A neutral light shone through the stretched window on the white ceiling. The soft sounds of medical machines could be heard in the background. The smell of alcohol and disinfectant filled his nose.
Daniel opened his eyes with a slight frown, his eyebrows knitting together. His head was pounding.
It felt like someone had smashed his brain with a hammer... then regretted it—and hit again.
"Ow... my head… where is this? Am I… alive?"
He sat up halfway with a heavy breath. The place felt unfamiliar—a hospital room, a window with a half-drawn curtain, a vitals monitor, and… complete loneliness.
But then, pieces of memory dripped into his mind.
Blood, wounds, golden light, the sound of bones breaking—and then… the eyes of monsters crumbling one by one under his gaze.
"…That damn thing was real? Did I… really Awaken?"
He remembered everything that happened, including killing the Corruption Beasts.
But how was that possible? Killing D-rank Corruption Beasts shouldn't be that easy—especially not for a newly Awakened.
And yet, he killed all of them with just one strike?
"System? Pull up my panel…" he murmured uncertainly.
Immediately, a floating blue screen appeared in front of him.
> [Status Panel: Daniel F. Noir]
[Rank: F / (0/99 Exp)]
[Class: Fallen Priest]
[Class Rank: Transcendent / SSS]
[Innate Talent: God's Blood]
[Skills: Fallen Will (SSS) / Crimson Judgment (SSS)]
[Stats:
– Physical Strength: 17
– Spiritual Power: 44
– Intelligence: 134
– Mana: 7
– Endurance: 99]
[Body Status: 87% Recovered]
[Mental State: Confused and Excited]
[Blessing: The Fallen]
"Transcendent…? What does that even mean? Is it… above Legendary?"
He smiled. No, it was more like a mix of shock, excitement, and a little fear.
Classes were divided into five main ranks: Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, Supreme, and Legendary.
As far as he knew, the highest class rank ever recorded was Legendary—only a few people, like the leaders of the Guardian Council, had it.
Yet somehow, he had a Transcendent-ranked class? What even is that?
"Fallen Priest?"
Priests weren't especially rare—usually considered a Common-ranked class, and many people had it around the world.
But a Fallen Priest? He had never heard of such a thing in his life.
And what did it mean that he was a priest of the god who brought the apocalypse?
What the hell was that supposed to mean?
He scratched his head nervously, chuckling.
"I even have God's Blood? What does that mean?"
Innate Talents were extremely rare abilities tied directly to one's class. Unlike Skills, they didn't require mana to activate.
He'd heard of blood-related talents before, but God's blood?
Suddenly, the sound of the door interrupted his thoughts.
The door opened and two people rushed in.
First, Alice—eyes puffy from lack of sleep, face full of worry, hair messy.
Behind her was a tall woman with dark brown hair tied back, warm yet tired brown eyes, and a face that showed both grace and years of wear.
She wore simple clothes, but her aura, her look, her motherly scent—there was no mistaking it.
"Mom…"
He whispered the word, and the woman smiled, tears gathering in her eyes.
"Oh God… Daniel! My baby! You're alive? Are you okay?" Lianna said with a trembling voice.
"If okay means this splitting headache… then yeah, I'm doing great," Daniel replied with a bitter smile.
"I thought you… I thought you weren't gonna wake up, you idiot!" Alice rushed forward and threw herself into her brother's arms.
Daniel gently ran his shaking hand through her hair.
"How could I die when someone like you is still around for me to worry about?"
"My son… The doctors said you had no chance. But now… Thank God…" Lianna whispered as she cried softly.
But before they had time to say more, the door opened again.
This time, with more formality and authority.
Two people entered, dressed in black uniforms with golden insignias on their arms. Their steps were precise, as if every move had been trained in advance.
"I am Joel Arken, Head of the Department of Awakened Incidents, and this is Lieutenant Lyra Kan from the Awakened Oversight Division," said a man with graying hair and sharp eyes, holding up his ID.
Lyra, a woman with a cold look and silver eyes, gave a small nod.
Lianna and Alice stepped aside slightly. Daniel watched them with curiosity and slight concern.
"Mr. Noir. Yesterday, around 12:40 PM, a dimensional rift was registered in Educational Zone 39. According to reports, you and your sister were on your way back from the Academy," Joel said as he opened a notebook and started reading.
Lyra walked slowly toward the window, but her eyes stayed fixed on Daniel.
"At the scene, we found the remains of three creatures of the Blightbearer type… or rather, what was left of them. Just heavy burn marks and deep bloodstains."
Joel continued.
"Local witnesses only reported strange sounds and lights. But what we saw didn't match a normal battle."
"And when other Awakened arrived on the scene, only you and your sister were there."
He paused, looking Daniel straight in the eyes.
"Can you tell us exactly what happened?"
"I was just following my sister. She had just gotten back from the Academy. Then there was this horrible sound, and those things showed up. I… awakened. For the first time. I tried to protect her. But after that, I don't remember much," Daniel said cautiously after a short pause.
"We found traces of an extremely powerful skill at the scene. Those creatures weren't just killed—they were completely erased. The energy levels didn't match what we'd expect from a new Awakened."
Daniel gave a half-smile and shrugged a bit, playing it cool.
"Well… I got a healer class. I'm a priest, not a fighter. Maybe the Awakening caused some kind of energy burst, I don't know… I really don't remember much."
He wasn't trying to lie—but he definitely couldn't tell them he was now some sort of priest serving a god who might want to end the world, right?
He couldn't take the risk that these people might know something about his class.
So, he decided not to mention it at all.
Joel and Lyra were silent for a moment. It felt like they were scanning his mind.
Finally, Joel closed his notebook.
"Alright. But our organization has to make sure nothing is left out. Please report to the central base once you're fully recovered, so we can officially register you as an Awakened."
"You can also inform the hospital that you and your sister are now Awakened and use the Awakened insurance benefits."
"And remember, Mr. Noir…" Lyra spoke directly for the first time. Her voice was quiet but held a threatening edge.
"…the truth never stays hidden for long."
And just as silently, they left the room.