Damn it, I lost again!
You've got insane luck! You should go buy a lottery ticket.
Leon slammed his cards down on the table in frustration. "Kairos, how come I've never beaten you at any card game, not even once?"
Kairos let out a soft chuckle, his tone lazy and casual. "Just a coincidence. When the mojo's there, it's unstoppable."
As he spoke, he reached out to gather the scattered cards, his movements smooth and practiced.
"Coincidence? This is the eighth straight game." Leon propped his elbows on the table. "For real, the Class Awakening Ritual's tomorrow too. With luck this ridiculous, you're definitely gonna awaken a rare Class. You gotta have my back when that happens."
Kairos's card-shuffling hands faltered for a second. "Who knows? The Class Awakening isn't all about luck anyway. Besides, whether it's a powerful one or not, the only thing that matters is making it through safely."
"You're really laid-back about it." Leon tsked, snatching the cards from his hand and starting to shuffle them himself. "If I had your luck, I'd be praying for a Legendary Class, no question. Then we'd party up and level up, and no one in the city would dare mess with us."
Kairos didn't reply, just leaned back in his chair and listened to Leon's enthusiastic ramblings, his gaze drifting out the window to the pedestrians laughing and fooling around in the square not far away.
Got lucky? Maybe.
"Deal 'em! What are you zoning out for?" Leon held out the shuffled cards, cutting through his thoughts.
Kairos snapped out of his daze, took the cards, and flicked one with his fingertip; it arced lightly through the air. "Coming right up. I'll let you win this one, so you stop complaining that I'm picking on you."
...
Solaria Empire, Verdan High School.
On the central square of Verdan High School, a handful of Class Holders were bending low to set up an intricate magic circle.
More than a hundred eighteen-year-old students had gathered here. Today was the day of their unified Class Awakening, a sacred ritual that could alter the course of their lives.
The students sat upright and attentive, their eyes fixed intently on the platform as they listened to Principal Elowen's address.
"Students," Elowen's voice was steady and firm, cutting through the hush of the square, "after years of study, you have all mastered the theoretical knowledge of what it means to be a Class Holder."
"Today is your Awakening Day, a pivotal moment that will shape the path of your future lives."
"I'll spare you the long-winded speech. My only wish is that each of you rises to Soren's level and becomes a pillar of our human race."
Soren, the man Elowen spoke of, had once been a student at this very school. After awakening to the Holy Mage Class, he was now a Level 80 powerhouse, and Elowen often used his story to inspire the students.
Kairos stared at the nearly finished Awakening Circle in the square, his blue eyes darkening slightly, an indescribable sense of anticipation stirring in his chest.
He had been reincarnated in this parallel world for eighteen years, and he'd long since learned what kind of world it was.
It was a world fused with a game. Every person had to undergo the Class Awakening Ritual upon turning eighteen.
You could earn Experience Points by raiding dungeons, exploring secret realms, taking up arms on the battlefield, or hunting monsters in the wastelands.
With those Experience Points, you could level up, hone your skills, and boost your combat power. You fought against all manner of demons and monsters, carving out a place to survive for the human race.
Countless human ancestors had spilled their blood and given their lives to secure the relatively peaceful life they had today.
The success rate of the Class Awakening was one hundred percent; the only variable was the quality of the Class one awakened to.
Combat Classes were always in the highest demand, Support Classes a distant second, and Life Classes dead last.
But that was just a rough classification.
Combat Classes may have had all the glory, but that did not mean Support and Life Classes were worthless.
A powerful Support Class Holder was an indispensable presence in dungeons, secret realms, and on the front lines, sometimes even more vital than damage-dealing Classes. It was better to lose a Combat Class Holder than to be without a key Support.
The same went for Life Classes. There had once been a Legendary Life Class Holder whose combat power and influence were no less than those of the strongest Combat powerhouses.
In Kairos's eyes, no Class was inherently superior or inferior. The one who truly determined its potential was always the one who wielded it.
There were Combat Class Holders who amounted to nothing in this world, just as there were Support Class Holders who climbed to the very top.
Suddenly, a burst of brilliant golden light shot into the sky—the Awakening Circle had blazed to full power.
Elowen waved a hand and barked, "Follow me! Let's go!"
He led more than a hundred students toward the circle in the middle of the playground.
Kairos walked among the crowd, his mind racing. What Class would he awaken to?
No one could say for sure.
Some students who were unremarkable in daily life awakened to powerful Combat Classes.
Some who excelled woke up to nothing more than Life Classes.
Even though he and Yukina were known as Verdan High School's two prodigies, their Awakening results would remain a mystery until they stepped into the circle.
A hand clapped down on his shoulder, and Leon leaned in with a bright grin. "Kairos, I never asked—what Class do you want to awaken to the most?"
Kairos glanced at him and shook his head, saying nothing.
Leon didn't mind in the least, still smiling. "C'mon, it's fine to say! I'll tell you mine—I want to awaken to the Knight Class more than anything! Look at my build: on a warhorse, in full armor, I'd look absolutely majestic. And I'd get to protect all the lovely ladies, too."
It had to be said that with his golden hair, towering frame, and burly build, Leon was a perfect fit for the Knight Class.
But awakening to a Combat Class was an uphill battle. Kairos had crunched the numbers once; the odds were only about ten percent. Of the hundred-some students here, no more than fifteen would awaken to a Combat Class.
Leon rambled on about his future dreams, and Kairos just smiled faintly, never saying a word.
He had always been a man of few words, and even with his top grades, he had few friends at the academy. Many thought him withdrawn, even a little odd.
After a few more attempts to get a reply, Leon turned to chat with someone else. He'd taken only two steps when a few boys pulled him aside.
"Why are you talking to that mute? He never answers anyone, and he's always so mysterious."
"Yeah, seriously, he's just a good student, what's he got to be so high and mighty about?"
"Who knows what crappy Class he'll awaken to today? Probably some Life Class. We'll see how he acts all mysterious then."
They muttered among themselves. Kairos had never been popular at school; most people thought he was cold and arrogant, looking down on everyone just because he was smart.
Leon frowned and defended him. "He's not putting on an act; he just doesn't like talking much, that's all."
No one believed him, though.
Kairos saw and heard everything, but he didn't care one bit. Explanations were pointless. Those who understood him didn't need them, and those who didn't would get it anyway.
The group reached the circle soon after. Elowen hurried over to an elderly man with snow-white hair and a beard and bowed respectfully. "Mr. Gideon, we appreciate your time today."
Gideon shook his head slightly, his voice old but strong. "Nurturing new strength for the human race is my duty."
He did not hide his status; a pale blue Status Panel hovered in front of him, clear for everyone to see.
[Gideon, Level 56, Circle Mage]
A flicker of surprise crossed Kairos's eyes.
Circle Mage was a rare Support Class, incredibly uncommon, and a Level 56 was more than enough to make someone a powerhouse. Circle Mages were strategic assets on the battlefield.
Once they laid a lethal magic circle, anyone who stepped into it met their end. Their importance spoke for itself.
After a brief exchange with Gideon, Elowen turned back to the students. He pulled a list from his pocket and scanned the crowd. "Next, the students whose names I call will step into the Awakening Circle one by one."
"You've all learned everything you need to know. No need to be nervous, just clear your mind."
"First up, Alden!"
Alden stepped forward at once, his face a mix of anxiety and nervousness. He took a deep breath and stepped into the Awakening Circle.
The circle roared to life in an instant, dazzling light swallowing him whole. A moment later, the light faded, and the Awakening Ritual was over.
A Status Panel appeared in the air at once. [Life Class: Craftsman]
Alden's face drained of color in an instant. He clearly hadn't expected to awaken to the Craftsman Class.
"Alden awakened to Craftsman…"
"It's not that bad, right? If he can rank up to Grand Craftsman, or even Saint Craftsman, it's a really valuable Class."
"Yeah, for a Life Class, Craftsman has pretty good mid-to-upper tier potential."