"As aforementioned, you've all awaited for this day. That means you have considerable knowledge about Talents, but how much do you know? Well it doesn't matter how much you knew, it's my job to educate you." Vance spoke, his voice echoing throughout the classroom.
"We humans, we all possess a soul, however with that soul comes the energy to keep it alive. Some call it willpower, but it's true name, is the Soul-Energy."
Murmurs arose from among the students, they were all puzzled by his explanations.
"Soul-Energy?"
"That's right." His thunderous voice silenced the students once more, clearing the doubts in the air.
"Soul-Energy is what keeps us alive, although we can't sense it because it is dormant in our bodies, providing only enough power to sustain our souls. But do you know that this energy can be drawn to the surface?"
"Sir, how's that possible?" One of the confused students questioned.
"That's where this orb comes in, this orb is referred to as the Orb Of Awakening. It draws out an individual's Soul-Energy to the surface and awakens what we call a talent, or more preferably Soul-Type. However this condition can only be fulfilled if the individual posseses enough Soul-Energy to awaken a Soul-Type."
"Sir." A gentle voice arose from the back. Mizuko raised his right hand in the air, paying the proper respect to his elder.
"What happens if someone with a high Soul-Energy is unable to awaken a talent?"
His question peered into the mind of each and every individual present.
"Oh?" Vance stuttered.
It wasn't everytime he came across a student with sharp reasoning and such a high level of intellect to have thought that far.
"A scenario like that is highly unlikely, but if such should occur, the individual would most likely die. The job of the Orb Of Awakening is to draw one's Soul-Energy to the surface, if one is unable to awaken a Soul-Type. He'll die of his energy depleting, like I said Soul-Energy is the force that sustains the soul. If it's completely diminished, the soul shall cease to exist."
His answer sent chills down each and everyone's spine, who knew awakening one's talent posed a great risk? Their only prayers, is to not fall victim to bad luck.
"That's all the information I can share with you now, we will now beginning the selection. Let the Talent Awakening begin."
His decision not to explain further is based on certain criterias. It is not assured if everyone will awaken a Soul-Type. So disclosing information about Soul-Types and the Soul-Hunter's Association without certainty is pointless, if they do awaken, they'll be sent to the Soul Academy where they'll be enlightened even more.
This whole process, the selection was all aimed at one thing. Recruiting capable individuals who will enroll in the Soul Academy in order to become outstanding Soul-Users.
In this era, Soul-Users referred to super powered beings who awakened their Soul-Types.
"Once you hear your name, step forward and place your hand on the Orb." He instructed.
The nervous murmurs of the crowd grew intensely as Vance boomed, "The first student, Miyuki."
The girl he called forth, Miyuki, stood from her seat and approached the desk.
As she walked gracefully towards the Orb, whispers followed behind her.
"The principal's daughter." A student's mumbled.
"She's the most popular girl in school and also the most skilled amongst us."
"She's also as hot and busty like her mother!"
"Quiet!" Principal Hana exclaimed, veins bulging continuously out of her forehead, if it were any other comment she'd be fine with it.
'Seriously, they don't even bother to hide their lustful eyes in front of the proctor.' Hana thought.
"I wonder what her Soul-Type will be." Another student whispered.
Arriving at the desk, she placed her dominant hand on the Orb confidently and immediately the air cracked with energy.
The Orb pulsed with an intense golden light, a glow which covered both Miyuki and the Orb.
Instinctively, they all shielded their eyes with their arms from the pulsating light.
As the light died down, a shimmering system HUD window materialized in front of her with the specific inscription "A" written on it.
Only she could see it, however the Orb had the ability to reveal her Soul-Type the moment of her awakening.
"Miyuki — A-rank Soul-Type, The Knight Soul-Type, Light Manipulation." Vance announced, leading to a thunderous cheer from the students.
"Yeah!"
"I expected nothing less from the principal's daughter."
In this world, Soul-Types varied according to ranks, it ranged from F-rank which is the lowest and weakest of all, to SSS-rank which is the highest and strongest Soul-Type of all.
Vance cleared his throat, silencing the students as he called forth the next student. "Next, Ren Drear."
'What!?' Ren exclaimed in his thoughts. "I'm already next!?"
With a slight gulp, he stood to his feet and approached the desk. Mei, Yui and a large number of people chuckled at him. The Ren they knew was daring and always a gogetter, despite his behavior some still found him charming due to his good looks.
He arrived at the desk and placed his dominant hand on the Orb.
The light show commenced, the body of Ren and the Orb glowing brightly. As the light dissipated, another system HUd window only visible to him materialized in his line of vision. On the window was the letter "C" inscribed.
"Ren Drear — C-rank Soul-Type, Elementalist Soul-Type — Pryokinesis."
"C-rank Soul-Type? That's not bad at all!" He thought, he expected a B-rank Soul-Type but at least C-rank wasn't far fetched.
"Not bad."
"Yeah, I hope I'm as lucky as he is."
Once again the thunderous voice of Vance cut through the voices of the students as each were nervous to hear their names. "Mei Suki."
A nervous Mei rose to her feet, moving gracefully at will towards the Orb.
"There's another beauty!"
"Not only is she one of the class's finest, she's also second in grade to Miyuki."
Arriving at the desk, she placed her dominant hand yet again on the Orb and the same light show repeated itself.
"Mei Suki — B-rank Soul-Type, Sub-Elementalist Soul-Type, Ice."
"Whoa!!!"
"B-rank!? Soul-Type!?"
It was the expected outcome, after all she was second to Miyuki in terms of overall performance.
"Daichi Ryuu, please come forward." Vance stuttered, harboring the intentions of fastening the selection process.
"Alright! It's my turn!" A young boy, possessing a muscular physique and a well toned body moved swiftly towards Orb. With fiery eyes, he placed his dominant hand on the Orb.
Once again the light show which represented an Individual's Soul-Energy rising to the surface reenacted, as it died down, Vance's eyes wavered in utter disbelief.
".... Daichi Ryuu, No Soul-Type."
Silence ensued immediately after Vance's announcement, in a way some felt sorry for Daichi, he was a transfer student of only one year. They knew of the efforts he put in to become a Soul-User, training and honing his physical body year after year for this moment only for his dreams to be dashed by fate.
"I understand." Despite the disappointment in his heart, his voice was as bold as ever.
"Poor Daichi."
One of the female students remarked, it was undeniably adorable how hard he had trained, only for failure to be the result.
'The sphere did glow, representing his Soul-Energy rising to the surface. Does that mean? No, his energy isn't leaking out of his body. A glitch?' Unclear to what had just happened, Vance pondered.
He never expected this to happen, even if it did happen it placed the student's life in danger. Even after drawing his Soul-Energy to the surface, it didn't leak out of his body.
Clearing his mind of all doubts, he summoned the next student forward. "Yui Freecs."
"It's finally my turn!" The ever cheerful teen proclaimed. She wasn't as popular as Mei or Miyuki, but her sociality and academic prowess drew her closer to them in terms of rankings.
Arriving at the desk, she placed her dominant hand on the sphere and the repeated light show continued.
"Yui Freecs — B-rank Soul-Type — Zen Soul."
Regardless of the rankings, they all marveled at the Soul-Type she had awakened. Not only was it unique, it made a drawn out battle with her an assured loss.
Pleased with the results of her talent, she skipped back to her seat.
Finally, it came down to the last two students yet to awaken their Soul-Types.
"Haruno Mizuko, please approach the sphere."
As expected, Mizuko was the only one who maintained his composure when approaching the sphere. His personal philosophy was, respect grants power.
Approaching the sphere, he placed his dominant hand on it. Immediately, the same glow that lit the room during Miyuki's awakening illuminated the class once again, forcing everyone to shield their eyes with their arms.
"Haruno Mizuko — A-rank Soul-Type."
"What!?"
"Is this for real?"
"These guys are monsters! Awakening A-rank Soul-Types?"
The Mizuko of this world was just as popular as Miyuki, but not up to her standards as she held a more higher authority than him as the principal's daughter. In terms of academic rankings, it was Mizuko — Miyuki — Mei — Yui.
A warm smile fluttered Vance's face, he knew as much as the principal that this year's recruit were simply outstanding compared to the other final year students. The previous years, the highest ranking student only awakened a B-rank Soul-Type.
"Finally, Rentaro Mizuno."
Much like in his previous world, in this world he was an average nobody. An afterthought everyone forgot about after their business with him ended, it came to a point some forgot he was part of their class.
As he approached the sphere, whispers followed behind him.
"Rentaro Mizuno? Who's he?"
"I think I remember, he's the one who barely made it through the last semester."
"Oh that loser?"
Most of the whispers came from the girls and it didn't bother him at all.
"It's something I'm already used to, no matter what Soul-Type I awaken, it won't change a thing." He thought, already accepting his fate.
As he placed his dominant hand on the sphere, a slight glow escaped it momentarily before the sphere's glow completely died down instantly for the first time since it's discovery.
The atmosphere in the classroom was intense as they all tried to understand what it meant, both Principal Hana and Vance were completely stunned. Such a thing has never occurred before, nor has there ever been a case of a student unable to awaken a Soul-Type till now.
Given the facts they were left with, he arrived at the most plausible conclusion.
"Rentaro Mizuno, your Soul-Energy isn't enough to awaken a Soul-Type."
It didn't come as a surprise to the rest of the class, they all laughed softly at him, from then on, they all viewed him as a talentless individual. Even those who awakened an F-rank Soul-Type felt far superior to him.
But the four students who were transmigrated with him all wore a look of utter disappointment.
As he departed back to his seat, all eyes stared at him while chuckling and some with disappointment.
"Alright, now that the selection process has been concluded. I will now announce the students who has met the requirements for recruitment. Lady Miyuki, Haruno Mizuko, Ren Drear, Mei Suki and finally, Yui Freecs."
As expected from the top five students in the class, the remaining students all applauded them. It was disheartening not to be chosen but they were well aware that the criteria for meeting the selection process was C-rank and above.
"Currently it's 12:40PM, not that the selection has been made you have 20 minutes to get your affairs in order. Today's your last day here after all so hurry up and go home, we'll meet back here first thing tomorrow morning."
The Principal announced, giving them the freedom to do as they pleased for the next twenty minutes before they went home.
The principal's daughter didn't waste any time in leaving, it's not because she found conversing with other's a pain, but because of how she felt when speaking with them.
The five transmigrated students gathered around each other, now that they had awakened their talents it was time to discuss their next plan of action.
"An A-rank Soul-Type? That's awesome Mizuko!" The ever radiant Yui proclaimed, clinging on to Mizuko.
"Yeah man, I guess the goddess was right for choosing you for leading us." Ren interjected.
"I appreciate it guys." He replied with a great feeling of happiness, he harbored the feeling of self-satisfaction.
However it all diminished as his gaze was fixated on Rentaro. "I'm sorry you weren't able to awaken a Soul-Type Rentaro."
"It's alright, not everyone is fortunate as you to have awakened an A-rank Soul-Type." Rentaro, although a bit down at his inability to awaken a Soul-Type, forced a smile for his friend.
"That being said, you were unable to awaken a Soul-Type. That means we don't need you anymore." Mei said bluntly, not having a care for how Rentaro would feel.
"H-Hey! Couldn't you be more kind at least? No need to rub it in his face." A slightly pissed Ren chimed in.
Excluding their beauty, one of the traits these two girls had that he detested was their rudeness and pride, especially to those beneath them.
"You who awakened a C-rank Soul-Type has no right to interfere, I don't know about you but I don't plan on staying long here. I want to go home and the only possible way to do that is to complete this mission."
"That's not fair! Even if he wasn't able to awaken a talent the goddess chose him to complete this mission along with us."
Most of the students had already made plans departed from the school, leaving them enough room to discuss the issue at hand thoroughly.
"It's alright, Ren." Rentaro said, maintaining a suspiciously calm demeanor as he crossed his arms. It wasn't the first time something like this had happened to him.
"About that Ren, I noticed something suspicious when we conversed with the goddess. But now I've been able to confirm it." Mizuko who remained silent all this while, finally chimed in.
"What do you mean?"
"During the duration of our talk with the goddess of fate, I noticed she couldn't take her gaze off Rentaro. Initially I thought it was because there was something about him that impressed her, making him perfect for the task at hand."
As he explained, he approached Rentaro. His once friendly smile dissipated, turning upside down in utter disappointment.
"I thought wrong, this selection process proved the goddess's concerns. If I had to guess, this was what she thought. I summoned five souls from earth with great potential for Soul-Energy, but four out of the five only met my expected requirements."
His speculations were based on one theory, the fact that asides the principal's daughter, the students that awakened the highest ranking Soul-Types were the exact four she transported.
"In order words, your transportation into this world was solely a mistake. Because of that, Mei is right, you are no longer needed. I'm sorry but you'll be a huge burden to us, I'm sure the goddess figured this out following our transmigration. We aren't on earth anymore, surviving takes more than just getting rich and prayers."