The screen flickered once… then stabilized.
Names began to appear.
One by one.
Ranks.
Abilities.
Futures.
Everyone in the hall held their breath.
This was the moment that decided everything.
"Rank 1… Aric Voss. S-Class Ability: Thunder Dominion."
Gasps erupted instantly.
"S-Class?! Already?!"
"That's insane…"
Aric stepped forward with a confident smirk, electricity crackling faintly around his fingers. The teachers nodded in approval. The elites whispered his name.
He was already untouchable.
"Rank 57… B-Class Ability: Steel Skin."
"Rank 203… C-Class Ability: Enhanced Vision."
"Rank 499… D-Class Ability: Speed Boost."
The tension in the hall rose with every name.
Some smiled in relief.
Some broke down in silence.
Some stared blankly—already knowing their lives were over.
At the very back of the hall…
Kai stood still.
Quiet.
Unnoticed.
His eyes stayed locked on the glowing screen.
Waiting.
"Rank 998… D-Class Ability: Minor Regeneration."
"Rank 999… D-Class Ability: Sound Detection."
A pause.
A long… heavy pause.
People began to turn.
Some already knew what was coming.
Then it appeared.
Rank 1000… Kai Ren.
Ability: None.
Silence.
For half a second.
Then—
Laughter exploded across the hall.
"NO WAY—HE GOT NOTHING?!"
"Not even F-Class?!"
"He's literally useless!"
Kai didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Didn't react.
But his fists slowly tightened at his sides.
Three years.
Three years of training.
Three years of hoping.
Three years of believing… he would awaken something.
Anything.
And this… was the result.
Nothing.
A voice cut through the noise.
Cold. Sharp.
"Step forward."
Kai looked up.
One of the instructors stood near the stage, arms folded, expression unreadable.
"…Kai Ren. Step forward."
Every step felt heavier than the last.
The whispers followed him.
Mocking.
Laughing.
Judging.
"So this is him?"
"The one with no ability?"
"What a waste of space…"
Kai stopped at the center.
Right beneath the massive screen displaying his failure.
The instructor looked down at him.
"You understand what this means?"
Kai said nothing.
"It means," the instructor continued, "you have no value as a combat unit. No future in ranked operations. No placement in any division."
A pause.
Then—
"You are… dismissed from the academy."
The words hit harder than anything before.
More laughter.
Some didn't even bother hiding it.
Kai lowered his head slightly.
"…Understood."
He turned.
And walked away.
No anger.
No shouting.
No resistance.
Because deep down…
He already expected it.
The doors closed behind him.
Silencing the noise.
Outside, the world felt… empty.
Kai kept walking.
Step after step.
No destination.
No plan.
Until—
A sharp pain struck his chest.
He stopped.
Gasped.
"What… is this…?"
A strange heat spread through his body.
His vision blurred.
His heartbeat… accelerated.
Then—
A voice.
Cold.
Mechanical.
[System Initializing…]
Kai froze.
"…What?"
[Host detected: Kai Ren]
[Condition: Ability – None]
[Compatibility… 100%]
His eyes widened.
[Unique System Granted]
[Skill Acquired: Ability Devour]
Silence.
Kai's breathing slowed.
"…Ability… Devour?"
A faint smile… slowly formed on his face.
For the first time—
Since the rankings—
He laughed.
Soft.
Low.
Dangerous.
"So… I'm not useless after all."
The wind howled.
The world remained the same.
But something had changed.
Completely.
[End of Chapter 1]