Shing!
Seth's surroundings transformed as the teleportation ring activated.
"Two minutes..." Seth thought, looking at the colossal digital clock adorning the side of a skyscraper, marking 7:58 am. He quickened his pace.
Seth slowed down as he got to a big gate. Above it, the name "Hyperion Academy" could be read. This was Seth's school, the third-ranked academy in Sunrise City and among the top 25 academies worldwide.
[Accessing data...]
[Public knowledge information: Creation of the Academy Ranking System]
[The appearance of espers opened a new chapter in humanity's quest for power. These individuals possessed Abilities that posed a threat to society, as evidenced by Humankind's Eclipse era. Crime, one of the first challenges the HSA faced since its foundation, took on a whole new dimension due to the power of espers. To combat this, HSA operators had to be more powerful. However, that alone wouldn't solve the problem. Espers needed guidance and education to ensure they used their abilities for the advancement of society. Separate classes were established for espers and non-espers, both of them covering conventional subjects as well as espers' ability-related topics. Esper-exclusive classes included practical lessons on controlling, using, and advancing their abilities. Education witnessed a monumental leap forward, as understanding esper abilities required a level of education on par with senior university students.
Moreover, education became universally free and mandatory, with assistance provided to those in need during the early stages when poverty still lingered. This ensured equal access to education for everyone. The HSA also created various new job opportunities that harnessed the abilities of espers. Over the years, this approach led to a dramatic decline in the crime rate.
As the importance of espers' power grew, a new ranking system for academies became necessary. Academic performance alone could no longer measure an academy's proficiency. The official ranking now takes into account an academy's ability to produce not only academically accomplished students but also powerful espers who contribute meaningfully to society. This is evaluated based on the percentage of non-esper students successfully entering prestigious universities and the percentage of espers securing high-ranking positions within the HSA.]
[End of the record]
Ring! Ring! Ring!
The bell rang as Seth stepped into the classroom.
"Good morning, Mr. Parker," he greeted his teacher.
"Good morning. Looks like you made it just in time. Take a seat," Mr. Parker replied, glancing at his watch. "Now, class, please turn to page 256 in your books. Today, we'll quickly review general relativity for the upcoming exam."
"Hey, are you okay, dude? You seem tired," a red-haired boy seated beside Seth whispered.
"Yeah, just had a bad dream. Don't worry," Seth assured him.
******
Ring! Ring! Ring!
After two hours, the bell rang, indicating the end of the first class. The students started packing their things and made their way to the next class.
"Man, I swear, relativistic physics is way too boring," complained the red-haired boy, stretching in his chair. "I almost fell asleep during the second half."
"Jake, you do realize I can hear you, right?" Mr. Parker interjected from the front of the class.
Jake stiffened in his chair.
"Of course, sir. I was merely expressing disbelief that anyone could say such things about your class," Jake quickly responded, flashing a nervous smile at Mr. Parker. Seth couldn't help but chuckle from the side.
Once they had gathered their belongings, Jake and Seth exited the classroom, heading towards the academy's gym.
"Mr. Parker's sound-related ability is just unfair. We can't complain when he's in the same room," Jake said, walking alongside Seth. Suddenly, his face went pale. "You don't think he can hear everything in school do you, Seth?"
"Hmm, I'm not sure. He is a manipulation stage esper ability, so his range shouldn't extend across the entire academy. However, he should be able to hear everything within the same building if he really wants to," Seth guessed.
"Oh, man, I hope he wasn't nearby when I said some things," Jake said with a worried expression and a nervous laugh. "Anyway, what kind of dream did you have? You look like you didn't get any sleep at all."
"I dreamt about that night. It's strange because I hadn't dreamt about it in a long time. But this time, it felt... different," Seth recounted.
"Wanna talk about it?"
"It's just... at one point, it felt like I had my ability, and my father was saying something to me. I know it's impossible since I haven't awakened my ability yet, but it felt so real," Seth shared, trying to recall the sensations from his dream.
"That's weird," Jake said thoughtfully. "Do you remember what kind of ability you had in the dream?"
"I'm not sure. I remember seeing lightning bolts, but I think that was the ability my father had. So I'm not sure if the lightning bolts were mine or his. And then I woke up," Seth explained.
"Okay, let's try something. Try to activate your ability," Jake suggested.
"What? Are you serious?"
"Maybe you had a subtle and quiet ability awakening in your sleep."
"But..."
"Just give it a shot."
"Fine," Seth reluctantly agreed, closing his eyes and focusing inward, attempting to recreate the sensations from his dream. After a minute, nothing happened, and Seth opened his eyes again. "Nothing. Now let's get going before we're late for combat class," Seth said, resuming his walk.
"For a moment, I got my hopes up," Jake said as he walked alongside Seth.