บท 9: 9: ranking
I left my room and started walking through the long hallways until I finally reached the interview room.
I waited for 20 minutes before being called in.
When I entered the room, I was greeted by a pretty girl in her twenties, I couldn't tell her exact age.
She had a well-practiced smile and pointed to the seat in front of her.
"Please, sit down and let's talk. I'm Samantha, and you?"
I knew she was only asking my name to break the ice since she should have my basic information on her tablet, but I didn't mind. I smiled back as I sat down and responded.
"I'm Jonathan. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Samantha."
"Well, Jonathan, I'll ask you some questions about your nightmare and your aspect. We'd like you to answer honestly, and you'll be given contribution points based on the information provided."
"Sure, I have no problem. Please go ahead."
"That's good. Could you tell me about your aspect and ability? Like, what your aspect is, whether it's for combat or utility?"
"Sure. My ability allows me to control a nightmare creature and obtain it as an echo. As for strength enhancement or any other kind of improvement, I don't have any."
"That's good. That ability can keep you safe with a nightmare creature by your side to help you survive. For now, we'll classify your aspect as utility. Could you tell me the rank of your aspect?"
"I won't tell you my aspect's rank, but I will say it's above transcendent."
"T-that's surprising, Jonathan. An aspect of such a high rank will be very useful for humanity." She tried to hide her astonishment, but her stammering gave her away.
"Now, if you don't mind, could you tell me about your nightmare?"
I looked at her for a few seconds and answered calmly.
"Yes, I could. I was sent to a fortress as the tactical advisor of an ascended human during an invasion of corrupted creatures at the beast level and sleepers, all under the command of a tyrant awakened."
Samantha seemed puzzled by my response and quickly looked at an object that lit up green. 'I suppose it's a memory detector that detects lies.' Without paying attention to that, I saw her eyes widen and her hands tremble for a moment before she returned to her natural state.
"That's certainly a big surprise. Could you tell me how you managed to survive that nightmare?"
I told her about the traps I had set, how I ordered the soldiers into appropriate positions so that when the beasts passed, they would fall into the traps, and how the ascended faced the tyrant along with other awakened ones. I omitted the fact that I killed the ascended and said he died in the explosion.
At all times, she had a weak jaw and was either surprised or asking questions about my actions and decision-making in the nightmare, which I answered as best as I could.
"Before the last question, I would like to know about your innate ability. You can refuse to answer this question."
I didn't want to hide this fact as I sought the greatest recognition to obtain more benefits. I only changed some things about my ability to make it fit.
"Sure. My innate ability allows me to foresee what will happen in dangerous situations a short time before it happens. I don't know the exact time since I haven't experimented much with it."
"Thank you for sharing that. Finally, I am contractually obliged to ask everyone this question; you can also refuse to answer here. Do you have a true name?"
Why is she suddenly speaking formally?
Well, whatever, I was expecting this moment. I smiled and spoke.
"Yes. My true name is... Soul Appropriator."
She looked at me with an expression of surprise and doubt, seemingly reluctant to believe that I had a true name. She looked again at the artifact and hurried to apologize for her unprofessional behavior, then told me I could leave and I went back to my room.
'Well, what should I do now? Oh right, I need to sign up for some classes.'
I looked at my communicator and searched for the option to choose classes at the academy. Of course, I chose the combat class and the desert survival class. I want to meet Master Julius, who taught Sunny how to survive in the realm of dreams.
'I'll have to be Sunny's classmate in that class. I don't want to interfere much with the main story as it could change the future, and my knowledge would be useless, but in the realm of dreams, we will meet sooner or later if we are sent to those cursed black waters.'
"Ah, whatever, I'll leave it to future Jonathan. Now, I'll go to sleep, I'm tired."
...
The next morning, I went to the cafeteria where most of the sleepers were having breakfast and grabbed some food I didn't recognize but looked tasty. While looking for a seat, I saw Cassia's table, the blind girl. I was tempted to go and console her with some encouraging words, but in the end, I just sat at her table far enough not to be noticed by her.
After eating for a few minutes, I saw Sunny approach the table and sit away from me and Cassia but not too far from Cassia, who seemed to notice him but remained silent.
After a few minutes, I heard a commotion behind me and turned to see what was happening.
Oh, that moment has arrived, hasn't it? Now it's going to be chaos.
I looked at the crowd gathered around a large flat screen in the middle of the cafeteria and saw a ranking.
1st place: Nephis. True name: Changing Star.
2nd place: Jonathan. True name: Soul Appropriator.
3rd place: Caster.
Oh wow, I really managed to surpass Caster.
Ah, this is going to be annoying and uncomfortable. Why, you ask? Because many kids from legacy clans were approaching to talk to me.
A few moments later, the first kid came to talk to me.
"Hey, is it true that you got a true name in your first nightmare?" His voice was enthusiastic as he looked at me.
"Yes, I got it by killing an awakened tyrant with a dagger given to me by an ascended human." I said indifferently, trying to sound arrogant to see if he would leave with that.
"Wow, as expected from the second place and someone with a true name." Still smiling and trying to get to know me, damn it.
"Yes, well, you see, but I'd like to be left alone today as I have a lot to do." I finally opted to be direct so he would leave me alone.
"Oh sure, sorry, my apologies. I'll go elsewhere. I hope we meet again." His smile visibly faded, and he left.
"Sure, see you later."
So, a few more legacies left with him, but not Caster. He is as stubborn as a mule. He approached and started talking to me.
"Hello Jonathan, I'm Caster from the Han clan. I don't think I've read about anyone named Jonathan from any renowned clan. May I know your lineage clan?"
I looked at him for a few seconds and then responded.
"Hello Caster, a pleasure. And it's not strange that you haven't heard of me, as I'm from the outskirts."
His expression was one of surprise for a few seconds before he spoke again.
"Wow, it's a great achievement for someone from the outskirts to overcome their first nightmare and even kill a tyrant, and even more, obtain a true name. It's worthy of recognition." He was speaking while smiling and trying to seem friendly.
"Thank you very much. By the way, sorry to say it like this, but I'd like to finish my breakfast calmly." I hope this works with Caster too.
"Oh, of course, sure. I'll leave then. I look forward to meeting you in the realm of dreams. See you later, Jonathan." Still smiling, he left without insisting much more.
So, we said goodbye, and he went to talk to Nephis. Oh, poor guy, she will talk to him like an unmelting ice. She's even worse than I am at talking to others, but that's because since she was 7 years old, she has been pursued by assassins from other clans to kill her and end the last daughter of the greatest legacy clan there was, the Immortal Flame clan.
Since then, she has avoided relationships and, therefore, never learned to socialize properly.
Caster exchanged some words, and when Nephis indicated she wouldn't speak anymore, he left with a defeated expression. It was very amusing to watch that scene.
...
After breakfast, I had to go to survival class, so I'll finally meet Professor Julius.
I walked to Professor Julius's classroom and found a short boy with a slender appearance, hair, and eyes as black as night. Yes, he was Sunny.
We both entered the classroom without greeting each other and saw Professor Julius coming toward us with a big smile on his face.
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