The Greatest Awakener: Ruler Of Time And Portals.

"Did it activate? What affinity did you receive?" Emilia's voice was sharp with curiosity, her gaze fixed on Nicolas.

"Yes, it did. I got Time and Portal affinity," Nicolas replied, a cheerful smile breaking across his face. "This makes everything so much easier."

Emilia's eyes widened, her breath catching. "Time and Portal? Are you serious? Those are among the rarest and most powerful affinities! Not a single person in the last decade has awakened either, and you got both? That's… insane!"

Nicolas's cheerful expression dimmed, replaced by cautious apprehension. "It's definitely worth celebrating, but also dangerous. Humans can be their own worst enemies, and revealing something like Time affinity could bring more harm than good."

"You're right," Emilia said, urgency creeping into her voice. "We need to leave this forest and get our injuries treated—if we wait any longer, today might be our last."

Though the baptism had healed much of their visible wounds, both knew the hidden dangers untreated injuries could pose. The pair quickly washed off the grime and blood in a nearby stream before hurrying toward the forest's edge.

---

A Troubled Encounter

As they neared the forest boundary, faint murmurs reached their ears—low, hurried voices carrying a tense urgency. Though the words were unclear, the tone was unmistakable: something unexpected and troubling had occurred.

Emerging from the forest, they were met by a scene of chaos. Officers stood in clusters, their faces marked by worry as they exchanged clipped words. Two participants lay nearby, gravely injured, their faces barely recognizable beneath layers of blood and dirt. A nurse worked frantically to stabilize them.

The officers noticed Nicolas and Emilia, their expressions shifting to relief. One of them stepped forward. "You two look surprisingly unharmed. What happened out there?"

---

"A brute golem," Nicolas explained. "We barely made it out alive, but… we managed to take it down."

The officer blinked in disbelief. "A brute golem? And you killed it? You two must be prodigies!" He composed himself, his tone growing firm. "Listen, you've both awakened your affinities, right? Good. You need to prepare for the Ranking Phenomenon. It's only two months away, and with talents like yours, you could easily aim for Expert rank or higher. Aethercrest Academy will be proud to have you."

He turned to the nurse. "Martha, take them inside. Make sure they're fully recovered."

Martha nodded, guiding Nicolas and Emilia to a nearby tent. Inside, she gestured for them to sit, then left to fetch what she needed.

---

A Quiet Moment

Silence settled between the two friends, an unusual awkwardness lingering in the air. Finally, Nicolas broke it.

"Thank you," he said, his voice soft but sincere. "If it weren't for you, I don't want to think about what could've happened."

Emilia tried to brush it off, though her flushed cheeks betrayed her. "It's nothing. You've saved me before too—remember last year at the ball?"

Their exchange was interrupted as Martha returned, a bottle of purplish liquid in one hand and a strange gadget in the other. She placed the bottle on a table, then held the device over Nicolas's head.

A soft blue glow emanated, spreading over his body as she jotted down cryptic notes in a nearby ledger. She repeated the process with Emilia before stepping back and chanting softly:

"By moon and star, mend and heal,

Wounds unseen, now reveal.

Flow of life, restore and bind,

Leave no scar, no pain behind."

A glowing magic circle materialized beneath them, its orange light bathing their bodies. When it faded, both Nicolas and Emilia felt rejuvenated, their injuries fully healed.

Martha handed them each a dose of the potion. "Drink this—it'll stabilize the effects."

---

The Next Morning

At dawn, Nicolas sat alone in his apartment, still processing the previous day. He had spent hours recounting the events to Draven, who'd offered a mix of congratulations and warnings about keeping his affinities secret. Now, he could finally explore his new powers.

He muttered the word "Skills" in his mind, and a blue screen materialized before him:

**[Primal Skills:

1. Glimpse of The Future (+)

2. Simulation (+)

3. Analysis of The Past (+)]**

Nicolas tapped the first skill:

[Glimpse of The Future ]

The ability to see 3 seconds into the future. Can be activated at will (MP cost: 5).

He activated it, and a brief vision flashed in his mind—Emilia's voice calling him for dinner. Moments later, her actual shout confirmed the skill's accuracy.

"I'll be there in a bit," he called back, excitement building as he moved to the second skill.

[Simulation ]

Allows the user to simulate the consequences of an action or event before it happens (MP cost: 15).

Nicolas's eyes widened. "Ascendant rank? That's insanely rare!" He decided to save it for later and opened the third skill.

[Analysis of The Past ]

Reveals the history of any object but risks mental strain from prominent artifacts (MP cost: 13).

Curious, he grabbed a cup nearby and activated the skill.

---

The Cup's Story

His vision blurred, and he found himself floating above a mining site. He followed a vein of Luminaris ore as it was excavated, smelted, and forged into a polished cup. Transported through bustling markets, it eventually ended up in his hands.

The vision faded, leaving Nicolas both awed and amused. "A cup's life story—what a ridiculous power."

As he pondered the implications, Emilia's voice broke his thoughts. "Dinner's ready!"

Smiling, Nicolas stood, already planning their next adventure. "Tomorrow, a dungeon," he muttered, "to prepare for the Ranking Phenomenon."