The moment the teacher in charge of the awakening ceremony left the hall with Michael and the two other new Awakeners, they encountered two teachers—a male and a female—on their way to the principal's office.
Following the male teacher was a young girl, who seemed to be around 17 or 18 years old. Behind the female teacher were five younger-looking students: two boys and three girls.
From the brief conversation between the three teachers, Michael learned that the students accompanying them had successfully awakened as well.
The girl following the male teacher was also from class three, though Michael didn't recognize her. That wasn't surprising; after all, Woodstone was a public school with over 600 students in class three alone. There were nine sections in class three, each with up to 100 students max per teacher.
Although the classes rarely reached full capacity—since that would make even the large classrooms feel cramped—there were usually no fewer than 60 students per class.
As for the five students behind the female teacher, they were from class one. Michael had guessed this due to their younger appearance, but he was still shocked by the number of Awakeners in that class. In fact, he was surprised by how many students had successfully awakened this year in general.
Including the students from class three, a total of nine students had awakened. While this might seem small compared to Woodstone's overall student population, it was actually significant.
Even class one, which consisted of 16-year-olds—the age group most likely to awaken—rarely had this many(4) Awakeners in a single year.
In all the years Michael had been in senior high, the total number of students who had successfully awakened, from his time in class one through class three, including the older students, barely exceeded twelve. And most of those Awakeners had been from class one. This year, not a single student from class two, where most students were 17 years old, had awakened.
Therefore, the number of Awakeners at Woodstone Public High School this year was unusually high, and class three's success, in particular, was downright abnormal for reasons unknown.
As Michael mused over his thoughts, they soon reached the principal's office.
Upon reaching the door, the only female teacher among them took the initiative to knock.
"Principal?" she called out.
"Come in," a voice responded from within the office.
With permission granted, the female teacher took the lead and entered the room.
Inside, a middle-aged man sat behind a desk. Michael recognized him—he was the principal of Woodstone Public High School No. 3, Mike Bill. It was rumoured that he was a powerful knight, though Michael wasn't sure, as he had never seen the man in action.
Setting aside the document he had been focused on, Principal Mike turned to smile at the newcomers.
"Nine Awakeners this year—heavens must really favour our school," the principal remarked, pleasantly surprised by the number of students in his office. It was customary for new Awakeners to meet with the principal alongside their teachers, so he was confident he hadn't made a mistake. Seeing no one contradict his statement, he knew his assumption was correct.
With this confirmation, the smile on Principal Mike's face grew even brighter.
"I believe your teachers have already informed you why you're here, yes?" Principal Mike asked, glancing at Michael and the other students in his office.
"Yes, sir!" they replied in unison.
"Haha, there's no need to be nervous. What I'm about to tell you is probably something you already know, but I'll still say it," the principal said with a light chuckle.
Michael and the other students subconsciously straightened their backs.
The principal paid no mind to this and continued.
"As you know, as Awakeners, your life and future are now different from those of ordinary people. Power and wealth are within your grasp—if you're wise enough to seize them."
"If you had failed to awaken, you would be preparing to enter an ordinary university to further your education. If you had decent talent in cultivation, you'd try to enter a cultivation academy. But you all have successfully awakened!
So instead of attending a cultivation academy or an ordinary university, you'll be going to an Awakened University, where you'll learn everything you need to know about being an Awakener."
"You might think that going to an academy is unnecessary since you could just enter the Land of Origin on your own, like our ancestors, and make things work. While that's possible, anyone with good sense wouldn't do that. Why make things harder for yourself?"
"So, right now, aside from entering the Land of Origin, which you'll soon have access to, getting into an Awakener Academy should be your next main focus."
"As for learning more about your new identity as an Awakener, you'll need to visit the Supers Association to register after this. The association will provide you with better information that you currently need."
The principal then went on to mention a few other points. Some of these, Michael and the others already knew, while others provided new insights.
After saying what he needed to, Principal Mike dismissed the students and teachers, asking Brian to stay behind.
After being dismissed from the principal's office, the teacher responsible for overseeing Michael's awakening spoke up.
"As New Awakeners, you must register with the Supers Association within three days. Failing to do so is considered a crime. Though you have some time, I recommend you register immediately if you're free today."
"As the principal mentioned, you also need to take the upcoming college exams seriously. Just because you're Awakeners doesn't exempt you from academic testing. While it may not be as strict as for regular university students due to your status, it's still important depending on the academy you plan to attend.
Anyway, the Supers Association will have more details on this, so make sure you register quickly!"
"For those who aren't in their third year," the teacher addressed the students from Class 1, "you can also attempt the college exams if you think you're up for it, as the Federation and most academies do not oppose it.
However, most Awakeners who manage to awaken before their third year prefer to take home lessons while honing their skills as Awakeners, aiming for a higher score when they're ready to enter the academy."
After offering this advice, and with two other teachers sharing their own, they left the nine students and returned to the teachers' office.
There was no need to flatter the new Awakeners. These were no longer the apocalyptic days. Although the teachers were softer with them compared to before, it wasn't to the point of bowing at their feet, but they certainly didn't want to offend them either.
With the rise of cultivation, Awakeners were no longer the only powerful people in the world. Ordinary individuals could reach similar levels of strength, though Awakeners were a rarer breed.
Veteran teachers like these knew that leaving a good impression was enough, as they had no hidden agendas.