Transmigrated with my corruption system-Chapter 7: At Last, My Awakening

"Wait... what just happened?" a figure murmured slowly, the crowd around him staring blankly at the podium above.

Before the silence suddenly shattered, murmurs filled the hall as they tried to make sense of it all.

"Holy shit, did young master Ulric just slap the crap out of Cedric?"

"T-this... I don’t understand. The strength difference... it just doesn’t make sense."

"...Unless he also awakened the Sun God’s bloodline. Given how easily he trashed Cedric, the potency must be insane."

"Hahaha, who fucking cares about that! Did you see how he dominated everything and everyone? That was indescribable."

"He’s regained his title as young lord!"

"Aaargh! If only the bloodline didn’t stir only in the direct heirs of Lord Greyson. That could have been me. It should have been me!

Why wasn’t it me?!"

The murmurs quickly snowballed into a loud discussion, filling every corner of the hall.

Each word from the crowd only pressed in on Cedric, now clutched in Lady Valeria’s grasp as he coughed blood violently. The six girls behind him were no better off, writhing in anger.

Until it was all brought to a halt by a sudden declaration, laced with a commanding aura that pressed down on everyone in the Awakening Hall.

Seeing the moment of silence, Aria smiled slowly as she waved her hand.

The ring on her finger pulsed softly, before a ball of energy floated out and hovered at the center of the podium. Its surface glimmered with every color for a brief moment.

"The Ball of Awakening," Ulric murmured as he leaned forward, recognizing it instantly from the old host’s memories.

The crowd below stared in awe at the floating orb, the fiasco involving his previous host momentarily forgotten.

"Step forward and awaken your talents when I call out your names," Mistress Aria declared, her silver hair rippling from the force of her words.

The crowd instantly calmed as she called out the first youth.

"Marcus Flit!"

A youth with dirt-brown eyes, dressed in a simple grey robe, walked forward. A glint of anticipation flickered in his eyes as he slowly placed his hands on the hovering orb.

Barely a second later, it flickered with a dim light, its surface turning a faint grey.

"E-rank awakened talent: Stone Defense!" Mistress Aria declared coldly, watching as the youth walked away with a wry smile on his lips.

It wasn’t bad. The talent could guarantee him high status among regular mortals, but that was all it could ever amount to. In the grand scale of power, E-rank was nothing.

"Asher Vasterio," Mistress Aria continued, calling out another.

A short girl with short black hair and sharp eyes stepped forward, her robe bearing the Greyson crest.

Her face scrunched in disdain as she glanced at the departing youth, a whisper slipping from her lips.

"Trash."

Walking forward, she placed her hand on the orb. A few seconds ticked by before it lit up with a far brighter light.

A green sheen enveloped her figure.

"Awakened talent: C-rank Healing!"

Multiple gasps rippled through the crowd as the talent was announced. The girl’s expression turned smug as the praise drifted into her ears.

"Good job," Aria praised lightly, a faint smile crossing her face.

Healers, regardless of rank, were always valuable in battle. Her attitude didn’t matter, so long as she had the potential to back it up, everything was justifiable.

Leaning back in his chair, Ulric watched the ceremony unfold, multiple thoughts churning at the back of his mind.

The more he watched, the clearer things became. The awakening was random.

Even so, most talents fell into the lower categories. So why had the girl been arrogant even before awakening her talent? What if she had awakened something weaker? Was it confidence, or deeply rooted arrogance?

Whatever the case, he didn’t care, sinking deeper into his thoughts. Still, he couldn’t help but notice the side glances she stole toward him as she retreated.

There was a yearning in her eyes, just like most of the girls who stepped onto the podium. It made him shake his head slowly.

With his enhanced Corrupted Mortal Physique, it was no surprise.

He could practically feel their gazes on him.

Yet none were bold enough to lock eyes with him. The thought made him rub his chin thoughtfully.

His charm was more monstrous than he had expected, but he wasn’t complaining. A flicker of anticipation lit his eyes as he wondered how many corruption points he could squeeze out of everyone present.

His thoughts were cut short as a sudden brilliance flared from the Awakening Orb, drawing his attention.

Standing beside Mistress Aria was a girl whose name surfaced in his mind the instant he saw her. Lyra.

A cold beauty praised throughout the Greyson residence. Cold blue eyes. Dark raven hair flowing all the way down to her waist, framing a beautiful face.

She wore a light blue robe that subtly highlighted the curves beneath. A blue sheen encased her figure as the orb’s light covered her form, flaring for several seconds before fading away.

Mistress Aria’s voice followed, a bit shaky this time.

"Awakened B-rank talent: Ice Frost!"

A deafening silence followed as the words echoed through the hall.

Though the difference between B-rank and C-rank might seem small, it was astronomical. A high-rank talent,and a combat one at that. Her future was destined to be brilliant. Another gem for humanity.

A commotion erupted as the crowd reeled from the shock.

"A B-rank talent... this is wondrous!"

"Hahaha! The Greyson family’s power is steadily growing. Soon, we’ll be unrivaled across Tempest City with talents like hers!"

"I wonder what class she’ll choose in the dungeon trials?!"

"Sigh... the beauty grows ever more distant. I can only stand and watch from afar."

All sorts of murmurs echoed, each laced with praise as they flowed into Lyra’s ears.

Yet her face remained passive, uncaring of the flattering words.

Her head tilted slowly as she turned to look at Ulric’s figure. He appeared far more composed than the rest; the only sign of surprise was the glint flashing briefly across his eyes.

Another moment of silence passed as the crowd caught the gesture. Then she did something completely unexpected, her lips parted, flashing a smile in his direction.

She’s bold, Ulric thought as memories of the past surfaced at the back of his mind. Times when he used to play with her before he was discarded, shortly after his father entered seclusion.

How he had protected her from bullies. And how she had reciprocated over time. He remembered how she had secretly brought him medicine after his match with Cedric. Looking back now, she had always looked out for the old host.

The only question remaining, was she bolder than he was? Just as she was about to leave, he slowly raised his hand, gesturing for her to come sit beside him.

"Huh?" Lyra blinked rapidly, a faint blush creeping onto her face. She had been too caught up in the moment to realize what she was doing.

Still wrapped in her thoughts, trying to understand Ulric’s sudden rise, she finally noticed his gesture.

If it were any other noble, someone like Cedric, she would have refused. But something about Ulric drew her in, just as it had the first time they met as children.

That uncanny brilliance in his eyes.

Before she could fully grasp what was happening, her body began moving forward on its own. Emotions unfamiliar to her surged deep in her chest.

Watching her approach, Ulric smiled faintly and gestured for her to sit beside him.

What happened next, however, caused even him to slacken his jaw in surprise.

As she reached him, she turned, then instead of sitting on the seat beside him, her body slowly descended onto his lap. She nearly rose immediately, a teasing smile on her face.

But Ulric reacted instantly, wrapping his hands around her waist.

"No. Stay."

Her body stiffened in his grasp. Before she could react further, Cedric, off to the side spat out a mouthful of blood, his face contorting in rage as he could no longer restrain himself.

The girl he had pursued his entire life, taken so easily, right before his eyes. And of her own will.

The thought drove him mad. Stepping forward without waiting for his name to be called, he strode toward the orb and immediately placed his hands upon it.

The action snapped Mistress Aria out of her daze. She glanced toward Ulric, unsure why the sight stirred a flicker of jealousy within her.

She was just about to berate Cedric when her words caught in her throat.

A resplendent crimson light surged forth, exploding outward as it flooded the hall with terrifying intensity.

"This... it can’t be..." she stuttered, watching the light grow stronger with each passing second, until denial was no longer possible.

Her mouth opened, forcing the words out.

"A-rank awakened talent: Hellfire."

After tens of years, another A-rank talent had awakened in Tempest City.

Barely a second after the declaration, Cedric burst into mad laughter.

Lady Valeria, standing to the side, smiled evilly as the magnitude of the talent dawned on her.

"You see that, Ulric?!" Cedric screeched. "This is real power! I’ll fucking crush you, trash! You think you could humiliate me and get away with it?! You’ll regret everything once I take back the title of heir...I..."

Before he could continue, Ulric inhaled sharply, a whiff of Lyra’s scent filling his lungs.

Intoxicating, he thought. He rose slowly, releasing Lyra’s waist, but not before swatting her ass lightly, spreading a deep blush across her face.

Walking forward, he stared down at Cedric, an indifferent smile playing on his lips.

"What was that again?" he asked calmly. "I couldn’t tell, did you say something meaningful? I don’t speak gibberish?"

As Cedric’s face swelled with rage, Ulric’s smile widened. Without waiting for a response, he placed his hands on the orb.

He had waited long enough.

It was time to see what talent he would awaken.