Reld walked off and didn’t bother with the tantrum Luke was throwing.

Liam was the voice of reason, trying to calm Luke down.

“Hey. Don’t worry about me and stop making a scene. I’ll be okay.”

Luke was not having it and still shouted at Reld as he walked into the coliseum.

“Can’t you see the guild representatives and reporters are watching us?”

Luke looked around and noticed the stares. However, he didn’t care.

“So what! Let them see the hypocrisy! That Reld! How could he? We all came from the same place with similar circumstances. You still have your other soul houses that will get better summons! What the hell is he thinking?!”

“Remember our talk about Ms. Maribell earlier? Even the most righteous can have a bad side. Nothing I can do about it. But, don’t throw away your 6 years of knowing Reld. He can definitely help you. He’s an asshat now, but he is capable. You know that.”

“Bah! I can’t trust people like him! He betrayed you! He’ll betray me too if the situation serves him!”

“I’m just suggesting keeping a surface level relationship. Use him like he would use you.”

“You better not turn out like him or I’ll shave your head bald, you hairless kid!”

“You dummy! I’m not a kid! And I’m not like Reld!”

The two friends bickered back and forth before breaking out in laughter. The hero Kai from the Adonis guild was looking at the two from afar.

“I like that guy. Luke was it.” Kai motioned to a pretty lady with glasses in a secretary suit beside him. “Sal, keep an eye on that one. If his summon is decent, recruit him. His loyalty and defiant personality is what I’m looking for.”

“Sure thing, guild master. Should I keep tabs on his friend as well?”

Kai looked at Liam with uncertainty, but he made up his mind.

“No. Though Luke would be more loyal to the guild if we brought in his friend, his friend would only hold back his growth. If need be, we can convince Luke by giving some resources to his friend, but I don’t think we’ll need to go that far.”

“Ok. I will make note of that, guild master.”

The crowd of students were moving, the ceremony was going to start. Liam pulled his still fuming friend as they moved with the crowd and entered the large doors of the coliseum building.

They were greeted by a large stone stadium, already half-filled with viewers, eagerly waiting to see the summons and the unique soul skills of the future climbers.

An elevated circular stone platform was centered in the middle of the coliseum. The guild masters sat with the members of their respective guilds around the base of the top half of the platform. The entire platform gradually elevated with steps from all around, leading to the staff of the academy, who were standing on the platform, chatting amongst themselves. Everyone was waiting for the students to be seated on the regular chairs on the other half of the coliseum.

Liam and Luke walked in a single file line, following their peers as they sat down on the chairs facing the elevated stone platform. Liam noticed his parents waving from the front level of the stadium, and they were sitting beside Luke’s parents, who were also joyously waving at their son.

Soon, the last of the students sat down and the academy head began the ceremony.

“Ladies and gentlemen! It is my honor to host our Lazar Institute's sacred graduation ceremony! A big thank you to Polaris, Adonis, and Fortuna for always being here and guiding our graduates on their climb up the Ivory Tower! Please! Everyone, give the 3 major guilds a round of applause!”

Cheers and claps rang out of the stadium escaping through the open stadium to the cobble streets outside.

“6 years not too long ago, all of you became candidates chosen by the Ivory Tower. And just yesterday, you all have now contracted your first summons! Today is a glorious day! Not only will you find out what your unique soul skill is, you will also have the opportunity to showcase yourself as a new summoner and your contracted summons to the guilds, who are prospecting future members! I highly recommend all of you do so as this event is a rare opportunity to directly enter the guilds and obtain a higher rank with better benefits!”

All the students excitedly cheered out their enthusiasm. Liam, however, just observed. He knew given his circumstances, he wouldn’t be recruited right away.

“Now then let us begin! Each row will line up and come onto the platform. You will place your hand on the Orb of Telling and it will display the name of your ability and show an actual display of how to use it. It will show all the guilds and everyone present your first unique soul skill. Afterwards you have the choice to show off your summon in the middle area to all of the kingdom! Let’s start with the first row! Line up and come up the right side of the platform!”

Reld was second in the first row going up to check his first unique soul skill.

The first to get the opportunity to check her skill was actually from Liam’s class as well. She had asked a question on the first day of class, but ever since she avoided the poor and low class students like they had the plague.

Liam knew Liza’s name well these days. She loved to make side remarks and mocking comments like those who had parents in the guilds. He disliked her high-and-mighty attitude that used others to make her feel more important.

Confident strides showcased her slim legs as she walked up the path to the steps of the stone platform. Her glossy blonde hair glowed in a golden radiance, moving like silk as she moved.

Luke hoped Liza would trip as she pompously held her nose high as she made her way up the steps. Her face gave off a pompous feeling. She truly felt everyone was beneath her. To her, even the regular members of the guilds were only here to revere her greatness.

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The headmaster called out her name for all to hear.

“Liza Goldweld! Proceed to the Orb of Telling! May the Ivory Tower bless you!”

With her back straight, she walked to the orb and placed her hands on the orb. There wasn’t a single hint of nervousness.

The orb erupted in a myriad of colors. Light burst forth into midair. The name of her unique soul skill was displayed largely across the air of the coliseum.

RADIANT HEALING

* Heals the living with authority of light.

* Level of healing equivalent to a medium potion.

* Can be used a maximum of 3 times a day at the first stage with an increase of another heal for every additional stage

A video of sorts displayed how the skill was used. A saintly image of Liza closed her eyes, kneeling in prayer. She called out, “Radiant Healing,” and she glowed in a white light. The orb stopped and Liza's turn was over.

Cheers and excited chatter rippled through the seating area of the coliseum.

“What an imposter! She’s no saint!” Luke complained. Liam scrunched his face in disbelief, agreeing with Luke’s statements.

The headmaster spoke to Liza. “Would you like to show your summon for the guilds and everyone to see?”

Liza didn’t reply. A white fracture in the air said it all.

“Come forth! Noble Gemini!”

A refined woman stepped out of the cracks. Her long flowing silky white gown waved in the air as she gracefully descended onto the platform. She was humanoid with pointed ears, holding a mirror with a reflection of herself. However, no one noticed as they were all mesmerized by her beautiful face.

Suddenly an uproar whistles and applause rang out from the men in the crowd. Many of the guilds were already planning and making a move to pull Liza into their guild.

Ordinance spoke to Liam in his mind.

“Master, shall I analyze that girl’s summon?”

“Yes, display the information for me.”

Ding!

System Ability: Analyze

Name: Gemini

Stage: 1

Species: Elf

Subspecies: Zodiac

Stats:

Strength: 4

Agility: 7

Dexterity: 5

Intelligence: 9

Willpower: 9

Aligned elements:

Wood: 8

Light: 8

Skills:

Healing light stage 1

Enhanced growth stage 1

Bramble entanglement stage 1 (hidden)

Cure (locked) requires stage 3

Song of bolstering (locked) requires stage 5

Evolution paths / Ratings:

Wood Elf/ 3 star

High Elf/ 5 star

Twin Elves/ 8 star

Liam looked at Liza’s summon.

“Seems to be more of a support type summon with healing abilities.”

“Yes master. A decent summon, but on the lower end of the higher ranges of soul capacity.”

Reld came up to the platform as Liza went back.

The headmaster called Reld for all to hear his name.

“Reld Winters! Proceed to the Orb of Telling! May the Ivory Tower bless you!”

Reld felt different from the friend Liam used to know. There was a haughty expression similar to that of Liza as he walked to the orb.

Exactly like Liza, Reld placed his hands on the orb. Lights burst into the air displaying his unique soul skill.

LIGHTNING DASH

Charges forward using the power of lightning.

Speeds into or away at a rate of 4x maximum speed

Rates increase by one time per stage

A display showing Reld charging forward before suddenly disappearing. Looking closer, Liam noticed the afterimages of Reld as he flashed before a dummy, attacking with a slash, then flashing away.

Liam thought the technique was really useful and could be applied for attack, defense, and even covert operations.

Ordinance’s voice disrupted Liam’s thoughts.

“Master, I highly recommend not revealing your unique soul skill to the public. Although, there would be interest, I believe the exploitation of your abilities would not allow you to take on the tower and grow.”

Liam pondered about his summon’s statement. He agreed.

“I think you’re right. But we have to use the orb to graduate. Won’t that show everyone my skill?”

“Yes master, but the orb is similar to the marketplace function. The orb evaluates the holder by accessing a database of sorts. If I was undamaged and not corrupted, with enough origin energy, I can access the database and extract all the information. However, currently I am only capable of semi-blocking attempts to scan master and throw off its readings.”

Liam thought of the pros and cons. He was already a Dysfunctional with little value in combat. If he showed his skill he might have a higher possibility of being recruited. But as he was currently weak, he would have to follow along with the guild’s demands. If that did happen it would take much longer to grow and achieve his goals.

Just with the system abilities he was already able to harvest so many herbs. In one day, he made 1 middle grade crystal or 100 low grade crystals. The amount was just as much as his parents toiling in the dangers of The Wilds for a week. At that rate he could make a year's worth of income in roughly two months.

Although the yearly income for the poor in the slums like his parents were small, in retrospect the amount he could make would put him into the lower end of the guild members. And that was not even using his miniature world or any other skills. If he could make potions too, that would boost his earning to another level. Liam made up his mind.

He wasn’t going to make getting into the guilds or climbing the tower his priority. He just wanted to make money. However, that thinking would be forced to change not too far into the future.

“Ordinance. I don’t want my unique skill known. Do what you can to not have it showed. I will deal with the consequences.”

“Understood master.”