When the first three set foot in the water, a deathly silence fell over the room. Not only had the murmurs ceased, but even breathing seemed to diminish suddenly.
The first step gave them no indication.
They had three chances to awaken; each step was one of them.
With each step, the water beneath them would enter their bodies and study them until it reached their brains, where their spirits resided, where their beasts should be.
Depending on all that meticulous study, which took place in milliseconds, the summoning could awaken.
Many people throughout history have wondered, where do the summoned beasts come from, and what exactly is this mysterious water?
So far, there is no answer to that question, and it will surely remain unanswered for a long time.
Therefore, it was important that each step here be taken carefully and in a controlled manner.
In the first step, there was no response. In the second... neither.
The weight of failure pressed down on them, and all three lowered their heads simultaneously. They had only one step left to find out whether they could fulfill their dreams or would be just another of the many who never made it.
Their fists clenched tightly.
"Don't wait for a divine miracle," the principal said suddenly. "There are still many waiting."
His words snapped them out of their daze, and they took one more step...
Nothing.
There was absolutely no change.
They felt nothing inside, and the three of them collapsed to the ground, just as the water pushed them away.
They had been rejected.
They couldn't become Beast Masters in this lifetime. They would have to face the burden of life without even a faithful companion. Their strength would be limited to what humans can achieve, and there would be nothing beyond that.
They were finished.
The rest of the students took a deep breath to calm themselves, and the next three began to walk.
Failure.
Failure.
Failure...
Six groups passed. Six groups failed.
'Not even the children of the rich, who have been trained to feel their summoning from a very young age, have been able to awaken.' The principal sighed as he shook his head.
'I guess that's how it must be with untalented people. I've seen this so many times, but I still regret it,' he thought.
"Hey, look..."
"Did anyone awaken?"
"Two, it's two!"
The principal frowned and quickly looked at the three students.
"It's Robert Morris, the son of the Morris Clan has finally awakened!"
"And that girl... Elizabeth, General Lois' daughter?"
In the second step, both stopped. Not because they were thinking about what to do, but because they were having an astral journey into their bodies.
Their bodies glowed faintly with a strange energy that emerged from them, spirituality, and swirled around, dancing animatedly. At the same time, two beasts emerged from within them, materializing for the first time in the air.
"A Scarlet Fire Salamander for Miss Elizabeth!" exclaimed one of the teachers, but the principal was staring intently at the other beast, deeply moved.
"The Lion of Morris... The Crimson-Eyed Maned Lion," the principal exclaimed softly.
This was... one of the three main beasts of the Morris Clan!
The Morris Clan was a fairly powerful family within Linnava. Although it did not extend throughout the entire kingdom, it was concentrated in the Western Province, where they were located. Throughout the province, they were one of the five most powerful clans and one of its guardians.
They usually summon a variety of beasts, three of which stand out, one being the Crimson-Eyed Maned Lion, which can directly affect the body as soon as it appears in the body of its summoner.
When Robert opened his eyes again, they glowed with a particularly striking shade of crimson, and at the same time, his body seemed to tone up suddenly. He had gained strength, and the crimson color in his eyes also spread to his hair, coloring some strands and making it grow a few inches.
"A remarkable change!" The principal was immediately excited and approached them. "Well, young Robert, Miss Elizabeth, you may come forward so that the rock can test your talents." Under the principal's guidance, they placed their hands on the rock in the middle, with palpable excitement on their faces.
Meanwhile, the beasts they had summoned moved around them. Occasionally, they glanced at each other. The Salamander lost in the staring contests, which excited the principal even more.
'It must be a great talent!' he thought, excitedly. 'Perhaps Rank B... Wouldn't this be the first time a Rank B talent has been seen among third-year students who have not been able to awaken?' He was more than excited, staring intently at the rock...
The information was soon revealed.
[Scarlet Fire Salamander:
Talent Rank: B.
Evolution Capacity: Level 2.]
"Rank B and Level 2 in evolution!"
"Aish... Damn, if only she were Level 3, this girl could have been one of the greats of our kingdom..."
"What are you talking about, you idiot? Rank B and Level 2! She has a higher rank than her father! She'll surely be a powerful general. What more status does she want?"
Among the teachers present, the one who was scolded by another was Professor Owen, who continued to sigh. He understood what he meant.
Of course, a B-rank and Level 2 were impressive, especially coming from a group like this, from which he expected nothing.
But he looked at the bigger picture because, as a teacher specializing in it, he knew the difficulties of evolution.
A Level 2 in Evolution Capacity is, of course, very good. If she does well and is provided with the necessary resources for her evolution, she could even reach incredible heights, becoming a powerful local Beast Master or a high-status General.
But combined with Talent Rank C, that's entirely possible; with Rank B, there wouldn't be much difference. Level 2 evolution ability would completely limit her talent.
Talent implies two things: speed of growth in the face of evolution and the ability to manipulate the Magic Network.
In Elizabeth's case, her Rank B will allow her to grow a little faster than the rest, but she will reach her ceiling very quickly, which can be problematic for feelings of stagnation that are difficult to manage.
On the other hand, that same Rank B also affects her affinity with an elemental type of magic: fire. Which is the best thing about her, at least from Professor Owen's point of view.
For the rest of the teachers, this in itself was already a blessing, because it was. It could simply be better if it were just improved a little to Level 3 evolutionary capacity.
'Too bad... but it's not bad. She'll be a great general in the future.' Owen smiled, and although he was disappointed, he was proud.
But it wasn't over yet.
The stone soon revealed a second message...
[Crimson-Eyed Maned Lion:
Talent Rank: A.
Evolution Capacity: Level 4.]
BREAK*
The sound of something breaking was heard when one of the elders smashed the glass in his hand, and the floor where the principal was standing was trampled hard.
An A Rank, with a Level 4...
Everyone was in shock. From Edward to the principal, even Robert was shocked.
It had never crossed their minds that a world-class talent could awaken among this final class...
'Level 4... Rank A.' Edward clenched his fists tightly. If he didn't manage to awaken... this guy would surely kill him.
In the entire western province, there are only three Level 4 talents... with Robert, that would make four. And among those four, only one has the combination of Rank A and Level 4: him.
The principal was so excited that he forgot to move. It wasn't until Robert himself turned to look at him that he reacted.
He had to hold back the excitement that was almost palpable on his face to speak: "Hahaha, two such talented young people in this class... I can say that this is the biggest surprise I've had all year. Please, dear students, feel fulfilled because you will achieve great things."
The principal didn't realize that he only gave Elizabeth a glance of approval, while the rest of the time, he was looking at the young man in front of him with total admiration and almost adoration.
'I'm one of the three Level 4s in the province, but my talent is barely B... This kid will surely break through to levels I could never reach. I have to cultivate him!' He became so excited that he let his heart run wild, imagining a day when his disciple would be one of the most powerful men in the world.
His words brought the rest of the teachers to their senses, and murmurs quickly spread throughout the room.
Everyone created their own imaginary world around these two boys, while the third member of that seventh group stood there, on the third step, staring at the two who had managed to awaken.
He failed.
'What do you take into account when you awaken, oh great mother stone? Wealth or how abusive a person is? The ability to bully or how stupid they are?' That was all he could think of when he saw them, and he shook his head in frustration. He turned around and noticed that Edward was right behind him, waiting for his turn.
He smiled at him and patted him on the shoulder. "At least accompany me to the end, being the object of ridicule, won't you? My dear companion."
Edward smiled. "Wish me luck, old friend. Maybe I can invest in you to fulfill your dream of becoming a writer."
"Hahaha, then I'll be waiting for you."
When all the teachers finished praising Robert and Elizabeth, two of the most abusive people in the academy, it was group number 8's turn.
'It's my turn.' Edward tensed, staring at the water almost touching his feet. Next to him were two other people.