"Yeah, that's what I thought," Ryder sighed, shifting the conversation. He casually mentioned how he’d been planning to make a deal with Axel for the raw stones in the morning.

  Most of the twenty students here came from wealthy families, so they weren’t concerned about raw stones. But when they heard Ryder’s story, they quickly put the pieces together. The fine raw stones the law enforcement team had given Axel were stronger than they realized. If Ryder had bought one, seeing Axel’s progress now, they'd be more than willing to pay top dollar to get their hands on it.

  "Congrats, Axel," Cassia, who had been standing off to the side, snorted and made her way over to Axel. He looked up to see that everyone had fallen silent, and their eyes were all on him. He quickly realized they must have been talking about him.

  At that moment, most of the group had gathered around Ryder, the big shot trader, and nobody was bothering to come over and greet Axel.

  But it didn’t bother Axel. He wasn’t one to chase attention.

  Just then, Storm walked over, his expression as blank as always. "Congrats," he said in a flat tone, before turning and walking back to his original spot with a hint of arrogance.

  "Tsundere," Cassia muttered under her breath. Axel could see Storm pause for just a second.

  The rest of the group kept chatting, moving easily between conversations. Vale, ever the social butterfly, was introducing people to one another, making the atmosphere feel warm and lively.

  Meanwhile, Axel, Cassia, and a few others who were standing on the outskirts seemed a little isolated.

  .....

  Meanwhile, not too far away, Mason, the principal of DuneBrookhaven High, stood alongside a burly man with a scar running down the corner of his eye. They both watched the students quietly.

  "Kieran, what do you think of this year's crop of students?" Mason, the principal, wore a frown, his plump face filled with concern.

  Nowadays, although schools also value the number of students admitted to prestigious schools, the real decision for school resources is still the awakened and high-level force users.

  “Same as last year. We have 26 students with a force value over 90,” The scarred man stood there with his arms folded. Although the principal was next to him, he didn't feel any restraint at all.

  Mason sighed deeply. “Yeah, Shadowridge High is coming on strong this year. I’ve heard they have 19 students with scores over 90, plus one who’s already awakened early. Our resources are probably going to get stretched thin.”

  Kieran raised an eyebrow. "Awakening early… that’s impressive." He himself is also a real awakener, and naturally knows that those who can awaken by themselves before the awakening ceremony are all top talents without exception!

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  Mason turned to look at the group of students, scanning them one by one. “Do you think anyone from our batch has a shot at awakening early?”

  Kieran squinted, watching the students in the distance. When his gaze landed on Vale and Ryder, and saw them mingling and chatting with their sleeves rolled up, he shook his head in slight disapproval. "These kids are too focused on connections. They think they’re the chosen ones just because they stand out at DuneBrookhaven. They’re not even awakened yet, but all they’re doing is networking. It’s a waste of time."

  He paused, but then a small smile crept onto his face. "However, there are still a few worth watching. For example, Theo."

  Theo!

  The top performer in DuneBrookhaven High's multiple assessments, now with a Force value of 109. He was the most likely to successfully awaken on the upcoming awakening day.

  "I heard there’s a surprise today?" Kieran’s voice was curious.

  Mason nodded. "Axel from Grey’s class. His Force is now 90."

  Axel? Kieran had heard the name, but hearing it now, he paused, surprised at first. Then, his expression shifted to something more complex.

  "So, he broke through to this level in such a short time after using the raw stone?"

  Mason nodded again, confirming Kieran's suspicions.

  Kieran fell silent for a moment, then let out a heavy sigh. "What a pity, what a pity..."

  Mason understood what Kieran meant. The school had been helping promote Axel’s name, but it was only about boosting his reputation. His Force had always been rather average.

  But now? He’d jumped up to 90.

  "It’s a pity," Mason continued. "He's already eighteen. It’s too late now. Even with resources, he’ll still be slower than others. Even if he does awaken, it’ll be a long way off."

  Mason’s judgment was clear. Axel had made rapid progress, but it was obvious that his potential had been suppressed for a long time due to his poverty and lack of resources. Now, as he started to catch up, it didn’t necessarily mean he’d keep growing at this rate. What he was doing now was making up for lost time.

  "I should’ve done more to help him earlier. That’s on me," Mason sighed. Kieran didn’t respond—he was just a temporary teacher assigned to guide the special students, and he knew better than to get involved in matters like this.

  Mason’s gaze shifted to Grey, who was standing across the playground, talking to his students. His expression turned thoughtful.

  Grey had often raised the issue of increasing subsidies for underprivileged students, but Mason hadn’t taken it too seriously at the time.

  “After this round of graduates leaves, we should propose another evaluation for Grey,” Mason said, his tone contemplative.

  The looming threat from Shadowridge High had put Mason on edge. If he lost the loyalty of talented students for the sake of political maneuvering, it would be a major setback.

  Mason gave a slight nod. "Alright. Then I’ll leave these students to you."

  .....

  The test was over, and it was time for everyone to head home. Axel felt surprisingly good as the sun set, casting an orange glow over the horizon.

  The school’s reward for any awakened student was a million-dollar cash prize. He was only ten points away from that threshold!

  For the first time in a long while, Axel felt a spark of hope. He couldn’t wait to share this news with Annabelle.

  When he passed by his old house in the city, he stood at the door and looked for a while. The single-family home, now long neglected and falling apart with peeling walls, held all their cherished childhood memories. They had never really considered buying it back before.

  But now, maybe—just maybe—there was a chance.

  At that moment, two figures in dark gray police uniforms entered the slums. Their heavy boots, with their hard soles, left deep impressions in the mud as they walked.

  The sight of law enforcers in the slums always caused fear. Many residents hurriedly looked away, avoiding any direct eye contact.

  But the two officers seemed indifferent to the people around them. Step by step, they made their way to the door of a small, run-down shack.

  "This is it. This is the boy’s home," one of them said, his voice flat.

  Without another word, the two officers pushed open the door and entered.