The air within the Training Center was tense, filled with the buzz of whispers and muffled gasps. Word had already spread like wildfire—Sam Robbin, the commoner boy with the professional spirit, had lost control during his very first class. The eruption of the Dragon's Lava Roar was all anyone could talk about. But amid the flurry of voices, one woman walked with resolve, her heels striking the marble floor like metronomes of duty.
Miss Alisa, still recovering from the shock of the attack, made her way through the upper halls of the Training Center. Her cloak, slightly singed at the bottom, flowed behind her. Her eyes carried more concern than fear. She reached a door marked with gold etchings and a sigil of a phoenix—the emblem of Captain Zora, one of the Grand Magic Knights of Alberto.
She knocked.
A deep voice answered, "Enter."
Inside stood Captain Zora, tall and composed, his presence exuding the gravity of decades spent in war and wisdom. His hair, salt-and-pepper and cropped close, framed a face with sharp features and eyes like burning coals. His armor shimmered slightly even in the dim lamplight.
Miss Alisa bowed. "Captain Zora. I hope you've already heard the news... about the boy with the professional spirit."
Captain Zora nodded slowly, eyes narrowing. "Yes. The entire wing's talking about him. Sam Robbin. And I've also heard... you were attacked."
Alisa raised her head, her voice calm. "I don't believe he attacked me—not intentionally. He has no control over his spirit. It acted on its own. It was protective. Defensive. But it was a professional-class spirit, and that makes it dangerous."
Captain Zora stroked his chin thoughtfully. "So what you're saying is... the boy is going to die."
"No." Alisa stepped forward, her voice sharpening. "I don't want him to die. Captain, you are close to the King. Can you speak with him? Ask if there's a way to control a professional spirit? He is the only one alive known to have tamed one."
Zora's eyes flared at the implication. "Why should I do it for a commoner?"
Alisa didn't hesitate. "Because I've seen something in him. Something rare. His power—it's the same energy I've seen around the King. The same presence. And if the King was once a commoner too, maybe Sam can walk a similar path. We need people like him, not just to balance nobles and commoners... but to win wars. Against demons. Against other kingdoms."
There was silence for a long moment. Then Captain Zora let out a long breath. "I want that too. I want a world where rank doesn't dictate worth. If the King can help, I'll ask him. But this will be complicated, Alisa. Very complicated."
Alisa nodded. "Thank you."
---
Later that morning, Alisa returned to the classroom where 67 commoner students sat quietly. The room had a heavy atmosphere, still carrying the traces of what had happened earlier. Sam's desk was empty. Some seats still had flecks of scorched dust.
She stood at the front of the class and looked over the students.
"Let's begin."
Her voice cut clean through the tension. As she walked toward the board, her tone shifted into lecture mode.
"Today, we will talk about the Ranks of Spirits—a knowledge every Magic Knight must carry in their bones."
She raised her hand and drew five glowing symbols into the air with a swipe of her fingers. The room lit up with a faint magical glow.
"There are five main ranks of Spirits you must remember: Standard, Epic, Legendary, Ultimate, and... Professional."
The students leaned forward.
"Standard Spirits," she began, "are those capable of handling minor demonic threats—typically up to Level 2 demons. Most commoner children who obtain spirits will be given one of these. They are the most abundant but the least powerful."
The first glowing symbol dimmed, and the second flared.
"Epic Spirits can defeat demons up to Level 5. They are rarer, more dangerous, and usually only found in the hands of trained knights."
"Legendary Spirits," she continued, her voice gaining reverence, "can challenge and destroy demons up to Level 10. Possession of such a spirit elevates a knight's standing dramatically."
Gasps filled the room.
Then the fourth symbol pulsed with a radiant energy.
"Ultimate Spirits are powerful enough to challenge mid-tier demons... and even some corrupted beast kings. Only a handful of knights possess them. These spirits require great discipline."
Then, she turned to the last symbol. It glowed purple, blue, and gold—shifting fluidly.
"And finally... Professional Spirits."
The room fell dead silent.
Alisa's voice dropped a note. "These are spirits whose potential... remains unknown. The King of Alberto, His Majesty Rowen, is the only known wielder of a professional spirit... and he alone has defeated two demon lords—beings far beyond anything most knights will ever see."
The class stared wide-eyed. Even those who had previously whispered about Sam were stunned into awe.
One student finally raised a shaky hand. "M-Miss Alisa, how do we know what type of spirit we have? I mean... it doesn't say it on them, right?"
She nodded. "Good question. Only Grand Magic Knights can sense and categorize a spirit's true rank through resonance and magical aura. You will be evaluated, but only after field missions and development. Your spirit may even evolve."
Another girl whispered to her friend, "Do you think we'll ever see a demon lord?"
Her friend replied, "Not if we're lucky."
The lecture concluded soon after, and the students slowly filed out, their minds heavy with revelations. Conversations buzzed—some about their own spirits, others about Sam.
But deep in the Training Center, in the most fortified chamber, Captain Zora prepared his request to the King.
Outside, the city of Alberto continued to pulse with life, its skies filled with hovercraft, its alleys haunted by memories of demons, and now, its halls whispering the name of a new anomaly:
Sam Robbin.
The boy with the professional spirit.
And possibly... the future King.
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