I dragged myself into the bathroom. For once, my hair wasn't a disaster. Couldn't look like a bum today-it was time to make bank.
A quick shower, the black-and-gold academy uniform, the badge stitched with "JA" shining faintly. Done.
In the kitchen, the scent of pancakes welcomed me before she did. My beautiful goddess-my mum.
"Good morning, Mum," I said, bowing dramatically.
She turned, utensils swirling around her, flipping and mixing without a touch. Tool Manipulation Skill. Convenient, but common.
"Oh, good morning, son. I hear your Job interview is today."
"Yes, my Goddess."
She laughed. "Do you have to make a scene every morning?"
"Hurry up and bless me with your food already."
Her smile softened. "Okay, okay. I've never seen you this energized since the day your dad showed you his Job skill."
"It was incredible, wasn't it," I replied, and dug in.
After breakfast, I waved goodbye and stepped outside.
Kaito was already waiting, hands in his pockets, hair as messy as his grin. "Today's the day, Xerx. You ready?"
"Of course, Kait. What do you take me for?"
We walked toward the academy. Crowds lined the streets-family, friends, recruiters. Eyes everywhere. Job Associations from all over had their people watching. Every year, new Jobs appeared. Some rare. Some legendary. Most... garbage.
I clenched my fists. I need a legendary Job. Something that lets me cruise my way straight to the bag.
We pushed through the crowd. Whispers followed us.
Late. Who shows up late to their Job interview?
Me. Always me.
Me and Kaito slipped into the crowd, blending in like we hadn't just shown up late. A sharp click of heels drew everyone's attention.
Standing at the front was the vice principal. Black suit, mini-skirt, long leggings. She looked more like a model than an educator.
"Hello, my lovely students," she said, voice smooth but commanding. "Are you ready to fulfill your destiny?"
The crowd erupted with cheers. Everyone was hyped.
I wasn't.
Most of them were too busy daydreaming to remember there's a thirty percent chance of ending up Jobless. That's almost one in three. Without a Job, dreams die. And mine? Dead on arrival.
The vice principal smiled, motioning to the massive device behind her. "Step forward one at a time. This machine will measure your base equity, then assign you a Job fitting your potential. It scans your entire body, calculating everything from spirit energy to physical resonance."
The device hummed, lights flickering across its panels.
"Last year, the highest base equity was one thousand thirty-seven," she continued. "The average was one hundred point eight. We expect great things from this year's class."
Excitement rippled through the students.
The first boy stepped up. The machine buzzed.
Equity: 13. Job: Waste Disposer.
Laughter broke out. My stomach tightened. That Job was literally trash.
One by one, students climbed into the scanner.
Equity: 72. Job: Musician.
Equity: 101. Job: Policeman.
The numbers rose and fell. Cheers for some, groans for others. I tuned most of it out, trying not to imagine my name paired with Waste Disposer.
Then I heard it.
"Next student-Nana."
My eyes snapped up, curiosity pulling me out of my daze.
What will she get...?
Nana walked toward the machine. Outwardly calm, inwardly trembling.
No one's even hit half of last year's top score. What if I end up Jobless? How did Mia get Teacher...? I'm done.
The crowd roared her name. "Nana! Nana!" She was the fan favorite-beautiful, brilliant, kind. To everyone but me, anyway.
Honestly, if I actually cared enough to work hard, I'd probably be jealous. But Nana? She deserves it. No one pushes themselves more than her.
She stepped into the machine. Lights surged.
100... 200... 567... 1000... 1700...
The numbers slowed, ticking upward painfully until they froze.
1999.
The crowd erupted. Some boys literally bowed. "Nana is our Goddess!"
Teachers gawked. That was nearly the world record-2000.
Then the Job appeared.
Job: Nurse. Legendary White Collar.
The cheers redoubled. Nana's heart screamed louder than all of them: Sister, I did it. I did good.
Next up was Kaito.
He strutted in, smirking as usual. The machine lit up.
1000... 2000... 3000... 4000... 4500... 4900... 5000.
The room went insane.
"A new world record!" the vice principal shouted.
But the machine wasn't done.
Job: None. Jobless.
The cheers turned to gasps. Kaito's grin shattered. "No... how? Why!?"
The students buzzed in confusion. Only the vice principal wasn't shocked-she was pale, visibly shaken.
"Next."
One by one, students filed through. 500. 100. 400.
Artist. Streamer. Soldier.
A boy named Bradley hit 1000 equity. Job: Architect. Respectable.
Then... it was my turn.
I swallowed. I can't get a trash Job. I can't be Jobless. I have to be rich-for me and for Kaito. Whatever he's feeling right now... I can't even imagine.
All eyes locked onto me. Some curious. Some hostile. Some amused.
"Obnoxious. Lazy. Funny. Selfish. Cool." That's what they saw. Some liked me. Some didn't. I didn't care.
But my legs felt heavier with every step. My heart matched them, thumping harder and harder.
I stepped into the machine.
The numbers flickered.
1000... 999... 998... 997...
Gasps filled the air.
"It's counting down?!"
"This has never happened before!"
The numbers plummeted.
996... 500... 100... 1... 0.
Silence.
"The lowest equity anyone can have is 1," someone whispered. "How... why is his zero?"
My head spun. So... I'm Jobless?
The vice principal stared at the screen, her lips trembling before she shouted:
Job: Gamer.
The room exploded into chaos.
I blinked. A Job that's never existed before? Gamer?
Damn. Looks like getting rich won't be easy.