Ace Bell slouched in his classroom desk, eyelids heavy as he battled to stay awake through the droning lecture. The teacher's voice faded into a distant hum, and Ace's head bobbed dangerously close to his textbook. Just as his dreamy thoughts were about to pull him into a mid-lecture nap, a sharp nudge from his friend Nik jolted him awake.
"Hey, Ace, wake up!" Nik whispered urgently, concern etching his face.
Ace blinked rapidly, trying to reorient himself. The classroom was different, unfamiliar. The walls were adorned with posters of exotic creatures, and the teacher at the front of the room was gesturing animatedly at a holographic display of a bizarre-looking monster.
"What's going on?" Ace mumbled, his confusion growing.
Nik's eyes widened, his voice barely above a whisper, "You really slept through the whole thing, huh? The teacher's talking about monsters!"
Ace's heart raced as he scanned his surroundings. His desk was piled with textbooks, all bearing titles like "Monster Biology" and "Taming 101." Panic set in as he leafed through the pages, realizing they were filled with sketches and information about creatures he'd never seen before.
His heart raced, and he muttered to himself, "Did I... somehow transfer to a different world?"
Nik shot him a bewildered look. "What are you talking about, man?"
Ace shook his head, his mind spinning. "I don't know, Nik. But something's not right. I think I've stumbled into a world of monsters."
Nik chuckled, thinking Ace was joking. "You've got a wild imagination, Ace."
"Ace, you need to wake up! We're heading to the Talent Awakening in a few minutes," Nik urged, his voice laced with urgency.
Ace nodded, trying to shake off the lingering disorientation from the bizarre classroom experience. "I'm awake," he replied, more to himself than to Nik.
Deep down, Ace knew that if he mentioned his mysterious transfer from a different world, people would think he was a lunatic. He decided to keep it a secret, at least for now.
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With determination, he opened one of the books from the pile on his desk and began to briefly scan its pages. As he delved into the text, he realized that this was a world of beasts, and the revered profession was beast taming—a dream occupation for many. The realization struck him like a lightning bolt.
His talent, the ability to absorb strange energy and crystallize it within his blood to become a warrior or mage, began to make more sense. It was all tied to the growth of his unique talents, which, he learned, ranged from E to S in rank.
Ace kept his discoveries to himself, knowing that understanding this new world was crucial. He couldn't let anyone know that he was an outsider, an anomaly in this fantastical realm of monster tamers and talent awakenings.
"Everyone in 2B Class, stand up! We're going to awaken your talents now. Come to the Gymnasium," announced Teacher Alfred.
Ace, along with his classmates, made their way to the Gymnasium, where the students from 2A Class were already undergoing their talent awakenings. The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation and excitement.
As Ace watched, his twin sister, Allie, stepped forward and touched the crystal. A brilliant golden light ball materialized above her head. Teacher Alfred, who was conducting the examination, beamed with pride.
"Congratulations, Allie! You are the first person in this awakening session to receive an A Rank Evaluation," he announced.
Ace couldn't help but feel overjoyed for his sister. He joined the chorus of classmates who cheered and congratulated her. Allie, wearing a triumphant smile, approached her brother.
"If you get anything lower than this, Ace, you'll have to admit that I'm the older sibling," she teased, a playful glint in her eyes.
Ace chuckled, knowing their sibling rivalry well. "We'll see about that, Allie. Just watch me."
Despite their constant bickering about who was the older twin, Ace and Allie shared a close and loving relationship.
After hours of waiting, it was finally Nik's turn. As he touched the crystal, a brilliant green light ball materialized above his head. The Gymnasium erupted into cheers, recognizing the rarity of a "D" level talent awakening.
Awash with anticipation and anxiety, Ace stepped forward, his heart racing. He wasn't from this world; the possibility of not having a talent at all gnawed at him. His hand trembled as he placed it on the crystal, and his eyes met Teacher Alfred's in that tense moment.
Time seemed to slow as Ace tried to focus on the shining ball that would determine his destiny. To his astonishment, he didn't see just one, but three shining balls, all pure white.
His mouth fell open in disbelief as Teacher Alfred's voice boomed through the Gymnasium, breaking the hushed silence.
"Congratulations, Ace! You have awakened not one, but three E-level talents simultaneously. As far as I know, you are the first person in the world to achieve such a remarkable feat. It's unfortunate that they are E-level talents, but your awakening is nothing short of extraordinary."
Ace's emotions whirled—relief, astonishment, and a newfound sense of wonder. While they might be E-level talents, his unique awakening marked the beginning of an unparalleled journey into the world of talents and monsters, a journey he was now destined to embark on.