As Sam stepped into the [Awakener Association], the first thing that struck him was the sheer number of people.
Hundreds of awakeners filled the wide marble-floored building.
Some were gathered in groups, exchanging information about monsters, layers, or loot. Others were lined up at counters, speaking with staff members dressed in black and silver uniforms.
Laughter echoed from the lounge area while a few tense faces stood silently by holographic bulletin boards, scanning mission requests.
The entire place had a clean, almost futuristic aesthetic. It was vast, high-ceilinged, and filled with glass walls that gave it a sense of openness.
Giant screens floated mid-air, displaying live footage from different dungeon zones, upcoming events, and guild recruitment ads. It was busy, organized chaos.
'Looks like I really am one of the youngest here,' Sam noted as he glanced around.
Most of the awakeners around him looked to be in their twenties or thirties, hardened and experienced.
Some wore enchanted armor or draped cloaks that shimmered faintly. Others had weapons strapped to their backs or glowing rings on their fingers.
Compared to them, Sam felt... plain. He wore simple clothing, had no visible gear, and no one gave him a second look.
'Then again, I did clear the [First Layer] way faster than normal,' he reminded himself. 'No surprise I'm the first rookie to get here.'
The path he had taken into the [Forsaken Realm] was through a rift in the ruins that [Eclypsia Academy] had led their students to.
But that wasn't the only rift in existence. Across the entire [Outer Ring], there were several portals that led to separate instances of the first layer.
It made sense. Cramming every new awakener into a single space would have been a disaster.
The [Forsaken Realm] worked like a dimensional mirror, capable of generating infinite instances of itself, identical in layout, but different in boss difficulty and monster spawns.
That explained why Sam's boss had been a level 5 Guardian Swordmaster, while others might've only faced level 3 enemies.
Nobody knew how many rifts existed or how they were placed, but one thing was for certain: each academy likely entered through their own rift around the same time. And yet, here Sam was, already out, already done.
'I should register first. Then sell off what I have so I can get some actual money.'
He resisted the urge to use [Hell-Mode Analysis] on the other awakeners. While he was curious about their ranks and levels, he didn't want to trigger anyone's aggression.
From what he'd seen, high-ranking awakeners could detect when someone tried to peek into their status.
That was a fight he didn't want to start inside a public institution, especially when his skills weren't even fully evolved yet.
Eventually, he reached the front desk. A young woman with a sleek uniform and tied-back hair greeted him with a practiced smile.
"Hello, sir," she said cheerfully. "Welcome to the [Awakener Association]. What can I help you with today?"
"I'm here to register as an awakener," Sam replied calmly.
The receptionist's eyes lit up in surprise. "Oh! Congratulations on clearing the first layer, then," she said as she gave him a small bow. "You're actually the first awakener to come in and register today."
Sam gave a small nod.
It was confirmation. Not only had he cleared the layer pretty much alone, but he'd also done it faster than anyone else so far.
The receptionist quickly moved into action, pulling up a holographic interface on her desk.
She began asking him for the basic information: name, age, city of residence. Sam gave what he could, using [Gravemont City] as his home address, since that's where he'd woken up. It was a vague answer, but it seemed good enough.
Fortunately, she didn't ask about his class.
If she had, he would've refused. Revealing his class was something he wanted to avoid.
After a few more clicks, she handed him a small rectangular device. "Please press your finger on this for identification."
Sam complied, placing his finger on the scanner. A small prick of heat ran through his skin as the device recorded his print. Then, he was given a few digital forms to sign. After scribbling his name across each one, the system beeped.
A moment later, the receptionist held out a slim, glossy black card.
"Congratulations on your awakening, Mr. Sam Walker."
He took the card, inspecting it briefly, it had his picture and a small amount of information about him.
"This card will give you access to the association's features. You can also use it to store currency and make payments," she explained with a smile.
Sam slipped it into his pocket instead of placing it into his [Spatial Inventory]. Better to avoid attracting attention. Pulling out items from thin air in front of everyone was not the best idea.
'Now that I'm registered, I can finally start moving toward my goals.'
The receptionist tilted her head slightly. "Do you have any other questions?"
"Yeah," Sam said without hesitation. "Where can I sell my items? I'm broke."
He didn't have to add that last part, but he did anyway. Might as well be honest.
To his surprise, the receptionist grinned even wider. "Of course. One moment."
A few minutes later, a staff member arrived and gestured for Sam to follow him down a side hallway. They reached a quiet lounge where a middle-aged man in glasses sat on a couch, flipping through a tablet.
The man looked up, "New awakener, huh."
"Yep." Sam sat down across from him without hesitation.
There was no need for long conversations. Sam simply activated his [Spatial Inventory] and began unloading everything he wanted to sell.
"...?" the man seemed surprised at the ability Sam was displaying, but he didn't ask any questions;
Goblin weapons, minor loot from random forest creatures, and finally, the good stuff.
The man's eyes sharpened as Sam placed the two uncommon-grade items from the Guardian Swordmaster, followed by the [Fearsome Ring].
For a moment, the appraiser said nothing. Then he leaned back slightly, obviously taken aback.
"You took down a Guardian Swordmaster alone?" he asked casually, though there was a note of disbelief in his voice.
Sam didn't answer. He didn't need to. The items spoke for themselves.
The appraiser began evaluating everything. It took a few minutes, with holographic projections appearing above each item as values were assessed.
Eventually, the man nodded and confirmed the total.
"Based on the rarity, condition, and demand, we can offer you $10,280."
Sam gave a nod of approval.
It wasn't a fortune, but it was enough. Enough to survive for a while.
"Deal," Sam said, standing up.
"Pleasure doing business," the man replied, already filing the transfer through Sam's awakener card.
As Sam walked out of the room, he felt a little lighter.
He was now officially recognized as an Awakener. He had money in his pocket. And his next move was already forming in his mind.
'Alright. Registration's done. Got my funds. Now I just need one last thing...'
He stepped outside the association building and looked up at the clear sky above.
"Okay," he muttered to himself. "Now, how do I create a guild?"