The awakening ceremony finally wrapped up a little past noon.
Teachers sent the students off class by class, reminding everyone to swing by the admin office sometime next week to lock in their classes and grab the beginner handouts. A bunch of kids spilled out the academy gates with huge grins, already surrounded by friends slapping them on the back and planning where to celebrate.
Others drifted away quieter, heads down, still trying to swallow whatever bad draw they'd gotten.
Aaron and Rei walked side by side through the front gate, blending into the crowd heading down the main street.
Neither of them said much for a while.
Rei was still chewing hard on the fact that his friend had pulled one of the lowest classes possible.
Finally he let out a heavy sigh.
"Brother Aaron… you really don't seem bothered at all."
Aaron glanced over at him.
"Should I be?"
Rei scratched the back of his head, looking lost. "Well… most people would be."
Aaron gave a small smile, hands still tucked in his pockets.
Inside his head the system panel sat there quiet, like a secret window only he could see. The numbers it showed had already flipped everything this world believed about classes.
An E-rank with some unknown multiplier on every single reward.
Even Aaron, who usually liked keeping life simple, felt the pull of it.
Rei leaned in closer, voice dropping low.
"Look… I know you've always liked taking the easy road, but things are different now."
"Oh?"
"You got a Laborer class," Rei said, dead serious. "If you want a comfortable life you should sign up with one of the construction guilds right away. They pay awakened Laborers pretty good money."
Aaron raised an eyebrow.
"You've already planned my future three times today."
"Three times?" Rei gave an awkward laugh. "I was gonna suggest the transportation guild earlier but it felt kinda rude. I'm just saying… the outside is dangerous. Monsters don't care what your class is."
Aaron laughed for real this time. "I'll think about it."
He didn't fight the logic.
A normal E-rank Laborer really had zero reason to step past the city walls.
But the system inside his head changed the whole game.
He was about to answer when a loud shout cut across the street.
"Move! Move aside!"
A few students turned, surprised.
A black Bureau vehicle rolled up smooth near the gate. Two officers in uniform jumped out and started setting up a quick registration table on the sidewalk.
Rei blinked.
"That was fast."
"What is it?" Aaron asked.
"Beginner registration station from the Bureau," Rei explained. "They always set one up right after ceremonies. New hunters can sign up for training teams there."
He shot Aaron a quick look and added, "Mostly for combat classes though."
Aaron glanced over at the table, curious.
A small crowd had already gathered.
One of the officers raised his voice so everyone could hear.
"All newly awakened can register here if you want to join a beginner hunting team. First expedition outside the city leaves in three days."
That got the students buzzing instantly.
For most of them this was the moment they'd been waiting for their whole lives.
Going beyond the walls meant stepping into the real hunter world.
Rei hesitated.
"Brother Aaron… should we take a look?"
Aaron shrugged.
"Why not."
They walked over and joined the short line. Most of the kids waiting were combat types, a couple support classes mixed in.
Right at the front stood a girl who caught Aaron's eye right away.
Long black hair tied back loose, face calm like the excitement around her didn't touch her at all.
She stood straight, almost military, like someone used to keeping control.
The officer checked the paper in her hand.
"Name?"
"Luna Sane."
Her voice came out clear and steady.
The officer nodded while scanning the records.
"Class: Frostbreaker."
"Rank: B."
A few whispers rippled through the students nearby.
"B-rank combat class…"
"That's solid."
"Frostbreaker users hit like crazy."
Rei leaned toward Aaron.
"She's from Class One," he whispered. "Heard she topped almost every combat test they ran."
Aaron watched her for a second.
Luna finished signing the form and turned around.
Her gaze swept across the crowd and landed on Aaron for just a beat.
No smile, no frown, just calm observation.
Then she walked off.
Rei let out a low whistle.
"Cold beauty type."
Aaron chuckled softly as the line moved forward.
Soon Rei was standing at the table.
"Name?" the officer asked.
"Rei Lang."
The officer checked the tablet.
"Class: Scout. Rank: C."
He gave a nod.
"Good mobility class. Sign here if you want the beginner team."
Rei only paused a second before signing.
Then the officer looked at Aaron.
"Next."
Aaron stepped up.
"Name?"
"Aaron Emegrey."
The officer's eyebrows lifted a little when he saw the data.
"Class: Laborer. Rank: E."
The kids around them started whispering again.
The officer looked up.
"You know beginner hunting teams usually need combat classes, right?"
Aaron nodded calm.
"I know."
"Then why are you here?"
Aaron met his eyes with a steady look. The officer stared back for a moment, then just shrugged.
"Curiosity isn't a crime, I guess."
He tapped the tablet.
"If you really want in, sign here. But I'll warn you now — the wilderness outside Lemuria City isn't a playground."
Aaron signed without missing a beat.
Rei looked like he might faint.
"Brother Aaron! Are you serious?"
Aaron handed the form back.
"Why not try once?"
Rei rubbed his face like his head hurt.
"An E-rank Laborer going outside the city… if my parents hear about this they're gonna kill me for not stopping you."
Aaron laughed.
"Relax. I'm not planning to fight anything."
That was when a quiet voice spoke from behind them.
"Confidence without strength can be dangerous."
Aaron turned.
Luna Sane was standing a few steps away.
She hadn't left after all.
Her calm eyes rested on him.
"You awakened a Laborer class," she said plainly. "You should understand the risks."
She wasn't mocking him. Just stating facts.
Aaron thought about it for a second.
Then he smiled.
"You're right."
Luna looked a little surprised by how easily he agreed.
Aaron kept going.
"But sometimes you don't know your limits until you actually take that step."
Rei groaned beside him.
"This guy…"
Luna watched Aaron quietly for a few seconds longer.
Finally she said, "If you slow the team down out there, no one's going to babysit you. That's just how expeditions work."
Aaron nodded.
"That sounds fair."
Luna gave a small nod of her own and turned away.
Rei stared at Aaron in disbelief.
"Brother Aaron… you just talked to the coldest girl in the whole academy and you're acting like it was nothing."
Aaron chuckled.
"What did you expect me to do?"
Rei opened his mouth, then closed it again, giving up.
Meanwhile, inside Aaron's head the system suddenly chimed.
Ding.
A new panel appeared.
[Beginner Team Registration Complete]
[Reward detected]
[Reward: Beginner Hunter Dagger (Common)]
The Bureau had access to every student's primary system interface ID, so they could drop the beginner weapons straight into everyone's inventory.
The dagger appeared quietly in Aaron's storage space.
Before he could even check it, the message flashed again.
[Reward amplification activated]
[Weapon evolution in progress...]
[Enhancement: ??? ]
A faint chill ran down Aaron's spine.
He could feel the dagger changing.
Not just multiplying.
Evolving.
The system's final line appeared.
[You have obtained: Frostfang Hunter Dagger.]
Aaron's eyes narrowed slightly.
But he had a feeling the real surprises in this world were only getting started.