Kron didn't get a good night sleep. He was thinking of what has happened all night long. It was not like him to get that angry. Was he so dispirited due to the assessment results or was he just jealous of her? Still, he can't still understand what she meant by him acting powerless. Ultimately, he still felt bad as she was his first friend here.
*Knock* *Knock* Kron heard a knock as he laid on his bed on the morning. He immediately got up thinking that it was Ichika but unfortunately, it was some senior he didn't recognize.
"Is there anything important?" Kron asked with a sullen look, disappointed that it was not who he was expecting.
"Are you still sleepy?" The senior frowned, not happy with the lack of hospitality that he received. "Well, I was just asked to remind you of the basic tour today."
"Ah thank you senior!" Kron faked a smile but he was actually grateful because he almost forgot about it.
The senior immediately left as he still has a lot of rooms to bother. Kron started checking the clothes that they gave him. He cannot miss the opportunity to find out the classes that he could take. After taking a bath and changing clothes, he went to the courtyard. There were a lot of students who are already waiting there for a long time. Most of them are socializing and showing off their skills. Kron didn't really have anyone to talk to so he looked for Ichika. Sadly, he found her surrounded by people and he really didn't want to suddenly just go in. After all, the two of them left in a bad taste last night.
He was not really in a mood to make friends right now so he stood in a corner observing everyone around. He could see that most of them have already adapted to this place even though a lot of them have probably died yesterday. It might be because people didn't want to think about those things or their newly found abilities fulfilled their heroic fantasies. Still, there are a few who looked scared and is trying to cling to others or others like him who are loners but might have a different reason than him. He can't really fault anyone because they are all teens or young adults who doesn't look that far ahead.
Their guide finally arrived. It was Professor Anori. She was a teacher specialized for pathfinders and scouts. The group didn't immediately went to a class but instead went to the school's canteen. It was a really large space that all of them wouldn't be able to fill it. He doesn't really recognize most of the menu in the canteen but they were guaranteed that they would taste great as the people living here are not really different than that of the transported.
Kron looked for an empty table that was far from the others and took a sit. They were right that the food was really no different as Kron's meal tasted like chicken soup except for some spices that were added in. He didn't really want to ask what meat it was because it might be from some monstrosities that could ruin his appetite. He was only a quarter finished with his food when 3 girls suddenly sat near him. It was partly his fault because he sat near the middle of a long empty table. He immediately focused on his food because he had a feeling that they did not simply come here to eat.
One of them was tall and fit. She wears a combative leather armor. Her eyes looked vicious and her manners were not feminine-like. The other one wears a more suggestive clothing that complements her well endowed body but contrasts her cute looking face. The last one was an elegant fine young lady who wears an expensive looking dress. The tall one started munching on her food while the elegant one was randomly surveying the surroundings. Her eyes would flicker with a different color and her pupils would become stretched like a cat. The alluring one, who sat just one seat away from Kron, started staring at him.
"Psst! Psst!" The alluring girl was trying to get his attention. Her arms resting on the table.
"I knew it. Why would they even sit here of all places?" Kron thought, munching on his food even faster.
"Hey kid! Are you deaf?" The tall woman on the other side of the table shouted at him.
"They won't be able to do anything with this number of people right?" Kron's bullied instinct kicked in again but seeing that there are a lot of people around, his confidence got up. "I'm not a kid! You three don't even look that older than me!"
"Why are you so vexed? Did you get dumped? You won't get a girl with that!" The woman near him said provocatively.
Kron stopped eating. He was not supposed to be affected by those words because it was not true but he got irritated. "And you won't get a guy like that!" He replied like a mad child.
The tall woman laughed. "I like him!"
"Oh really?" The woman near him replied, sounding competitive. She stood up and sat beside him. She was starting to lean closer and closer towards Kron. "Do you think I really won't get one?"
With her getting close, Kron could smell the aromatic perfume that she was using. Coupled with her mature looking body, she was not someone that he could easily ignore. He was about to stand up and walk away but the girl suddenly grabbed at his arm. In that moment, he felt something for her. It was as if he was safe with her and didn't want to move away but it only lasted for a second. His stupor was suddenly broken for some unknown reason. He was able to pull his arm back. The last of the three noticed it and stared at Kron, her eyes flickered again for a second before smiling.
"Okay stop bullying him!" The elegant lady ordered. "I'm Aika. This one is Valerie and that one beside you is Ella."
Ella returned to her seat. "Sorry! I'm just teasing you." Her tone changed from a mature sounding one to a cute little kid.
"That was dangerous. She definitely did something!" Kron sighed with relief. "Uh... Is there something that I can help you with?" He didn't want to show any weakness but he knew that keeping a tough act might not be in his favor.
"Are you one of the newcomers?" Ella asked, feigning ignorance.
"So does this mean that the three of them are natives?" Kron started contemplating about their objective. "Yeah.. I am."
"I see.." Aika replied, pausing for a bit, considering her next words. "So have you like--you know--undergo awakening already?"
"You mean the crystal thing?" Kron asked.
"Yeah. Yeah. That one!" Aika sighed of relief because she was not supposed to reveal it for those who haven't seen it yet. "But you don't actually need that one to awaken. It just speeds up your growth."
Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!
"Really? Then could someone still awaken new abilities if they get exposed more with the crystal?" Kron continued. He started to think what information he could get from them. In this way, he would also be taking advantage of them.
Aika explained that they don't know of anyone awakening twice but there are some whose full awakening is delayed and getting exposed with the same crystal for a prolonged amount of time doesn't have that much of an effect. They could still be exposed to a different crystal and have their abilities enhanced but the crystals are rare and there are currently only 5 of them that exist in Azalaze. The one they used are the one protected by the great academies. Another one is with the monarch of the country. The last one she knew was with the greater families. They had no idea where the other 2 are but their guess is that they are with the powerful organizations.
"So do you know anyone that we should look out for?" Valerie asked, placing her elbows on the table, crossing her fingers together and looking directly at Kron. She seemed to have also finished her meal.
"What do you mean?" Kron asked.
"You know! The strong ones or problematic ones." Valerie replied, stressing the word strong and problematic.
"I see. That's their actual goal talking to me. They probably want to know who are the talented people in our class but I guess it has nothing to do with me." Kron thought. "There is someone I saw who is both an invoker and attuned. There is also someone that is a mutated and an attuned."
"That's it?" Ella asked, looking disappointed. "Are you sure you are not forgetting someone?"
"Well, we only awakened yesterday so I haven't seen much. Why? Is that not good?" Kron asked, he was fishing for more information.
"It's good of course but its nothing really special." Aika replied, her eyes momentarily changed color to green. "What about you?"
"Well, I am just a normal enhanced with no abilities." Kron can't help feeling down again.
Aika frowned, her eyes momentarily changed color again. "Well, you are just starting out. I don't think that you should feel bad."
"Hey! Stop moping around. I know that being weak sucks but you should work harder instead." Valerie added. Her words sounded harsh but her eyes seemed to be full of sincerity.
"Yeah. Listen to her. She unlocked her abilities months after awakening." Ella chuckled, grinning at Valerie.
Kron could suddenly hear Professor Anori shouting and the students around him standing up.
"Uhmm! Sorry! I think I need to go! Uhh! Thank you!" Kron awkwardly gave his thanks and ran away. He didn't really know what to say to them when they started to sympathize with him. Still, he was grateful for them even though they did teased him at the start.
"So did you find anyone?" Valerie asked, turning to Aika.
"There are some who might have potential but I might need to observe more." Aika replied.
"What about that guy? Is he lying?" Valerie added.
"No. I don't think he was." Aika replied, her brows furrowing. "I checked it multiple times."
"So you made a mistake?" Ella asked.
"I don't know.." Aika said before glaring at Ella. "but what about you? What do you think you are doing using your ability on a newcomer?"
"What? I didn't!" Ella argued, feeling offended by the accusation.
"You touched him didn't you? Are you able to stop your ability from activating unconsciously now? I saw it activate." Aika reprimanded her. "But its good that you were able to disable it immediately."
"But I didn't even deactivate it..." Ella whispered to herself.
------------------
"Are they looking for someone to fight? or are they part of some evil organization that kidnaps talented people? I hope not." Kron thought as he joined the crowd of the students.
The group walked quite a long distance until they reached a building comprised of very large rooms. The students they encountered mostly wore very light and comfortable clothes that would be great for running or sneaking around. There were also quite a number of robots and drones flying around, following the students. They then went to a higher floor. Once they reached the center of some wide hallway, Professor Anori stopped.
"Tell me. Since you have awakened your abilities, how confident are you if you got thrown back to the forest outside?" Anori suddenly asked, projecting her voice across the whole hallway.
Everyone felt silent. They suddenly remembered the creatures outside and the people who died. Some started shivering but there are those who started to look vengeful or even vile. Anori explained that those they have seen are probably nothing compared to the real danger outside. She explained to them that there are more than just creatures outside. Even the plants, the environments, the weather and other humans could be a danger.
"That is why I will first show you one of the most important positions that you could have." Anori turned around, facing the students behind her. "The pathfinders and the scouts."
The walls on both sides slowly turned transparent. They were actually some kind of glass that could change either property or color. The rooms around them are simulation rooms for students. On their left, they could see below them a large empty room. Each corner of the room stood a student surrounded by a black barrier. Suddenly a large maze was erected inside the room and the black barrier disappeared. The 4 students immediately took action. Their objective was to get to the center of the room in the quickest time. One started just running fast, another summoned a dog, another was sensing the walls with his touch and the last one was sending out drones ahead of him.
"Pathfinders are a must if you want to go towards the unstable lands!" Anori continued as she discussed the first of the positions.
Pathfinders as the name suggest was tasked to find the safest and shortest paths. The lands of the world of Daan are divided into 3 zones. Stable, Semi-stable and the Unstable. The stable zones are where the countries, cities and hidden roads are built. They are the safest of the 3 since the environment and weather does not suddenly change abnormally. The semi-stable zones are zones where weather and wildlife could change in a heartbeat. In one moment, you could be in a beautiful lush forest and in another moment, you could be standing on drylands. The unstable zones are even worse. Time, space and physics seems to not follow the standard logic in this area that even the best teams could lose their life.
On the right window, they saw a group of people in a small artificially created forest. There were creatures prowling around. Random traps set on the most hidden places. Everyone of them was trying to avoid triggering any traps or alerting any animals as they circle around the room. One of them have drones scanning the area quietly. Another was jumping up to high places then drawing in his tablet what he was seeing in different perspectives. One was touching the ground in different areas and creating topographic maps while marking the location of creatures and traps.
"Scouts are another position that you must look for when building a team!" Anori then started discussing about scouts.
Scouts, like the pathfinders, are there to lessen the danger when venturing. They risk their lives to get information ahead of the team. They try to get as much information as possible on both the area and possible hostiles. They are specially important when a clash might be inevitable between the team and an enemy. Scouts are the best alternatives if you are not able to find pathfinders.
"If you don't know it yet. I am one of the teachers of these positions so if you plan to take this path then we will see each other more." Anori added.
The group then went back to the ground floor. They were now headed to another area. As they are about to exit the lobby, a man wearing full black clothing passed by. He was only walking but he seems to be teleporting due to his speed.
"What's that?" One of the students asked.
"You saw him? Do you have superhuman eyesight?" Anori asked, surprised that some students perceived him. "There is another position that is being taught here but its more advanced and dangerous. The assassins."
Like the pathfinders and scouts, assassins also study the area and those within it. The difference is that they use those information not to avoid any hostiles but use it to help themselves kill the obstacles. Ambush is their best weapon and the environment is their best friend. Unlike the other 2 roles though, assassins are optional since there are other types of combatants. They can stand as replacement for pathfinders and scouts if the 2 are not available.
The students were quite surprised on how Anori seemed to be quite casual when she talked about the assassins since they specialize in killing. She then made them remember that they were in a dangerous world so combatants are one of the most numerous positions.