'This is madness!'
Jed exclaimed in his mind while sweating like crazy.
The cold sweat droop down on his face as he tried to force his face to look calm.
He just watched the others awaken their beast souls and he completely became nervous as he thought about what phenomena will happen if it's his time to awaken his star soul.
Jed wasn't sure if his star soul is gonna be a beast type or a tool type soul.
He just felt that his star soul will become so powerful, the entire stage will go crazy when they see it.
'This is gonna be great! If my soul is more powerful than others then I'm sure my awakening will be epic!'
Jed bit his lip in excitement, still trying to force it to remain steady.
Though, Jed was dancing and jumping in his mind. He can't remove the awesome feeling when his star soul is better than his brothers and sisters.
He already imagined what they will say to him if they saw his star soul.
'Wow, Brother Jed! That star soul is super cool, I want to have one like yours!', The imaginary Luke in his mind.
'Wow, Jed. You look super handsome suddenly, can I invite you have some tea in my house? I will surely tell father not to hurt you anymore'. Jed thought what will Mir say to him but, deep down, he didn't believed it will happen.
'Ha! Of course! Do you know why my star soul became super cool because I'm the son of the heavens?!'.
Somehow, his imaginary self was more handsome in his mind.
Jed's tears flooded down on his face while he imagined what might happened in a few minutes.
Mir looked at him with disgust in her face.
'What is he thinking about?'
The ceremony goes on and the people seemed more excited about the next students that will awaken their star soul.
"Don't worry, Mir. Nothing wrong will happen to you because Daddy's here by your side."
Jed found the Second Elder beside Mir looking like a statue. The look in his eyes made Jed shiver as he found the Second Elder looking at his eyes.
"What's wrong, boy? You got cold sweat? Don't worry, it will be worse. Haha!"
The burly man with a beard mocked Jed as he laughed.
"Thanks, that didn't help at all, sir."
Jed thanked him for nothing but, he still have to show that he's grateful.
The Second Elder always punishes him whenever he sees Jed sleeping in their class.
Jed became used to the punishments of the Second Elder as his body grew stronger due to the continuous beatings he receives.
Even though Jed was always disciplined by the Second Elder, the bear looking man is the one Jed idolizes the most.
He's physically strong, he's battle instincts are the most heightened, and the Second Elder is the man that Jed looked up to as his father.
Jed was an orphan that the soldiers of the Sanctuary took care of in one of their camps.
The mother that he grew up with never treated him nicely. His mother is a succubus that the soldiers always used.
Jed never knew his father and every time he asks his mother about him, she will just shrug her shoulders and say:
"I don't really know, I got pregnant after me and my friends served a general and his men that night. I just let the pleasure get into my head and never looked at the face of those men screwing me."
His days as an orphan continued on, and finally found out the truth when he was four.
His mother was drunk that night and the castle in front of the camp their living in, seemed more chaotic in Jed's eyes.
"Mother let's get away from here. I have a feeling that something bad will happen if we stayed here."
Jed told his mother with worried eyes but, was flung away towards the outside of their tent.
"What do you even know? You're just a kid I picked up for myself to eat."
She drank at her bottle of booze again. Not minding the words the she said.
"What do you mean? You're not my mother?"
Jed looked at her with contempt while he watched her toss the bottle away and grabbed his cheeks.
"If it weren't for me, you would have starved to death in the middle ring when you were a baby. But, I decided to take you and feed you, until you become a man for me to eat."
She licked Jed's cheeks using her long tongue.
"Get away from me! You're not my mother! Give me my mother!"
The young Jed struggled but, he can't beat her strength.
"Yes, I'm not your mother! You didn't have a mother in the first place! You were left in the entrance of a ruin! And now I'm gonna end your suffering and let you meet your mother!"
She said with a cruel tone, she was going to feed his desires dry until he breaks.
'Someone, please! Help me!'
Jed pleaded for his life to be saved and when he opened his eyes, a big and strong knight slashed the head of the succubus on top of him.
He watched the head of the woman, that he knew was his mother, fall to ground then blood splattered in his face.
"Nasty! You okay, kid? Hey, Luce! Come over here! I don't know if he's a pureblood or a half-blood!"
The knight took off his helmet and wiped the blood off of it then called someone from a distance.
Jed looked at his face and saw a short yellow hair hiding the man's eyes, but what Jed remembered about him is his unique combination of goatee and well shaped beard.
"He's a pureblood kid. Though, I don't know what he's mixed with. But, don't worry, I'll take care of him."
Jed at the man who spoke but, didn't clearly saw him as his adrenaline gone down and became unconscious.
Then he found himself already inside the Sanctuary when he woke up. He was raised by the higher leveled soldiers that the queen trained personally.
Jed became proficient with different kinds of weapons but, his favorite weapon is the staff.
He likes it when he plays with his opponents that can't reach him and be counterattacked instead.
He met Earl and Feng first, and saw that they are the strongest kids next to him. He then meet Mizu and Mimi when their parents let them play with the boys.
Jed became a little jealous when he saw his playmates being fetched from the training yard.
But, he became happy when he thought about the soldiers that treated him like he is their son.
"You, what's your name?", the young Earl asked him
Jed only realized then that he never had a name. The soldiers always called him 'you' or 'kid', and sometimes the mean ones calls him 'squirt'.
"I- I don't have a name.", Jed's head is lowered when he answered Earl.
"Then, we will name you!", Feng stood up and put his fist on his chest.
"Yeah! Then, think of a name that says your the son of everyone!", Earl suggested.
"Isn't that a little exaggerated. Who will name him the son of everyone? And if everyone named him, wouldn't he have a very long name?", Mimi said while leaning on Earl's fat shoulders.
"Hmm. My mom just taught me how to read and the first book that I read is about a man being a son of a god. Maybe that will fit him.", Feng pondered while pinching his chins.
"Wow! Awesome, brother monkey is a son of a god?", Mizu added in when heard their conversation, she's playing with Luke who is new to the training yard that time.
"Who's a monkey?! I'm not a monkey, Mizu!", Jed, who is still nameless at that time, can't accept to be called monkey.
"Then I will give you the same name as the man in the book that I read. 'Jebediah', that's your name.", Feng named him after a book, but Jed was still happy.
"Nice to meetcha, Jebediah!", Mimi giggled after she called his name.
"Hmm, it's too long for me so, I'm gonna call Jed. Jebediah is your full name.", Earl shrugged his shoulders and looked at Jed with his narrow eyes.
Jed begone to tear up after that and caused panic at the training yard but, they knew he was happy because, he was finally named.
Three years passed by and Jed became the strongest kid in the training yard. Luke also calls them all brother and sister now like a family.
But, occasionally, some girl with a ferocious demeanor will come at that time and beat him up.
'I can't have my position of the strongest be diminished! I will confront her in her own turf. So that, even if I was defeated, I can still say that she had the advantage of battling inside their turf!'
Jed bravely ran through the village and find the house of the yellow haired girl that always beated him barehanded.
Finally, Jed found himself standing at a big wooden door with a carved sign saying 'Second Elder' in it.
He knocked at using his staff loudly.
"Ah! Who is it?! Who was so rude knocking loudly by the door in the morni-", the voice of the Second Elder rang behind the door but was interrupted.
"I challenge you to a duel!", Jed said loudly but, instead found a bear looking man staring confusedly at him.
"Huh?", They both said in synch.
The two stared at each other before Mir's voice broke the silence.
"Daddy, where's that noise came from? Oh..."
Mir noticed Jed looking at his dad with an amazed face.
"Hey kid, what's wrong with you?"
Second Elder snapped his fingers twice next to Jed's face, hoping it will wake turn him back to normal.
"T-thank you... Thank you for saving me back then, sir. You're my savior!"
Jed deeply bowed to thank the Second Elder while crying.
That made Second Elder more confused, he can't remember where he met this kid before.
'Come on, Hector! Where's that brain of yours? Can't even remember a child you saved?!'
Second Elder thought to himself. Then, a few moments later, he finally remembered him.
"Are you that kids from the inner ring castle two years ago?"
The Second Elder's eyes thoroughly inspected Jed, who is currently bowing, while scratching his beard.
"Yes, sir! You finally realized it!"
Jed quickly straightened, he copied the movements of the soldiers that he memorized for living in their camps.
"Hoho! What a good kid! So, what's your reason for being here?"
The Second Elder happily put his hands around his waist.
"Please, make me you're disciple! I'll do anything you make me do! Just teach me how to be strong!"
Jed bowed again even more deeply.
"What's your name, kid?"
"Jebediah, sir! But, my friends call me Jed!"
"Um! Good name! Come inside then, after we eat a meal together, I'll take you in!"
The Second Elder patted Jed's shoulders after they exchanged talk.
The three of them ate together and later the Second Elder accepted Jed as his disciple even though Mir was a little worried about it.
Her father and martial brother resembled each other in the aspects of using their minds.
But, the most terrifying thing about them being together was their overwhelming instincts in battle and dedication to become stronger.
During that short span of two years, the master and disciple got closer with each other.
They trained everyday at the Second Elder's house, not minding Mir and always shouting loudly.
Later, when Mir can't take it anymore, she also joined them in training.
Jed found a good sister and a sparring partner after becoming a disciple of his savior.
He is thankful to them even to this moment of his life that will make him even stronger than anyone else.
Jed can finally achieve the dream of his life after this, and that is to have a harem for himself!
"Now, we will proceed to the next batch of our best students the Sanctuary produced!
The Second Elder's voice boomed again when he climbed the stage to announce the next batch of names of the best students that will awaken their star souls.
"Midea Astrape Rain! Come up on the stage."
Jed watched Mimi climbed the stage while humming happily as soon as she heard her name. Her stepfather, the Fifth Elder, watched her climb while clapping his hands beside his wife.
He thought Mimi's just distracting herself to get relaxed. Nonetheless, it worked and Mimi bowed to the royal family.
"I greet the queen and the little prince."
Her voice was mixed with nervousness as she greeted them. Jed guessed right and chuckled a little by what he heard.
"I expect great results from you, Mimi. Not as an aunt but, as your queen. I guess you're mother told you about their duties. Protecting the royal family will be your duty after this."
The queen opened her palms and released gracia towards Mimi. Then purple and black lightning surrounded her body.
The lightning produced by Mimi's gracia lit the stage brightly with purple hue. Jed just covered his eyes still watched the ceremony and saw that Luke was also watching how it works from up close.
'I wonder how bright it is up close when you see purple and black lightning snakes dance in the air. Though, I know the queen will protect him."
Jed wondered while keeping his eyes on Mimi's body. He saw her being stricken by streaks of uncontrollable lightning but, she didn't even budge.
It was like Mimi is immune to them, and lifted her hands open, like she was going to catch something.
Then, a core and a soul mark appeared above her head. She controlled the violent streaks of lightning around her and compressed it in her hands.
The compressed lightning then formed like a sword but with thin blade and a sharp pointed tip. Seconds later, Mimi raised her formed weapon and looked at it thoroughly.
The rapier's handle fitted Mimi's right hand perfectly. The intricate lightning lines in the blade naked it more cooler in the eyes.
She swung it a few times in the air, showing that it's really light but, a deadly weapon soul.
"What's your soul's name?"
The Second Elder asked while leaning. This is the first time he saw a rapier as a weapon soul.
"Tribulation...", Mimi answered, never looking away at her weapon soul.
"Midea Astrape Rain! Innate star power, [Level 10]! Weapon soul, [Tribulation]!"
The Second Elder loudly announced but, the audience kept silent. They never knew that a pure demon had awakened a weapon soul.
Usually, demon children with high bloodline level will awaken a beast type star soul. It's completely rare if they awaken a weapon soul comparable to their high bloodline level.
The demon's bloodline level indicates the purity of your blood who had your ancestors' or families powers.
The royal family of the demons are descendants of the demon god that ascended after reaching [Level 100]. And that demon god was the only one that ever ascended from the history of their race.
The other demons can change their bloodline by consuming the blood of someone that had purer blood of the ancestral demon.
Though, this process is an intolerable taboo that can make the consumer suffer severe pain while changing his bloodline.
The people in the Sanctuary had no problems about their bloodline purity because, they all have royal blood in them, even just a little.
That's how the queen made the lesser demons into high demons. She used her own blood to feed it to them and forcefully changed their bloodline.
Even Feng and Mizu have pure bloodline though, they are half human.
"The first one in ten thousand years! This child is a genius!"
Someone broke the silence and the others started to follow. Praises were thrown continually at Mimi while she hopped down then hugged her parents.
That made Jed's mood bitter. He had no parents after all, only a bunch of fathers at the camps and the Second Elder that treated him like he's his own son he never had.
"Congratulations, Mimi! You've become stronger now! Let's spar after this day. We will see who can win."
Jed approached Mimi, still beside her parents.
"Yeah, Jed. I will surely beat you up on that day."
Mimi answered his challenge with fiery determination.
She has a chance to beat Jed now that she has a powerful weapon soul. She never beaten Jed nor anyone of their classmates.
The only one who can match his strength is Earl that is purely on defense and solemnly attacks his opponents.
Earl can wrestle though, that's his way of attacking. He uses his body as a shield but, if he grabs your arm, he will never let go.
"Don't be so excited about beating each other, guys. Because I'm the one who will beat you all!"
They turned where the voice came from and saw Mir standing on the stairs.
She is the next student that will awaken her star soul but, Jed and Mimi wasn't aware that her name was called because they talking with each other.
Mir climbed up to the stage excitedly while her father watched approached the royal family and bowed.
"Good child... Are you ready, Mir?."
The queen again gathered gracia on the tip of her finger.
"Yes, your majesty."
Mir stood up straight and relaxed herself.
The queen flicked the ball of gracia on her finger to the direction of Mir. But, ball's speed was nothing like the others and hit Mir, and stumbled because of the force.
The Second Elder helped her get up but, Mir didn't try to move. The ball of gracia the queen flicked at her had hit her chest, making the condensed gracia directly flow into the heart.
The queen planned meticulously for this ceremony. She had planned where and how to hit them with condensed gracia to forcefully awaken their star soul.
The targeted body parts she hit are the biggest veins where gracia flows and she did it in Mir's heart to make her blood flow with gracia more rapidly to improve their circulation.
Mir's blood circulated rapidly throughout her body in a heartbeat. And a few moments later, a mark had appeared above her, showing a lion stepping on a stone with pride and power.
The Second Elder approached her then instinctively felt a dangerous presence staring at him. He lowered himself and stayed crouched but, saw Mir staring at him with feline eyes.
The Second Elder then realized that it was Mir who gave off that dangerous feeling and tried to hug her but, was met with Mir's hands.
'Ah, a soft touch of my daughter's hand, this is heaven. Huh? Why's is it getting hotter?'
The Second Elder then move away from Mir's hands and saw her daughter smirking at the sight of him. There's a hand-sized mark on his face.
Then Mir stood up to manipulate her gracia, then a core appeared above her, her beast mark was still there.
She radiated a golden aura and then, a huge ethereal body of a golden lion came out. It circled around her, and when it saw her father, it let out a loud roar at his face.
After it roared, it came back inside Mir's body with the beast mark. She turned back to normal and turned towards her father.
"Golden Lion King...", she said to her father that stared blankly at her.
"Let me do it instead, Sister Mir."
Luke stood up on his chair and walked in front of the stage and cleared his throat.
"Maybe I could've announced the beast soul of Sister Mimi too but, I apologize for the delay. I will be the one who will announce from now on."
"Yumira Danielle Velfort! Innate star power..."
"Uhm, how much is it, Mom?"
He looked at his back and whispered to his mother.
"[Level 13]...", The queen whispered back.
"Thanks... Ahem! Innate star power, [Level 13]! Beast soul, [Golden Lion King]!", Luke continued.
Mir got the same loud cheers that came from the crowd.
"Now, let's go to the next one! He is strong, he is generous, and he is big! He is my big brother who always gives me a loaf of bread even though we are in a lesson!"
"He is Earl Adramel Morrighan!", Luke proudly announced.
Earl then climbed up the stairs without getting nervous. He bowed in front of the queen and Luke.
"I greet the queen and the prince.", Earl said, his head lowered.
"How's your mother? I haven't seen her for a while.", the asked Earl with a sad tone.
"My mom's doing fine.", Earl quickly answered with a straight, not showing his emotions behind his narrow eyes.
"Okay, I am happy that she's fine. Well, good luck, child."
The immediately created a ball of gracia in her palm. This time, it's bigger and seemed to be more condensed than the previously created balls of gracia.
"I'm giving you a chance to prove yourself, nephew. But, will you take it?", the gracia in the hand of the queen crackled a little as she lifted her smooth white leg to pit it above her other leg.
"I'm willing, your majesty!", Earl's short ash brown hair fluttered as he resisted the pressure that's pushing him.
"Very good!"
The queen threw the big ball of gracia to Earl and watched it fall to her nephew's hands. The ball of gracia seemed to be looking like an apple when it Earl's hands.
'I hope we're even now, Eve.', The queen thought while reminiscing the image of her younger sister with her long silver-blonde hair smiling at her.
Jed took a gulp to what he's seeing now in the stage.
'What in the hell did that gracia came from?! It's so condensed that I can feel the pressure from here.', he thought while leaning forward to see more clearly.
The condensed gracia made the stage a little bright but, when Earl tried to absorb it, the ball of gracia exploded and shone even more brightly.
The light covered Earl's whole body then turned it's hue from white light, into a turquoise color. It looked like a shining gem, enveloping Earl's body.
Moment later, the sound of Earl's screams rang into the stage. Even the audience heard it. He was suffering in there and the Second Elder couldn't take it anymore and tried to break him out of his shining she'll made of gracia.
"Hold on a little, Earl! I'm going to get you out of there!", the Second Elder climbed up the stage but was blocked by the queen's guards.
"Hela! Get out of my way! My student is suffering in there!"
He shouted in irritation. The awakening of his students is getting more and more dangerous the more talented they are.
"He is a part of the royal family, him suffering in his awakening is a given. The heaven is not fair to those who can oppose it."
Hela, Hestia's mother, shot back to the Second Elder.
The more time they waste, the longer that Earl will suffer. The Second Elder tried to break lose from the guards but, the First Elder tapped him in his shoulders.
"Hector, don't resist. It's for Earl's sake, I know that you're worried but, he's also my student. We both care for them all.", the First Elder said, trying to convince the Second Elder.
They both calmed down and they watched how the torqouise shell be consumed by something inside it.
Then, they saw Earl sitting cross legged with a beast mark on his head. The beast mark matched the creature that was eating the remaining part of the shell they were covered with.
His beast soul is small but, the amount of smoke coming out of its ethereal body tells that it's super strong.
It has a body of a tortoise with it's black shell and a snake is wrapped around it's small body.
Both the creature's heads looked around the stage and when they found their master beside them, the black tortoise disappeared inside Earl's body together with the beast mark.
Coming out of his meditation, Earl opened his eyes and stood up. He looked at everyone on the stage and scratched his head.
"Sorry, I made you all worry."
His apologetic smile made his eyes more unnoticeable.
"What's it's name, Brother Earl?", Luke whispered behind him.
"Black Tundra Tortoise..."
Earl answered him and noticed that Luke is pointing something at his skin.
"What is that?", Earl curiously asked.
"Oh, this... It's a toy Mom gave me. She said it can tell your level and show the result as the number of stars in this sphere."
Luke then counted the number of stars in the sphere and saw fourteen stars inside, that means Earl's innate star power is [Level 14].
"Earl Adramel Morrighan! Innate star power, [ Level 14]! Beast soul, [Black Tundra Tortoise]!"
The crowd cheered again as the record of the highest innate star power is broken once more. They cheered for Earl as he climbed down the stairs and was met with Jed smiling at him.
Earl also smiled back but, Jed felt that there was some mockery under Earl's narrow eyes even though he can't see them.
'Ah! I'm so jealous, damn it! Is my dream of creating a harem gonna be taken by Earl instead?!'
Jed thought in irritation while holding his head and squirming in his mind.
'But... it's finally my turn! And if I fail to have a better or even equal innate star power with Earl, my dream won't come true anymore!', he added while squirming in his mind even more.
"Now, it's finally my strongest big brother's turn! Are you everyone! He said he killed a lamb in one punch when he's five, killed a cow with one kick when he's seven, but is that all he can do?! Let's find out and see in the man himself, here comes my strongest brother! The self-proclaimed herooo, JEBEDIAH!!"
Luke proudly announced the name of the last person that will awaken a star soul proudly. Luke is the closest with Jed when they were training together.
Jed then walked towards the stage with a masculine look on his face. He even waved a hand at the audience, estate the girls.
"Muah! Thank you!"
When he walked in front of the queen and Luke, he simply bowed and greeted them.
"I greet the queen and the prince.", he said
"Then, we will start immediately. Let's finish this...", the queen said while gripping her right hand.
The gracia quickly gathered around the closed fist of the queen and when she opened it, Jed saw a golden flame flickering in her hands.
'Is that the heavenly flames that will bless me to become a great hero of the world? I can't wait to be hit by that, oh, my generous queen!', Jed thought excitedly as the golden flames reflected in his blue eyes.
The queen blew the golden flames towards Jed and he was quickly incinerated by the heat.
Jed screamed in agonizing pain he is feeling. The golden flames is searing hot and Jed couldn't resist it's heat, they even went inside Jed's mouth, eyes, and ears.
But, the thing that Jed was most curious of is, why is he still alive? The golden flames are inside his body now, he can his organs burning and black smoke came out of Jed's mouth and nose.
He was being incinerated alive!
But then, Jed felt better and the golden flames were seeped inside his skin. Then, a core came out of his body, there was golden smoke coming out of it. Now, he felt it!
'It's coming! My star soul is coming out!'
Jed thought while quickly sitting in a cross-legged position to concentrate. Not even ten second passed when Jed's gracia became wild inside his body.
It's like there's a war happening inside him but, he brushed that feeling off and instinctively laid his hands out.
His weapon soul was formed using the golden flames coming out of his flesh and bones.
There was a calming sensation in his mind, it was like a feeling that never felt before, it is warm. Like a hug of a mother, gently caressing his whole back.
Jed then opened his hands and saw his weapon. It was long and flexible, imbroidered with carvings of dragons roaring. The color of both tips are black with red lines that looked aligned stars in the night sky and the embroidered middle was gold.
"It's a staff?!"
Jebediah questioned himself out loud with disappointment.