Free Web NovelChapter 1: Promise-
Resolve is forged where hope goes to die.
...
"Aidan, we will be together forever. Pinky promise?"
"But that means we will have to marry after growing up, Hina."
"Then we will marry after becoming big!"
"Okie! Pinky promise."
Ten years later, both Aidan and Hina turned eighteen.
"Aidan, let’s go! I don’t want to miss the ceremony! There will be a lot of awesome people."
"Don’t worry. We are right on time."
"I wonder what talent we will awaken. I’m so excited." Hina excitedly grinned, her beautiful red hair shining under the sun.
Aidan smiled. "Me too."
As she stepped onto the bus, Aidan stood before her, and Hina began looking through her phone, completely thrilled about today.
"I hope we get powerful combat talents. We will fight the Terrors together." Hina balled up her fist.
"Look, this guy from City H awakened an SSS-rank talent yesterday. It’s all over the news."
Hina showed the photo to Aidan as she wryly smiled. "The guy’s now a treasure, and all guilds will fight for him. I’m envious."
Aidan chuckled. "Who knows? We might also awaken an SSS-rank talent."
"Hope so."
"Even if you don’t awaken a high-rank talent, I’ll take care of you," Aidan cheekily said.
Soon, both of them arrived at the University of City G, where all students of City G are supposed to go once they turn eighteen.
Every year, a fresh batch of eighteen-year-olds from all over the city arrives, specifically on April 1st, when the young adults start a new Chapter of their life that decides their future.
The hall was filled with four hundred and sixty-seven students—the total number of newbies entering university this year.
Aside from the new students, there were a lot of senior students, teachers, and citizens who came to watch, sitting or standing in the audience area around the hall.
One by one, the names of the students were called by the beautiful lady with fiery orange hair on the platform. She was a teacher of the university.
The awakening process was rather simple.
Humans had hidden potential within them, and all it needed was a little push to come out.
That little push was given through the large spirit crystal on the platform.
The 298th student, Roy Melenter, was called onto the platform, wearing a silver suit matching his silver hair and a slim physique, his height a bit below six feet.
"That guy’s got looks, eh?" Hina blinked. "I wonder if he also got a good talent."
Aidan chuckled. "We’ll find out soon."
"Well, it won’t be an F-rank for sure. So far, only two people awakened F-rank. There were more people that got C to B, which is pretty nice even though not all were combat-type talents."
"True. But there’s no S-rank or above so far."
"Well, S-rank and above are pretty rare."
Suddenly, as the silver-haired young man put both of his hands on the mana crystal, its color began changing fast, a phenomenon that hadn’t been seen until now.
But everyone knew what that meant!
Instantly, the hall was filled with uproar.
"That’s gotta be an S-rank or above!"
"Holy shit. Looks like we got our S-rank for this year." frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
"Wait, th-that..."
The uproar increased in intensity as the crystal finally calmed down and displayed the talent.
SSS — Prince of Ice
Hina was shaking with excitement as she saw the talent. "Look, Aidan! He got a freaking SSS-rank talent!"
Aidan’s mouth was also agape. "That’s crazy..."
The guy left the platform, accompanied by the school staff, like others, but the staff naturally had very different body language when talking to him compared to other students.
SSS-rank talent meant he was already considered a big shot, an apex of humans.
A top-tier asset to prevent major attacks of Terrors.
All he needed was just sufficient training to learn and wield his talent, and to kill Terrors to absorb their power to increase his attributes.
In terms of getting stronger, people grew stronger the more they hunted the Terrors and absorbed their spirit power, but there was a limit. However, those with SSS-rank talent had yet to hit that limit. They also had the highest growth speed.
"Student no. 342, Hina Riverfall."
"My turn finally!"
Hina went ahead, excited, but keeping her composure and maintaining her pace.
"Good luck," Aidan muttered, hoping she would get what she wanted.
Hina touched the crystal with her hand and waited with anticipation.
The crystal’s energy entered her automatically, and soon...it lit up.
Its colors started changing rapidly!
"What?!"
"Holy shit, we are getting one more S-rank and above!"
"Fucking hell, it feels like my chance of awakening an S-rank talent is slipping away."
Aidan’s eyes lit up. "She got an SSS-rank talent!"
The crystal soon returned to normal and showed her talent.
SSS — Heir of Umbral
Hina’s mouth was wide open.
’I-I got an SSS-rank talent?!’
Around her, flowers of darkness with glowing dark purple patterns appeared.
The teacher immediately burned them to a crisp lest they hurt others.
"Alright, time to go, princess." The teacher smiled. "Your talent is very strong and can hurt others easily, so keep it in control."
"Yes, ma’am!"
After Hina left, the teacher continued with the awakening ceremony.
The audience calmed down while the remaining new students waited in anticipation for their turn.
Soon, it was Aidan’s turn.
His fists involuntarily clenched as he began walking, and sweat began to form. He was obviously nervous.
Especially after Hina awakened an SSS-rank talent.
He needed to awaken the same or something close; otherwise, it would be hard for him to stay by her side, given that she would get all sorts of training, sponsorships, and stuff.
He had trained hard in making himself physically stronger, learning martial arts, and becoming a very good fighter with high combat sense compared to other students his age. However, without a good talent, it would be for naught. A low-ranking talent would make him reach his limits faster.
Arriving on the platform, he took a deep breath and put his hands on the crystal.
’Please...give me an S-rank or above talent.’
