Sunlight entered the classroom in slanted strips, stretching across the desks and settling on the dust hanging still in the air. The window was cracked open; the curtain swayed gently, pushed by a cool breeze that carried the steady drone of crickets. The sound drifted in without effort, blending with the low murmur of students and announcing the coming of summer.
And with it, the end of the school year.
"Well, looks like today's the last time we'll see each other," announced Professor Olivia with a smile, her voice easing through the classroom chatter just enough to draw everyone's attention.
Her black hair was pulled into a high ponytail, a few loose strands stuck to her temple from the heat. Her brown eyes were half-hidden behind rectangular glasses that caught the light from the window whenever she turned her head.
"But don't go getting sad on me," she added, leaning forward slightly. "Today is actually a very special day!"
A couple of students exchanged glances. Someone at the back let out a short laugh. Chairs creaked as several shifted in their seats, too restless to stay still.
Olivia let that small wave of energy settle before continuing.
"Today I'll be evaluating each of you... and you'll find out what your class is," she announced, letting a brief silence land.
"Isn't that exciting?" she continued, raising her eyebrows slightly. "Some of you might awaken a Rank B class... and end up in an elite academy. Or even Rank A!" she added with enthusiasm, her gaze sweeping across the room.
This time the reactions came through more clearly. A boy in the second row let out a long breath, sinking back into his chair. Two girls leaned toward each other and started whispering in quick, hushed tones. In the corner near the window, someone pressed their fists against the desk with a barely contained smile.
The idea was nothing new. Everyone had been waiting for this day since they were kids.
Today, all their hopes and daydreams were going to become reality... or shatter completely.
No one could be indifferent to that... except one boy.
Sora sat at the last desk, pushed against the wall. His chair was tipped back, head resting in one hand. His black hair fell loosely over his forehead, casting a faint shadow over his half-closed violet eyes.
He let out a yawn, making no effort to hide it.
The sound earned him a few looks, though he didn't care. He was used to glances like those. He didn't even shift his posture; he just let the chair settle back on all four legs with a quiet thud and stretched a little before resting his arm on the desk.
"Don't worry," Olivia added, raising a hand to bring the class back to attention. "The world doesn't end if you don't get a powerful class."
She moved slowly across the front of the room, marking each word with a small gesture.
"Awakening one at all already matters! In the spiritual realm, rank isn't everything. If you work hard, you can still level up all the same."
Some nodded; others just listened in silence, eyes fixed on the floor or their own hands.
Olivia had managed to lift a few spirits. She knew well enough that awakening a high-ranking class was rare.
Sora let out a slow breath through his nose and rested his cheek on his forearm, which lay flat on the desk. He stared ahead, not focusing on anything in particular.
That wasn't a lie, but it wasn't comforting either.
It was common sense. A high-ranking class opened doors from day one. Better abilities, stronger stats, faster growth.
Rank wasn't just decoration; it meant something.
A low-ranking class, on the other hand... dragged everything out.
More effort for the same result. More time just to catch up to people who had already started ahead.
It wasn't impossible to get ahead, but no one would choose the slow road if they could avoid it.
"I'm sure you all know how this works," Olivia said as she stopped beside her desk and gestured with an open palm.
There, resting on a cushioned base of dark fabric, sat a crystal sphere. It was about the size of a small head, perfectly smooth, with a soft glow on its surface. From the outside it looked white, almost opaque, but inside, thin veins of light shifted and caught the light, breaking it into different colors that changed depending on the angle.
"I'll call you up one by one," she continued. "You come up, place your hand on the sphere... and let a portion of your spiritual energy flow into it."
She rested her fingers on the crystal for a moment. The veins inside responded with a faint pulse of dark blue light.
The light escaped and hung suspended in the air, revealing the words: [Lunar Sage — Rank C]
"And your class will be revealed."
She pulled her hand away, and the light faded.
"Alright, since you all seem ready. Let's begin!"
Olivia clapped her hands once, marking the start. The sharp sound carried across the room and faded quickly.
She glanced at the list on her desk and looked up.
"Abel Faraday."
A chair scraped in the third row. Abel stood in one clean motion, unhurried. He was tall for his age, shoulders straight, chestnut hair swept back. He walked to the front without looking to either side.
He stopped before the sphere. Paused for just a second, enough to steady his breathing, then pressed his hand down.
The crystal reacted instantly.
A blue light rose from the center and spread outward in smooth waves. The inner veins spun quickly, locking into a clear pattern. The glow intensified until it covered Abel's palm and wrapped around his fingers.
Then the light broke away from the crystal.
It projected in front of him like a translucent sheet, suspended steady in the air. The letters formed slowly, tracing out the final result.
[Stormcaller — Rank B]
A murmur swept through the room.
"Rank B...?"
"That's high..."
"Really high..."
Abel didn't change his posture. He read the result once, let a small smile pull at the corner of his mouth, and withdrew his hand. The glow vanished without resistance. He turned and walked back to his seat with the same steady pace.
A few eyes followed him until he sat down.
Olivia nodded, satisfied. There was a 20% chance of drawing a class at that rank. Abel had been lucky.
"Next. Bruno Keller."
A shorter boy with messy blond hair stepped forward, shoulders slightly tense. He avoided looking at the sphere until the last moment. When he pressed his hand down, the crystal responded with a dimmer glow.
Green.
The projection appeared with less intensity.
[Forest Archer — Rank D]
Bruno blinked twice. He didn't smile, but he didn't hang his head either. It was a somewhat disappointing result, though not terrible. He gave a small nod to himself and headed back to his seat faster than he'd come.
The murmur this time was quieter.
"Not bad..."
"Could be worse..."
Olivia ignored the murmurs and went on.
"Clara Voss."
A girl with dark hair pulled into a long braid walked up with measured steps. Her hands were steady when she touched the crystal.
The light came through in a soft golden tone.
[Priestess of Light — Rank C]
Clara let out a quiet breath, her shoulders dropping slightly. She allowed herself a small smile before stepping back. As she passed her row, a classmate touched her arm in congratulations.
A Rank C class had a 35% chance of appearing; it was a decent result.
"Darian Holt."
A broad-shouldered boy with freckled cheeks pressed his hand down with purpose. The crystal responded with a deep brown tone.
[Iron Guardian — Rank C]
Darian let out a short laugh, more relief than pride. He headed back to his seat, giving the back of his chair a light tap on the way.
The names kept going. One after another.
Common classes. Mid-range ranks. A relieved expression here, a restrained grimace there, and then Olivia called his name.
"Ethan Ifrit."
The name rang through the room.
Several heads turned at once.
Ethan stood slowly, as if he already knew what was coming. Red hair, short on the sides, with longer strands falling forward. His eyes, a deep intense orange, swept the room without landing on anyone as an arrogant smile spread across his face.
"Be right there."
A girl in the second row whispered his name.
"That's him. The best in the class."
"He's definitely pulling something high..."
Ethan walked up without changing his pace. He stopped in front of the sphere and pressed his hand down without hesitation.
The crystal reacted violently.
A scarlet glow burst from the center, denser than anything before it. The inner veins spun hard, carving out jagged lines that crashed into each other. The light swallowed his hand completely and surged upward fast.
The projection snapped into view.
[Infernal Mage — Rank A]
The room erupted.
"Rank A!"
"No way..."
"That's insane..."
"What else did you expect from Ethan!"
Ethan's smile widened. He was more than satisfied. Only a 10% chance of drawing a Rank A class.
He pulled his hand away.
The glow faded, but the buzz didn't.
Sora, for his part, looked anything but pleased. He pressed his fist against the desk, knuckles pressing into the wood. His brow tightened as he looked away for a moment.
That result didn't sit well with him, but he kept it to himself.
Olivia stepped forward.
"Excellent, Ethan!" she exclaimed, her tone bright with excitement. "That's an extraordinary result! Congratulations."
Ethan glanced over at her and nodded, pleased by the attention.
But that wasn't enough. He still had something to settle.
His eyes moved across the room, stopping at the far end.
At Sora.
When he found him, something gleamed in his eyes.
"Professor," he said, not looking away. "Can he go next?"
Olivia's expression shifted slightly.
"I'm sorry, but the rules say that…"
"We have a friendly bet going," Ethan added, shrugging. "I'm sure it won't take long, right?"
He turned a perfectly innocent smile toward Olivia.
The room went quiet again. Several gazes drifted toward the back.
Olivia hesitated. Her fingers brushed the list.
"...Alright."
She took a breath before speaking.
"Sora... S-Sieghart."
The last name came out softer. She faltered on the second syllable. Her voice lost its steadiness for just a moment, as if saying that name was bad luck.
Sora closed his eyes for a second.
He exhaled and stood up.
As he rose, the empty space around him became obvious. Two vacant desks on either side, no one sitting anywhere near him, as if everyone had silently agreed to keep their distance.
He made his way through the rows. The sound of his footsteps blended with the students' murmurs.
"Tch. I almost forgot he was even in this class."
"The traitor's son. Hope he gets some garbage class."
"My brother didn't survive what happened six years ago... bastard."
The murmurs kept coming, none of them kind. Something Sora had long since gotten used to.
He was an outcast. The son of Idris Sieghart, the man who had betrayed humanity by triggering a "rupture" in the city of Orqidia six years ago.
Thousands died. It was a catastrophe that shook the entire world. Ruptures happen when monsters from the spiritual realm break through into the mortal world to wreak havoc.
The Awakened exist to venture into the spiritual realm and prevent ruptures from happening in the first place. Because of them, ruptures had grown far less common over the years.
But his father had found a way to tear the veil between worlds and force one open. Taking countless lives in the process.
The walk felt endless, but at last Sora reached the sphere.
The crystal reflected his face for a moment, and then he pressed his hand down, letting his spiritual energy flow from his core into the sphere.
The room had gone completely silent, breathless with anticipation... and for some reason, the sphere did not glow.