The auditorium of the player training camp was packed.
A large number of people had gathered for the trainees' awakening ceremony.
It was a mix of hopeful trainees eager to become players and guild scouts scouting for talent.
"Where are the chief and the second seat this time? It's very crowded."
"Over there. They're right next to each other."
"You're tall. It's nice to see, hey."
Among the trainees, the scouts' attention was focused on one side.
The men and women at the front of the auditorium.
To Alex Johnson and Priya Patel, who had achieved the best results so far.
"Alex Johnson took down a monster by himself. Is it true? Isn't he lying to promote himself in the guild?"
"I saw it firsthand. Goblins and orcs. He took them down without any help."
"Heh, big brother or little sister, I'm a me. It'd be nice to be in reverse."
Alex Johnson.
A key executive in the top Players Guild, and the younger sibling of Sarah Johnson, known as a saint.
His parents were Michael Johnson, a key executive of the Players Association.
"What about Priya Patel?"
"A promising player. Her practical skills and written scores are also top-notch. I've heard that many people are paying attention to her."
"It's said that she has an unexpected background."
Priya Patel.
The younger sibling of Raj Patel, the guild leader of the 2nd guild Nemesis.
Both lost their families to demons and were known for their deep hatred of them.
"Blood... Really, I should call it Thoroughbred."
"Because the hinterland is already paying attention."
These two were the hottest topics in the training camp.
As a result, others were not as interesting to the scouts.
The trainees looked at them with envy.
"Isn't this how we're treated like bridesmaids? They don't even notice us."
"It's only natural that we're at the top of the list. Will we catch their eye?"
"Oh, I'm going to get to know them in advance."
Their eyes were full of jealousy.
Ryan Carter, who saw it from the back row, clicked his tongue.
'If there is a protagonist in life...'
I'm guessing you're talking about the two of them.
Whether it is a novel or a cartoon, there is always a protagonist.
If such a protagonist exists in real life, it would be Alex Johnson and Priya Patel.
So what about the other trainees and Ryan Carter?
'Assistant role, no, about extras.'
Just passing extras.
When the main character does something, it's a role that admires while saying "oh-oh."
It was such an extra that readers would forget about it when they turned a page.
'The potential is low. It's like a real extra.'
It's not that I didn't try.
At the training camp, they called Ryan Carter a "poisonous species." They said that without talent, he bites like a poisonous bell.
'Can we make a contract with the background?'
Ryan Carter looked up at the ceiling.
There were all kinds of monsters and statues made in the form of men and women.
'Behind the scenes.'
The beings that appeared with the Abyss.
They choose players who will venture into the Abyss and share some of their powers.
Of course, they don't give it to just anyone.
Only those with potential can become players and contract with the mastermind.
'Potential to awaken the status window.'
Without it, they can't make a contract with the hinterland, and if they do, they can't stand their subordinates and die.
'What they want is high-potential players...'
High and low potential makes a lot of difference.
Differences in initial stats, grades of attributes that can be obtained, rate of increase in attribute mastery, etc.
In other words, potential is an indicator of how far a player can grow.
So those with low potential cannot fully accept the backing of the hinterland. Because they're too weak for that.
"I'm going crazy, I'm going crazy."
Ryan Carter muttered as if frustrated.
The masterminds don't even care about low-potential players.
There's no reason to look. As I said before, it's not worth investing in because you cannot fully accept your abilities.
So, it could be seen that the potential test that will begin now determines the fate of the player.
- I'll start the potential test. I will call you in the order of your grades, so whoever is called should come forward. Alex Johnson, please come forward.
Finally, the potential test began.
Alex Johnson, who was at the forefront, went up on the podium and touched the test equipment.
Silence fell in the large auditorium.
The sound of someone swallowing saliva could be heard.
- Potential, A.
And the potential test was over.
The grade of potential that emerged was A.
"Wow, I didn't expect it. A?"
"The reverse stream is on, it's on."
Cheers erupted from everywhere.
The potential exists up to S grade, but A grade is the best that can be obtained from the examination.
It was actually the highest grade.
"Oh, there are six backgrounds..."
Spheres of different colors appeared next to Alex Johnson.
Those were the backgrounds.
Alex Johnson looked at the backgrounds with a satisfied expression.
- Alex Johnson, please select a background for a temporary contract.
"Yes, the background I will choose is..."
Alex Johnson chose without hesitation.
- A temporary contract has been signed between player Alex Johnson and the fair referee background.
"Is it a paladin lineage? It's a well-suited background."
"Because your older sister is also a priest."
Everyone was convinced by Alex Johnson's choice.
As he came down from the podium, Priya Patel, the second seat, welcomed him.
"Grade A, congratulations."
"Hey, I didn't expect that an A-grade would come out."
"Well, I guess you've already guessed."
"No way."
Alex Johnson and Priya Patel looked at each other and laughed, but their smiles were strangely cold and their words were sharp.
Nemesis, Inverse, or Competitive Guilds.
So, the relationship between the two wasn't that good.
- Next, Priya Patel. Forward.
Priya Patel carefully placed her hand on the test device.
- Potential A.
"What, again?"
The inside of the auditorium was noisy.
There were two potential As in one session.
Six lights gathered by Priya Patel's side.
- A temporary contract has been signed between player Priya Patel and the prosecutor background.
"The swordsman?"
"That picky swordsman made a temporary contract?"
Disappointment erupted everywhere.
There were some people who were easy to sign a contract with, and others who were difficult to sign a contract with because of their personality differences for each background.
The aftermath was the latter. It was also extremely difficult.
"Next, Ryan Carter. Forward."
As the training center became noisy, it was finally Ryan Carter's turn.
He slowly climbed onto the podium.
I did everything I could.
He endured the dreadful training camp process and accumulated enough knowledge necessary for a player's life.
All that's left is to become a player.
'… The pre-test results were bad, but still.'
He had been evaluated in the preliminary examination as not of high potential.
He probably rated F to C.
It may change though.
'B and A don't even expect it. Come out only C.'
woo woo.
Ryan Carter put his hand on the device.
A light that radiates brilliantly with vibration.
Something flowed from within the magic stone, pierced through his body, awakening something that had been sleeping.
And after a while.
- Ryan Carter.
A voice was heard from the monitor.
Ryan Carter's heart swelled with anticipation without realizing it. And.
- Potential F.
"What?"
Ryan Carter asked the question without realizing it.
At first, he thought they were wrong and doubted it. But it was true.
"F rank."
Doesn't that mean it's practically the same as ordinary people?
He hurriedly looked around.
- Backgrounds...
As with Alex Johnson and Priya Patel, backgrounds were supposed to appear next to Ryan Carter as well. However.
-… No one showed up.
There was no one by Ryan Carter's side.
No background had a contract with him. No, they weren't even willing to sign a contract. Because.
"Hey, he's in trouble."
"How useless is it that all the backgrounds are filtered out?"
Because he was the lowest-rated, worthless player.
Everyone looked at Ryan Carter with questions and ridicule.
He frowned.
[Name] Ryan Carter
[Level] 1
[Title] None
[Background] None
[Ability]
Strength: 10 Agility: 10
Stamina: 10 Intellect: 10
[Attribute]: ?
[Skill]: None
"This..."
Ryan Carter blankly looked at the status window.
The auditorium became even more noisy over him.
The appearance of F, the lowest grade, was as rare as the appearance of Grade A, so it deserved to be a topic of discussion.
'I didn't expect much because he had low potential.'
Anyway, it's an F grade.
Ryan Carter blankly went down from the podium and returned to his seat.
'Driving me crazy.'
Noisy auditorium.
'Yes, in my 27 years of life, have I ever been the way I want to be?'
He let out a sigh he had been holding back.