"That's such a weak Nightmare!"
"Wow… that guy really got the worst luck."
"Hey, at least he got something, unlike you!"
Low murmurs spread through the auditorium as students leaned toward one another, their voices carrying a mix of pity, relief, and thinly veiled mockery.
Logan stood alone on the platform, the small owl resting quietly on his shoulder as if he were oblivious to the judgment surrounding him
Compared to the imposing Nightmares summoned before him, the owl looked painfully ordinary.
The instructor cleared his throat, and the noise gradually died down.
"You can be a decent scout in the first half of the First Expanse, Logan," he said, choosing his words carefully. "But that is all you will ever be. The Scout Owl is extremely weak, with very low base stats. It has no meaningful combat ability and exists solely for reconnaissance, which is why it bears that name."
He paused, then added with a polite nod, "I wish you the best."
The instructor's words echoed what the students were already thinking, though he delivered them with restraint.
Logan nodded in response, showing no outward reaction. He had known exactly what he was signing up for the moment he formed the contract.
"Yes, sir," Logan replied evenly. "But I will not give up. I will give it everything I have."
The instructor studied him briefly, then nodded.
"Very well. You may recall your Nightmare and return to your seat."
Logan inclined his head once more.
All Nightmares, regardless of rank or evolution, could be recalled into card form once a contract was established. It was a fundamental rule of the Vast Expanse, allowing summoners to store, summon, and protect their bonded partners at will.
With a single thought, Logan issued the command.
The owl let out a soft hoot as light enveloped its body.
Its form dissolved into shimmering particles that condensed smoothly into a single card, which flew neatly into Logan's waiting hand. He closed his fingers around it, feeling the faint warmth lingering on the surface.
Then he stepped down from the platform and returned to his seat as the selection ceremony continued for the remaining students.
Outwardly, Logan appeared calm.
Inwardly, his thoughts were already racing somewhere else.
Once seated, he leaned back slightly and focused.
"Status," he murmured.
A blue flash bloomed in front of his eyes, and a translucent screen unfolded into existence, casting its glow across his vision as Logan began to read.
[Status Window]
Name: Logan
Race: Human
Level: 1
Expanse: First Expanse
Strength: 10 || Agility: 10 || Endurance: 9 || Mana: 8 || Vitality: 6
Innate Ability: ???
Unlock Condition: Enter the Vast Expanse
Available Stat Points: 0
Bonded Nightmare: Scout Owl
Logan's eyes moved quickly across the screen as he absorbed every line of information.
All of his stats hovered at or below ten, which was understandable since his nightmare hardly gave him any boost.
There was nothing special about them, nothing that stood out, and nothing that contradicted what everyone in the auditorium believed about him.
Then his gaze drifted downward.
What he saw next made his breath pause for a split second.
He had an innate ability!
Logan stared at the line as if it might disappear if he blinked. Innate abilities were extremely rare, so rare that most people only ever heard about them in rumours or history lessons.
Only a handful of individuals across an entire generation ever awakened one, and even fewer did so naturally. To possess one from the very beginning was nothing short of a miracle.
'Maybe I'm not so unlucky after all…'
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Logan's lips as disbelief slowly gave way to quiet excitement.
Although the ability's details were locked and its name hidden behind question marks, the very fact that it existed was enough to change everything. If the Vast Expanse had deemed it worthy of sealing, then it was bound to be something special.
With a steady breath, Logan nodded to himself and shifted his focus.
'Alright… let's take a look at Pervy Sage's stats now.'
His gaze moved to the second panel as his expression relaxed a bit. Logan had named the owl Pervy Sage without much thought, mostly because of the absurd conversation they had shared earlier. He then began reading his stats...
[Bonded Nightmare Status]
Name: Pervy Sage
Race: Scout Owl
Level: 1
Type: Flying
Strength: 3 || Agility: 9 || Endurance: 3 || Mana: 8 || Vitality: 4
Combat Evaluation: Negligible
Utility Evaluation: Low
Logan stared at the owl's numbers for a long moment.
It was bad. Objectively bad. Aside from its speed and slightly higher mana, the creature was worse than a normal human in every measurable way.
It had no strength, almost no endurance, and barely enough vitality to survive a single serious blow.
Logan sighed, knowing there was a lot of work ahead of him.
***
Soon, the ceremony drew to a close.
The atmosphere inside the auditorium was mixed and heavy, filled with quiet sighs and restrained smiles.
Some students left the platform with hollow expressions, having failed to form a contract, while others struggled to suppress their excitement, their eyes still shining with the afterglow of success.
For many, today marked the beginning of a path they had dreamed of for years. For others, it was the end of their dream before it even began.
The instructor stepped forward once more, his voice carrying effortlessly across the vast hall.
"Alright, this marks the conclusion of this year's summoning ceremony," he announced. "I hope those of you who have successfully formed a contract will remember one thing above all else. No matter how strong you become, humanity must always come first.
University entrance examinations will be held in three months. Work diligently, refine your bonds, and aim for the Four Jewel Universities."
Logan listened carefully, committing every word to memory.
'I want to get into one of them…'
The Four Jewel Universities were not just schools. They were the pillars of human civilization. Each one was governed by one of the Four Great Families, the same families that had risen to power after the collapse of the old nations.
When Earth finally started fighting back, they had claimed the largest and most stable regions, carving humanity's remaining territories into four vast domains under their rule.
Beyond those lay smaller regions, scattered and uneven, controlled by lesser factions and families. Logan lived in one such place, the Rexia region, which was overseen by the Rexia Family.
Compared to the domains of the Great Families, it was smaller, weaker, and far less influential.
Just then, the instructor raised his voice again.
"Also, do not forget to register yourselves with the Walker Association before entering the Vast Expanse," he said firmly. "You have until tomorrow. Failure to register will result in you being classified as a traitor to humanity."
A sharp chill ran through the room.
"Such individuals will be hunted until the end of the world."
The weight of those words settled heavily over the students. No one doubted their truth.
With that, the instructor turned and left the stage.
Students began filing out of the auditorium in clusters, voices rising once more as conversations erupted throughout the hall. Some spoke excitedly about their new Nightmares, others argued about exam preparation, and a few walked in silence, lost in their own thoughts.
Logan finally got up to leave as well, stretching his shoulders as the noise of the departing crowd washed over him.
But he barely took two steps before disaster struck.
An arm suddenly locked around his neck, pulling him backward into a tight chokehold.