Chương 1: How it started
Students gathered in the school compound, the cool afternoon air gently brushing their skin and their faces alight with anticipation.
Most students engaged in animated conversations with their friends, while others maintained a calm and composed demeanor.
Today was the day they had all eagerly awaited—the day when high mages would visit the academy to assist the students in awakening their unique mutant abilities.
Several years prior, a strange lightning bolt struck the earth, creating a rift at the world's center. From this rift emerged vicious creatures that flooded the planet. These creatures, known as Mutants, possessed tough, indestructible scales, incredible strength capable of toppling skyscrapers with a single finger.
But that was not all.
The mutants also had other extraordinary abilities such as elemental manipulation, telekinesis, and powers previously unknown to humanity. Their rampage caused immense destruction, and humanity's attempts to fight back with conventional weapons proved futile.
After years of relentless conflict, Earth's soldiers succeeded in defeating one of these mutants and bringing it back to their laboratories. Experienced scientists then began their work, eventually discovering a method to transfer the mutant's abilities to humans. By extracting the ability from the mutant's core and integrating the raw energy with the human body, they created a new kind of mutant with their own powers.
With this breakthrough, humanity regained hope, as they began to combat mutants using their own abilities. Any mutant killed was taken to the lab, where its ability core was extracted and bestowed upon a human.
The war continued for many years. When the mutants, now on the defensive, began retreating and withdrawing into their lairs, they had already decimated 99 percent of the world's population.
Years after the war, surviving families who had acquired mutant abilities passed these powers down through generations. The only way for the new generation to fully hone these abilities was with the assistance of the high mages who had been present during the war. Once individuals reached the age of sixteen, a mage would come to the academy to perform the awakening ritual.
"I wonder what grade of mutant ability I'll awaken today. I've heard so many stories. My great-grandparents were among the most powerful mutant ability users during the war. They made significant contributions. If they were so powerful, then I must have such potential within me. All I need now is for the mage to perform the ritual, and I'll handle the rest," a frail-looking boy with rough brown hair and sunken cheeks muttered, his eyes filled with anticipation.
"Shut up, Moses. It doesn't work that way," a boy standing beside Moses interrupted. "Haven't you heard stories about people from powerful families awakening grade-one mutant abilities? It doesn't matter who your parents or grandparents were. What matters is how many mutant cells they passed down to you and whether your body can handle a high-grade ability." The boy, known as Jerry, added.
"That won't be my fate. I know I am destined for greatness. All I need now is the mage's help to start the ritual, and then I'll prove myself," Moses declared confidently, clenching his fists.
As the two boys discussed, they noticed three teachers carrying what appeared to be a gigantic crystals. Despite the combined effort of the three, the crystal was cumbersome and difficult to manage.
They placed the crystal on a raised platform in front of the students and stepped back, taking their positions behind it.
The students observed the teachers and the enormous crystal on the platform with bewilderment.
After a few minutes, a blinding light appeared at the center of the platform, prompting the students to shield their eyes. The light grew more intense by the second until it finally faded.
Once the light dissipated, the students cautiously opened their eyes and refocused on the raised platform.
"Is that the mage?" a female student exclaimed, spotting a man standing tall in the center of the platform.
He was dressed in a long purple robe that swept the floor, completely bald, with a face lined with wrinkles, and a long gray beard nearly reaching the ground.
"He used his teleportation ability to arrive here in the blink of an eye," another student remarked, his eyes wide with shock.
The man on the platform regarded the students before clearing his throat and speaking.
"Good day to you all," he began in a raspy voice. "I am sure you all know why you are gathered here today. Today is the day you will awaken your mutant abilities, which will determine your future."
"Without wasting any more time, I will begin calling names. When your name is called, please come forward, touch the crystal, and concentrate. Is that understood?" The man, known as Winchester, announced, and the students responded in unison.
Winchester extended his right hand, and a long scroll appeared instantly. He unfurled the scroll and cleared his throat before continuing.
"Let us begin. Moses Simon, please come forward to begin your awakening ritual!" Winchester announced.
Moses took a deep breath and stepped forward. He climbed the platform and approached the giant crystal, taking another deep breath and rubbing his palms together.
"This is my moment. I have to awaken a high-grade mutant ability to prove to my brother that I can achieve something significant in the future," Moses thought as he continued rubbing his palms before placing them on the crystal.
"Now, close your eyes and concentrate!" Winchester instructed.
Moses followed the command, closing his eyes and focusing intently. As time passed, the students below the platform witnessed the crystal beginning to glow brightly.
The blue light from the crystal illuminated the entire compound, and a powerful energy surged through the air, pushing some students backward and causing others to shield their eyes.
Winchester's gaze shifted to the side of the crystal, where a single number was boldly displayed: three.
Mutant abilities are graded into five levels, with grade one being the weakest and grade five the strongest. Those who surpass grade five are classified as Heroic Grade, and individuals who exceed the Heroic Grade are often referred to as Grandmasters.
Winchester, the mage conducting the ritual, was a Grade Five mutant ability user. Despite years of training, he had not surpassed Grade Five, with only a few individuals achieving Special Grade by defeating high-grade mutants and undertaking extreme tasks.
For a sixteen-year-old like Moses, awakening a grade-three mutant ability was akin to hitting the jackpot. His youth and the discovery of a grade-three ability indicated that he possessed powerful mutant cells capable of further development in the future.
Top guilds would undoubtedly seek him out immediately after his graduation.
"Moses Simon has awakened a Grade Three Earth ability!" Winchester declared. Hearing this, Moses' eyes flew open, and he jumped for joy.
"I told you I was special!" he shouted, leaping around, while the students applauded.
Winchester conjured a metallic belt with three glowing bars at its center and handed it to Moses.
"This is a skill slot that will help you utilize your ability more effectively," Winchester explained as Moses accepted the belt.
Moses strapped the belt around his waist. The moment it was fastened, he felt raw energy coursing through his veins, circulating throughout his body. The sensation was calming and invigorating, giving Moses a sense of lasting energy.
With the skill slot secured, Moses stomped his foot, causing a rock to rise from the ground and float before him. The students below watched in awe and began clapping.
"You are free to leave now, Moses! Next student, please step forward! Brandon Steele!" Winchester announced.
Moses descended the platform and returned to his friend joyfully.
Brandon Steele approached the platform, trembling with nerves and drenched in sweat. A look of apprehension marked his face as he stood before the crystal.
"Please, place your hands on the crystal and concentrate," Winchester instructed.
Brandon exhaled deeply, slowly extended his hands to touch the crystal, and closed his eyes, focusing with all his might.
Unlike Moses, whose crystal had glowed brilliantly, Brandon's crystal emitted only a faint blue light barely visible in daylight.
The environment remained calm and quiet, with no significant energy fluctuations.
Winchester glanced at the side of the crystal and his expression shifted to one of disappointment as he saw the number written on it.
"Brandon Steele has awakened a Grade One Air mutant ability!" Winchester's voice echoed throughout the compound.
Laughter erupted among the students, and some began taunting Brandon.
Brandon lowered his head in embarrassment, wishing he could disappear.
Winchester summoned a skill slot with a single glowing bar and handed it to Brandon, who accepted it listlessly before leaving the platform. As he returned to his place, the students continued to mock him for awakening the weakest grade.
"Shall we continue?" Winchester cleared his throat.
He resumed calling out names, and students quickly moved to the platform to awaken their mutant abilities.
Most students awakened grade-two abilities, while a few achieved grade-three, like Moses. No one else awakened a grade-one ability after Brandon, and no one surpassed grade-three.
The ritual continued until Winchester finally called the name everyone had been waiting for.
"Angelica Wesley, please step forward!" Winchester announced, and the crowd erupted in cheers and applause.
Angelica walked gracefully toward the platform. She had long blue hair that reached her waist, piercing blue eyes, and a doll-like, pretty face. Her appearance was captivating, leaving many of the boys in awe.
She hailed from a powerful family renowned for their Ice mutant abilities, with both her parents being grade-five users. This background made everyone eager to see what grade she would awaken.
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