Crisis

As the phenomenon began to settle down and the pillars of light and celestial imagery disappeared, Lily found herself in the midst of confusion.

Her eyes darted around the now-calm surroundings, and her gaze finally settled on Holy Maiden Mariam, who appeared equally baffled by the extraordinary events.

"Um, H-Holy Maiden, what is going on?" Lily stammered, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

She had looked to the holy maiden as her source of guidance, but even she seemed perplexed by the situation.

The holy maiden's expression shifted from confusion to a sudden realization.

Panic flashed across her eyes as she comprehended the gravity of the situation.

"This is bad! Because of that sensation, there's no doubt that those monsters would surely make their way here! I have to call for reinforcements."

Lily was now even more bewildered and concerned.

"Reinforcements? Monsters?" She struggled to make sense of the sudden urgency.

"Young one, I have no time to explain," Holy Maiden Mariam urged urgently, her voice tinged with anxiety. "But you have to come with me."

Lily hesitated, her confusion and fear evident. "B-But why?"

The holy maiden took a deep breath, trying to convey the gravity of the situation.

"Because sooner or later, monsters will be arriving, and I have to protect you. You are the first human who has awakened an Omni Rank Class since the beginning."

Lily's eyes widened with shock and realization.

The weight of her awakening and its potential consequences bore down on her.

She had unknowingly set in motion events that threatened not only her but the entire world.

Without further explanation, Holy Maiden Mariam extended her hand to Lily.

"Come with me, child. We must act swiftly to ensure your safety and the safety of Earth."

Lily grasped the severity of the situation, but she couldn't bear to leave Daniel behind, especially not after the inexplicable phenomena that had just occurred.

She turned to the holy maiden with a determined expression. "In that case, please let me bring my friend along."

She pointed toward Daniel, who wore a mixture of disbelief and delight on his face.

From his perspective, he had no idea about the significance of the phenomena, but he was genuinely happy for Lily, thinking it was something great for her.

The holy maiden nodded, understanding the urgency of the situation.

"Alright, let's bring him along."

She had no time to argue with Lily and agreed to her request without hesitation.

Simultaneously, she sent a message to her family, informing them of the situation and the need for reinforcements.

Holy Maiden Mariam knew she needed a little more time before help would arrive.

"Alright, then let's go to your friend," she urged Lily.

Lily led the holy maiden to Daniel, and as they approached, the crowd of candidates continued to watch in disbelief.

They understood the significance of what had just transpired and couldn't help but feel a mix of awe and jealousy.

Lily was someone they might never see up close again, and they felt jealous towards Daniel. 

"Lily, what rank did you awaken, and what was that light? It must be something great, right?"

Daniel's excitement and curiosity shone in his eyes.

He was genuinely thrilled for her, unaware of the inner turmoil she was experiencing.

Lily's heart sank as she considered the possibility that the difference in their Awakening Ranks might create a rift between them.

She feared that Daniel would distance himself from her if he knew the truth, and the thought of him feeling sorry for her was too painful to bear.

So, she made a difficult decision and took advantage of his innocence.

"Yeah, I awakened a high-rank class," she replied with a soft smile, trying to mask her inner turmoil.

Daniel's eyes sparkled with admiration. "Awesome..."

His response brought both relief and guilt to Lily.

She couldn't bear to see the disappointment on his face if he knew the truth.

Instead, she focused on the excitement in his voice as he asked, "When is it my turn?"

The holy maiden responded with a heartwarming smile, her eyes filled with kindness.

"We can undergo your Awakening process later on at one of the palaces of the 10 Godly Saints."

Daniel's eyes widened in awe. "The Palace of the 10 Godly Saints?"

"Yes, that's right," the holy maiden affirmed.

"Without further ado, let us teleport there."

Although Daniel had many questions about what was happening, he chose to trust the flow of events.

The holy maiden reached for a scroll of teleportation, her fingers poised to tear it open, but before she could activate it, the ground beneath them began to tremble.

Panic rippled through the crowd of youths as they felt the earth shake beneath their feet.

"W-What is going on?!" one of them cried out. "Why is there an earthquake?"

As the panic spread, the ground continued to crack, and suddenly, the space around them began to distort, forming numerous gates of swirling energy.

"W-Why are there gates, and so many of them?" another youth exclaimed, his voice trembling with fear.

In the midst of the chaos, Holy Maiden Mariam cursed silently in her mind. She hadn't expected the situation to escalate so rapidly.

"Shit! I never thought they would be this fast," she thought, realizing that the monsters she had feared were already closing in.

"I have to hurry up and use the teleportation scroll!"

But just as she was about to activate it, a massive, energized shockwave surged toward her, threatening to engulf her and those around her.

Without hesitation, she cried out, "Watch out!"

In an act of selflessness, she pushed both Lily and Daniel out of harm's way, narrowly avoiding the brunt of the attack herself.

The shockwave passed through, creating a maelstrom of chaos and destruction in its wake.

"As expected of the Holy Maiden, I guess that kind of attack wouldn't be enough to kill you, but if you had died to that kind of attack, I would have been disappointed."

One of the monsters emerged from the gate, approaching Holy Maiden Mariam with an air of confidence.

"Minerva... I never thought your kind would be so fast to receive the news, it had only been minutes," t

The holy maiden expressed her frustration at the rapid response of the monsters.

Minerva, who had a humanoid form resembling an insect, smiled charmingly.

"Well, we can't help it, after all, it's the orders from Her Majesty herself."

"Her Majesty? The Demon Empress, ruler of all Demonic Realms?" Holy Maiden Mariam exclaimed in disbelief.

"With a direct order from her, I guess we have no choice but to capture the human who caused that strange phenomenon," Minerva said nonchalantly.

Seeing that more monsters were emerging from the gates, Holy Maiden Mariam knew she had no choice but to use whatever manpower she had at her disposal.

She turned to address the crowd of youths who had gathered around, their expressions a mix of fear and uncertainty.

"Listen to me, future guardians of Earth," she began, her voice firm and unwavering.

"We are now in a situation where, at any moment, our lives could end."

She paused for a moment, allowing her words to sink in, then continued, "But no matter what happens, the future of Earth depends on this moment."

The crowd remained silent, some with unpleasant expressions, but she pressed on, determined to make them understand the gravity of the situation.

"Hate me or despise me if you have to, and I will accept it all," she declared, her eyes filled with unwavering resolve.

"But let me tell you that the future of Earth depends on this very moment."

Her words hung in the air, a solemn reminder that their world was on the brink of a perilous change, and the choices they made in that critical moment would shape the destiny of Earth itself.