As soon as the sun rose above the roof of the old estate, the teenagers were already standing in neat, almost perfectly aligned rows in the main square.
Having rested well and gotten a good night's sleep, they looked much more refreshed. Their cheeks were rosy, their backs straight, and their eyes clear and alert. They weren't just waiting. They were tense in the way people got before a moment that could either move their lives forward or leave them forever stuck in place.
And how could they not be?
Today, all their suffering, all their hard work, and all the relentless training under Grey's guidance were finally going to pay off in full.
For an ordinary resident of Eridania, the opportunity to grow stronger, develop their abilities, and extend their lifespan was more than just a desire. It was a genuine privilege. The very foundation of one's standing in life. Much like owning a home and having a stable income were considered basic measures of success on Earth.
Of course, none of this guaranteed happiness, but it was a necessary foundation. Without it, you meant nothing in the eyes of the rest of society.
Even Dave, who had been dreaming of having nothing to do with Grey just yesterday, had managed to sneak into the city sometime during the night and bring his sister along so she could join the others.
Right now, Catherine shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other, still unable to fully understand what her own brother had dragged her into.
He had suddenly shown up after disappearing for a whole week and immediately demanded that she come with him. All he said was that he'd joined an unusual organization that could be beneficial to her, but he refused to explain anything specific.
And now here she was, standing among other teenagers. They looked fierce but disciplined, thin but unstoppable. They reminded her of wild beasts that had been forcibly trained to obey, then injected with chicken blood to test the limits of their obedience.
So how, exactly, was she supposed to feel?
Suddenly, someone patted her on the shoulder.
Catherine turned around and saw a girl rolling her shoulders, like a seasoned warrior preparing for battle.
"Hey, newbie. Name's Miranda. You don't look too happy. Actually, you look pretty confused. What, your brother didn't explain a damn thing to you?"
"Hi. My name is Catherine," Catherine replied awkwardly. "Um... no. I'd be really grateful if you could explain what's going on here."
Catherine obediently lowered her head, feeling a little intimidated by the girl.
"Well, to put it simply, our boss is going to hold an Awakening Ceremony for us, and thanks to your brother, you have the right to participate."
"Seriously?!" Catherine cried out in shock.
She understood perfectly well how rare and significant such an opportunity was, and she couldn't contain her excitement.
At that moment, several displeased gazes fell upon her, making the young girl feel extremely uncomfortable.
"Shhh," Miranda hurriedly pressed a finger to her lips, silencing her. "Keep your voice down. Sir Grey values discipline above all else, and you'll be in for a world of trouble if you put him in a bad mood."
She paused for a moment, then added:
"We've worked incredibly hard to earn this opportunity. So keep your head down and stay calm. You might not know this, but some of us are already unhappy that you're getting to go through the Awakening Ceremony just because of your connections. Neither you nor Dave has contributed anything yet. So why should you get so lucky?"
"Then what should I do?" Catherine asked in a whisper.
"Just stand still and do as we do. Sir Grey personally gave the order concerning you, so no one will openly object. But it's better not to draw attention to yourself. Listen to the orders and follow them properly, and everything will be fine. You'll get used to it with time and have a chance to prove your worth."
"Thank you," Catherine nodded.
She was genuinely grateful to Miranda and had no intention of getting her brother into trouble, so she straightened up, stood at attention, and obediently waited.
She was extremely curious to see the famous "Sir Grey", the leader of this strange organization who had somehow managed to bring her brother under his command, keep such wild teenagers in line, and show such remarkable generosity.
Grey emerged half an hour later, carrying several straight poles wrapped in bedsheets over his shoulder.
His gaze calmly swept over everyone gathered, lingering for a brief moment on Catherine. The moment he saw her silhouette, his fingers instinctively reached for his bracelet. He gently stroked the two silvery beads and shook his head.
"I'll find you. I swear I'll find you," he whispered so quietly that no one could hear him, then turned his attention back to the crowd.
"Kai, Reus, Achilles, and Allen. Step forward."
Those called obeyed.
"Spread out in four directions. Move along with the group. Your task is to make sure no one discovers us."
"Garen, Zebra."
"Yes."
Grey tossed them the tall poles he had been carrying over his shoulder.
"You two will carry these to the assembly point."
"Hope."
"Yes."
"You know what to do. I'm counting on you. If you notice anything strange, report it immediately, just as we agreed."
"I'll do my best," the girl replied obediently before disappearing into the estate.
"Dave!"
"Yes, sir!"
"What the hell are you doing here? Don't you have anything better to do?"
"I just wanted to..."
"Get lost! I've seen your sister, and I'll keep my promise. No special treatment. Now get out of here and carry out your assigned tasks!"
"Yes, sir," Dave lowered his head. He no longer dared to get on Grey's nerves and quickly disappeared into the forest.
"All right, listen up. We're heading to the battlefield where we fought the Green-Toothed Hyenas. That's where your Awakening Ceremony will take place. We move as one group, and no unnecessary noise. Move out!"
Grey and the group disappeared into Thorn's Tabernacles.
It was Junior who was in control of the body now. He had to take responsibility for conducting the ceremony. He understood these matters far better than Senior.
The reason was simple: he had once taken part in a similar ritual.
His experience could hardly be called successful, even by the most generous standards, but he still remembered every single step perfectly. Experience was experience, no matter how badly things had gone. It was certainly better than having Senior, who knew absolutely nothing about such matters, handle it.
Unlike the teenagers marching ahead, whispering excitedly among themselves without bothering to hide their enthusiasm, Grey felt neither anticipation nor impatience.
Only anxiety, which grew stronger with every passing second.
Great rewards always came with enormous risks.
And right now, there were far too many reasons to worry...
First of all, conducting a proper Awakening Ceremony according to Roman traditions required the participation of a deity.
And that wasn't just a problem. It was a SUPER-PUPER PROBLEM.
Grey wasn't sure whether Aphrodite would actually show him favor and agree to cooperate, despite all of Lady Veronika's assurances.
Yes, a priestess was, by definition, someone her goddess placed considerable trust in. Yes, she was the very voice of Aphrodite in the mortal world. And yes, it was thanks to her help that this whole undertaking had become possible in the first place.
But was that really enough?
No.
Absolutely not!
Grey remembered his own encounter with Apollo all too well.
Well enough to have lost his naivety forever. That experience had left him with countless scars and childhood traumas that still haunted him to this day.
The Olympian gods were nothing like the kind and infallible beings ordinary mortals imagined them to be. They were petty and fickle. They often acted on momentary whims, placing their own caprices above human lives.
If his own experience wasn't enough, what about the legendary Prometheus, Perseus, or Medusa? Each of them had been doomed to suffer because of the gods.
And what about Aphrodite?
Although Grey wasn't particularly familiar with the story of Adonis, he was absolutely certain that the handsome young man's fate was hardly something to envy. Perhaps he was still suffering because of Persephone's whims or those of her husband, Hades.
The mere thought sent a chill down Grey's spine.
But the most terrifying part was that Aphrodite might discover his true identity, which he had to conceal at all costs.
Spawn of Darkness. Child of Prophecy. A wanted criminal in the eyes of Olympus. A heretic.
All these grand titles belonged to the innocent Grey.
If the goddess learned the truth, everything he had worked for could end in a tragedy far worse than the one that had already befallen him.
Of course, Grey would do everything in his power to minimize the risk.
But who could guarantee that it would be enough?
The second reason for concern was no less troubling.
He simply lacked the resources necessary to conduct a proper Awakening Ceremony.
There was no temple. No blessed altar. No trained priests or artifacts accumulated over generations. No Sphere of Origin.
So Grey had no choice but to improvise and find another way.
Drawing on the knowledge of two worlds, he and Senior had worked step by step to modify the time-tested awakening method used by the Roman Empire for thousands of years and adapt it to the resources available to them.
They had managed to combine theoretical calculations, advanced knowledge of magic theory, meridians, the magical core, and runic script into a single system ready for practical use.
On paper, the method looked viable. In theory, it should work. But its actual effectiveness and safety could only be confirmed through practical testing.
They had put in a truly monumental amount of work.
If this method ever became widely known, it would undoubtedly cause a sensation.
And yet Grey couldn't shake the feeling that he was turning into some mad scientist, ready to experiment on living people, and what was worse, on his own subordinates. Indeed, the road to Hell was paved with good intentions.
Unlike Senior, Junior wasn't heartless.
During their time together, he had grown deeply attached to these kids. They trusted him with their lives, suffered under his orders, drank and celebrated together, and fought side by side.
How could he possibly remain indifferent?
He was afraid. Not so much of the ceremony failing, but of having made a mistake in his calculations and leaving them permanently crippled, just like himself. Cutting them off from any chance of further growth.
Such a burden of responsibility was more than he could bear. The mere thought of failure squeezed his heart in an iron grip.
And how could it not? Could he really remain calm and impartial while putting them at such enormous risk?
Under this immense pressure, Grey made his way toward the clearing.
He slowly exhaled and clenched his teeth.
For his mother. For Grace. For Cassia.
He had no right to hesitate or doubt himself.
Even if every step forward meant walking straight through his own fear.
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