In the Radiant Solstice Empire, Ashenvale Province, Tidewatch City.
On the training ground of Tidewatch Academy, several job holders were setting up a massive magic circle for student awakening.
Today, 124 third-year academy students were undergoing their job awakening.
The magic circle was completed on the huge stage in the middle of the playground.
Below the stage, the students sat upright in orderly rows, listening to the speech of their headmaster, Lucien.
"Students," the clear excitement was evident in the headmaster's tone as he continued, "in these three years, you have all learned about the basics of awakening and jobs."
"Today is the day that will determine the course of your entire lives."
"I hope that each and every one of you rises to heights that will make your parents and our academy proud."
The headmaster smiled as he looked at the students' inspired faces.
Eren Morrow, who was sitting among the students, gazed at the completed magic circle on the stage.
His eyes were filled with intense emotion as he clenched his fists in anticipation.
After living in this world for the past two years, he already understood its nature very well.
This world was fused with game-like laws, where all humans underwent job awakening during their third year at the academy.
They could gain Life Essence by performing tasks corresponding to their awakened job.
Lifestyle jobs like farmer, craftsman, engineer, and alchemist would gain Life Essence by doing their work, farming, crafting items, creating products, or brewing potions.
Support-type jobs would gain Life Essence by assisting their teammates on the frontline.
Combat professions would gain Life Essence by clearing dungeons, exploring hidden realms, joining warfronts, or hunting monsters in the wild.
Life Essence did not only increase levels; it could also be used to enhance skills.
And skills directly increased a person's power.
That very power was the foundation of survival in this world.
Humanity fought endlessly against monsters, demons, abyssal creatures, and eldritch beings to carve out living space for itself.
Countless human ancestors had fought desperately and died to secure this fragile peace and small territory for the current citizens to enjoy today.
Two hundred years ago, it was rare to see even 5% of the population awaken.
But now, the success rate of job awakening had reached 100%.
It was a tremendous improvement for humanity's survival.
However, the quality of the profession obtained was still uncertain and depended entirely on luck.
In this battle-thirsty world, where the weak were preyed upon, combat-related jobs were naturally the most coveted, followed by support-type jobs, and finally crafting and lifestyle professions.
Even now, the borders of the Radiant Solstice Empire were continuously ravaged by countless monsters and abyssal creatures.
Countless combat-type job holders still perished as time passed.
The demand for combat professionals never ceased.
Of course, that did not mean support and lifestyle paths were weak.
A powerful support job holder could change the course of battle with a single buff, depending on the situation.
They were invaluable in dungeon raids, secret realm expeditions, and frontline warfare.
The same held true for lifestyle job holders as well.
There were legends of god-tier farmers who could grow large quantities of spiritual medicinal plants and crops.
There was also a Breeding Master who had successfully domesticated a dungeon monster for use as public transportation.
In Eren Morrow's view, a profession's strength ultimately depended on the individual, not on the job they awakened.
There were many useless combat professionals and very powerful lifestyle job holders.
Suddenly, a beam of light shot toward the sky from the magic circle as it was fully activated.
Headmaster Lucien waved his hand.
"Let us begin."
Everything had been checked and verified, the magic circle was perfectly fine and functioning properly.
Anticipation grew in Eren's heart as he waited.
He knew that no one could predict their result.
Sometimes diligent students awakened weak professions, while mediocre students awakened top-tier combat jobs.
He had seen many people who once excelled academically end up with simple lifestyle paths over the past two years.
But he did not care about the job he was going to awaken.
He did not care whether it was combat-related, support-type, or lifestyle.
Anything was far better than the jobless life he had lived in his past life.
The very possibility of mastering his awakened job and earning money tempted him greatly.
On the stage, Headmaster Lucien stepped forward and bowed slightly toward the elderly man overseeing the magic circle.
"Master Calder, thank you for overseeing today's awakening."
The old man waved his hand.
"I am merely fulfilling my duty."
His information was displayed openly for all to see:
[Calder Rowan – Level 62 – Grand Magic Circle Architect]
The elderly man seemed proud of his job, and he had every reason to be.
Grand Magic Circle Architects were support-type job holders.
Each and every one of them was an invaluable force for the Radiant Solstice Empire, sometimes even more valuable than combat job holders.
The elderly man calmly took the list from the headmaster's hand and said,
"I will now call the students' names one by one. When called, step into the magic circle. I hope you all already know what to do. Stay calm."
"First, Dorian Hale…"
Dorian, who was sitting nearby, nervously stood up and looked at Eren.
Eren smiled at him reassuringly and gave a slight nod.
"It's okay. It will be fine."
Hearing those words, Dorian walked onto the stage and nervously entered the magic circle.
The circle brightened and rumbled as light erupted from it.
A moment later, the result appeared.
[Lifestyle Profession: Beginner Farmer]
Dorian's face paled as he saw the result.
He dejectedly walked out of the circle from the other side of the stage.
Eren quickly went toward him.
Seeing Eren, Dorian gave a small, sad smile.
"I became a farmer…"
That was actually somewhat expected.
He knew Dorian had always wanted to awaken a combat-related job, but awakening one was notoriously difficult.
Even if calculated generously, the highest probability was only around 15 percent of the total students present.
But instead of looking sad for his friend, Eren stared at Dorian with sparkling eyes and grabbed his shoulder firmly.
"You awakened as a farmer! Farmers are one of the best jobs among lifestyle professions! That's so cool! What kind of skills did you get? Show me status!"
Dorian, who had been feeling down, looked at his enthusiastic friend with a strange expression.
At that moment, he truly felt like punching Eren in the face.
But he clearly knew that Eren meant every word from the bottom of his heart.
Suddenly, someone grabbed Eren by the collar and pulled him back forcefully.
"Stop it, you idiot!"
"Read the room! Dorian is already sad…"
"*Sigh* Why are you looking so excited over a lifestyle job?!"
Three students from the same class as Eren and Dorian had arrived, Kael, Rowan, and Lyra.
Kael was a young man in his high school uniform, similar in build to Eren.
He stood at about 5'9", lean but toned.
He was one of the taller students in their year, yet he looked slightly smaller as he grabbing Eren by the collar, since Eren was actually over six feet tall.
6'3", to be exact.
Beside him stood Rowan, a brown-haired boy with neatly brushed hair and lightly tanned skin.
He was smiling at Eren as if he had already given up trying to understand his behavior.
The last to speak was Lyra, a girl with long black hair who looked shorter than everyone else around her.