Stepping up onto the stage, I heard a loud and familiar shout coming from the direction of Henry.
"You've got this!!" he bellowed, his voice echoing across the field and cutting through the quiet tension that had taken hold of everyone. A few nearby students winced and glared at him for being too loud, but Henry didn't care, he never did. That was just how he was, overflowing with energy and confidence even when everyone else was barely holding themselves together.
I couldn't help but smile at that, even as the teacher shot him a death glare. Somehow, that little outburst of his steadied my nerves, if only a little.
Turning my attention back to the glowing awakening circle, I took a single step forward. My heart thudded violently in my chest, beating so fast it almost hurt. Every breath felt heavy, like the air itself was pushing down on me.
This is it, I thought. My one and only chance.
If I didn't awaken a talent here, then this was the end of the line for me. No future, no safety, no way out. The small amount of money my parents left behind after they died had nearly dried up, and the apartment I'd been living in was practically falling apart. The roof leaked whenever it rained, and the walls were beginning to crack. I barely had enough left to eat, let alone pay for repairs.
I clenched my fists tightly, my nails digging into my palms. "This has to work," I whispered under my breath.
Taking one last, deep breath, I stepped fully into the array, stopping at its glowing center. The strange runes carved into the circle shimmered with faint blue light, pulsing in rhythm with my heartbeat. I could feel the energy brushing against my skin, it was cold, sharp, and alive.
The crowd around me quieted completely, anticipation thick in the air. I could sense their eyes on me, their whispers fading into silence as the ritual began.
Seconds passed. Then more seconds. Still, nothing happened.
The air felt heavier by the moment. I could hear my own heartbeat echoing in my ears as disappointment slowly began to take hold. It's not working. I knew it… I'm really just another failure.
I forced myself to stay calm, to prepare for the inevitable. It was better to expect nothing than to let myself be crushed by hope. Hope was cruel, it gave you a glimpse of light only to snuff it out again.
And then
Just as I took a half-step back, ready to leave the circle, a violent surge of energy exploded outward. A bright light shot up from the ground beneath me, so intense I had to raise my arms to cover my eyes.
Gasps filled the air as the entire field was illuminated. The sensation washed over me, warm, powerful, and overwhelming. I felt something awaken deep within me, something I couldn't describe.
The glow began to fade, leaving behind faint trails of shimmering light. Above me, words slowly formed, letters made of pure energy.
I stared up at them, my breath catching in my throat.
A giant smile spread across my face, and before I knew it, a small laugh escaped me. Then another.
I had really done it.
"I… I actually awakened," I murmured, half in disbelief.
Tears welled up at the corners of my eyes, and I couldn't stop grinning. I didn't care if it was weak. I didn't care if people laughed at it.
Because after all these years of waiting, hoping, and struggling
I had finally awakened a talent
The text above me shimmered and pulsed, the glowing letters slowly coming into focus.
Infinite Beast Codex
For a moment, I just stood there, staring at the words. My mind went blank. Then, as the meaning sank in, a wave of emotion crashed through me. I had done it. I had actually awakened a talent. My vision blurred as tears began to gather in my eyes. Eighteen years of waiting, of hoping, of fearing that I would amount to nothing, and now the proof of my worth hung glowing in the air above me for everyone to see.
I felt my body trembling, a shaky laugh escaping my lips. The reality of it hit harder than I'd imagined, it wasn't just relief, it was release. Every worry, every late night wondering what my future would be, all of it poured out in that moment. I had really done it.
Before a single tear could hit the ground, however, a familiar voice shattered the silence.
"Hahaha! I knew you could do it!" Henry's booming voice roared across the field, carrying all the way to the back rows.
The sound of his laughter made me let out a half-choked laugh of my own. He sounded even happier than I was, and hearing that familiar voice warmed something deep inside me. No matter what happened, at least someone genuinely believed in me.
As the glow began to fade, I slowly stepped down from the stage, my legs feeling unsteady. The air was thick with whispers; some people looked impressed, others confused, but all eyes were on me.
That's when the teacher holding the massive book spoke, his voice clear and measured as he flipped through its pages. "Talent name: Beast Codex," he read aloud. "Rank: A. Effect: The Beast Tamer can see the best way to train their beast companions to achieve maximum strength."
Gasps spread through the gathered students. Even the teachers glanced at one another, murmuring in low voices.
An A-rank talent.
My heart skipped a beat. Only a handful of people awakened A-rank talents each year. Most would have fallen to their knees in joy. And for a few seconds, I did feel that way, ecstatic, lightheaded, as if I were floating.
But then… a flicker of confusion crept in.
The teacher had said Beast Codex, no "Infinite." Yet the glowing text I'd seen clearly said Infinite Beast Codex. I could still picture the exact lettering in my mind.
Was it a mistake? Or… was my talent something different? Something the book didn't record?
My smile faltered slightly as I looked back toward the stage, the last traces of light fading away.
Infinite Beast Codex…
It sounded similar, but there was something about that single word, Infinite, that sent a chill down my spine.