Evolving My Undead Legion In A Game-Like World

Chapter 1063: Failure

The moment students saw the orb, the entire classroom went silent. Nobody needed an explanation. Everyone recognized it immediately.

The Awakening Orb. The artifact responsible for awakening countless lives every year.

Lily unconsciously straightened in her seat. Even her breathing slowed.

The teacher guided the floating platform to the front of the classroom before turning around. For a moment, she simply looked at the students. A faint smile appeared on her face.

"Everyone, today is your awakening ceremony. If you fail to awaken, do not worry, as this is only your first time. You'll have another chance next year, and the year after that. Of course, it would be great to awaken on your first try, haha."

Thanks to the Federation's deliberate timing, before university, the average age range in a middle-school-to-high-school class stayed very similar.

One could only be older, never younger. In Lily's class, the youngest was sixteen and the oldest was seventeen.

At this age they should already be in their first year of high school, but until the awakening ceremony passed, they remained middle school students even if they had technically graduated.

Only after the ceremony would a new chapter in their life begin. The same was true for those who were eighteen and having their last awakening ceremony.

Though the visible changes between failing and succeeding weren't always obvious, the significance remained.

The homeroom teacher finished her brief explanation before glancing down at the attendance sheet in her hand. Then she frowned.

"Hm?"

The teacher counted the students again. Her frown deepened.

"There should be thirty-five students here."

The classroom went quiet. Several students looked around as well. Only then did some of them realize a particular seat was empty.

The teacher's gaze slowly moved through the classroom before eventually landing on Lily. She tapped the attendance sheet.

"Where is Jester?"

Several students immediately turned toward Lily. After all, Jester was a somewhat unusual presence in the class. They wondered where he'd gone on such an important day.

Lily remembered Michael's instructions and answered honestly.

"He's conducting his Awakening Ceremony elsewhere."

The teacher's eyebrows twitched.

"Elsewhere?"

"Yes."

The teacher stared at Lily for several seconds. Clearly, she wasn't satisfied with the answer. An Awakening Ceremony wasn't something students simply skipped.

Normally she would have immediately demanded an explanation, but unfortunately, Lily wasn't a normal student.

The teacher silently swallowed the words that had nearly left her mouth. Putting aside everything else, Lily herself was already an officially registered Knight at sixteen.

That achievement alone placed her ahead of the overwhelming majority of adults. Even if she never awakened, her future was already brighter than most people's. And if she did awaken, things would become even more ridiculous.

An official cultivator who awakened would most likely receive dual classes. One from her cultivation path. Another from the Awakener system. Such individuals were rare and highly valued.

Then there was the other issue: her cousin.

Michael Norman.

The teacher wasn't ignorant. She knew exactly who Lily's older cousin was. At this point, there were very few people in the city who hadn't heard of Michael.

Truthfully speaking, one of the reasons she was standing in this classroom today was because of him.

Thinking this far, the teacher finally let out a small sigh. Regardless of her personal dissatisfaction, she decided to close one eye.

If Jester truly wasn't here, then there was little she could do. More importantly, she figured everyone was old enough to know exactly what they were doing.

At least she hoped so.

"Very well." The teacher put away the attendance sheet. "We'll proceed."

The topic immediately disappeared.

The teacher's gaze swept across the classroom.

"Awakening order will follow the class register."

Nobody complained or cared. They simply wanted their turn to arrive.

The teacher glanced at the first name. Then spoke.

"Adrian Walker."

A boy stood up promptly. His legs looked slightly stiff. Several classmates chuckled. Unfortunately, none of them looked much better.

Adrian slowly walked toward the front of the classroom. The closer he got to the orb, the quieter the room became.

Finally, he stopped directly before it. The creamy-white sphere reflected his nervous face.

The teacher spoke calmly.

"Place both hands on the orb."

Adrian swallowed and obeyed. The moment his palms touched the surface, several students immediately leaned forward in their seats.

For a few seconds, nothing happened.

Then the light began to change. Thin streams of silver energy appeared inside the orb.

The teacher's eyes immediately sharpened.

The silver streams inside the orb grew brighter and brighter. Then they exploded outward.

A collective gasp swept through the classroom.

Behind the boy's body, a translucent image slowly formed. A sword and a shield. The two floated behind him in a crossed position, radiating a faint silver glow.

The teacher smiled.

"Congratulations. You awakened the Knight class."

The young man and the entire class froze. For a brief moment nobody reacted. Then the realization hit.

"He awakened!"

"Seriously?!"

"First try?!"

The classroom erupted.

The boy himself stared blankly at the sword and shield behind him. A moment later, several translucent blue panels appeared before his eyes. His body trembled.

He had succeeded. He had really awakened.

The teacher raised a hand.

"Quiet."

The classroom immediately calmed down.

The teacher nodded.

"Stand to the side."

Still dazed, Adrian Walker obeyed.

The teacher looked at the next name.

"Sarah Mitchell."

A girl nervously walked forward. Her hands touched the orb. The classroom watched. Several seconds passed. Nothing happened.

The teacher sighed inwardly.

"No awakening."

Sarah's shoulders fell. She quietly returned to her seat.

The third student. Failure.

The fourth. Failure.

The fifth. Failure.

The sixth. Failure.

The excitement created by Adrian's success gradually faded. Reality was beginning to show itself. Awakening was difficult.

One after another, students stepped forward. One after another, they returned disappointed.

Dylan Parks. Failure.

Emma Watson. Failure.

Ryan Clarke. Failure.

Sophia Johansson. Failure.

Lucas Smith. Failure.

Mira Johnson. Failure.

Nathan Reeds. Failure.

Olivia Browne. Failure.

Kevin Taylor. Failure.

The atmosphere inside the classroom gradually grew heavier. The students waiting their turn became increasingly nervous. Even Adrian's excitement had dimmed somewhat as he watched classmate after classmate fail.

Then another name was called.

"Ethan Brooke."