The live broadcast erupted into chaos.
The cameraman zoomed in on the newly awakened S-rank Hunter and the entire nation exploded with excitement. The Philippines now officially had nine active S-rank Hunters.
The comment section went wild.
Some people flooded it with insults and slurs, mocking Claus's appearance and weight most of them bitter from getting poor awakenings themselves. Others defended him, saying he had just awakened and could still work hard to grow stronger.
Meanwhile, recruiters swarmed the area, desperate to claim the new prodigy. Business cards flew everywhere as guild representatives made their offers.
The Phoenix Guild, boasting two S-rank Hunters, offered one billion dollars for an eight-year contract, complete with top-grade armor and a full equipment set.
The Mercenary Guild quickly matched the offer.
One by one, other recruiters stepped forward, sweetening their deals in hopes of winning him over.
But none of it worked.
A tall man stepped forward and placed a proud hand on Claus's shoulder.
"This kid is my son," he declared with a smile. "Of course, he'll be joining our guild the Royal Knight Guild."
Whispers rippled through the crowd.
"Seriously? That pig got S-rank mana quality on top of the Barbarian class?" sneered John, a newly awakened three-star Swordsman, B-rank.
"Look at that clueless face," Coleen, an A-rank Archer, giggled mockingly. "What an idiot."
"Shh!" warned Garret, the student council president, his tone low and serious. "Claus is the young master of a major guild. Be careful unless you want your Hunter licenses revoked."
Garret himself was an A-rank Berserker, but unlike most, he hadn't joined any guild despite receiving several tempting offers.
"Shh! Hey, look someone else is awakening!" another student whispered.
All eyes turned to Rayan.
He stood tall around six-foot-one, maybe six-two with a calm expression and a solid build. There was a quiet strength about him that drew attention.
Rayan took a deep breath and placed his hand on the Awakening Crystal.
"Please… give me the best you can give," he murmured.
The crystal began to glow. A holographic screen appeared.
Class: Immortal
Rank: 5-Star
Gasps spread across the hall.
"A five-star class!" someone shouted. "Let's check his mana reserves!"
But then, the crystal flickered weakly. A faint, almost invisible light pulsed from within so dim that even a flashlight was brighter.
> Mana Quality: F-rank
The crowd fell silent.
The principal stared, disbelief etched across his face. "Another five-star class… but with F-rank mana? What a waste of talent…"
Some students began to laugh. Others just looked confused this kind of result was unheard of. Normally, a five-star class came with at least B-rank mana or higher.
But the Awakening Crystal was said to be 99% accurate.
Rayan stood frozen. His chest felt hollow.
His dream to become a powerful Hunt
shattered in an instant.
"Rayan!" Claus called out, reaching for him.
But Rayan was too broken to respond. He brushed off his best friend's hand and ran out of the stadium without looking back.
Claus's father placed a comforting hand on his son's shoulder.
"Claus, give him some time. He'll be okay."
Rayan ran as fast as he could.
He ran and ran until his legs gave out until his breath burned in his chest.
And then-
Baaam!
A loud crash echoed through the street. Rayan was hit by a truck and flung dozens of meters away. The entire incident was later captured on CCTV.
His consciousness began to fade.
"Ahh… what happened? Something hit me… Am I going to die?"
People nearby rushed to help, including the truck driver himself.
The police later arrested the driver.
According to the reports, the truck had lost its brakes, and Rayan had been crossing the pedestrian lane when it happened.
Both sides were found at fault, and the company agreed to cover all of Rayan's medical expenses.
Despite the severe imthen
Rayan miraculously survived.
According to the doctors, more than half of his bones had been shattered. They said he would never walk again he would be bedridden for life.
When his mother, Agatha, heard the news, she was devastated.
For the next 6 and a half month Rayan was commatose, doctors tried to inject other people blood to Rayan to prevent blood lost but rayans body rejected it, but a miracle happen he survive.
Days later, Rayan regained consciousness. His entire body was wrapped in bandages. His little sister, Sarah, sat beside his bed, holding his hand tightly.
"Mom! Mom! Big brother's awake! Come here, please!"
Agatha rushed into the room, tears streaming down her face.
"Ray! Thank God you're awake!"
"Mom… I can't move. What happened to me? Why am I covered in bandages?"
Agatha couldn't answer. Her voice broke as tears fell silently.
The doctor entered the room.
"Rayan, you were hit by a cargo truck on Awakening Day. Do you remember anything?"
Rayan blinked slowly. Faint memories returned the running, the blood, the blinding pain, and then darkness.
"Doc… how long until I can leave the hospital? I still need to become a Hunter."
The doctor's face darkened. He glanced at Agatha, who nodded gently, signaling him to tell the truth.
"Rayan…" the doctor began quietly. "Your lower half was completely crushed in the accident. Both of your legs had to be amputated… and your right arm was also lost. Only your left arm is still functional."
Rayan's face turned pale.
"This can't be real… Are you saying I'll be disabled for life? How can I be a Hunter now? How can I help my father?"
Tears streamed down his face. "Doc, maybe you can use metal prosthetics or machinery anything to help me walk and fight again. Please!"
The doctor shook his head.
"I'm sorry, Rayan. The nerves in your lower body are completely dead. Even advanced symbiotic prosthetics wouldn't work not even the traditional kind."
Rayan broke down, crying uncontrollably.
Agatha and Sarah could only hold each other and weep. They had already known the truth, but hearing it out loud shattered them all over again.
After a long silence, Rayan spoke weakly.
"Doc… if I can't walk again… then please, euthanize me."
The doctor froze.
"Rayan, please don't say that."
"I mean it. There's no point in living like this…"
The doctor sighed heavily.
"I understand your pain… but please, think carefully before you decide. Do you realize how lucky you are to even be alive? You lost almost all your blood that day, and your lungs were pierced by metal debris. Surviving that is already a miracle."
He handed Rayan a document and quietly left the room.
Agatha and Sarah cried beside him.
"Son, please… don't do this to us," Agatha pleaded. "Mama's here. I'll do everything to take care of you. Just… please don't give up."
Sarah gripped his hand tightly.
"Big bro, please don't kill yourself. Mama and I need you. Maybe someday, someone will find a way to heal you."
"Heal me?" Rayan whispered bitterly. "Only the highest-level healers can regenerate destroyed bones or missing limbs."
"Then we'll find one!" Sarah insisted, crying. "So please… don't give up, okay?"
Rayan looked away. "Mom, Sarah… please leave the room. I need some time to think."
Agatha hesitated, then nodded.
"Okay. But if you need anything, Mama will be right outside… waiting for your decision."
When the door closed, silence filled the room.
Rayan stared at the ceiling, his mind drowning in despair.
He had lost everything his future, his dreams, even his body.
After he calmed down, Rayan looked around his bed, searching for something to eat.
He noticed a small red candy-like stone resting on top of the medical vital sign machine. Curious, he reached for it and placed it in his mouth.
Weird... why doesn't this candy taste like anything?
He decided to bite and chew it.
And then...
Ding!
A soft chime echoed in the air.
A faint blue light flickered before his eyes.
Moments later, a blue screen appeared out of thin air, hovering right in front of him.