C2 The Horcrux Awakening

"Don't be silly! It's our class's turn to awaken!" Lee Silin, seeing Su Wei stunned after receiving a slap, quickly snapped him out of it with a firm tug.

"Okay, okay, okay! Let's get moving!" Su Wei snapped back to reality.

Together, they followed their classmates into the Awakening Hall, where they found an apparatus already prepared.

A middle-aged man in uniform, exuding authority, stood on the stage, flanked by a group of assistants.

As all the students from third-year Class 2 filed in, the man began his address with a grave demeanor, "Greetings, everyone. My name is Liu Zheng! I am a third-level Soul Master with the Order Department, and I'll be overseeing your awakening today. You're all aware of why you're here..."

Standing among his peers, Su Wei listened to the man on the stage, feeling like he was back at the pep rally before the college entrance exams.

"Alright! When I call your name, please come up to the stage and take a seat in the instrument for your awakening. I wish you all the best of luck!" After delivering a speech on ethics, Liu Zheng took the roll call from his assistant and began calling out names.

The students below held their breath, their nerves tinged with excitement and anticipation.

"First up, Ann Muxi!"

"I... I... I'm here!" The first to be called was a chubby boy who nervously made his way to the stage and cautiously seated himself in the device.

The technicians swiftly adjusted various switches around the instrument.

Buzz!

With the activation of the device, a humming filled the hall.

Whoosh!

Moments later, a brilliant light burst forth around Student Ann!

Then, an object resembling a flower pot materialized in his outstretched hands.

"A flower pot? Really?"

"Muxi's subconscious is quite peculiar!"

"I find it quite distinctive!"

"Perhaps it's because he enjoys gardening!"

"Sounds plausible!"

The students below the stage began murmuring among themselves at the sight.

But their comments weren't mere speculation.

They all understood that a 'Horcrux' is a physical representation of one's subconscious, with no limits to its form, so anything was possible.

For instance, someone with a strong protective instinct might manifest a shield, while those with aggressive temperaments are likely to conjure a weapon.

More specifically, during their awakening, some male 'big shots' might even produce a variety of delightful female garments.

"Ah, it's just a flower pot."

Ann Muxi, seated within the machine, gazed at his Horcrux—a plain flower pot—with a look of disappointment. But his dismay was swiftly overtaken by elation.

"Let me remind everyone once more! The appearance of a Horcrux isn't what matters. It's the number of soul marks it bears and how you use it that counts!" Third-level Soul Master Liu Zheng, presiding over the awakening ritual, cheerfully grabbed the flower pot and announced, "Student Ann's flower pot here has five soul marks. It can hold five wild beast skills, making it a superior Horcrux!"

*Crash!*

The students in the audience erupted with excitement upon hearing this.

"Five soul marks! That's impressive!"

"What a great start!"

"Muxi's got a promising future ahead!"

"All I ask for is a Horcrux with five soul marks."

The chatter resumed among the crowd.

With the first awakening complete, the mood lightened considerably.

"Zhang Youcai, four soul marks, abacus!"

"Hao Meimei, five soul marks, harp!"

"Wang Dachui, four soul marks, hammer... It suits your name perfectly."

One by one, the students stepped up to awaken and receive their Horcruxes.

Su Wei, still bewildered, hadn't been called yet and was feeling somewhat bored when a burst of gasps suddenly filled the air.

He looked up, his brow furrowing.

On stage, a proud-looking young man was brandishing an exquisitely crafted longbow!

This student, Soong Sanjin, was a brash, rich second-generation kid known for his domineering behavior in class.

The body Su Wei now inhabited once belonged to someone who, due to his forthright nature, had clashed with Soong Sanjin, leaving a deep-seated enmity between them.

Upon witnessing his opponent manifest the very Horcrux longbow he coveted, Su Wei couldn't help but feel irked.

Yet, as if to add insult to injury, before Su Wei could even silently scorn him, something even more vexing occurred.

"Congratulations to Student Soong Sanjin for obtaining a Horcrux with seven soul marks! If I'm not mistaken, this is the first top-grade soul weapon to emerge at Moontown High this year!" Liu Zheng, the official from the Order Department, exclaimed with a surprised and delighted tone.

A wave of excitement swept through the crowd.

"Seven soul marks?!"

"Soong Sanjin is going to skyrocket to success!"

"And with a longbow! That's incredible!"

"Time to cozy up to him!"

"I'm green with envy!"

The students below the stage were abuzz with excitement at the news.

"Absolutely! Our Class 2 has actually produced a top-grade Horcrux!" Ma Tufu, the class teacher, couldn't hide his astonishment and approval, nodding enthusiastically.

"Next up, Su Wei!" Liu Zheng announced, before proceeding with the roll call.

"Go for it, Ah Su! Give Soong Sanjin a run for his money!" Lee Silin urged Su Wei on without hesitation.

"Don't worry!" Su Wei, gathering his composure, strode toward the awakening ritual machine.

Soong Sanjin, having just secured a top-grade Horcrux, was basking in his triumph on stage.

Seeing Su Wei approach, he sneered disdainfully, "Su Wei, don't let me down! We've got a long road ahead of us!"

Aware of the veiled threat, Su Wei shot back, "Just seven soul marks, not ten. You're getting ahead of yourself with that act!"

With that, he resolutely took his seat in the machine.

"Keep dreaming! I'll be watching closely!" Soong Sanjin huffed, stepping off the stage with a scornful look.

Su Wei ignored him, focusing his mind as he sat down in the machine and began the awakening process with the staff's assistance.

Regrettably...

Despite his confidence, the outcome was quite poignant.

As a flash of light passed, the Horcrux that materialized in Su Wei's hand was none other than a rusty, old kitchen knife!

Liu Zheng, standing nearby, took the weathered kitchen knife from Su Wei, inspecting it several times before ultimately shaking his head in disbelief.

"Su Wei, three soul marks, kitchen knife!" The voice of the Awakening Official resonated throughout the hall.

"Hahaha! Three? Three soul marks?"

Soong Sanjin, basking in the adulation of the crowd below, burst into laughter upon hearing this.

With exaggerated flair, he yelled up to the stage, "Wow! Su Wei, my friend, you're something else! I just set a new record for our class, and here you are, setting a whole new standard at the other end of the spectrum! My hat's off to you! Absolutely brilliant! Ahahaha!"