The Hall of Blessings hummed with energy, not from the sacred artifact at its center, but from the hopes and anxieties of a thousand eighteen-year-olds. Today was the day of judgment. The day the gods would bestow their gifts, defining the course of every person's life.
I, Snape, stood in the crowd, my heart hammering against my ribs. Beside me, Iris smiled, her emerald-green eyes shining with confidence. "Don't be nervous, Snape," she whispered, her honey-blonde hair shimmering under the hall's crystal lights. "Your parents were great B-Rank Hunters. You're bound to get a strong gift."
We had been friends since we were children. We promised we would become the strongest Hunter team ever. I nodded, her reassuring smile easing my nerves just a little.
"Iris Aurelia!"
Her name was called. She stepped forward gracefully, placing her hand on the glowing Assessment Orb. A moment later, a blinding pillar of golden light shot to the ceiling. An intricate symbol of a sun appeared above the orb.
"A Sun's Blessing! A-Rank!" the assessor boomed, his voice echoing.
The crowd erupted in cheers. A-Rank! She was a once-in-a-decade genius. Iris returned to my side, her face radiant. "I did it, Snape!"
"You were amazing," I said sincerely, though a small pang of envy pricked at me.
"Snape Valerius!"
It was my turn. I walked forward, my legs feeling like lead. I placed my hand on the cool orb, closed my eyes, and prayed to any god that would listen.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then, a tiny spark fizzled into existence. A pathetic blue spark that crackled weakly before dying out. A small, almost invisible lightning bolt symbol flickered for a second above the orb.
The assessor coughed awkwardly. "A... Thunder Blessing. Rank... F."
Silence fell over the hall. Then, a snicker broke out. It spread like wildfire, turning into a humiliating wave of mockery. F-Rank. The lowest rank. A "Dud" rank. Useless.
My face burned with shame. I glanced at Iris, searching for support, but all I found was a cold stare I had never seen before. Disappointment. And something worse: disgust.
I walked back, the crowd parting as if I were diseased. When I reached her, she took a step back.
"Iris?" my voice trembled.
"Our paths are different now, Snape," she said, her voice as cold as ice. "I'm aiming for the top. I can't be weighed down by... a Zero."
Each word was a dagger to my heart. She didn't even look me in the eye as she turned and walked away, joining a group of other elite students who were staring at me with scorn.
Our promise. Our friendship. It all shattered in an instant because of a single letter: F.
As I walked out of the Hall of Blessings alone, under the gazes of pity and ridicule, I had never felt more broken. The world I knew had collapsed, leaving me in the ruins as a Zero.