The beach square was alive with chaos and wonder.
Dozens of students had gathered under the pale light of the moon, the frozen sea glistening in the background. Laughter, gasps, and the occasional burst of elemental energy filled the air. Some levitated, others created gusts of wind or small flames, their faces lit with awe and disbelief. The unawakened stood off to the side, watching with a mix of curiosity and silent envy.
Akash stepped into the crowd, eyes scanning the sea of powers and personalities.
Then he saw them—Rohit and Dhaya.
Dhaya, bald and stocky, stood confidently in a black jacket, speaking animatedly. Beside him, Rohit, tall and lean in a grey jacket, had a slight breeze constantly swirling around him. Cracks ran through the ground near Dhaya's feet, while small pebbles danced lightly in the air.
Akash approached with a grin.
"Akash!" Dhaya called out. "What did you awaken?"
Without a word, Akash raised his arm. Lightning sparked across his forearm, crackling with a sharp snap. Bright blue bolts coiled around his wrist, buzzing and humming, drawing instant attention from nearby groups.
Gasps erupted.
"Lightning?"
"Is that even possible?"
"First time I've seen that one!"
Most of the awakened had elemental affinities with fire, water, wind, or earth. Lightning was rare—dangerous, unpredictable, and powerful.
Rohit whistled, eyes wide. "Damn bro, not gonna lie—you look different. Handsome, even."
Akash laughed. "You guys too—like you stepped out of a magazine."
Dhaya flexed his arms. "Guess awakening comes with a glow-up."
"I think so," Akash nodded. "Might be our bodies adjusting. We probably got minor physical enhancements to handle the elemental energy without tearing ourselves apart."
Then he asked, "By the way, you guys got a floating status screen too?"
Both nodded.
"Mine shows enhanced physique and wind manipulation," Rohit said, swiping the air.
"Same here, but with earth element," Dhaya added. "Though weirdly, we can't see each other's status screens—only our own."
Akash was silently relieved. Good, he thought. That means no one can peek into my real stats.
His perception had sharpened ever since his awakening. He could now feel the strength of others—the density of their energy, the pressure of their aura. Most around him were barely Rank 1. Only a few, like Rohit and Dhaya, had the deeper, richer feel of Rank 2 power.
I'll stick to displaying only my lightning powers, he decided. And keep it low—Rank 2 should be believable. After all, the last thing he wanted was to become a government experiment or public target.
> Status – Rohit
Rank: 2 – Mid Stage
Power Level: 55
Abilities: Enhanced Physique, Wind Manipulation
> Status – Dhaya
Rank: 2 – Mid Stage
Power Level: 58
Abilities: Enhanced Physique, Earth Manipulation
As the moon climbed higher, Akash looked out over the beach, toward the sea.
The world had changed. And this gathering? This was just a glimpse of what was coming.
He clenched his lightning-charged fist.