Chapter 3: The Crystal's Verdict
Griffin's heart gave one hard thud when the DOA official finally called his name.
"Griffin Creed," the woman said in that calm, practiced voice they all used, like she had said the same thing a thousand times today. He stepped out of the line and walked toward the raised platform, feeling every pair of eyes in the massive hall turn toward him.
The gray uniform felt suddenly tighter around his shoulders, the silver DOA emblem on his chest catching the light with every step. The floor under his boots was smooth and cold, polished stone that echoed faintly with each footfall.
He kept his face straight, hands loose at his sides, trying to look like none of this mattered even though his mouth had gone dry.
The Awakening Crystal waited ahead, hovering above the silver pedestal, its surface smooth and flawless, pulsing with that soft white light that seemed to reach out and touch everything around it. Up close it looked bigger than it had from the line, almost alive, like it was breathing slowly in and out.
He climbed the three short steps and stopped exactly where the glowing marker on the floor told him to stand.
The official gave him a small nod. "Place your right hand on the crystal when you're ready. Keep still. It only takes a few seconds."
Griffin lifted his hand and pressed his palm flat against the crystal's surface. The moment his skin touched it, a strange warmth spread through his fingers, not hot, but deep and heavy, like stepping into a bath that was exactly the right temperature.
The warmth moved up his arm, into his chest, and then seemed to sink all the way down to his bones. It wasn't painful, but it felt personal, like something was gently looking inside him, turning over every part of who he was.
His breathing slowed without him meaning to. For a second he forgot about the thousands of people watching. There was only the crystal and that steady, searching warmth that made his mana core feel like it was waking up for the first time.
Then the light changed. It grew brighter around him, wrapping him in a soft white glow that made the rest of the hall fade into a blur. He felt a gentle pull, like the crystal was drawing something out of him and reading it at the same time.
His fingers tingled. His chest felt tight and light at the same time. For one long moment he actually hoped. He hoped the crystal would see how hard he had worked, how much he needed this, how badly he wanted to take care of his family.
He hoped it would give him something real, something that would let him stand tall when he walked back through the door tonight.
The light flared one last time, bright enough that he had to close his eyes for a second. When he opened them again the system voice spoke, clear and emotionless, echoing through every speaker in the hall.
"Hunter Class – Zero Mana Affinity."
The words hung in the air for half a second before the hall exploded with laughter. It started as scattered chuckles and quickly grew into loud, open mocking that rolled across the crowd like a wave.
Griffin stood frozen on the platform, his hand still resting on the crystal as the warmth faded away, leaving behind a cold, empty feeling in his chest.
The laughter kept coming, louder and sharper. Someone in the back rows actually whistled. A group of boys near the front pointed at him and laughed so hard one of them had to wipe his eyes.
Griffin could feel his face burning, but he kept his expression blank, refusing to let them see how much it stung.
The official beside the platform cleared her throat and spoke into her comm device, her voice flat. "Hunter Class, Zero Mana Affinity recorded. No combat viability detected."
From the upper galleries where the guild recruiters sat, three figures in sharp suits stood up almost at the same time. The representatives from the Big Three guilds, Silver Wing, Black Tiger, and Crimson Moon, didn't even bother to hide their disappointment.
The woman from Silver Wing spoke first, her voice carrying clearly over the lingering laughter. "We regret to inform you that the Silver Wing has no interest in recruiting a Hunter Class with zero mana affinity. We wish you the best in finding suitable civilian employment."
The man from Black Tiger followed right after, his tone bored. "Black Tiger passes. We require candidates with actual combat potential. Better luck next time."
The last one, from Crimson Phoenix, didn't even try to soften it. "Crimson Moon has no openings for zero-mana Hunters. Move along."
Even the other small guilds, didn't bother to even look his way, all of them have mockery and disdainful expression as they looked at him as if they were looking at a piece of trash.
The laughter swelled again, mixed now with pitying murmurs. Griffin slowly pulled his hand away from the crystal. The surface felt cool now, almost indifferent, like it had already forgotten him.
He stepped down from the platform, keeping his back straight and his eyes fixed on the exit at the far end of the hall. The crowd parted slightly as he walked through, some people still chuckling, others shaking their heads with that fake-sympathetic look that hurt more than the laughter.
He could hear fragments of conversation as he passed.
"Zero mana? That's rough."
"Poor guy. Hunter Class is already bad enough, but zero affinity? He's done."
"At least he can still be a porter. Better than nothing, right?"
Griffin didn't answer any of them. He just kept walking, boots echoing softly on the polished stone, the gray uniform suddenly feeling heavier than it had before.
The massive doors of the DOA building loomed ahead, tall and impersonal, leading back out into the afternoon light. He pushed one open and stepped outside, the cool air hitting his face as the sounds of the hall faded behind him.
The door swung shut with a quiet click, leaving him standing alone on the wide steps of the DOA Central Hall.