Lu Fan stepped into the large classroom, his heart pounding in his chest. The room was filled with other first-year students, all of them buzzing with excitement and nervous energy. The air was thick with anticipation—today was the Talent Awakening Ceremony, the day they would each discover their unique abilities as beast tamers.
Lu Fan found a seat near the back, trying to keep a low profile. He was still getting used to the idea that he was no longer just an ordinary person but a student at the prestigious Azure Sky Academy. The thought was both thrilling and terrifying.
The teacher, a stern-looking man with graying hair and sharp eyes, entered the room. He carried an air of authority that immediately silenced the chatter among the students.
"Welcome to your first day at Azure Sky Academy," the teacher began, his voice firm. "Today, we will be conducting the Talent Awakening Ceremony. This is a crucial moment in your journey as beast tamers, as it will reveal your innate abilities and allow you to open your Beast Space, the place where your spirit beasts will reside."
Lu Fan swallowed hard, his hands trembling slightly. He had no idea what kind of ability he would awaken—if he even awakened one at all. The original Lu Fan in this world hadn't seemed particularly exceptional, so his expectations were low.
One by one, the students were called to the front of the room. Each of them placed their hands on a crystal orb that sat on a pedestal, and with a flash of light, their Beast Space was opened, and their talent was revealed.
"Li Wei," the teacher called out.
A tall, confident-looking student stepped forward and placed his hand on the orb. The crystal glowed a bright blue, and a moment later, the information appeared on a screen above the teacher.
[Li Wei: Beast Space Opened]
Talent: Wind Manipulation (C Grade)
The class murmured in approval. C-grade talents were solid, a good starting point for any aspiring beast tamer.
"Not bad, Li Wei," the teacher said with a nod. "With proper training, you could develop that into something formidable."
The ceremony continued, with each student awakening their talent. Most were in the C or D grades, with a few unfortunate ones stuck with E-grade talents. Lu Fan watched as the students around him cheered for their classmates, the excitement building as the ceremony went on.
Finally, it was his turn.
"Lu Fan," the teacher called.
Taking a deep breath, Lu Fan walked up to the pedestal. His heart was racing as he placed his hand on the orb, feeling a strange warmth spreading through his body. The orb glowed a faint white, and a moment later, the screen above the teacher displayed his results.
[Lu Fan: Beast Space Opened]
Talent: Identification (E Grade)
A low murmur rippled through the classroom, and Lu Fan felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. E grade—just as he had feared. A talent for identification? It sounded utterly useless in a world where most tamers could sense their beasts' strengths and weaknesses without any special ability.
The teacher barely glanced at the screen before moving on. "Next, Wang Jian."
As Lu Fan stepped back, another student moved forward, eager to see what his talent would be. Wang Jian was a well-known prodigy, and there was a palpable tension in the air as he touched the orb. It erupted in a brilliant golden light, brighter than any of the others.
[Wang Jian: Beast Space Opened]
Talent: Beast Enhancement (B Grade)
The class erupted into applause, and the teacher's usually stern face broke into a rare smile. "Excellent, Wang Jian! A B-grade talent is a rare gift. With Beast Enhancement, you have the potential to become one of the strongest tamers in the academy. Well done!"
Wang Jian beamed with pride as his classmates congratulated him. Meanwhile, Lu Fan returned to his seat, his mind racing. He glanced at the screen displaying his own talent again, but the more he thought about it, the more something felt off.
After the ceremony, the students were instructed to register their talents in the academy's database. Lu Fan waited his turn, still mulling over the strange feeling he'd had earlier.
When it was his turn, he placed his hand on the scanning device, and his talent information appeared on the screen.
[Talent: Identification (E Grade)]
Lu Fan stared at the screen, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "This doesn't feel right," he thought. But there was no time to dwell on it as the line moved along quickly.
Later that evening, as he returned to his dorm room, Lu Fan couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was wrong. He decided to test his ability.
Sitting at his desk, he looked around for something to identify. His eyes landed on an old book, its cover worn and faded. He focused on the book, willing his talent to activate.
To his astonishment, a different screen appeared before him, one that only he could see.
[Identification: Extraordinary Grade]
Ability: Identify and Analyze any object, being, or concept. Capable of revealing hidden information and potential paths for evolution.
Lu Fan's heart skipped a beat. "Extraordinary grade? But why does the academy's system show it as E grade?"
He quickly began testing his ability on other objects in the room, and each time, the results were incredible. His talent wasn't just about basic identification—it was a powerful tool that could uncover secrets and potential that others would overlook.
But why was it hidden as an E grade? And why was it that only he could see its true power?
As the night wore on, Lu Fan knew he had to keep this a secret. There was something unusual about his talent, something that might be beyond even the academy's understanding. And while everyone else saw him as just another student with a low-grade talent, he now knew the truth.
His journey at Azure Sky Academy was going to be far more interesting—and far more dangerous—than he had ever imagined.