Zion confidently strode up the stage. After all, he had read the information on the internet.
His elven blood is weak, while his human blood is strong. On top of that he has exhibited the extremely obvious characteristic of "body does not get strong ", which is the prime characteristic of the mages. On top of that, he is one of the top scorers in magic theory, as well as magic sensitivity. Ofcourse, he was going to be a mage. Zion was sure of that.
Lights in the entire auditorium dimmed.
Sound faded away.
Zion gulped.
Then, he placed his hand on the awakening stone with all of his sincerity, and opened up himself for the brilliant awakening that awaited him.
A light flash went through the stone, one smaller than when Cerise was awakened.
" Awakening complete. "
" Student Zion. Please go to the status board. " the teacher informed him.
" Teacher, I don't think the awakening worked. Maybe I should try again ? " Zion asked.
" No. You are awakened. Check the status. " The teacher hissed at him. Zion was the last student, and after he is done, they will leave work for the day.
Zion walked to the status station, placed his hand on it in a daze.
Name : Zion Sheng
Level 0
Growth requirement ( S )
_____
Dungeon Baby
The auditorium broke down into whispers.
Zion stood frozen in position.
' Level 0 ' A lightning arrow struck straight in his chest.
As he was falling down, a small pebble showed up in the sky.
' (S) level growth requirement ' the words got inscribed on the pebble as it grew in to a boulder.
' ( S ) level … ' the words shrank as the boulder grew into a mountain.
The boulder descended from the sky with all the force of a meteor and fell straight on the fallen Zion, crushing him to nothing.
" Now, please proceed to the specific arrangements for guild stations, and personal arrangements made by families, as shown in the list. Please proceed in a disciplined manner, do not push one another. Thank you all for attending one hundred and seventy fourth awakening ceremonies of Red Lion city public hunter school. " The teacher announced, closing the ceremony.
Zion's eyes first fell on Cerise after his level was announced. He thought he would see mockery, but all he saw was relief. It irked him all the more. Cerise was called an Ice queen, yet she had so many admirers. This was because she was very righteous in her actions. It's one reason he could not hate her straight out despite her biased views against Orphans, puppies and other races. She was fair to all.
The second person he looked at was Leste. He watched as Leste's eyes full of anticipation lost their luster. Then her eyes took on the familiar calculative look that he has seen so many times on the faces of his family.
' What ?! ' for a moment his brain did not process it.
Did his ever so cute, and ever so kind girlfriend just plan for her own future in front of his own eyes ? …. ' No, I have seen something wrong. She must be disappointed because she has no family support, and so many of my classmates have it. That is it. I can not project my misery on others. Leste is the last bastion of purity in the world. She would never throw me away like my family. " Zion thought.
When he thought of family, his eyes turned to his family station, and the butler who came with the skill stones to be absorbed after the awakening.
The butler was turning away from him, with all the skills in his hand.
Zion did not have time to think about Leste.
He rushed to his family's butler.
" Uncle Wang ! Where are you going ? " he asked, holding the arm of the butler.
" Young master ! " The butler greeted politely, but the subtle disdain in the words could not be hidden from Zion.
" Master has ordered us to return. The skills you will receive will be determined after returning. " he informed Zion.
Zion had a premonition.
This is not a good thing.
Yet, he had no choice but to go. After all, he was but a teen with not a single penny to his name. All awakeners are considered adults from the moment they awaken. Does that mean they could begin taking care of themselves from the get go ? Not at all.
So, he must go, despite his intuition screaming ' This is a trap '.
Like a little rat, even if he knows the cheese is inside a trap, he must make an effort to eat that cheese ! If he does not, he will die today.
Thus, Zion returned to the mansion.
The same grand hall with its chessboard style marble flooring. The grand chandelier was lit with a thousand lights, despite being day time. The shimmering diamonds on the edge of glass chandeliers.. The ivory windows that reflected sunlight like this is a hall of heroes… the champagne and plum curtains that screamed understated luxury ! the crystal studded white leather sofas, made with white elephant skin.. The gently curved spine of these sofas is made out of green dragon bone, just so it can maintain perfect room temperature and heal the fatigue ! The fluffy carpet that is made entirely of sable fur !
The entire grand hall is just as grand and screaming of wealth as it ever was.
Despite this, they do not have enough heart and grace to extend a little love and support to someone of their own blood.
Just how hard are their hearts ?
His grandfather was nowhere to be seen.
Zion stood in front of his grandmother. He was not even given a seat. Even without looking, he knows his cousins are looking over from the second floor.
" Tch.. tch.. Tch… As useless as ever. There is no need for you to head out and show your face. Our Sheng clan can not bear this sort of embarrassment. From now on, you will stay home obediently. In two days, a teacher will arrive to teach you. " His grandmother said carelessly.
" Teach what ? " Zion asked, frowning.
He came back knowing that he would be thrown away. What is this teacher for ?
At this time, whispers reached him from the second floor.
' What's the teacher for, he asks … kekekeke.. ! ' one cousin laughed mockingly.
' Does he really not know or is trying to play it naive… ? ' another giggled.
' hmm… I bet I can double my business with him in the window… Why can't the old man give him to me .. ' Yet another grumbled.
A weird picture slowly started to emerge in Zion's head. He had been almost unaware of the world till the time he was thirteen. All he studied was math, weaponry, swordsmanship, and the world beyond gates.
He did not have any idea about things in the normal world at all. So much so, when he entered the public school, everyone thought he was some kind of alien. That's how ignorant he was.
Since then, he has learned about the world.
In this world, males have always been in short supply. When the gates initially opened, the hunters were exponentially male. Many of them without children of their own. Soon, a population crisis occurred, and the rules of marriage changed. It is between a hunter and wife, or a man and wife. A hunter can marry any number of wives. Gay marriage is totally allowed, but for men, they must make annual donations to gene bank, and for women, they need to produce at least three children as long as they are physically able.
The key point here is that female hunters can marry multiple husbands. Most do.
Is the Sheng clan trying to sell him off as a boytoy ?
Zion's anger burned from the bottom of his heart. Yet, there's nothing he could do.
He needs to escape - but he can not overcome the guards on either side of the entrance, much less all the guards guarding the estate. Zion moved wordlessly towards his chamber, which is located right besides the servants, unlike the other scions of the house.
His cousins, who were expecting a show, were extremely disappointed.
Zion looked up at them, his eyes full of mocking.
Then he walked away from the twittering crowd, disdain radiating off all of his actions.
" That basta*d ! He is doing this knowingly, isn't he ? " Vernon Sheng hissed from the top of the staircase.
Vernon is the ugliest of his cousins. He hated Zion most out of all his cousins.
" That cheeky little puppy ! If I do not teach him a lesson about reality today, my name will not be Sheng ! " Vernon cursed as he looked at Zion, who was leisurely striding into his room.
He angrily looked into his phone, calling a number.
" That bitch ! What did she awaken as ? " He asked the other party.
His eyes widened in surprise at the information.
" Oh ! really ? This is getting even more interesting. Tell you what ! Tell that bitch she has an invite for tonight at Sheng mansion. " Vernon smiled in to the phone.
' Zion, you little bastard ! you want to play it cool, Ha ! Let us see how well you will keep your cool after I pull curtains on your life. ' Vernon angrily thought, as he looked at Zion's vanishing figure.