Odyssey of the Renegade Sovereign-Chapter 43: Talent Root Awakening

"You have all done well in the soul space awakening ceremony." Although the priest’s calm voice reached every child in the room, his eyes subtly lingered on a select few, especially Astrael and Arthur. And a few others with high-grade awakenings. His gentle smile, for a brief second, widened at the sight of them.

"You have all done well," he repeated. "But those who didn’t receive the result they hoped for, worry not. Your journey does not end here."

His words were kind, but everyone could see where his real attention lay.

Some of the children with low-grade soul spaces lowered their heads, but most nodded, forcing confidence back into their posture.

With a clap of his hands, the priest gestured to the side. Several robed clerics, who had remained silent until now, stepped forward. One of them carried a silver box, ornately decorated, humming faintly with seven coloured energies.

"The next part will determine the core of your potential," the priest announced, his voice growing slightly more serious. "The Talent Root Awakening."

The murmurs once again filled the air in the hall. Even the nobles in the viewing stands leaned forward.

"The soul space defines your ability to control mana. But the talent root, this is your affinity. Your innate talent, your overall potential for growth. It is the foundation of your cultivation path."

He gestured toward a glowing circular platform embedded in the marble floor.

"You will step forward one by one and place your hand atop the Awakening Stone. Your root will be revealed, ranging from the seven colours of the spectrum: Red to Violet. But if fate favours you, your colour may surpass the spectrum."

"Number one!" Without any delay, the priest called.

A child stepped forward nervously.

It was none other than Gary, who, after receiving a healing potion, he had finally regained consciousness, but his face was pale, and his eyes reflected despair. The pride he had once worn so confidently was nowhere to be seen.

With a trembling hand, still weak from the earlier backlash, he slowly stepped forward. Hope, fragile and desperate, flickered in his eyes as he extended his palm toward the awakening stone.

A moment passed.

Then another. And then...

As if the gods had heard his silent plea, the stone began to glow. A soft, pulsing light-green hue shimmered from its core, reflecting in his widened eyes. And then something inside him awakened. A strange warmth surged through Gary’s chest, and a flicker of realisation lit up his face. He knew it instinctively.

An innate talent.

Unlike soul space, innate talents weren’t something that could be measured by steps or numbers. They manifested differently in each person. They are shaped not by physical strength but by the soul.

Innate talents were unique and unpredictable. They could be anything—enhanced perception, faster mana recovery, elemental affinities, or even rare magical abilities that defied categorisation. Most often, they aligned with one’s soul nature, personality, or instincts. Mages especially tended to awaken talents attuned to magic or specific elements.

And Gary instinctively could feel his body responding to something.

Then, in the very next moment, something happened.

His skin began to darken slightly, taking on a faint, rough texture. The surface shimmered under the light, resembling dense, compact earth. His arms stiffened, and a subtle weight pressed down on his body, but not in a burdensome way, more like an armour wrapping around him.

The nearby children gasped while watching him.

"A-are you seeing that?"

"His body... It’s hardening!"

Gary didn’t respond. He clenched his fists, staring at them as if they were someone else’s.

And in the next moment, Gary laughed. A laugh with pure relief. The weight of despair that had crushed his chest moments ago vanished.

The children who had earlier watched him with contempt or mockery now stood frozen in disbelief. Some took a step back, eyes wide. Others averted their gazes, embarrassed.

They had written him off as a failure. And now, he stood reborn.

Meanwhile, on the elevated viewing platform, the Count glanced toward Baron Avalon with a calm voice.

"Though he may not have the qualifications to become a mage, he could still walk the path of an Aura Master... if he can keep his resolve," the Count remarked.

Baron Avalon let out a breath he didn’t realise he was holding. He simply nodded, a faint smile forming on his face.

His son was not a disgrace. He wouldn’t have to disown him.

...

After Gary, one by one, the other children were called forth.

Each child walked to the awakening stone with trembling hands—some with fear, others with burning hope.

A girl with soft brown hair stepped forward next. She placed her hand on the stone with hesitant fingers. For a long moment, nothing happened.

Then a flash of dim violet light emerged from the stone. The priest gave a slow, almost pitying nod. "Violet grade. Very low."

The child bowed their head in silent shame and shuffled back into the crowd.

The next stepped forward.

Indigo, then another, Blue.

Each time the crystal glowed, the hue intensified just slightly, climbing the spectrum with excruciating patience. Some children burst into tears, others clenched their fists silently. A few smiled bitterly, pretending not to care.

Those who awakened Violet or Indigo talent tried to keep their heads high, even though they knew the truth—those roots would never take them far. Their futures were bound to struggle, filled with limitations.

But soon came the glow of a brilliant Green.

The priest’s voice carried a little more warmth this time. "Blue grade. A good talent. Don’t slack off and work hard."

Cheers came from the child’s parents in the crowd, and their eyes were filled with pride.

Then it happened.

Green.

The crystal shone with a vibrant green hue, brighter than most before it. The priest gave a rare nod of approval. "Excellent. Orange talent root. Rare among commoners."

The crowd murmured in surprise. A few nobles shifted in their seats, casting longer glances at the youth.

And then, for a long stretch, nothing brighter than blue appeared.

The excitement began to subside until Astrael’s number was called out.