Classes felt like they were taking forever. David didn't really care much to listen today.
It wasn't because he was some kind of delinquent or because he was a really good student. He was just worried about what would happen soon.
He shifted on his desk, tapped his feet a,nd even drummed his fingers. David was exuding so nervous energy that even his teacher took notice.
"Mr. David Ben Salo, is something the matter? You seem extremely… agitated?"
All eyes turned to him, each one watching him as he started to feel his own heart beat fast and head sway.
"Uh, nothing, just-"
"Oh right, it's your birthday today, the 18th, right?" His classmate spoke behind him.
"Yeah-"
"Oh you'll be getting your System chosen soon, good luck with that." Another one chirped in.
"Oh thanks-"
"What System would you want? Something like Guard, or Builder or-"
"Silence!" All the voices in the room were soon silenced as the teacher activated his skill.
"Now that's quite enough out of all of you; it's time to return to class."
He then turned to face David. "Congratulations then; I hope you get what you want."
The teacher then returned back to the board as David looked down at his desk, sighing as he rubbed his head and muttered to himself.
"What… Do I want." Well, he knew what he wanted, it was just to be anywhere close to the top, C Rank at least would be passable. He just wanted something respected and not at all complete ass so he could be pushed around like the rest of society.
An hour passed soon by, marking it to be 11:30 AM. At this moment, all classes were dismissed as it was time to round up anyone and everyone who had a birthday today.
David was one of them, his heart starting to beat faster as he heard the teacher call his Name. It was finally here after all this time.
He walked out of the classroom and across the campus alongside all the others who were getting their Systems awakened.
Along the way, he found Jacob, who gave him a smug smile before intentionally bumping into him, causing David to fall to the ground.
"Whoops, on your feet birthday boy, it's time to show the world what you're really made of."
Everyone turned around to look at what was happening, but as they did so, Jacob just gave them all a crocodile smile before leaning in and lifting David back on his feet.
"Because this is your one and only shot, but you'll miss it anyways."
He gave a little snicker and patted him on the back before waking to the stadium to join the rest.
David simply gritted his teeth, took a deep breath, and just walked along with the other students. He had a feeling everyone knew what was going on, possibly because others did it to them too, but they just didn't want to say anything.
He didn't want to say anything, because Jacob was right. It was his only shot, so he continued to march ahead.
Many of his classmates were also excited, maybe today another person B Rank or above could show up again.
They all gathered in a massive arena within the main building of the school. It was shaped to be like a coliseum where all those in the school could gather together.
It was nearly packed full, of course, tens of thousands of students all grouped together by the bleachers, each one arranged by what department they were from and, of course, what rank they were in.
The best seats, of course, were from those in B Rank, with only ten students there, then a couple hundred in C Rank, thousands of D Ranks, and everyone else in E.
Staff and Faculty, alongside those in the government, sat by the stage in the center, watching intently as they whipped out their laptops and began to take down notes on who would come and what Rank they were.
David and the dozen others who had their birthday there stood in the center of the stage, all of them nervously excited for what was to come next.
He even found his beautiful mother, who was part of the staff as an engineer. She waved at him, crying softly into some tissues. He waved back, of course, with a nervous smile that couldn't inspire confidence at all.
A minute before 12, the crowd went silent, watching in anticipation, every single eye was upon them. His heart started to beat faster and faster, his body swaying back and forth like the rest of those on the stage.
30 seconds before 12, a countdown timer appeared in the sky, slowly ticking away each and every moment. He started to have some trouble breathing like he was almost palpitating.
Sweat dropped from David's forehead; he couldn't bear to look at the others. What if Jacob was right? What if he just became some farmer? Or some random police officer?
Was this it? The end of his life? Or…
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1.
The start of something new.
Immediately, every single person on the stage was wrapped in light, exploding in such radiance as they were each filled with immense power that surged through their bodies.
No matter how many times the others saw it, the experience was just glorious. Everyone was still in awe, silently watching.
After a few seconds, the light died down, revealing glowing screens in front of the men and women on the stage.
One of the suited men from the government walked in front of them, carefully pressing the temple of his head. "Inspect."
His eyes glowed as Name, then Rank, and Class manifested above each student.
"Lilly Evens. C-Rank Alchemist."
"Christopher Grace. D-Rank Guard."
"Elias Cowl. E Rank Farmer."
More and more, each student was named and designated before finally, at the end of the line, the man from the government stood in front of David.
Yet… there was something off… his screen was glitching, and he could not manifest anything out of it.
"David Ben Salo… "
Boom
A massive explosion erupted from the grounds of the stadium.