A tall man stepped onto the stage. His aura—calm, yet as sharp as a well-forged blade—immediately silenced the room.
"Welcome, everyone.
I am Guile, a rank D hunter, and I'll be your examiner for this test."
He paused briefly before continuing in a clear voice:
"The exam consists of four trials:
A test of raw strength,
A test of magical ability,
A weapon test,
And a combat test against holographic monsters.
"You'll be equipped with special weapons to be able to hit these holograms."
Damons frowned slightly and muttered to himself:
"But… I don't have a class yet."
Inside his mind, the soft electronic voice of the demonic AI responded instantly:
"The Demonic System grants you a choice.
You're not automatically assigned a class.
During the test, the weapon you choose will determine your future class."
Damons nodded.
"Perfect. I'll decide then."
Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed.
A girl with long, blazing red hair pushed through the crowd, walking with firm steps.
Around them, the murmurs rose:
"That's her…!"
"Look at her red hair and blue eyes… She's an Arcanum!"
She was part of one of the Two Great Families of Asterias, just like the Ravencier. The Ravencier were almost always granted the assassin class, while the Arcanum were known for their natural affinity with magic.
"She must be at least rank C!"
The awakening rank represents latent brute force—the natural potential someone possesses upon awakening.
That potential can grow and improve with time and by leveling up.
However, an awakened individual only becomes an official player after passing the Association's exam, which assesses their actual control over their powers.
The rank assigned by the Association reflects a player's real competence.
So, someone awakened at rank C can still be classified as rank F if they haven't mastered their abilities yet.
The red-haired girl passed by without even glancing at the others.
Her aura carried a natural pressure.
Damons watched her for a moment, then looked away with a slight smile.
"Impressive… but that changes nothing for me."
She stepped into a circular arena where a large stone stood in the center.
Guile explained:
"All you need to do is hit it with all your strength.
The stone will display your score above.
It's designed to withstand the strength of a rank C."
The red-haired girl charged forward.
With a determined look, she struck the stone with all her might.
WOOOSH—BAM!
The stone glowed brightly, then a score appeared: 380%.
Everyone froze, stunned.
Some whispered:
"How can a mage be that physically strong?"
Other candidates followed, but none surpassed 130%…
Until a man dressed in a karate uniform stepped forward.
He struck the stone, and a shockwave split the air.
The stone glowed even brighter than when the girl had hit it.
WOOOOOSH—BOOOOOOM!
And the score dropped: 450%.
He puffed out his chest proudly.
"Behold my power! I am Lucas Maril!
One day, I will join the great Starfist family… and leave this country for Shinkara—the only place where I truly belong. A real country, a real future… where I should've been born!"
BROUHAHA! BROUHAHA!
The room erupted. Outraged murmurs rose like a wave.
"Is he serious?!"
"He wants to betray his own country?!"
"This guy's insane…"
Faces tensed. Other candidates glared at him.
The examiner, silent until now, stepped forward slowly.
His voice cracked like a whip:
"Stop talking nonsense… and go back to your place."
His dark gaze pierced through Lucas.
Heavy silence.
But Lucas just smirked, indifferent.
"Pff…"
Then another candidate stepped forward.
Tall, slender, with calm eyes and precise movements—he radiated natural elegance.
He didn't need to speak. Just his presence turned heads.
The moment he set foot in the arena, a chill ran through the crowd.
The female candidates, mesmerized, couldn't look away.
"He's so handsome…"
"He's got an unreal vibe…"
"Go on! Show them what you've got!"
A wave of fangirl cheers erupted.
But he remained composed, focused.
At the evaluation stone, he raised his arm gracefully, then struck.
SHHHH—BOOM!
The sound was sharp, controlled… and devastatingly powerful.
An elegant yet destructive impact.
The stone vibrated, and a halo of energy spread from the base.
290% appeared in glowing red letters.
An excellent score. Impressive, though not enough to surpass the top two.
Yet, he didn't seem disappointed. Just… calm.
As he walked back to his place with a faint smile, he triggered a storm of reactions.
"KYAAA!"
"He's so cool!"
"I want his name! His number! Even his soul!"
Some girls followed him with their eyes like total fanatics, utterly captivated.
Only Damons remained.
He silently walked toward the arena.
But unlike the previous candidate, his arrival sparked no dreamy sighs or passionate cheers. Just whispers… and a few snide remarks.
"He's not bad, but still…"
"Yeah, he's handsome, but not like our prince charming!"
"Pretty average compared to the other guy's elegance."
The comments, barely whispered, reached Damons' ears.
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
Annoyed? A bit.
But mostly, a sharp irritation gnawed at his pride.
He inhaled deeply, cleared his mind, and refocused.
"No need to be adored to shine…"
His steps grew firmer, his gaze sharper.
He was ready to show them what Damons was really worth.
He took a deep breath and struck with all his might.
FWIII—BOOOM!
The stone glowed dimly, and the score appeared: 145%.
Some people were surprised—he had at least surpassed the 130% barrier.
But with the others' performances, attention quickly faded.
One after another, the candidates came forward… and all failed to surpass 130%.
Despite their efforts, none crossed the threshold.
———————————
[NOTES: The lowest ranks—F, E, and D—include the majority of players.
• Rank F: levels 1 to 50
• Rank E: levels 51 to 250
• Rank D: levels 251 to 500
Leveling up was fairly fast at first, but later it became harder due to powerful monsters.
They gave lots of experience—but also came with great danger.
No one looked down on low-ranked players.
What mattered wasn't the rank—but the levels.]