"Number 10, compatibility with the role of 'Leader' 89%. Name is Jammes Lyzgak."
Jammes immediately moved up to the stage and stood there proudly.
"Number 9, compatibility with the role of 'Leader' 91%. Name is Lisa Aberman."
She did the same but had a grim expression.
"Number 8, compatibility with the role of 'Leader' 92%. Name is....."
"Number 7, compatibility with the role of 'Leader' 94%. Name is....."
"Number 6, compatibility with the role of 'Leader' 94%. Name is....."
All the others had either a serious expression or were just wearing an arrogant smile.
"Number 5, compatibility with the role of 'Leader' 95%. Name is Kal Blasor."
Kal was surprised, like all of his friends; they couldn't believe he was chosen. But they were happy since that meant one of their friends would have potential influence and powers within this forsaken game.
"No way, I've been chosen! Haha, I guess it's fate, guys!" Said Kal.
Arthur and Benjamin laughed upon hearing his words. But Aiden kept silent.
The god, on his side, continued with the recitation of the chosen's list.
"Number 4, compatibility with the role of 'Leader' 97%. Name is Bryan Letton."
"Number 3, compatibility with the role of 'Leader' 98%. Name is Clark Yugilson."
"Number 2, compatibility with the role of 'Leader' 99%. Name is Aiden Glain."
"What? No way, Aiden, we're together! HAHA!" Said loudly Kal with an excited tone.
"Whoa, never expected you to have such a rating, Aiden; well, congrats, bro," said Benjamin.
"I'm impressed, man; I always knew you had the makings of a great leader, hahaha," laughed Arthur.
"Thanks guys, I'm going now," answered simply Aiden.
"Number 1, compatibility with the role of 'Leader' 99%. Name is Wilson Ygnir."
As loud cheers rang out in front of the school entrance, all the girls yelled in excitement upon hearing this name, and many males were cheering the man up too. He was the most famous student in the whole school by far.
"Haha, chill everyone. Thank you though. I appreciate your welcome. I'll make sure to do my role properly as a leader," said Wilson in a charismatic voice.
"As expected, he is different compared to all the other loser candidates; look at this charisma and confidence. He is the only one who took the opportunity to speak like that to his audiences," spoke an arrogant girl with an admiring tone.
"Yeah, he can't be compared to any of the others," said another one.
"Girls... Why are you so fired up by this man coming up on stage when we just learned a few minutes ago that our parents all vanished... seriously, this game or whatever this is, doesn't it scare you?" Said a shy 16-year-old girl to the group of girls that were praising Wilson.
"Why should we fear? We have already been informed of our situation and tasked with missions to complete to see them again. What else do you want?" answered one of her friends.
As expected, not everyone had been fully accommodated to the situation...
"Now before I depart, I must ask of the 10 representatives here who are Leader candidates for this region to perform a speech, be it short or long. You just have to convince your audiences to join your faction. In 3 months, the faction with the most members will officially become a kingdom, and its leader will become a king."
"I will come back 3 months from now on for the first Well of Ascension ceremony; during this time all candidates must seek allies and followers and start to build their respective empires. You can pick any place in your region to build your future kingdom. Do not forget to train and grow stronger, all of you. It doesn't matter if you are a leader or just a follower; you must all seek strength."
"I will leave now. I hope I will see decent progress upon my return. Mortals, do not disappoint me."
The man had disappeared right after threatening us, leaving us stunned. It was too sudden, and the information we received was scant. The adults, those deemed qualified to manage societal order, were gone. We had no idea how or where to start, nor what to do or how to do it. How could such a horrendous task be accomplished by teenagers alone? One thing was sure though: we would have to rebuild a new society within the boundaries of this "new world's" standards.
Our world, now devoid of 99% of its former technological advancement, was left with a radiating aura in the air, a way to progress to a new state of humanity. We might not have known how or what to do at the moment, but one thing was sure: we had no choice but to work our asses off if we wanted to live. No, perhaps ''live'' is too kind of a word to describe our situation, survive would be more suited.
We didn't know if there would be monsters to fend off in this new magical world; hell, we had no clues about which region to go to or even how to improve our strength before the selection. Yet it didn't matter at all at the moment. The only thing that we could do now was adapt and learn; after all, this is the human's greatest trait of capabilities, adaptability. A few minutes after ''God'' left, things started to move along. Leader Candidate number 1 raised his voice to express his opinion on what we should do at the moment.
''Hey everyone, since we are tasked to give you all a short speech, I believe we should go in order from candidate 10 to me so there is an order and we don't mess up things or waste time.''
As everyone began listening to the charismatic man on the stage with respect, he immediately added this.
''Let's all try our best, my future colleagues, to sell ourselves to the people present here, as we shall decide who will be the true leader of the northern region of America.''
The fact that Wilson had taken the lead like that indicated just how good of a leader he already could be. No fear to speak up, but rather the willingness to do so with enthusiasm. With great charisma and credibility to show off, it was as if he was sure to be selected as the leader. A round of applause rang as a result of those few words; now the game had truly started.
''Oh well, hello, my name is Jammes Lyzgak for probably everyone here since nobody knows me,'' said the first candidate humorously, which got the laughter of many.
''I have no idea what truly is going on right now or even if I am really supposed to try to fight for the position of leader, but one thing is sure: I'll accept anyone as long as you are loyal and trustworthy. I firmly believe that friendship is the most important thing of all, so I won't treat anyone as a lesser being if you decide to join me. That will be all.''
A mid-length speech that surely impressed the crowd since they all thought the guy would stutter or just say a few words, perhaps even spout nonsense. Instead, the guy turned out to be quite charismatic and intelligent. The huge cluster of people hammered their hands onto one another as they congratulated the man for his successful speech.
After candidate number 10 made his speech, all the others followed, but till the fourth candidate, no one seemed to have done an impressive one. Some used touches of humor, some were serious but lacked honesty and brimmed with malevolence. Kal literally didn't care and just said those few words.
''I don't care about being a leader; I'm just cheering up for Aiden, so don't bother to join me. Join him instead''
Quite an arrogant statement that didn't get a positive response, groups of students began gossiping over Kal's speech and what he said about ''cheering up for Aiden''. It left half of them annoyed that Kal didn't take it seriously; even then, a lot of students were still fine with what he did since he had been way more honest and straightforward than all of the other candidates.
''Well, next up is Clark; you can go on whenever you want.'' Kal pressured him with discretion.
So Clark henceforth went on with his speech.
''Fellow, fellas, I truly believe that the differences between me and the two guys ranked higher than me for the position of leader aren't what should make you decide on your vote. Our heart always dictates before everything else. I have no logical arguments to rope you into my future empire; rather, I prefer to be honest and use what's strongest in humanity to convince you to join me, and that is the heart.''
He took a short pause to breathe and then continued.
"I know I have little to offer and much to promise, but I'll try my best, my hardest, until my last breath, to create a stable and healthy empire. If you stand by my side and make me your leader, you may discover that I am much more capable than what my school grades tend to show.''
Numerous small crowds of people laughed at Clark's joke, giving him a few seconds to stop and then pursue his speech.
''I have the mind and the heart to fight for progress, and I need brave and loyal companions by my side to accomplish my new dream: bringing back our parents, friends, and families who were all taken away from us. So, if you want to fight alongside me, then make me your leader.''
Everyone roared in admiration for the amazing speech; everyone clapped their hands; some even whistled in respect. It was clear that Clark was a dark horse. Wilson Ygnir was taken aback and looked at him with disdain as if he was afraid to lose his chance of becoming the leader. But the only one to remark this was Aiden; with his insanely good perceptive and deducing skills, he could see right through Wilson.
A few dozen seconds after the end of Clark's speech, it was time for Aiden to start...
''Wait up, sorry Aiden, could I go and talk before you? I just finished preparing my speech in my head, and I fear I might forget it if I speak last.'' Said Wilson aloud so that everyone could hear him.
''How could you forget your speech when everyone knows of your great memory? In fact, you'll have more time to revise it in your head as I talk.'' Aiden calmly responded, but with a high pitch of voice that could also be heard by many.
''Oh yeah, I know, but you see, that's... well, I know you are about to make an incredible speech, and a long one too! Hence, I'm afraid I'll be too engrossed in your speech to concentrate on my work. Hehe, I'm sorry, Aiden; if you don't want to, it's fine.'' Shot back Wilson.
'That's smart; not only is he hiddenly pressuring and forcing me to make a good speech or else I'll lose all credibility, but he's using humor and kind words to manipulate everyone here into thinking that he is right.' Thought Aiden.
''Then by all means, Wilson, please proceed before me. I'm sure your speech will be earth-shattering if you think my humble self will be able to deliver something 'incredible'' as you qualified.'' Said Aiden in a tone so cold that it froze Wilson's blood.
But the coldness of Aiden's voice could only be felt by Wilson; the others weren't able to perceive the glacial intent of Aiden's words.
"T-thanks, Aiden; I'll remember it."
Wilson then carried on with his duty and began his discourse.
''Hi everyone, students and young adults, and future followers.''
He paused for 2 seconds.
''First and foremost, I must express my gratitude for this opportunity to address you all. It is indeed a pivotal moment in our lives, one that demands our utmost attention and consideration.''
Wilson made sure to take a short pause between each main stanza of his speech.
''As we stand on the precipice of this new era, it is natural to feel a sense of uncertainty and apprehension. The disappearance of our loved ones, the upheaval of our world as we know it—these are challenges that none of us could have foreseen. But in the face of adversity, it is crucial that we remain steadfast and resolute.''
''I stand before you today not as a mere candidate for leadership but as a visionary, a harbinger for change. My vision for our future is one of unity, strength, and prosperity. Together, we have the opportunity to rebuild our society from the ground up, to forge a new path forward guided by wisdom and determination.''
''But let me be clear: leadership is not a privilege to be taken lightly. It is a responsibility, a burden that weighs heavily on the shoulders of those who dare to shoulder it. And I assure you, my friends, that I am more than prepared to bear that burden.''
''You may wonder why you should place your trust in me and why you should choose me as your leader. Allow me to address those concerns directly. Yes, I may lack the polished credentials of some of my peers. But what I lack in pedigree, I more than make up for in passion, dedication, and sheer force of will.''
''I understand that actions speak louder than words, and I pledge to lead by example. I will not ask anything of you that I am not willing to do myself. Together, we will face the trials and tribulations that lie ahead with courage and determination.''
''However, let us not forget the importance of strategy and cunning in the pursuit of our goals. We must be shrewd, calculating, and willing to make the hard choices when necessary. And rest assured, my friends, that I possess the intelligence and acumen to navigate the treacherous waters that lie ahead.''
''In conclusion, I humbly ask for your support, your trust, and your faith in me as we embark on this journey together. Together, we shall overcome adversity, defy the odds, and emerge victorious. Together, we will build a brighter future for ourselves and for generations to come!''
''Thank you in advance, everyone. ''
Those last 5 words were said in a much colder way to make the audience feel trust towards Wilson; him taking such a serious stance at the end shows his resolve and maturity further.
The whole place started shaking from the sheer force of hands being clapped continuously with earth-shattering power like Aiden had predicted. All the other candidates also clapped, as they were all left speechless by Wilson's discourse and had seemingly forgotten about the competition.
Only Aiden didn't clap; he did for all the other speeches, but not this one. When Kal glanced at Aiden, he felt a knot in his stomach upon seeing his friend's ominous actions and directly stopped clapping. He trusted Aiden more than anyone else; if Aiden chose not to clap at such a moment, then he must have had reasons.
This time it took 2 minutes for the crowd to calm down and stop their rumbling. It was now Aiden's time to talk.