The waiting room was silent.
Too silent.
Clark's mother stood with her arms folded, her usual calm demeanor cracking at the edges. Sarah sat beside her, fingers interlocked tightly in her lap.
The teacher finally spoke.
"Your son awakened a Mythical rank ability."
"There have only been eleven Mythical awakenings in recorded history. The last one was nearly eighty years ago."
Clark's mom inhaled slowly.
"And now," the teacher continued, "your family will receive attention. A lot of it. Some good. Some… not."
Sarah looked up sharply.
"What do you mean not?"
"Agencies. Governments. Private factions. Adventuring guilds. When Legendaries awaken, recruitment battles happen. For a Mythical?" He paused. "It could escalate far beyond that."
"We needed the implant done before word spread," he said. "Right now, the only people that know a mythical awakened are the students and teachers at the school. But it won't be that way for long. Word is gonna get out and... it could get ugly. Our main concern is to keep Clark's identity secret fir as long as possible."
He turned to Clark's mother.
"Call your husband. Once Clark wakes, we need to go the school to plan out what we need to do as soon as possible."
An hour later…
Clark's eyes open. A little drowsy from the anesthesia.
The doctor leaned into view.
"Congratulations. The implant procedure was successful."
Clark swallowed. His throat was dry.
"When you activate it for the first time, expect mild dizziness and a headache. That's normal. Your body is syncing with foreign tech and an awakened ability simultaneously."
Clark nodded weakly.
"Any questions?"
"…No."
"Good. Once you feel like you can walk you can go get discharged."
When the doctor left, Clark stared at the ceiling.
He could feel it. A dull pain in the back of his head.
"So this is what the implant feels like. I wonder how its gonna feel when I activate it."
Thirty minutes later, he was back on his feet.
Unsteady—but stable.
They returned to the school and entered the principal's office. His father, Samuel Grant, stood near the window. His younger sister sat beside him, eyes wide.
They all looked at Clark like he was something fragile.
The principal stood.
"My name is Daniel Karson. Please, call me Dan."
"Your son awakened a Mythical ability. When Legendary skills appear, agencies fight. When Mythicals appear…" His eyes darkened. "Wars over who controls them begin."
He folded his hands.
"I paid for his immediate implant to protect him. Once news spreads..and it will spread..recruitment pressure may turn aggressive. As i told you earlier we will try to keep it at bay as long as possible. But people from the school definitely recognize you its only a matter of time."
Clark's father spoke worriedly. "What do you mean by aggressive?"
"Surveillance. Harassment. Political pressure. Possibly worse. We are in a war not just against monsters, but against extremist factions who would love to control a Mythical."
The room went silent.
"I would like to formally offer Clark a full scholarship to Aegis Legacy University."
Everyone's eyes widened.
The most prestigious awakened academy in the nation.
"He will receive private housing. Personal security. Direct mentorship from S-rank professors. All for no cost to you personally."
Clark's heart pounded.
Then Dan added..
"I know It's a little bit away but i think this is the best way we can protect clark."
Sarah's eyes flickered slightly.
Samuel exhaled slowly.
"Having my son be so far away from home with what's going on. Give us a bit to decide what's best."
Dan nodded. "Of course. But decide quickly. The recruitment window for the school ends in a month. I need a decision before then."
Later, in the car ride home…
Silence filled the vehicle.
Clark stared at his hands.
Then quietly..
"Activate."
For half a second, nothing happened.
Then..
A sharp pain hit the back of Clark's head and dull dull headache started.
A golden translucent interface materialized before his eyes.
It look like your standard system menu from video games.
[SYSTEM LINK ESTABLISHED]
[MYTHICAL AWAKENING DETECTED]
Clark's breath hitched.
The full panel expanded.
Name: Clark Grant
Ability: First Immortal Cultivation Technique
Bloodline: First Immortal Cultivator (Suppressed)
Bloodline Traits:
Cultivation Refinement
Cultivation Genius
Martial Genius
Innate Skills:
Cultivation World
Dao Companion
Level: 0
EXP: 0 / 500
Cultivation Stage: Mortal (0 / 250)
Stat Points: 0
Strength: 12
Agility: 14
Intelligence: 15
Qi: 50
Soul Strength: 250
Clark's eyes widened.
"Soul Strength… 250? That was absurdly high. Even high levels only have around 150."
He looked at all his skills 1 at a time.
[First immortal cultivation technique: The lost and most powerful cultivation technique. It's the technique created by the first human to become a immortal through cultivation. You are able to cultivate any type of energy at rapid speed.]
[First immortal cultivator bloodline: The first person to gain immortality through cultivation has chosen you to inherit all the bloodline skills that he has personally created.](Bloodline Supressed)
[Supression: Skills will unlock and upgrade as the host gains the strength and will to use them.]
[Cultivation refinement: refines any resources used on the host to highest purity and value](Ability Supressed)
[Supression: Only works on resources consumed via mouth]
[Cultivation genius: learn and perfect any cultivation technique easily . Once perfected you can teach others with ease. Also all cultivation techniques boosted by 200%.](Ability Supressed)
[Supression: learning speed increase only works on techniques divine and lower. Also Cultivation increase capped at 200%.]
[Martial genius: learn and perfect and martial technique easily. Once perfected you can teach others with ease. Also all Martial techniques are 200% more effective.](Ability Supressed)
[Supression: learning speed increase only works on techniques divine and lower. Also technique effectiveness increase capped at 200%]
[Cultivation world: Teleports you and/or your dao companion to the world of cultivation]
[Cooldown: 1 week][Cost: 200 soul power]
[Dao Companion: You are able to choose 1 person to walk the path of cultivation with. They will be able to use all inate Bloodline traits and skills with 80% efficiency. You will become permanently linked through both life and death.]
[WARNING: SKILL IS 1 TIME USE CHOOSE WISELY]
He immediately smiled and got a bit excited after reading the Dao compainion skill.
His head suddenly pulsed. He started rubbing his temples.
Clark leaned back slowly. "Deactivate."
*Phew* "Damn he wasn't kidding about that whole headache thing."