Each student had been given an Awakening Stone — item that cost a fortune. Every stone required at least a D-rank magic crystal to activate a talent, making it a serious investment.
Each one cost nearly ₱100,000, so the government had high hopes that these awakenings would yield powerful future Hunters.
But there was a catch: newly awakened students started at Level 1, and they couldn't access their system stats just yet. They needed to level up to Level 2 before their status window would unlock.
For now, the only thing they could see was their class and mana rank, revealed through the Mana Stone Platform — a circular orb that lit up when touched. These details were displayed publicly on a screen, visible to everyone in the stadium... especially the guild scouts and recruiters who were watching closely, eager to find promising talents.
After two hours, more than half the students had completed their awakenings.
To everyone's surprise, the results were exceptional.
Out of 3,000 students, over 50 had awakened as A-class, 120 as B-class, and the majority were solid C and D-class.
It was the highest talent count the academy had seen in a decade.
Principal Arnold stood proudly beside Senator Owen and Mayor Charles.
The two officials were visibly impressed.
"This is incredible," Senator Owen said. "Your school has truly delivered. Expect an increase in next year's budget."
Even the guild representatives nodded in agreement, whispering among themselves about recommending more investment from their respective guild leaders.
Suddenly, the stadium grew quiet.
All attention shifted to the next student in line.
It was Anthony Keith, the young master of the prestigious Azure Guild.
Everyone leaned forward, eager to witness what kind of class someone of his background would receive.
Anthony stepped up to the platform and placed his hand on the orb.
A brilliant yellow light burst from the stone — an unmistakable sign.
An S-Class Awakening.
Gasps echoed across the stadium.
Then came the announcement:
> "Name: Anthony Keith
Class: 5-Star Ice Magic Swordsman
Mana Rank: S-Class"
One of the strongest classes ever recorded.
There was a moment of stunned silence...
Then the stadium erupted in cheers.
Reporters scrambled to update their headlines.
One of them shouted into the camera, "Breaking news! A new S-Rank Hunter has just been born in the Philippines — the Blue Dragon's heir himself, Anthony Keith!"
The principal, senator, and mayor stood speechless.
After a decade-long wait, a new S-Class had finally emerged.
"I still can't believe it," Senator Owen said, gripping Principal Arnold by the shoulders, eyes wide with excitement.
"We've waited years for something like this… and not just any S-Class! A five-star Ice Magic Swordsman! That's on par with the legendary Sword Saint or Elemental mage classes!"
"I always knew Anthony was gifted," Principal Arnold replied, his voice trembling. "But even I didn't expect this."
Mayor Charles clapped him on the back. "With a performance like this, your academy deserves billions in funding, Principal Arnold."
The principal chuckled awkwardly. "Haha… I wouldn't say no."
Then, with a sly smile, he gestured toward another student standing in the distance.
He pointed toward a boy with calm eyes and a focused gaze.
"Actually… we might not be done yet," Principal Arnold said. "Aside from Anthony, there's one more student I have high hopes for."
He nodded toward him.
"Kael. That boy… he just might be our second S-Class."
"You must be joking, Mr. Principal," one of the guild representatives said, shaking his head with a disbelieving smile. "S-Ranks are incredibly rare. If your school actually produces two, every student in Asia will try to enroll here. You'd become the number one Hunter academy in the region."
He folded his arms and glanced toward Kael.
"But the odds of getting two S-Ranks in the same batch? That's nearly impossible."
The others nodded in agreement.
Even though it was just one rank apart, an S-Rank Hunter was in a different league. One S-Rank could overpower ten A-Ranks, both in raw power and potential.
"And it's not just strength," another representative added. "S-Rank awakenings have no level cap. An A-Class Hunter can only reach Level 150. But remember Victor — our national hero — he died at Level 359. Siwoo from Korea is already over Level 220, and China's Li Tian is Level 205."
Their potential was truly limitless.
"The Blue Dragon Guild might even become one of the Five Major Guilds in the Philippines… if they acquire their own Dimensional Rift," someone muttered, and several heads nodded.
Senator Owen stroked his chin, frowning slightly as he narrowed his eyes at Kael.
Mayor Charles, on the other hand, was grinning. He adjusted his seat, clearly expecting at least another A-Rank, maybe even… another S-Class.
Meanwhile...
The crowd continued to cheer wildly for Anthony, who stood on the stage, eyes still wide in disbelief.
He hadn't expected this. He'd hoped for a B or maybe A-Class like his father…
But S-Rank? He could barely process it.
Slowly, he stepped down from the platform.
Next in line was Kael — his best friend.
Kael's heart was pounding. After Anthony's unbelievable result, pressure was now crashing down on him.
He had to live up to it… or at least not fall too far behind.
"You bastard, you really pulled it off," Kael said with a nervous laugh as Anthony passed him. "What the hell did you eat to be this amazing?"
Anthony grinned and slapped him with a loud high five.
The crowd's attention had already shifted. All eyes were now locked on Kael.
He felt it — the weight of their stares. It made his chest tighten. But he took a breath and tried to steel himself.
"Kael," Anthony said, his voice calm but firm. "Don't be nervous. You might be an S-Rank too. But no matter what class you get—you're still my best friend."
Kael smiled weakly. "Thanks, man."
A mocking voice suddenly cut through the crowd.
"You might get a class… but I'm betting it's trash."
Rowel scoffed from the sidelines, arms crossed, watching Kael with cold eyes.
"Keh keh keh!" one of his lackeys added, laughing loudly.
"Watch him awaken some garbage maybe a production or farming class! Maybe a one star too keh keh kehhh"
Kael clenched his fists but didn't respond.
He kept his focus.
He walked toward the platform, each step heavier than the last.
The moment had arrived.
He placed his hand on the Mana Stone.
The orb flashed a sudden bright green, nearly blinding — but just as quickly, the light faded.
The crowd gasped.
Was it another S-Rank?
The system window appeared in front of the crowd.
> Name: Kael Virel
Class: Farmer
Rank: F-Class
Mana Rank: F
Star Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ (1-Star)
Silence.
Not only was it an F-Class, but it was a production class — a Farmer.
A Farmer?
Not combat class, No epic title. No S-Class badge.
Just… Farmer.
And worse — F-Rank, with F-Rank mana,Kael muttered to himself.
A heavy wave of disappointment spread through the crowd.
Some students snickered. Others exchanged pitying glances. A few just looked away in secondhand embarrassment.
Even the screen's announcer paused awkwardly before moving on to the next student.
The Farmer class was a production type, not built for battle — its primary role was to provide a steady food supply, ensuring society could survive through long winters, wars, and dungeon lockdowns.
But high-ranking Farmers were far more than simple planters.
At advanced levels, they could grow magical herbs, cultivate rare materials, and even create alchemical ingredients vital for healing potions and power boosts used by frontline hunters.
Some could even manipulate the land itself, raising forests, purifying poison zones, or healing corrupted terrain.
But none of that matterers because his mana ranked is F he could barely cast a low level spell let alone grind to level up in dungeon or gates. :
F-Class
One-star
"Farmer"
And that was enough for them to decide.
A joke.
A failure.
---
Kael's hands trembled slightly as he looked at the glowing system panel in front of him.
His throat went dry.
He wanted to laugh. Or scream. Or disappear.
He slowly turned around, facing the silent crowd.
Their stares pierced him — not with malice, but worse: with pity.
Anthony's face was frozen in disbelief.
Rowel and his lackeys? Grinning wide.
" Look at here seems my prediction was pretty accrurate?" While he's fixing his hair with mocking tone Mark is grinning while laughing at the shocked Kael who couldn't accept the reality.
Rowel but in arms crossed and said "once a trash always a trash, you just wasted government funds"
Kael clenched his jaw, forcing himself to walk back down the stage with steady steps.
He didn't shed a tear.
He didn't hang his head.
But inside, everything was crumbling.
"Farmer... huh?"
"What kind of joke is this?"
"Is this really all I'm worth?"
Kael slowly walk away from stage to flee out of the stadium, Anthony tried to catch up to him, but his father hold him back.
"son your bestfriend need sometime alone for now to process things,thats the best for both of you " With a caring tone the old man father tall build and elegant looking clearly befitting look for a guild master.
Before Kael could walk away Mark go to the stage and he show his profession, Mark Rowels lackey awaken as A rank tank with 4 stars class rating ( means every level up he will get 4 attribute points and his level cap is 150.)
Kael paused at the entrance, the door half-open.
He glanced back, unable to resist the pull of curiosity.
It was finally Rowel's turn.
What kind of class would he get?
Rowel stepped forward confidently, a smug grin on his face as if he already knew he'd awaken something powerful. He raised his hand and placed it against the crystal orb.
For a moment—nothing.
Then suddenly—
BAAM!
A burst of red light exploded from the orb, casting violent shadows across the room. Gasps echoed through the hall as mana surged in waves, thick and heavy like a storm pressing against everyone's skin.
The projection flared above him.
> [Class: Berserker]
[Talent Rating: ★★★★]
[Mana Capacity: S-Rank]
Kael's eyes widened slightly.
"A four-star Berserker... with S-rank mana?" he muttered under his breath.
Even among elite hunters, that combination was rare — dangerously Rowe even though berserker class is 4 star rank profession it's a combat profession that gives explosive amount of damage and invincibility when berserk skill was been used.
Kael couldn't believe what he was seeing.
His chest tightened, not from awe… but from shame.
I thought I was better than him...
He had always seen Rowel as lazy — someone who barely put in any effort.
And yet… here he was, awakening as a 4-star Berserker with S-rank mana.
Kael looked down, clenching his fists.
It stung more than he expected.
But he wasn't the only one frozen.
The crowd had fallen into stunned silence.
No one had ever imagined that in a single Awakening Ceremony… two S-ranks would emerge.
Then—
Cheering erupted.
Loud. Roaring. Wild.
"Rowel! Rowel!"
"The 8th S-rank in the country!"
Not only was it an S-rank class — it was a combat type.
A true frontliner.
Dozens of scouts and guild reps started whispering, eyes locked on Rowel. Some even moved forward, eager to offer contracts on the spot.
But they stopped cold when one of the teachers stepped forward and spoke in a quiet, trembling voice:
> "He's... the second son of White Tiger Guild's leader."
Gasps rippled through the audience.
That changed everything.
Now that Rowel had awakened as an S-rank, the rumors were all but confirmed — he was next in line to become the White Tiger Guild's next head.
Recruiting him was now out of the question.
From the stage, the principal, who had tried to keep his composure all throughout the ceremony, wobbled slightly…
Then collapsed.
Flat out.
Even the spectators watching through livestream couldn't believe what they had just witnessed.