The sky above the field darkened instantly. Thick clouds rolled in, blocking out the sun and casting a doomsday-like shadow over everything, creating a feeling of impending catastrophe.
Then, a deep, ancient howl shook the heavens and earth, echoing as though from a distant primordial era. The sound was both vast and haunting, yet no one could tell what kind of creature produced it. All they could sense was a mix of sorrow and authority within the cry.
Just hearing it made the legs of every student who hadn't yet completed the class change go weak.
Someone screamed in shock, "W-What's going on?!"
"Is it an Abyss invasion?"
"That's impossible!"
After a moment, some students calmed down and began speculating, "Could this… be a class change phenomenon?"
The principal floated gently above the crowd, his reassuring voice echoing across the field.
"Don't panic. This is not an Abyss invasion," he announced calmly. "It's a class change phenomenon."
With this, everyone settled down, only to realize the enormity of the event they were witnessing. A strong sense of anticipation filled the air.
"This phenomenon is way more intense than the one for the Ice Witch! Could it be another hidden combat class?"
But the phenomenon was far from over. The clouds overhead began to burn with fire, transforming the dark clouds into blazing flames that quickly evaporated into nothingness. Sunlight pierced through the haze, shining down once more.
Beneath the sunlight, vague silhouettes appeared in the sky. One particular figure—a humanoid form with a curvaceous shape and multiple tails—was especially eye-catching, as her silhouette exuded an entrancing beauty. With each gentle movement of her tails, flames spread throughout the sky.
All the shadowy figures turned toward someone in the middle of the class change formation, and each one took a kneeling stance.
The principal landed and looked on with heightened excitement. The stronger the phenomenon, the more powerful the class being awakened. This could very well be an even stronger hidden class than the Ice Witch!
Elena, too, was captivated by the phenomenon, her gaze shifting toward Bastion.
Could this terrifying display really be because of him?
The phenomenon slowly faded. The principal immediately turned to the instructor overseeing the class changes, only to notice her conflicted expression. As a Formation Mage, she could sense the changes within the formation and the class each student obtained. Right now, her eyes held a glint of disbelief as she looked toward Bastion for a moment longer than usual.
She had sensed that most of the formation's power had been drawn to Bastion, yet the result was unexpected. After a moment's hesitation, she announced the results.
"Ryan! Flame Archer! Hidden Combat Class!"
"Bastion, Beast Summoner, Combat Class!"
The crowd fell silent in shock.
Bastion was only a regular Beast Summoner, while Ryan was the hidden Flame Archer?
Was that overwhelming phenomenon really caused by Ryan?
People began murmuring as they recalled the flames in the vision, which seemed to line up with Ryan's class—though no one could explain the terrifying shadows they'd seen bowing in reverence.
"Flame Archer's that powerful? I think it's appeared before, but it wasn't very famous, right?"
"What a pity! I thought it'd be Bastion with a hidden class, but he's just a Beast Summoner."
"What's wrong with being a Beast Summoner? It's still a combat class, isn't it?"
"True, but it's not a popular class. Beast Summoners mostly rely on their summoned creatures, and that can be a drawback. They could end up summoning a tank when the team needs DPS. Beast Summoners are usually sidelined unless they find a strong team to help them grow."
Elena frowned, her gaze passing over Bastion again. The curiosity and faint admiration she'd felt vanished. A regular combat class couldn't possibly become a true powerhouse, no matter how good his grades were. She would outpace him easily in the future.
Ryan, on the other hand, looked ecstatic. He froze for a second, then burst into a grin of wild delight. He had a hidden combat class! And he'd triggered such a terrifying phenomenon!
Yes! This is my moment!
He glanced over at Elena, noticing for the first time that she gave him a small nod of acknowledgment. Ryan felt as if he were floating on air. Looking at Bastion, who seemed to be in shock, he almost broke into a happy dance right there.
The principal stepped forward, clapping Ryan on the shoulder with a warm smile.
"Well done, young man! Work hard and make us proud during the exams!"
"Thank you, Principal! I'll do my best!"
Ryan left the formation, beaming with pride, while the others followed him. Only Bastion remained, standing dazed.
The principal sighed, then patted him on the back.
"Don't be discouraged, son," he said kindly. "Beast Summoners aren't weak. They just require better teamwork compared to other classes. If you keep working hard, there's always a chance for advancement when you reach the second transition. Nothing is set in stone."
Bastion finally snapped out of his daze, listening to the murmuring crowd as he processed what had happened. It seems they think the class change phenomenon was caused by Ryan.
He didn't correct them, maintaining an expression of disappointment, while his mind replayed the vision he'd seen during the ceremony.
He'd seen the vision far more clearly than anyone else. The shadow with multiple tails, for instance—he could faintly discern her enchanting features.
More importantly, he felt a strange sense of connection… as though they were his summons.
Back in the student line, Bastion's lips curved into a faint smile as he mentally called out, Status panel.
A transparent panel appeared before him.
[Bastion]
[Gender: Male]
[Age: 18]
[Level: 1]
[Class: Beast Summoner]
[Talent: Heart of Divinity]
[Strength: 8]
[Mental Power: 22]
[Agility: 10]
[Endurance: 10]
[Universal Skill: Appraisal]
[Class Skill: Hatch]
This wasn't a unique ability of his; in this world, everyone could see their own stats after their class change. The average for a normal person's core attributes was 10, but his mental power was unusually high, reaching 22.
But that wasn't why Bastion was smiling.
A new talent appeared on his status panel, one he'd never heard of.
[Heart of Divinity (Unique): God-tier Talent! Only beings with divine bloodlines are eligible to become your summons. Upon bonding, their bloodlines can be purified continuously, up to a godly level.]
[Hidden Effect: Summoned creatures are wholly loyal and united in mind with their master. Any damage the summoner suffers will be transferred to the summoned creatures instead.]
It was truly a god-tier talent, allowing his summons to reach the level of Divine Beasts!
Currently, the only creatures considered Divine Beasts were dragons. But he would be able to evolve his summons to that level—meaning all his beasts could become Divine Beasts!
A Beast Summoner on the fringes of combat classes? Not anymore! I'll be a one-man army.
Bastion turned to his inventory, where he found a fiery red pet egg. This companion egg was a standard item for Beast Summoners upon class change, but his had been created along with his Heart of Divinity talent.
[Mysterious Egg]
[Grade: Unknown]
[A divine-blooded egg. The creature hatched from it will be extraordinary!]