The morning sun poured through the dorm window, its warm rays dancing across my face and dragging me out of sleep. I groaned, rolling over, only to hear Toho already bustling around the room.
"Come on, Zero! First real day!" he shouted, way too energetic for this hour.
I sat up, rubbing my eyes. My mind was still foggy, but the reminder of yesterday snapped me back to reality.
After quickly getting dressed in our Academy uniforms, we rushed toward Room A001.
The hallways buzzed with energy; students chattered about the announcement on the news, about Seraphis Valenor, about what the discovery of the Wonders meant for everyone — especially Sorcerers.
When we entered the classroom, Gohan was already standing at the front, arms crossed, his presence heavy.
"Good," he said as the last student slipped in. "You're all here. Today, we begin.
Not just with your studies, but with your path as Sorcerers." His voice dropped, serious."You were all accepted because you have potential. Potential is meaningless without discipline."
Lucian scoffed from the back, arms thrown lazily over his chair. Gohan ignored him. He clapped once, and a glowing glyph appeared behind him, expanding outward to fill the air with golden runes.
"Today, you will all undergo your first Essence Evaluation. We must know your current aptitude before I can tailor your training.
This is just a school evaluation. Your official hero evaluation will happen once you're sixteen and decide to pursue your Sorcerer career."
Murmurs spread through the room. I felt my heart race. An Essence Evaluation. That would show everyone not just our strength, but also our control, affinity, and potential.
"Line up outside," Gohan ordered. "One by one, you will enter the Evaluation Chamber."
The class moved hesitantly, excitement and fear mixing in the air like static. Toho clapped me on the back.
"This is it, man," he whispered. "Time to show them what we're made of."
I nodded. Inside, I felt the steady confidence in my ability. In fact, part of me was looking forward to this. As we lined up outside the chamber, I caught sight of Terra a few places ahead. She glanced back, offering a small smile.
The door to the Evaluation Chamber opened with a loud clang.
"Caelan Rook," Gohan called.
The silver-haired boy stepped forward confidently. We waited, tension thick in the hallway. After a few minutes, a loud hum echoed from the chamber. A display above the door flickered to life:
Essence Pool: Above Average
Control: Good
Affinity: Metal / Earth (Strong)
Potential: B-Rank Candidate
A wave of murmuring broke out among the students.
"Not bad," Toho muttered.
Caelan returned, face unreadable, but a small glint of pride in his eyes. One after another, students entered, each revealing their capabilities. Some scores were above average, while others were much more impressive.
Finally, Gohan's voice rang out again:
"Lucian Wraith."
The hallway seemed still. Lucian smirked as he strolled toward the chamber, hands in his pockets like he owned the place. The wait felt longer this time. Everyone was holding their breath.
Finally, the display lit up:
Essence Pool: Excellent
Control: High
Affinity: Spirit / Light
Potential: A-Rank Candidate
I caught Gohan's expression — sharp, thoughtful. Measuring. Lucian returned to the line, throwing a smug glance directly at me.
"Top dog already," he muttered just loud enough for me to hear. I ignored him. Or at least, I tried.
More students were called. Terra went too; her scores were solid, she had a strong affinity with Wind, and impressive control, but her Essence Pool was marked as Average. I could tell she wasn't pleased about it, but she masked it well.
Then...
"Zero Langham."
My name echoed down the hallway like a hammer strike. I stepped forward, my legs moving before my mind could catch up. Every pair of eyes drilled into my back.
The Evaluation Chamber was large and circular, glowing with ancient glyphs embedded into the floor and walls. In the center, a smooth crystal pedestal awaited.
"Place your hand," a voice said from nowhere. Probably an automated recording. I took a breath, steadying myself. This was it. The first step toward everything I planned to become.
I pressed my palm against the crystal. For a second, nothing.
Then, the chamber reacted.
A sudden surge of pressure radiated outward. The air shimmered. Energy roared through the glyphs on the walls, intensifying faster than any previous evaluation. The crystal flared, blinding gold.
The display snapped to life:
Essence Pool: Excellent
Control: Advanced
Affinity: Light / Spatial
Potential: A-Rank Candidate
I stared at the readings, a quiet exhale escaping. Not what I expected. I wasn't satisfied.
I withdrew my hand before returning to my place. A few murmurs here and there. I caught Terra giving me a warm smile along with a thumbs-up.
Lucian studied me with a calm, but annoyed look, then shrugged me off.
I returned to my spot and stood in line.