Darian Light had an S rank, but what about the others?
Just below him was a character named Phénix, ranked A-. Phénix was the son of a wealthy merchant, always well-dressed and carrying an air of arrogance. He had chestnut hair, blue eyes, and an average height.
Next was Clara, ranked B+. She was a beautiful girl with black eyes matching her hair and pale white skin. She was very pleased with her ranking.
The rest of the class ranged between rank B and C+, which was considered the average at Ascendia, though C+ was already borderline.
The last two were Élio, with a power rank of C. He appeared perfectly unfazed by his classification. Professor Clarck was somewhat surprised by this, but thinking back, Élio had never been very expressive, at least from what little he knew of him.
On the other hand, Arthur, ranked D, was visibly uncomfortable. Like Darian, he stood out, but for a very different reason: he was the only one in this category… and he didn't like it at all. Who could blame him?
Seeing this, Clarck immediately continued:
— If you're not happy with your ranking, don't worry too much. Rank isn't everything. Let me explain. Fighters are divided into seven levels, ranging from apprentice (1) to divine warrior (7). For your information, I myself hold the warrior rank, which corresponds to level 5. In recorded history, no one has ever reached level 7. There are legends about the creators of the various kingdoms, but nothing confirmed.
Clarck paused briefly before continuing:
— To rise in rank, you must work hard. A strong enough physique is required to advance. At the beginning, the requirements are low, but from levels 5 to 6, they become extremely demanding. At that stage, fighters with an exceptional physique can defeat opponents with greater powers than themselves, even those of a higher rank.
These words reignited a spark within Arthur. Those who weren't noble had very little education regarding powers, and many believed them to be absolute. That wasn't the case, but power still held more weight than physical strength.
— In this world, if you're not born with a sufficiently high power level, you can abandon any hope of reaching the top… at least through conventional means, Élio thought to himself.
— Regardless of their power, most people advance through the early levels at roughly the same pace, Clarck continued. But in general, everything changes significantly from the third level onward.
He glanced around the classroom before announcing:
— For now, none of you are even at rank 1 because your powers haven't been awakened yet. We will proceed with that immediately to save time and discover the weapons destined for you, as well as your primary element.
Some students looked confused at this last statement—once again, those who didn't come from high society.
— You will come to the front, one by one, and I will help you awaken your powers. Then, I will explain your characteristics, Clarck stated.
The students stepped forward at their own pace. The first to eagerly volunteer was Jean Milto, who had been ranked C+. Clarck placed a hand on his head, and a faint breeze passed through the room.
— Now, try to activate your power, instructed the professor.
— Alright, replied Jean.
He focused, and a shapeless mass of water hovered above his hands.
— We already know your element is water. Now, I will help you shape your weapon, Clarck explained.
He waved his hand over the water mass, which transformed into a trident.
The students were all impressed and excited to discover their own powers—except for Élio and Darian.
— Water is the most common element in Asturies. I imagine most of you already knew that. For your knowledge, about 60% of our warriors use water as their combat element.
After this demonstration, many students rushed to have their powers awakened. The next ten all had water as their element, but their weapons varied: there were two scythes, three swords, two tridents, and three bows. Bows were particularly powerful for lower-ranked fighters since very few people could dodge energy arrows.
Then came Jason, a pale-skinned brunet ranked B-. His weapon was a machete, and his element was earth.
— Earth is an interesting element. At first, your machete will only be made of stone, so it won't be very durable or sharp. But as your power evolves, the material will change—it could become iron, or even diamond, Clarck explained.
Jason seemed thrilled with his element, as it set him apart from the others.
Then it was Clara's turn. She obtained a bow with the fire element.
— Fire and the bow make for one of the best possible combinations. You'll have great offensive power in the future, commented the professor.
Clara, slightly embarrassed by the sudden attention from her classmates, lowered her gaze. Her striking power contrasted with her rather reserved personality.
— She will surely become a pillar of the kingdom in the future, Clarck thought to himself.
Her high rank and exceptional weapon/element combination made her a formidable fighter.
The rest of the class was evaluated, but no one had particularly unique weapons or elements. Nearly all of them had water as their element. By the end, only three students remained: Darian, Élio, and Arthur.
Arthur stepped forward to awaken his powers. He wasn't particularly nervous—he had understood that there weren't really any "bad picks"; some options simply stood out more, like Clara's.
Clarck placed his hand on Arthur's head for a few seconds, then asked him to try activating his power. But Arthur couldn't.
For a brief moment, Clarck's expression flickered with shock before he quickly masked it.
— There are a few elements that can cause this… but you match only one of them: the element of Sweat. This is an extremely rare element, and we know very little about it because its wielders have never been able to materialize a weapon, Clarck explained.
The class reacted immediately. Some, like Jason, smirked or laughed quietly. Others, like Clara, looked at Arthur with sympathy.
Arthur, however, was devastated. Ever since arriving at this school, everything had only served to push him down and place him at the very bottom—except for hand-to-hand combat. He hadn't given up on his goals, but this hit him hard.
Then, without paying attention to Élio, Darian stood up, thinking he was the last one.
— I don't need this. My powers are already awakened, he declared.
— Then show us, Clarck said, intrigued.
Darian materialized a sword of light.
A stunned silence filled the room. Even the professor was momentarily taken aback.
— So far, we have only seen what are considered "basic" elements, Clarck finally spoke. But some elements are classified as mythical… Among them, shadow and light. They are generally considered simply superior to basic elements for several reasons.
No one said it aloud, but everyone thought the same thing:
People are not born equal.