"And here we are at the registration counter. Please take a number, and when it is called you shall then go to the counter for registration. That is all. If you ever have any questions please ask at the counter and they will provide the answer. If that is all I will leave you to it." The female official bowed and left, probably tending to more of the others who newly awakened.
As the official left, we then picked our numbers and waited. The line wasn't too long and there were multiple counters to accommodate other registrations, and soon our number was called.
"Welcome sir, are you here to register as a newly awakened or are you here to update your information?"
"Register please."
"Alright, please put your hand on that device right there next to you. It will scan and record your personal information, talent potential, and Combat Rating." As I put my hand on the small magic device that was being powered by what looked like a small crystal, it then began to scan.
"Um, excuse me? What exactly is a Combat Rating?"
The male clerk gave an energetic smile as if he could read the confusion on my face. "Well it is the collective total of all your stats. In simpler terms, it is how we measure your level of power. We match it to the awakeners ranking such that to reach D-Rank you must hit a minimum of 150 Combat Rating, but becoming a professional at C-Rank requires 300, and a seasoned veteran at B-Rank needs 600. Elite status at A-Rank begins at 1,200 CP, while the legendary S-Rank starts at 2,500, followed by the world-shifting SS-Rank at 5,000 and the god-like X-Rank at 10,000."
"Uhuh, I see… Thank you for teaching me. I didn't know these existed. I just thought that ranks were based on feats."
"I can't blame you though, this ain't really taught in school since every bit of knowledge about awakeners is taught in the camps."
I could only give a wry laugh at my ignorance. Now I realize I know nothing about this world; I only knew things from mere speculation and public knowledge.
"Scanning has now been completed. Mr. Lyle, you may now remove your hand, and here is your Awakener Card."
I took the small, cold piece of alloy from his hand. It felt heavier than a normal ID, and the surface shimmered with a faint, metallic luster. My eyes drifted toward the printed text.
____________
Name: Kurt Lyle
Talent Potential: A Rank
Awakener Rank: Rankless
____________
I stared at the word Rankless for a moment, letting the reality sink in. Compared to the massive numbers the clerk had just rattled off, I was standing at the very bottom of a mountain I hadn't even known existed. It was going to be a long, grueling climb to reach the top.
"Also please take this briefcase as everything you will need is there for your initial entry training next week. Be ready by then as an Awakened officer will personally come to your home to escort you to your respective transport to the camp."
I nodded at his instruction and left the counter to look for William. Not long after, I spotted him standing in the lobby of the Guild Hall.
"What took you so long?"
"Well… I seem to have been an ignorant bastard these past few years."
"Took you long enough to figure that out. You were too focused on work."
"Ahh, damn. Speaking of work, I'm gonna be late! Hey, bring this back to our dorm for me. I gotta go!"
As I tossed the briefcase to William, I hurried out the entrance and hopped on a bus. As I reached the cafe I worked for, I got scolded by my boss for being extremely late. I should probably tell him that I'm quitting.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As I got back to our dorm, it was already the dead of night. William was already asleep on the lower bunk, and I was far too exhausted to even think about eating. Too much had happened today, so I went straight to bed. As I lay there in the dark, I pulled up my status one more time and focused on the information of my Innate Skill.
============
[ STATUS ]
Name: Kurt Lyle
Attributes
STR: 12
AGI: 11
WIS: 8
Innate Skill:
[Skill Eater] [Secret Rank]: Allows the user to permanently steal an Innate Skill from a defeated target. By touching the victim, the user releases a black mana shroud that coats their body and forcibly extracts their power.
Skill[Empty]
============
Skill Eater steals an Innate Skill, huh? Wait. It steals?
The weight of that word hit me. It didn't say "Copy." It said it takes the Innate Skill of the target entirely. I wondered if that was actually possible. My knowledge of the world was limited, but one thing was certain. If the information about this skill ever leaked out, I would inevitably be hunted down and killed.
I stared at the ceiling, my heart racing despite my exhaustion. This wasn't just a powerful ability; it was a death sentence if I wasn't careful. In a world where your Innate Skill is your life, I have become the nullifier of every Awakener. I would have to be perfect at hiding it, at least until I climbed to the highest peak of this world and become a powerhouse no one would dare challenge.