residue before,” Cassian said, disbelief clear in his voice. “It just keeps coming. He has already expelled two and a half kilograms, and there is no sign of it slowing down.”

Even Ren looked surprised as he observed the scene.

“The cleaner his mana pathways are from the start, the easier it will be for him to learn magic,” Joe commented, unable to fully hide the envy in his tone. “With this kind of foundation, he could have a future just as bright as his sister’s.”

“It is far too early to judge his potential,” Emma replied calmly. “Talent alone does not determine success. Temperament matters just as much, if not more.”

Though Emma was not a Ascender herself, her authority within the Tiger Guild was second only to Ren and the vice guildmaster. Her words carried weight.

Several more minutes passed. Rhys expelled another half kilogram of black gel before the flow finally began to slow. Cassian, who had been working without pause, let out a breath of relief as he continued to cleanse and stabilize Rhys’s body.

“His heart rate is steady,” Cassian said. “But after losing that much mass, he will be unconscious until morning at least. Still, it is impressive. He went from an undefined build to a properly chiseled physique in minutes.”

“Do not exaggerate,” Emma said, watching Rhys carefully. “He was already in good shape. The awakening refined his body, but it is not as dramatic as you are making it sound.”

“All right,” Ren said, bringing the discussion to an end. “Let him rest. He has endured enough for one night.”

He turned to Cassian. “Monitor him regularly.”

Then to Emma. “Bring him to me when he wakes tomorrow morning.”

With that, the group dispersed, leaving Rhys to recover as the First Awakening concluded.

---

Meanwhile, deep within Rhys’s subconscious.

He found himself standing in an endless white expanse.

There were no landmarks, no horizon, no visible source of light. The space stretched infinitely in every direction, formed entirely of smooth white walls that seemed to exist without purpose or boundary.

Rhys looked around, unsure whether he was dreaming or trapped within some elaborate illusion.

“Rhys Yadav. We finally meet.”

The voice came from behind him.

Rhys turned and found himself facing a man of striking appearance. He had deep blue eyes and a calm expression, framed by pure white wings that spread elegantly from his back.

The sight stirred a sense of familiarity within Rhys.

“You look like Dreavon,” he blurted out without thinking.

The man smiled.

“I am Dreavon.”