The Grand Hall of the Oakhaven Academy was filled with the scent of ozone and expectation. Hundreds of sixteen-year-olds stood in line, their eyes fixed on the Prism of Destiny, a floating crystal that revealed one's soul talent.
"Kaelen Thorne!" the High Priest shouted.
A lean boy with sharp, silver-gray eyes stepped forward. Inside his mind, a flickering interface—dimmer than it once was—pulsated with a rhythmic hum.
[Warning: System Integrity at 0.04%]
[Current Tier: Mythical (Damaged)]
[Scanning Local Environment...]
[Classification: Low Tier World. Energy density: Pathetic.]
Shut up, Kaelen thought. I know where we are.
He placed his hand on the crystal. It remained dull for a long moment before emitting a faint, muddy brown glow.
"Kaelen Thorne. Talent: Common," the Priest announced, his voice dripping with disdain. "Next!"
The hall erupted in snickers. The Thorne family was a fallen noble house, and Kaelen was their last hope. A "Common" talent in a world where the "Legendary" Hero-King ruled was a death sentence for his social status.
Kaelen didn't flinch. Through his blurred vision, the System overlay showed him the truth the crystal couldn't see.
[Hidden Potential Detected]
[System Note: The Prism of Destiny is a Tier-1 tool. It cannot calculate your 'Cosmic' origin. Displaying 'Common' to prevent world-collapse.]
[First Quest Triggered: The First Step of the Fallen.]
[Objective: Absorb the ambient energy of the 'Legendary' mana pool in the academy basement.]
[Reward: Talent Evolution — Common \rightarrow Uncommon.]
A Low Tier world's treasure is my starting point, Kaelen smirked, turning away from the mocking stares. Let them laugh. They're measuring a mountain with a ruler.