Silence still hung in the air, thick and heavy.
[You've gained 5 Fatebreaking Points. Accumulate 95 more to activate the Fate Breaker skill from its passive state.]
Ethan glanced at the notification and let out a quiet sigh.
So that's how it works.
Unlike ordinary abilities that granted instant power upon awakening, his SSS-ranked skill was clearly different. It wasn't something that would just hand him overwhelming strength—it required effort, action, and most importantly, accumulation.
This only made it more obvious—he needed to start hunting beasts as soon as possible, he needed to get out of his comfort zone as soon as possible.
The half-awakened Liger had barely been a warm-up, but at least it had netted him his first 5 points.
It wasn't much. Not even close to a fraction of what he needed.
But still, it was progress.
And in a world where power dictated everything, even the smallest progress was a step toward dominance.
Meanwhile, the Liger lay defeated, its massive body sprawled across the dirt, its golden-striped fur matted with streaks of blood. It wasn't dead, just exhausted, its primal instincts acknowledging defeat.
Ethan stood over it, unshaken, unscathed.
The blade in his hand still gleamed under the artificial lights of the arena, a stark contrast to the battered beast before him
The truth was evident, yet no one dared to speak it aloud.
None of them—none of his classmates—could have done what he just did.
While the class had gone through rigorous training, they were still unawakened. They had the skills, the discipline, the techniques drilled into them for years—but they lacked the raw power necessary to face something like that Liger.
Had it been any of them in Ethan's place, they would have been utterly obliterated.
The Harsh Reality of Strength
This fact settled into their minds like a slow-moving storm.
Until they awakened, until their talents were revealed, until they could set foot in the Great Labyrinth and carve their names into its history, they were powerless against creatures of this caliber.
The beasts they fought earlier? Those were true unawakened beasts, wild but manageable.
But the moment Awakening entered the equation—even just halfway, like the Liger—everything changed.
It was a brutal reminder of the world they lived in.
To survive, to thrive, to climb the ranks in a world where power dictated everything, they needed to awaken their talents and grow stronger.
And Ethan?
Ethan had already displayed strength beyond what an unawakened should possess.
It wasn't just skill. It wasn't just talent.
There was something else.
Something deeper, something that set him apart.
Murmurs of Recognition
The class had been silent for what felt like an eternity, but now, whispers began to circulate.
"There's no way he's unawakened… right?"
"How the hell did he keep up with a half-awakened beast like that?"
"This is crazy… he made it look like a normal fight."
The murmurs grew, but Ethan remained unbothered, his expression calm.
He simply exhaled and sheathed his sword with a sharp click, stepping away from the fallen Liger.
He wasn't surprised by their reactions. He had expected this.
After all, the strength he displayed wasn't just from years of training.
It was from his reality-defying advantage—the Supreme Fate Breaker System.
The fact is that he had already awakened a talent, such talent Awakening should had given him boost to his strength making him even more stronger...
But he couldn't tell them, as things were very complicated, all this made him tensed for what will happen tomorrow at the talent Awakening Ceremony... Will he awaken another talent, or will his already awakened talent be revealed, or will nothing be showed.
Each of these results could lead to three different complicated situations that he's having a headache thinking about...
Instructor Seraphine had remained still, her golden eyes locked onto Ethan since the moment he first clashed with the Liger.
She had fought countless battles, witnessed warriors rise and fall.
She knew true power when she saw it.
And what she had just witnessed from Ethan was not normal.
His movements were too refined, too controlled. There was no panic, no hesitation—just calculated, almost instinctual responses.
He fought with the kind of poise that only came after years of life-or-death battles.
But that was impossible.
Ethan Drakethorne was unawakened, just like the rest of them.
Wasn't he?
Her fingers twitched at her side, and she suppressed the urge to grin.
"This boy… he's something else."
She had no doubts anymore.
Ethan Drakethorne would not be ordinary.
Of course, none of this was truly surprising when one considered his lineage.
Gareth Drakethorne, the Overlord of the Labyrinth, was a man who stood above countless warriors, a conqueror whose name commanded fear and reverence alike.
He was a man who demanded strength, who valued only those who could carve their own path to power.
And Ethan?
He wasn't just his son.
He was his legacy.
The mere fact that Ethan's test had been far more difficult than anyone else's was proof of this.
Gareth hadn't asked for a normal test.
He had demanded a trial of overwhelming strength.
And Ethan had not only endured it—he had excelled.
Meanwhile Selene, who had watched the entire fight without blinking, exhaled softly.
Her violet eyes gleamed with intrigue.
She had always suspected that Ethan had potential.
But this?
This was on an entirely different level.
She wasn't just impressed.
She was curious.
Ethan Drakethorne had changed.
And she wanted to know why.
Ethan's Thoughts
As Ethan walked out of the arena, his mind was already elsewhere.
He had tested his skills.
He had gauged his current strength against something beyond the normal unawakened level.
And most importantly—he had won.
But this was only the beginning.
Tomorrow was the Awakening Ceremony.
Tomorrow, everything would change.
Ethan smirked to himself, his storm-gray eyes flashing with anticipation.
As Ethan rejoined his classmates, standing alongside Selene, Instructor Seraphine stepped forward, her demeanor poised and authoritative. The arena, still echoing with the intensity of the previous trials, fell into a hushed anticipation.
"Tomorrow marks a pivotal moment in your lives," she began, her voice resonating through the space. "The Awakening Ceremony."