You’ll understand soon enough,” Rourke said, signaling for James to follow.

  James stood up and began walking beside him as they moved through a long hallway.

  “Five years ago, when the Void Breaks began, mankind had to adapt to survive in this new world,” Rourke began. “The AUN was formed, and Void Breaks became a common occurrence.”

  James’s body tensed. “Common occurrence?”

  Rourke smirked. “Don’t worry, kid. The one you remember was a National Break. Void Breaks have evolved a lot since then.”

  He continued, “To put it simply, Void Breaks are divided into three categories: City Breaks, which are mostly handled by low-level Awakeners; Nation Breaks, managed by high-level Awakeners; and World Breaks—those are strictly under AUN control.”

  Rourke stopped in front of a door and turned to James.

  “My guidance ends here. You’ll figure out how this world works soon enough.”

  He turned to walk away, then paused.

  “Oh, almost forgot.” He handed James a sleek glass wristband.

  “What’s this?” James asked, examining it.

  “It’s a regulation band created by the AUN. It verifies your identity, translates languages, and tracks contribution points. It’s got more functions, but you’ll learn them in time.”

  With that, Rourke disappeared down the hallway.

  James waited a moment, then opened the door.

  His eyes widened.

  A large room, filled with around thirty individuals, hummed with technology more advanced than anything he’d ever seen. Holographic screens floated in the air, flickering with data and projections.

  Before he could fully process it, an Asian man approached him.

  “Come with me,” the man said simply.

  James followed him into a smaller, less crowded room. At the center stood a large screen with a glowing handprint.

  “Place your hand on the screen,” the man instructed.

  James complied. The screen began scanning his hand... then suddenly glitched and fizzled.

  “That’s enough,” the man said quickly.

  “What is this about?” James asked, growing uneasy.

  “I’ve been instructed not to explain anything. Just follow the procedure,” the man replied, scribbling something on a clipboard.

  James sighed. “What the hell is going on?” he muttered to himself.

  A call buzzed through the man’s wristband.

  “What’s the status of the observation?” a voice asked.

  “Same as before, sir. Energy unreadable.”

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  “Hahaha! Excellent. Send him up, Mr. Li.” The voice was filled with excitement.

  “Very well, sir,” Mr. Li replied. He ended the call and turned to James.

  “This way.”

  They took an elevator to the top floor. As the doors opened, Mr. Li pointed toward a door at the end of the hallway, then stepped back inside the elevator without another word.

  James walked toward the door and knocked.

  “Pardon the intrusion,” he said, then stepped inside.

  The room was more like a grand office than anything else—stacks of files, a large desk, and a floating holographic projection screen.

  “Please, sit down, Mr. Kelechi,” a voice called from near the window.

  A man stood there, gazing outside.

  James sat in the chair across from the desk.

  The man turned and joined him. Muscular and dark-skinned, dressed in a formal suit, he bore multiple visible scars—reminders of a violent past.

  James didn’t need an introduction to understand the authority this man held.

  “Mr. Kelechi, I’m sure you have questions about why you’re here,” the man began.

  “Please, sir, you don’t have to speak to me so formally,” James said nervously.

  “Why is he being so polite? What do they know that I don’t?” he wondered.

  The man nodded. “Very well. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Jacob Adewale, Chairman of the Genesis Center.”

  “Genesis Center? What is that, exactly?” James asked.

  “One of the core institutions established by the Twelve Leaders. It’s an advanced facility responsible for managing all Void Breaks and Awakeners across the globe.”

  James rubbed his hands awkwardly. “I don’t mean to sound rude, but… why are you treating me this way?”

  Despite Jacob’s calm and formal demeanor, his presence was overwhelming. Even Commander Rourke had never exuded this kind of pressure.

  Jacob smiled faintly, tapping his cheek as if deciding where to begin.

  “How much do you know about Awakeners?”

  “Not much. I haven’t awakened yet,” James admitted.

  Jacob’s eyes narrowed slightly.

  “The world has changed, James. So has the balance of power.”

  “When you were found unconscious during the chaotic early days of the Void Breaks, the energy you released was… terrifying.” Jacob stood.

  “No creature dared approach you—not wild animals, not even low-level monsters. They froze, then fled. As if they sensed death itself.”

  James’s breath caught in his throat.

  “We didn’t understand it at the time. But two years ago, a National Awakener appeared. The difference between them and regular Awakeners is astronomical—so great that even a thousand high-level Awakeners wouldn’t stand a chance.”

  Jacob continued, “Once the world realized what a true Awakener could be, every nation began pouring their resources into producing one. That led to the rise of the Twelve Leaders—the nations with enough strength and adaptability to thrive.”

  “So what does this have to do with me?” James interrupted.

  Jacob sighed and reached for a file stamped CONFIDENTIAL in bold letters.

  He opened it.

  “James Kelechi Conor. Status: Unawakened.”

  “On Day One of the Void Breaks, a Level 2 Lycon was reportedly killed… with a kitchen knife. Energy output recorded at then 9%.”

  “Six months later, after joining the AUN military, a Level 1 Rogue Awakener was defeated.”

  “Observation report: Adaptive fighter. Persistent. Survives and overcomes all odds.”

  Jacob closed the file and looked James in the eye.

  “Does any of that sound familiar?”

  James’s heart pounded.

  “You’re mistaken. That wasn’t me,” he said quickly, waving his hands defensively.

  Jacob smiled.

  “Don’t be modest.”

  He leaned back in his chair, fingers interlaced.

  “You are one of a kind, James. In all my years at the Genesis Center, I’ve never seen a talent like yours.”

  Jacob stood and extended his hand.

  James hesitated, then stood and shook it.

  “I hope to hear great things from you.”

  A knock sounded at the door.

  “Come in,” Jacob called.

  A young woman entered, strikingly beautiful. Early twenties, long legs, radiant brown skin—she could easily be mistaken for a model.

  “This is Vanessa. She’ll be your assistant from now on,” Jacob said.

  “You expect me to babysit a kid?” Vanessa scoffed.

  James blinked, confused. “Kid? I should be twenty by now,” he replied.

  “Great, he’s not even sure of his age,” Vanessa muttered, folding her arms and turning to Jacob.

  “Uncle Jacob, I don’t want to babysit.”

  “You’re the only one I can trust with this, Vanessa,” Jacob said calmly.

  “Fantastic. A babysitter. What’s next, a sippy cup and nap time?” James thought sarcastically.

  “Fine,” Vanessa said, grabbing his wrist. “Let’s get this over with.”

  She dragged him out of the room.

  Jacob returned to the window.

  He stared at the horizon, a storm of thoughts behind his calm expression.

  “After all these years… we may finally have our own National Awakener,” he whispered.