The grand hall was silent, yet the tension in the air was palpable. Today was the day of the Awakening Ceremony, when every youth of the Empire would discover their Soul Path—the path that would define their life, their strength, their place in the world.
Kairo stood at the back, shoulders slumped, heart pounding. Around him, his peers shimmered with anticipation. Warriors flexed their muscles, Mages whispered incantations, Archers adjusted their quivers. Everyone had a future, a destiny, a label to wear proudly.
And then there was him.
Classless. Forgotten. Weak.
When the Golden Aura swept through the hall, enveloping each student in turn, their fates were revealed in brilliant flashes: fire for warriors, light for mages, shadows for assassins. Every aura announced power, purpose… and prestige.
Then it reached him.
Nothing.
A hush fell over the hall. Whispers erupted. Elders' brows furrowed. A Classless? Impossible.
Kairo's stomach twisted, humiliation rising like bile. All his life, he had trained, hoping for hidden potential, but the world now rejected him. He was nothing.
And yet… a warmth stirred in his chest.
A voice. Calm, clear, and almost amused.
"Soul Weaver Activated. You may choose any Soul Path."
Kairo froze. Choose… any? Not one path, not a single destiny? His heart raced. Warrior's strength, Mage's magic, Assassin's speed—all within reach. The possibilities were endless.
A grin spread across his face, a thrill he hadn't felt before.
Let them laugh now. Let them doubt him. When they see what a Classless can do, they'll regret every sneer, every whispered insult.
The world had rules. It had destiny. It had Soul Paths.
Kairo was about to rewrite them all.
Chapter 2 – First Trials
The day after the Awakening Ceremony, the academy buzzed with gossip. Students whispered about Kairo, the Classless who had somehow survived the ceremony with… nothing.
Some sneered. "How pathetic. A Classless can't even hope to compete with us."
Others were curious. "Did you see that golden glow? Something strange must be hidden there."
Kairo sat quietly in the back of the training hall, observing the others. Today was the first combat trial, designed to test the students' abilities. Warriors flexed, Mages practiced spells, Assassins vanished and reappeared in shadows. The rules were simple: one-on-one matches. Win, and you gain respect. Lose, and you remain invisible.
He had no aura, no class, no reputation. But inside, a strange warmth pulsed—his hidden system waiting.
Time to see what I can really do.