The auditorium of Northgate Superhuman College was filled with noise long before the announcements began.
Students packed the rows, their conversations buzzing with excitement, arrogance, and anticipation. Power displays flickered occasionally, small sparks of fire, brief flashes of energy, and gravity distortions that made papers lift off desks. For most of them, today was validation day.
Rank Announcement Day.
At the center of the hall stood a wide stage, illuminated by white overhead lights. Behind it, a massive holographic screen shimmered, displaying the emblem of the Hero Evaluation Council.
Faculty members stood near the podium, expressions carefully neutral.
For the students, neutrality was impossible. This day decided everything: future jobs, hero licenses, city postings, respect, and humiliation.
"Next, Lily Carter," the announcer said calmly, his voice amplified across the hall.
A brief hush fell.
A young woman rose from her seat near the middle rows. She had shoulder-length brown hair tied loosely, her posture straight but relaxed. She did not look nervous, but her hands clenched briefly as she walked toward the stage.
Murmurs spread as she climbed the steps.
"She's the psychic girl."
"Heard her perception range improved."
"Support types never go far."
Lily Carter stopped at the centre of the stage.
The holographic screen behind her flickered.
Name: Lily Carter
Primary Ability: Psychic Sensitivity
Secondary Ability: None Detected
Overall Rank: C
A clear tone echoed through the hall.
For a split second, Lily Carter simply stood there.
Then applause began. C Rank was respectable. More than respectable for a support-type student.
Lily let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She bowed politely and stepped off the stage.
As she returned to her seat, she felt a familiar gaze on her.
Ethan Cole was sitting two rows behind her. He clapped softly, meeting her eyes for a moment.
She smiled.
"Next, Ethan Cole," the announcer continued, his voice steady.
The hall shifted. Not with excitement. With anticipation of amusement.
Ethan Cole stood slowly. He was tall, lean, with dark hair that never seemed to sit properly, no matter how much he tried to fix it. His uniform was neat, but worn in ways that spoke of long use and little replacement.
As he stepped into the aisle, laughter broke out.
"Hey, careful," someone shouted.
Everyone was frozen and thinking about what happened.
"Don't trip on the stage. You might awaken falling powers," someone said and laughed loudly.
Everyone laughed at Ethan.
Another voice followed. "They should invent a new rank just for him."
Ethan kept walking.
His expression did not change, but his jaw tightened slightly. He climbed the steps and stood under the lights.
The holographic screen flickered.
Paused.
Flickered again.
Name: Ethan Cole
Abilities: None Detected
Overall Rank: F
A sharp beep echoed.
Silence lasted less than a second.
Then the laughter exploded.
"F Rank?"
"That's generous."
A voice rang out from the back of the hall, loud and deliberate.
"Hey, Council! I think you forgot something!" one student stood and said.
The hall quieted, waiting.
The student continued, grinning openly.
"We should add another rank. A special one, below F."
The announcer frowned. "That is not—"
"G Rank!" the student shouted. "Exclusive for Ethan Cole!"
The hall erupted.
Some clapped. Some laughed harder. Others shook their heads, amused but detached.
Ethan Cole stood motionless.
The screen glitched for a moment.
Then, to everyone's shock, a new text appeared.
Special Classification Assigned
Rank: G
The laughter intensified.
Even some faculty members looked uncomfortable.
Ethan stared at the screen. He did not look angry. He looked… empty.
"Alright, enough," the announcer said sharply. "Ethan Cole, step down."
Ethan did.
He walked off the stage without a word.
As he passed Lily Carter, she stood halfway, her expression tight.
"Ignore them," Lily said quietly.
Ethan nodded once.
"I'm used to it," Ethan Cole replied.
Classes ended earlier that day.
No one focused on lectures. The rank announcements had already set the mood.
By late afternoon, the campus gates were flooded with students heading home in groups. Conversations revolved around ranks, plans, hero squads, and rumors.
Ethan Cole walked with a small group of classmates, not friends exactly, but familiar faces.
Jason Reed walked ahead, stretching his arms. His build was solid, his posture confident.
"Did you hear?" Jason Reed said. "There's demon activity near the west block."
Another student scoffed. "Again? Didn't A Rank heroes get assigned there?"
"Yeah," Jason Reed said, grinning. "Which means it's safe enough to watch."
One of the others glanced back at Ethan. "Hey, Ethan. Want to get closer? Might awaken something."
Laughter followed.
Ethan hesitated.
"I don't think that's a good idea," Ethan Cole said.
Lily Carter, walking beside him, looked concerned.
"You don't have to prove anything," Lily Carter said.
Jason Reed shrugged. "Come on. It's not like demons target nobodies."
That sentence landed harder than the laughter.
Ethan looked ahead.
A distant explosion echoed through the city. Smoke rose beyond the buildings.
Screams followed.
"I'll go," Ethan Cole said suddenly.
Lily turned sharply. "Ethan, wait—"
"I just want to see," Ethan Cole said.
Jason Reed smirked. "That's the spirit."
They didn't get very close before they saw them.
Two A-Rank heroes stood in the street ahead, powers blazing.
One manipulated blazing arcs of energy. The other controlled massive stone slabs that rose and fell like weapons.
Between them writhed something unnatural.
A Lesser Demon.
Its body was twisted, elongated, with jagged limbs and glowing eyes that reflected hunger rather than intelligence.
Civilians ran. Buildings shook.
"Stay back!" one of the heroes shouted.
Jason Reed ignored him and moved forward.
"See?" Jason Reed said. "This is how it's done."
The demon shrieked. Its gaze snapped toward Ethan Cole. In a blink, it lunged.
Ethan didn't move fast enough.
The world narrowed. A sharp pressure hit his chest, throwing him backwards.
Pain exploded through his ribs. He hit the ground hard.
Lily Carter screamed. "Ethan!"
The demon raised its claw.
Lily Carter closed her eyes, pressing her hands together.
A wave of psychic force rippled outward, not strong, but desperate.
The demon staggered.
Just enough.
Jason Reed and the others surged forward.
Blows landed. Powers flared.
The demon shrieked again before collapsing into ash, and silence followed.
Ethan Cole lay on the ground, gasping.
Jason Reed laughed, brushing dust from his uniform.
"See? Easy." He said.
Ethan didn't answer.
They are moved and separated on their way to reach home. Lily and Ethan are neighbours. She likes to spend time with Ethan, and she wants to save Ethan, because Ethan doesn't have powers.
Lily Carter stayed close to Ethan, her expression tense.
"You shouldn't remember today as a failure," Lily Carter said gently. "You survived."
Ethan Cole stared ahead. "That's all I ever do. I know that pressure that throws me backwards is your psychic," he said.
"I just wanted to save you, so I thought to use my power to save you at that time." She said.
Ethan smiled. "Lily, how many times have you protected me? He paused.
"At least," Ethan continued, "one time I want to save someone else." He said.
Lily didn't talk, but she was experiencing Ethan's pain.
They turned onto their street. The sun dipped low, casting long shadows. Lily kept talking, her voice steady, grounding.
Then—
Her voice stopped.
Ethan took two more steps before noticing.
He turned. "Lily?"
She stood frozen.
Mid-step. Her eyes open. Her breath stopped.
Ethan's heart pounded. He looked around. People were frozen. Cars stopped mid-motion. Birds hung motionless in the sky. Even the wind had died.
Only Ethan moved.
Then the voice came.
Not from ahead. Not from behind.
From everywhere.
"From now on, the real survival begins."
Ethan spun.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"Prepare every minute."
The voice did not echo. It did not grow louder.
It simply existed.
"Survive… to live."
Ethan felt heat in his palm.
"Look at your palm."
The world snapped back into motion. Sound crashed in all at once.
Lily stumbled slightly.
"Ethan?" Lily Carter said. "Why did you stop?"
Ethan stared at his palm.
A faint, translucent interface hovered above it.
Name: Ethan Cole
Rank: 0
Status: Survival Candidate
Store: Locked
Features: Unavailable
Lily leaned closer. "What are you looking at?"
"You didn't see anything here?" Ethan asked.
"No, nothing there. What happened, Ethan?" Lily asked.
"Nothing," Ethan Cole said.
They continued walking.
Behind them, somewhere unseen, something had begun counting.