P.O.V. Cristóbal Xehanort
"Congratulations, Alicia. You're the first UR Mage registered in our sector," I said, my voice calm but sincere. She simply smiled and nodded in response.
"Now I'm motivated! I really hope I get something amazing. I'm not falling behind!" Lucius declared with a grin, pointing a thumb at himself. Both Alicia and I ignored him.
She glanced at her status card. I was curious to see it, but those things are private, and Alicia isn't the type to brag. She smiled and looked at me out of the corner of her eye, only to blush slightly and quickly look away.
Okay... I'm not that dense. Something was up. Either she had a skill related to me, or something strange was going on, because she didn't usually act like that.
More names were called. Common classes appeared: Farmer, Carpenter, Miner. People often think of these as "trash classes," and in terms of combat, they are.
But they have unique advantages. A high-ranking Farmer can single-handedly tend and harvest hundreds of thousands of hectares in less than a week—crucial for a growing population. Similarly, a Carpenter can make wood harder than steel and build houses in a single day. Some minerals can't even be mined by anyone who doesn't have that specific class at a high enough level. So, while class discrimination still exists, it doesn't mean a "Common" class isn't vital in the grand scheme of things.
Furthermore, the Andean Astral Union highly values farmers and especially miners. Since the world was infused with Mana, the Chilean mines—formerly copper exporters—have become the largest providers of mana-mutated minerals. Only miners of a certain level can extract these rare ores. This is why, even though we are at peace, the Northern Iron Alliance always keeps a close eye on us; they are our biggest buyers and covet our minerals for their weapon-obsessed adventurers.
My thoughts were interrupted when Lucius stood up and brazenly ran to the front; it was finally his turn. Like Alicia, he touched the stone, which began to glow with a dark silver hue. When he touched the orb—looking a bit terrified of ending up as a simple blacksmith—he suddenly jumped in celebration as his status appeared.
Name: Lucius Callahan
Age: 15
Class: Iron Shell (SSR)
Rank: I
Level: 1
An SSR (Super Special Rare) is quite rare, (if you'll pardon the redundancy), and my idiot friend had seemingly hit the jackpot. Iron Shells aren't seen often, but they are recorded as the most reliable "walls" for any raid party. It's said that death rates in dangerous worlds would be three to five times higher if not for defensive classes.
He walked back to us, chest puffed out, strutting like a peacock. Alicia rolled her eyes but smiled, just like I did. We both tease him for being a blockhead, but we know we can trust him with anything.
"Wipe that stupid grin off your face. Bragging doesn't suit you," I told him. He simply brushed it off.
"Excuse me? Did you say something? My incredible SSR ears can't hear your envy."
I gave him a slap on the head as usual, but...
"Ow..." I hissed, clutching my hand as a sharp cramp shot through it.
"HAHAHAHA! I'M INVINCIBLE NOW! NEVER AGAIN WILL I BE HARMED BY YOUR TRICKS! MWAHAHAHA!" Without a shred of shame, he started laughing like a stereotypical villain.
I stared at him with dead eyes, trying to ignore the lingering pain in my hand. Suddenly, a light caught my attention. Alicia's hands were glowing with a golden light, covering mine, and the pain vanished instantly. In disbelief, I opened and closed my fist; the discomfort was completely gone.
[.]
"Wow... do you have healing powers too?" I asked. She smiled, blushing slightly, and nodded. Instead of answering, she just looked at Lucius, who was still laughing like an idiot.
"Well, now we can confirm his head is indeed hard," she said. Our classmates burst into laughter at Lucius's expense, while he began jokingly threatening them.
I shook my head. Even if he said it in jest, he easily could. So far, besides him and Alicia, no one had surpassed Rank R (Rare). Most were support or utility classes. Class A had the most R and SR ranks, along with a couple of SSRs. They looked at us with a sense of superiority that I didn't really care about.
After a long, tedious wait, I was starting to doze off. Only a small nudge from Alicia woke me up in time to hear my name called. I yawned and thanked her as I walked slowly toward the stage, hands in my pockets.
I'm not Number 1 in my studies—there are many subjects that didn't exist in my world. That spot belongs to Alicia. I'm above average, maybe top 20 in the school. I'm neither a genius protagonist nor an idiot. The idiot is Lucius, who would probably be failing every year if Alicia didn't help him study.
As I walked to the stage, I looked at the Director, an old man who was somehow over 239 years old but looked barely 80. Life expectancy skyrockets the stronger you are. The Director is an SSR Archmage, Rank E. He retired from adventuring to found this school and has always been a man who cares about every student finding their place in this world.
"Hello, Director Valerius," I said with my usual calm attitude. The Director smiled at me like a kind grandfather.
"Hohoho~ Hello, young Xehanort. I see you're as calm as ever. Are you truly not nervous? Would you like a candy?" The wise and powerful mage offered me a small sweet. After a small, amused huff, I accepted it and popped it into my mouth.
"Thanks. And no, whatever happens, happens. I'm not picky, though I'd like something that lets me keep up with my friends. It wouldn't be fun being stuck in a mine or a farm while they risk their lives in portals."
"Hohoho~ An interesting thought. You value your friendship deeply, and that is good. Very good." He nodded, stroking his beard. "Know that if you ever have a problem, you can always talk to this old mage." He smiled kindly, and I couldn't help but offer a small smile back.
I approached the stone and touched it. It glowed, but my aura began to flicker through a series of many different colors. This startled me—nothing like this had ever happened before. Everyone seemed equally surprised as the aura blinked repeatedly. After a long moment, it finally settled into a very dull, flat black.
I looked at the pedestal with doubt, hesitating before finally touching it. When my status screen appeared, I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in confusion—and a bit of disappointment—at what I saw.
Name: Cristóbal Xehanort
Age: 15
Class: Vagabond (U)
Rank: F
Level: 1
A heavy silence fell over the stage. People stared in disbelief because no Rank had ever been recorded as F. And that letter, U... I didn't even know what it meant. There were no records of it anywhere.
Then, the silence broke. One laugh started, then another, until the whole room was erupting in mockery.
"HAHAHA! Look at that! A 'Vagabond'? Are you serious?!" someone from Class A shouted, leading the verbal assault.
"Poor guy... Rank F? Only the weakest Slimes ever recorded have that Rank."
"HAHAHA! U for Useless! This is hilarious!"
I simply ignored the laughter. I glanced at my friends; Lucius was growling at anyone who laughed, looking like he was about to jump at the throats of the Class A instigators. None of my classmates joined in; they only looked at me with pity or worry. Alicia was staring at me with deep concern. I appreciated that. I took my card and walked past the Director to return to my seat.
"Son," the Director spoke. I looked at him; he gave me a worried but understanding look. "If anyone messes with you, don't hesitate to come to me... your class is... truly unique. Don't hesitate to reach out if you need anything." He patted my shoulder with genuine care.
"Thanks, Director. Don't worry, I'll be fine." I gave him a simple nod and walked away under the mocking glares of the crowd.
I pulled out my card and, after reading the full details, I couldn't help but let out an amused snort.
"How interesting... very interesting indeed."
[End of Chapter]