[Ladies and Gentlemen, We have arrived at Aurion station. Please prepare your luggage and wait for the test to begin]
the voice echoed across the ship, commanding everyone to step-by-step on and off. Among them was a particular boy named Teron Wildesmit, distinguished by his black coat and a worn but sturdy backpack slung over his shoulder.
Teron's appearance was striking amidst the diverse crowd. His black coat, though simple, was well-fitted and showed signs of frequent wear. The coat's dark hue contrasted with his fair skin, highlighting the determined set of his jaw and the alertness in his bright, attentive eyes.
Despite the controlled chaos around him, Teron remained composed, his gaze sweeping across the faces of those around him. His eyes, a shade of deep hazel, reflected a mix of curiosity and determination as he observed his fellow test-takers. Some appeared nervous, their hands fidgeting with anticipation, while others exuded excitement. A few seemed indifferent, their expressions giving nothing away, perhaps masking their true feelings or simply maintaining a calm exterior.
"Looks like the instructor was right, everyone is here for the test." He thought, a little bit relieved that he didn't get on the wrong ship.
When he first arrived on the ship, he wasn’t sure he had gotten on the right ship. He assumed his instructor lied, it wouldn't be the first time the instructor had lied. He still remembered when that bastard tricked him into drinking alcohol when he was eight… EIGHT.
The training/testing grounds were vital for new star hunters, offering a year-long experience. These grounds, scattered across the universe, were crucial for honing skills and survival instincts.
The goal of these grounds was clear: in this one year, the participants scattered throughout the star, which was the size of a small planet, they were unable to leave during the test. It was basically a survival experience, except; the entire goal was to train, so basic necessities like food were provided. There was an extensive amount of mana here, making it faster to progress. Since everything for survival was provided for them, it allowed trainees to only worry about training and attacks from other participants.
A voice soon appeared, interrupting his internal monologue.
[Please follow the arrow into the town center and await further instructions.]
As the arrow appeared in Teron's vision, he promptly began following its guidance towards the town center. He noticed that while many others in the vicinity also followed the arrow, a few individuals remained still.
‘It seems that this is the entrance test for us. After all, those money grubbers don't want people who haven't trained to enjoy such a good place to train even if they paid money to come here. For those who didn’t train in mana. They would not see an arrow, which meant game over’
Not everyone had the opportunity to undergo mana training, even though the knowledge was widely accessible through various means. Some individuals were not fortunate enough to have access to any of these resources. However, for Taron, he gained access to this knowledge through the fraud instructor of his family, the Wildesmits.
As he predicted, authorities arrived swiftly, ushering away certain individuals from the tumultuous scene. Whispers spread through the crowd, curiosity mingling with unease as bystanders speculated on the fate of those being escorted away.
"Looks like this family still had some good in them" Teron mused, a faint smile playing on his lips as memories of his departure from home flooded his mind.
"I wonder if anyone even noticed me leaving. No one came to say goodbye, not even my instructor... That fraud!" Teron muttered to himself, remembering when he had to be a wingman for his instructor. Despite his world class performance, the guy still failed.
“The worst part is, I had to run 20 miles just because he got rejected!”
Shaking his head to dispel the rising anger, Teron remembered something and retrieved a note from his backpack—a reminder from his instructor. With a sense of curiosity, he unfolded the note and began reading:
–To Teron,
My student, When you read this note, you will be at the station. There was originally some jerky I had prepared for you but I ate it…
“THAT F*CKER”
I know you’re mad, but it was just so good. Anyway, before you start tearing this letter from anger here is a set of things to remember:
1.This place has tons of mana, so train as much as possible.
2. Team up with others and… try not to get killed.
Have fun!-
—-------------------
(First POV)
Upon finishing the letter, I carefully folded it and stowed it back into my pocket, taking a moment to collect my thoughts as I waited for further instructions.
Being sent to this place was a decision I had made on my own; only this way could I become a powerful hunter. In society, Star Hunters were revered for their extraordinary powers derived from Mana, allowing them to rival entire civilizations and wield destructive forces capable of even destroying stars. Only by becoming a hunter could I finally have the power to do whatever I want.
While everyone wants to become a star hunter, The reality of becoming one was more complex than most realized. People were born with specific zodiac signs on their heart, and these signs determined the elemental affinity they could harness. There were four zodiacs: Aries for fire, Taurus for earth, Gemini for water, and Scorpio for wind. Although some claimed there were more than four zodiac signs, such assertions were impossible. It was possible for some individuals to be born with more than one zodiac sign, but such cases were rare. One could also access secondary abilities such as lightning, darkness, ice, and others. These Advanced powers were achieved through high mastery of a single element or by fusing two elements together.
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The progression through ranks is tied to the absorption of mana and certain tasks you have to do at every stage. However, this mana is not a fantastical element from a storybook; it's not something that naturally exists around people without reason. To understand the origins of this system, you must delve deep into the annals of history.
Eons ago, mankind first conquered the system of Sol, way before they conquered the universe, they thought they had everything but one thing: lifespan and bodies which were weak. One night, when scientists gazed up at the sky and saw the stars, they wondered why we couldn’t be like the eternal stars. Through collaborating with fellow researchers, they delved into understanding stellar processes, particularly the birth of stars from nebulae or otherwise called mana.
By studying these cosmic phenomena, scientists tried to imitate the stars within human physiology. Through meticulous experimentation and genetic manipulation, they achieved a breakthrough. At least, that’s how the story goes. The resulting mutations in humans were marked by symbols etched onto their hearts, Later known as Zodiacs.
Through the Zodiacs, humans gained the ability to absorb nebulae. These evolved humans transcended their limitations. They absorbed nebulae vital for stellar birth, infusing themselves with it and formed stars within. This transformative process not only extended their lifespans significantly but also endowed them with formidable powers.
Nebulae are everywhere in space, but they are particularly abundant around white dwarfs which are the stellar core left behind after a dying star has exhausted its fuel and expelled its outer layers to form a planetary nebula. Therefore, these white dwarfs were the focal points of immense nebulae. In simpler terms, a lot of Mana is released from these dying stars. This attracted individuals from large families. They constructed specialized training grounds such as the one I was on. With access monopolized, the organizations overseeing these grounds charged substantial application fees. While they ensured that only those the age of 18 and at or below the Shard stage could apply—a rule agreed upon by all parties involved. Of course, the below part was merely to earn more money.
I was only familiar with five stages of the mana absorption.
1. Shard formation: This initial stage involves the formation of a shard within the body, laying the groundwork for mana training. Every aspirant commences their journey at this stage, progressing through Early, Middle, Upper, and Perfection phases. However, self mana regeneration is not possible at this stage.
2. 2. Catalyst crystallization: Advancing from the Shard stage, individuals unlock the ability to use their shard as a catalyst for mana regeneration. The Catalyst stage encompasses absorption, activation, and reaction phases.
3. Core formation: The Core stage signifies a significant advancement as practitioners begin to emulate stars in some capacity. I didn't know the specifics of this stage and its requirements.
4. Ignition: Similar to Core, the Ignition stage remained shrouded in mystery for me, however it had to do with imitating the light of the star.
5. Star: The Star stage was well understood among the public. This is the pinnacle of power attainment, many powerful figures were at this stage including the silver sovereign and the Leviathan. Upon reaching this stage, one could harness energies akin to a celestial body, mirroring the lifespan of a star and have the power equal to that of w whole civilizations.
The five stages of mana mastery were known as the star formation, symbolizing the process of simulating a star's formation within oneself.
Observing the diverse individuals at the shard stage, I noted varying energy levels among them. Approximately 90% of the population was in the Early stage, with fewer in the middle stages, barely any in the upper stage, and practically none in the perfection stage among the 30,000 people on this dwarf star.
But there were numerous planets like this in the universe, this is just one among countless, and yet I'm only one of the upper ranks here, not even the best.
My gaze shifted to a particular figure on my right—a girl with striking white hair and a confident demeanor. She exuded an aura of upper rank, possibly even perfection.
In contrast to my reserved nature and dark-coated attire, the girl appeared approachable and charismatic, drawing invitations and attention from many. Despite turning down most offers, she surprised everyone by joining a group composed mostly of lower-ranked individuals at the middle and early stages.
I couldn't help but admire her approach.
She must be considering forming her own group. I mused at this, taking over a bunch of weaker people to allow for greater control. It was a clever strategy in this competitive environment.
As thoughts swirled in my mind, the voice interrupted.
[The test will begin shortly, in the meantime, note that this place was designed to help young star hunters train. Therefore, all you have to do in this place is train. There are occasional supply drops that provide loot such as weapons and potions to aid your progress. While food is supplied daily at your locations, remember to keep your watch safe. That is how we track your locations, and there are some other functions you can check out. The test will begin in…]
[10]
As the voice began counting down, someone voiced.
“Hey! He didn't say we had to kill each other, we can cooperate!”
[9]
[8]
As the countdown continued, voices arose among the gathered aspirants
[7]
Someone joined in.
“Ya, we should cooperate, i mean, there isn't any harm in helping each other”
[6]
Another one spoke
“We can do that, we can all improve our ranks without being wary of each other!”
[5]
Soon others began chipping in
“Ya! That is a good idea”
“You're right!”
“together!”
[4]
I glanced at them and took a step back.
That is a good idea, this was not the first time it has been suggested. Every year, in this event, across numerous training grounds there are people like this. however…
[3]
None have succeeded
[2]
[1]
Why?
[0]
[Start! And hope you have a very... very... very good time]
With the alarm's signal, people swiftly congregated around the individual who proposed cooperation.
While a small minority, knowing the potential outcome, took a step back and let fate do its biddings. The man at the center of attention wore a wide smile, exuding confidence. But before he could celebrate for long.
Pshhh!*
The man who just now had the biggest smile on his face, now had no face. Hell, not even a head. He stood there and slowly fell over, seconds stretched into eternity, gravity asserted its unyielding force. His knees buckled beneath him, sending tremors through the ground as he descended slowly, almost ceremoniously.
Splatt!*
Why? Because you can rank up by killing others too.
---------------------------
Definition:
Nebulae or otherwise called mana: Nebulae are interstellar clouds of gas and dust. Many nebulae are formed from the remnants of dying stars.
System of Sol: Our solar system