The Shocking Awakening

The crystal's surface fractured briefly, revealing strange, glowing symbols that had never been seen before. The crowd gasped.

Lucian's class didn't just appear—it was manifested, in the form of swirling shadows that crawled up from the crystal's base and wrapped around his arm. The symbols glowed brighter as the darkness converged around him, and then, the words appeared, shimmering in the air:

Class Awakened: Shadow TamerRank: SSS

A collective gasp filled the room, followed by stunned silence. Shadow Tamer. It was a class no one had ever heard of. The air seemed to freeze for a moment, the gravity of the moment settling on every observer. The SSS rank was a rarity—only the most powerful classes ever achieved that title.

The crowd was paralyzed. Whispers erupted from the nobles in the audience, but Lucian stood motionless, unfazed. He had known what he would become. This class was his inheritance, a bond to a world of darkness and power.

The orb flared brightly at first, as it did for every student. But then, something unexpected happened. The light from the orb pulsed in dark waves, shimmering in shades of black and violet. The entire hall seemed to hold its breath. A ripple of dark energy spread outward, making the air thicker, heavier, like the weight of centuries of secrets.

The crystal's surface fractured briefly, revealing strange, glowing symbols that had never been seen before. The crowd gasped.

Lucian's class didn't just appear—it was manifested, in the form of swirling shadows that crawled up from the crystal's base and wrapped around his arm. The symbols glowed brighter as the darkness converged around him, and then, the words appeared, shimmering in the air:

Class Awakened: Shadow Tamer

Rank: SSS

A collective gasp filled the room, followed by stunned silence. Shadow Tamer. It was a class no one had ever heard of. The air seemed to freeze for a moment, the gravity of the moment settling on every observer. The SSS rank was a rarity—only the most powerful classes ever achieved that title.

The crowd was paralyzed. Whispers erupted from the nobles in the audience, but Lucian stood motionless, unfazed. He had known what he would become. This class was his inheritance, a bond to a world of darkness and power.

As Lucian turned away from the stage, the room seemed to pulse with an electric charge. The Phoenix Academy invitation was now firmly gripped in his hand, and he couldn't help but feel the weight of the choice he'd made. The other academies would no doubt send their representatives again, offering wealth and status, but it wasn't that which interested him. It was the subtle connection he'd felt when he looked into the invitation—a faint whisper of something familiar. It had been enough.

His red eyes scanned the room one last time as he walked toward the exit. The murmurs of shock and disbelief followed him like shadows, but Lucian paid them no mind. He had no time for idle gossip or praise. His journey had just begun, and he would walk it alone.