Long ago, before humans and barbarians roamed the earth, before apes evolved into men and chimpanzees became wild beasts, there was the Age of Dinosaurs.
Back then, the world had no concept of magic. It was a time when only the strongest survived, and every day was a struggle for life. The world was untamed and wild, with massive creatures roaming the land. There was no sign of the incredible powers that would one day shape the world.
But one fateful day, everything changed. Out of nowhere, the world's energy began to surge. It was as if the very essence of the planet had awakened. Golden rays of light started to emerge from every corner of the World, gathering at a single point. This light was so bright and powerful that even the tallest mountains seemed insignificant next to it.
The energy swirled together like a massive tornado, glowing brighter and brighter. It was a sight to behold, a force of nature unlike anything that had ever existed. The light grew more intense, and the energy began to condense, pulling itself inward with unimaginable force. For years, this continued until, finally, the light vanished.
What remained was something extraordinary—an object, or perhaps a metal, that defied description. It had no clear shape, yet it was solid and powerful, glowing with an otherworldly light. This was the first Essence Stone, known as the "Essence of Immortality." It was said that whoever possessed this stone would become a true god, with powers beyond imagination, Becoming the perfect being.
But there was a problem. The world could not tolerate something so absolute. This Essence Stone was too powerful, too perfect. It began to vibrate, the energy within it growing unstable. The light intensified until it was blinding, and then, with a deafening roar, the stone exploded.
The explosion was catastrophic. The blast covered the entire planet in dense clouds, and the shockwave was so powerful that almost every living creature weighing more than thirty kilos died instantly. It was a time of unimaginable tragedy, with over 80% of the world's life wiped out in an instant. Entire species were erased from existence, and the world was thrown into chaos.
Yet, life is resilient. It clung to existence through one disaster after another, refusing to vanish completely. Slowly, the earth began to heal. The forests regrew, the rivers flowed once more, and life returned. But the world was different now. The dinosaurs and other gigantic creatures were gone, extinct from the explosion's devastation. In their place, new species emerged—monkeys, apes, and chimpanzees among them.
But that wasn't all. The energy from the explosion had seeped into the world, altering the very fabric of life. Some creatures were genetically transformed by nature itself, becoming "Awakened." These beings were stronger and had strange new abilities. They didn't understand it yet, but they had the power to wield magic, to bend the world to their will.
Thousands of years passed. The apes evolved into humans, and chimpanzees became barbarians. Eagles transformed into mighty phoenixes and griffins, while the remnants of flying dinosaurs evolved into the fearsome dragon species. Even among humans, some were altered, becoming elves, beastmen, dwarves, and other fantastical races.
And so, the world as we know it was born, shaped by the incredible events of that distant past, where a single Essence Stone set the course of history. The world had changed forever, and the echoes of that explosion still lingered, influencing the fate of every living creature.
But wait a minute... Are you wondering about the Essence Stone of Immortality? Well, after that massive explosion, the stone shattered into countless pieces and was absorbed by the world itself. Its power didn't disappear; instead, it spread across the earth, creating many different types of essence stones. These stones can appear in any shape, at any time, and in any place.
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Essence stones are mysterious objects. They can be found in monsters, demons, deep underground, in dense forests, or hidden within ancient treasures and relics. Sometimes, an essence stone might even be a part of you—your soul or your body could be the key. The stones come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and their powers vary greatly.
For example, the "Essence of Feathered Wings" can give you beautiful, feathered wings that allow you to soar through the sky, no matter what species you are. On the other hand, the "Essence of Featherless Wings" might not grant you the ability to fly, but it could let you float and reduce the impact of falling. These are just a few examples—there are essence stones that can increase your strength, boost your stamina, speed, allow you to breathe fire, or even make your skin as hard as steel.
However, finding an essence stone isn't easy.They're incredibly rare and have no specific location. You might defeat a powerful monster and find nothing, or you could be lucky and stumble upon one buried in the earth. The stones are graded from Rank E to Rank A, with higher-ranked stones offering more potent abilities.
But here's the catch: ordinary people can't use essence stones. Why? Because you need to be an awakened person to harness their power. To use an essence stone, you must pour your mana into it, refining the stone until your body can absorb its abilities. This process is far from simple. You need strong willpower and endurance to succeed. If you pour too much mana into the stone, it will break, causing serious damage to your soul. On the other hand, if you pour too little mana and think you can continue later, the stone will start absorbing your mana into thin air, forcing you to start over. Fortunately, you can take short breaks if needed, but it's still a delicate process.
There are some essence stones that don't require refining, but these are even rarer and harder to find.
This is where your ESR talent comes in. The Essence Stone Refinement (ESR) test measures two key factors: your maximum mana output and your recovery rate. While you might think you can just pour out all your mana in a fight, it's not that simple. Your body needs a certain amount of mana to stay alive, so we'll check how much mana you can release in one go. The second factor is your recovery rate—how quickly your body can replenish its mana after using it.
Lilith explained the criteria for the ESR talent ranks clearly. "Those who achieve 20 to 40% in both output and recovery rate will have their ESR Talent ranked as Grade D. A range of 40 to 60% will earn you a Grade C, 60 to 75% will place you in Grade B, and those who reach between 75 and 95% will be ranked as Grade A. And remember, anyone who receives a Grade A talent will be immediately promoted to Class A."
She paused and scanned the room. "Any questions?" she asked, her tone sharp and authoritative. But the room was silent. It wasn't that the students were uninterested; they were simply overwhelmed. The information she shared was so intense and new, it felt like they had just stepped into a completely different world. Their faces were a mix of awe and contemplation, clearly indicating that any questions they had were already answered by her thorough explanation.
As the initial shock wore off, the room gradually filled with murmurs and whispers. "Wow... I hope I can be a Grade A talent," one student muttered, his voice tinged with hope.
Another student, hands clasped together, whispered a fervent prayer, "Please, Goddess Seraphine, let me be a Grade A talent... please, please..."
It was clear that almost everyone shared this dream of achieving the highest rank. Lilith, observing their reactions, finally allowed herself a deep breath and sighed. She then clapped her hands, commanding their attention once more. "With that, today's session will end. There will be no lectures for the rest of the day. I know many of you are exhausted after your long journey. The test will be tomorrow, so use this time to rest and prepare."
She continued, "Class C students, you will be staying outside of the academy, in the academy's hotel area. You can rent a room there for the night. Class B students, please gather at the academy grounds. In a few minutes, a teacher will inform you of your dorm room assignments. Each dorm room will house two students. And as for Class A students, your private rooms have already been prepared. You can head there directly and settle in comfortably."
Her instructions were clear, leaving no room for further discussion. With a final nod, she turned and vanished, as if fading into thin air.
The students collectively sighed, feeling a wave of relief wash over them after the long and overwhelming day. One by one, they began to leave the academy hall, their minds still buzzing with the possibilities that tomorrow's test could bring.
As Esdeath made her way out, she couldn't help but think to herself, "She didn't tell the whole story... only half of it, but I guess that's fine."