The Essence Stone continued its work, measuring the Awakened one by one.
For some, it was a moment of triumph.
For others, it was the beginning of their humiliation.
Because not everyone was strong.
Not everyone could rise.
The Harsh Reality
A young man stepped forward, trembling as he placed his hand on the orb. The crowd went silent, waiting.
The orb pulsed a dull gray—lifeless, weak.
───────[ MEASUREMENT COMPLETE ]───────
TOTAL STATS: 103
RANK: F
──────────────────────────
Silence.
Then, whispers.
"F-Rank?"
"Did he even awaken properly?"
"He's weaker than a regular soldier."
The young man stumbled back, shaking. His face paled as he looked around, as if hoping for some kind of reassurance.
There was none.
Because in this world, strength was everything.
And he had just been branded worthless.
The Ones Who Refuse to Accept It
But not everyone accepted their fate so easily.
A girl with short, dark hair and burning eyes stepped forward. Her fists were clenched tight.
She wasn't afraid.
She wasn't hoping for a high rank—she was demanding it.
She slammed her palm against the Essence Stone.
The orb flared—a bright red-orange, wild and unstable.
───────[ MEASUREMENT COMPLETE ]───────
TOTAL STATS: 298
RANK: C+
──────────────────────────
"Tch." She clicked her tongue, clearly unsatisfied.
C-Rank wasn't bad.
It was above average.
But it wasn't enough.
She wanted more.
I watched her carefully. Unlike the others, she didn't seem discouraged.
She seemed… hungry.
The Divide Between Us
I had seen this scene play out a thousand times.
People awakening, getting measured, realizing where they stood.
The powerful would celebrate. The weak would despair.
And I?
I just stood there, unseen, watching.
No one knew my rank.
No one could know.
If I stepped forward, if I placed my hand on that stone—
What would happen?
Would the orb even be able to process my existence?
Would it recognize my evolution?
Would it shatter under the weight of my true power?
I smirked at the thought.
Let them have their moment.
Let them believe in their rankings.
Because no matter how high they climbed…
They would never reach me.
But my amusement was short-lived.
Because at that moment, alarms blared.
The ground shook.
The air rippled with a sudden, suffocating pressure.
And in the distance—
A Gate began to open.
A massive tear in reality, twisting and warping as something beyond human comprehension pushed its way through.
The measurements were over.
The test was over.
It was time to see who among them was truly ready to fight.