[The Summoned Beast with the Fire attribute: Fire Caterpillar, has been added to your evolution.]
[Level up your Fire Caterpillar to evolve. See the evolution table HERE.]
'Already?' He blinked a couple of times, perplexed. 'Is that all?' he wondered.
He didn't feel anything special; everything was the same as before the system had notified him. There was no change, which confused him.
'Shouldn't I feel something like more affinity for fire or something?' he thought, confused.
[Due to the low level of the summoned beasts, there are no visible or noticeable changes. Level up to see all your advantages.]
'I see.' Edward nodded and looked up as something caught his attention.
In the final group, all three people awaken, but in the group after his, none did.
Of the 30 seniors, six awakened and became Beast Masters, an astonishing number for so few people.
The teachers were shocked and looked excited, even though most of those who awakened were very low level. Of the last three, none exceeded Rank D and were Level 1 or 2 in evolutionary capacity.
But it was still incredible. The low-level ones weren't useless; they were still more powerful than a normal human, and if there were many of them, they could clear low-level Cursed Lands.
For an academy like this Provincial Academy, the more, the better. More competitiveness meant higher quality.
The principal was completely satisfied. Not only had he found a potential disciple, but there was also an increase in the number of Star Students for the coming year. The province was growing stronger.
The principal stepped forward to speak after everyone was seated.
"Students who failed to awaken, I understand your discouragement, but try to keep your chin up. Many opportunities await you out there. Perhaps you will be the new high-level merchants of our Línnava, respected even by the Beast Masters."
"These past three years, we have taught you everything you need to know, and in a month, you will be able to graduate and go out into the world, so your journey is just beginning. Opportunities are out there, and the effort to obtain them is up to you. Return to your rooms or to your families; you are now on vacation."
Although the principal's words were meant to encourage these discouraged students, nothing could do that right now. Sooner or later, they would understand and look to the future with hope once again, but right now and for a while, they couldn't see it.
Because the greatest dream of every human being in this world had just been shattered.
Everyone longs to have the power to fly, to break mountains... they will no longer be able to do so.
Everyone dreams of being like those mythical saints who can strike fear into an entire kingdom... now they will never be able to achieve those dreams.
It would be difficult for them from now on.
But the teachers knew what to do. Most of them took these students and led them away.
Meanwhile, the principal looked at those who had managed to awaken. "You are the hope of this land. Please follow me," he said.
All the new Beast Masters began to follow him, including Edward, who was walking behind everyone else.
"Starting today, you are no longer just students at the Provincial Academy, with only able to move around the outer regions of the academy. From now on, you are Star Students. You belong to the central part of the Academy and have the power to move around most of the Academy." The principal handed them some documents containing the rules and gave them their new uniforms.
No one could contain their curiosity and took a look at their uniforms.
They were all the same color, purple and white, indicating that they had moved up a level.
They looked like military uniforms, with insignia on the shoulders where military ranks might be, which was natural. The Linnava Academies are not only places of learning, but also sites of high-level training.
The unsustainable advance of the Cursed Beasts and their Cursed Lands has forced humanity to train Beast Masters within their academies and other similar organizations to halt this advance and achieve regional stability.
It has worked quite well, so academies over the last 100 years have evolved to become practically military academies.
So these uniforms were the norm; they were trained to be military, whether they were part of the army at some point or were independent, but the intention was for them to fight against the Cursed Lands, so training had to be strict.
"From today onwards, you will spend 5 years learning everything a Beast Master needs to know and also passing missions at your leisure. You will be paid according to your level in the academy, so you will have to work hard."
The principal turned to look at them and paused. "From today onwards, you will receive monthly payments of 5,000 Yakins. You will be given new bank accounts for this purpose," he assured them.
It was an astonishing amount of money. Edward had never seen it before, because if he tried to make a rough calculation comparing costs on Earth and in this world, that amount of Yakins could translate to at least $500,000, assuming each Yakin cost $100.
This was also what he wanted. 'With this, my father won't have to work in those dangerous mines,' he thought, feeling his heart tighten with urgency.
"Now, don't be blinded by this amount," the principal said suddenly. "It looks amazing, but it's not. It's just a small thing in the life of a Beast Master. As you get stronger, the pay will increase. If you rise to become members of any of the 120 Academic Regiments, you will receive many more rewards and monthly payments."
"The payments are to help you evolve and raise your beasts, because the path of evolution is quite a bit more expensive than you think," he assured them.
He finally reached the back of the building where they were and opened the door, which led to several corridors going in different directions.
One marked the west exit. The other marked the east exit. The one in front read: Western Provincial Central Academy.
The central part of the academy.
"This will be your starting point."
The central academy is behind this large hallway, but since I know you want to go and give your families the good news, I will provide you with one week of vacation."
"You can use that time to do whatever you want. You can even spend that time getting to know the academy, if you wish. At the end of each hallway, you will be given your new bank account with this month's money."
"If you decide to leave the academy, when you return, do so through the same exit, and someone will be waiting here to take you inside the academy." He finished, leaving them to choose.
None of them chose to explore the academy; they all split into two groups, going to different places.
Robert, Elizabeth, and two others left through the east hallway, which was closest to their respective homes.
While Edward and one of the last to awaken chose the west corridor.
'I have to go tell my father,' Edward thought, and after saying goodbye to the teachers, he grabbed his uniform and left.
"You're interested in that boy," said the principal after the students had left, looking at Professor Owen.
Owen sighed when he realized he had been caught.
"Aren't you interested too, sir? A master of multiple beasts. Do you know when was the last time one was seen?"
"Haha. I think it was during the era of the Great Emperor Lux. But that lord had powerful dragons; this one has... caterpillars."
"A pity... It's really a pity." Owen shook his head.
"Well, cheer up. You taught them for three years, there's nothing more you can do, and I think it's time for you to go back to the Central Academy, right?"
"Yes." Owen sighed. "Back to the stress."
"Hahaha, three years of vacation, I guess only you can afford that luxury." The principal joked, and together with Owen, they walked down the hallway leading to the academy. They had work to do. For Owen, the vacation was over.
For the principal, it was just another day without vacation. Just working hard for the good of the kingdom.