The Ranking

"And yeah, it is an interesting story, don't you think?"

The headmaster didn't smile as Jack continued to speak in a nonchalant voice, making it obvious that such a story was about him. The old man spoke not a word, as his shining eyes brought compassion like no other. However, the one that changed the sour mood of the room was not the wise but those who had already fallen.

"And so what?", Olivia asked.

Jack turned his face in confusion, finding not a woman but what seemed to be a child holding onto her pants with an all-mighty grip. Her face showed annoyance but relativity.

Not saying a word, Jack wondered what was wrong.

Until the little girl throwing a tantrum stood up, facing him like a lion in front of his prey. It was as though her face didn't show anger or frustration but sadness instead.

The silence spoke volumes as the two looked at one another. Olivia's mood turned sour as she sighed in complete disbelief. Jack on the other hand found himself looking at her, with no emotions.

Caressing her temple, she wondered what she had done to deserve this.

"So the hero doesn't care if he dies?"

"Yeah"

Face with a straightforward reply, Olivia's annoyance grew, "Why?"

"Because he had no reason to care"

Olivia flinched.

'It's that feeling again.'

Olivia had sensed it before, from the moment she met Jack, an uneasy feeling ran down her spine as she stared into Jack's lifeless eyes. It was only now that she discovered why. A child having such eyes seemed impossible but for a youngling that had lost his memories, the sight was unthinkable.

That was what Jack seemed to be, a kid who had lost his will to live.

He didn't care about the body he possessed, he didn't care if he smoke one hundred cigarettes in a single day, he couldn't be bothered to tend... As though life had given him the short end of the stick, he wished to end it all so he could finally go to rest.

'I hate that...'

But even as she felt a great annoyance, Olivia couldn't think of anything to help change Jack's views on life. Falling into deep thought, she continued to look at him in annoyance. Finding even the life of a growing child to be precious even if he didn't care.

"ARE YOU GOING TO DIE AFTER SENDING ALL OF THOSE MEN TO HELL?"

Jack flinched. Jack's eyes widened in shock as he heard the loud voice come out, from such a petite girl's mouth. With tears running down her eyes, she screamed her feelings out.

"WHO ARE YOU TO TAKE REST, WHEN YOU SENT THEM TO THEIR DEATHS, THE LEAST YOU COULD F*CKING DO WAS SEEK FOR THEIR REVENGE OR FIGHT UNTIL YOU ARE DEAD. YOUR BATTLE ISN'T OVER, WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU DESERVE AN EASY END? YOU ACT LIKE A VICTIM OVER AND OVER AGAIN, BUT WHAT ABOUT THEM...IF YOU BLAME YOURSELF FOR THEIR DEATHS, FOR YOUR BEST FRIEND'S DEATH, THE LEAST YOU COULD F*CKING DO IS PUSH FORWARD, FOR WHAT DID THEY DIE IF YOU WERE JUST GOING TO GIVE UP FOR NO REASON"

Olivia screamed her heart out as she lectured the child that had given up but the moment she did, she could notice a small flame burn in his eyes. Jack's eyes still had the despair to push forward.

Jack smiled unlike before, laughing out loud like a maniac in misery. However, even with a small light reignited it wasn't as though Jack wanted to continue but he indeed found himself in doubt.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing, I just found it surprising that the person that seemed to think I was a bother until now, was giving me a speech about life."

"...Shut up"

[Hahaha, that was a wonderful speech nonetheless Olivia, however, Jack...Why don't you try it, at least?]

"Try it?"

[Indeed, if you have nothing to live for, don't waste your life away, and fight until you are dead.]

"...That's not something a headmaster should be saying to a student."

[Hahaha, you might be right but you see, Aspects are rare, and with the rise of more academies in the Holy Land, it is necessary for us, the top academy to keep bringing in more talents every year. But most of all, in the information I have by my side, it says that you are fourteen and attending your last year in middle school, meaning that you are an early bloomer.]

[No need to ask...I'm not like Olivia. Hahaha. An early bloomer refers to someone who has become an Aspect before they turn fifteen, meaning that they are already ahead of the others. However, even though you have awoken only one year before, that is still a rare occurrence, but not exactly the rarest or even unique.]

"So I'm considered a sort of prodigy, I'm guessing?"

[Indeed, but first, we need to test your rank]

"Rank? It said am an Aspect in this status."

[Hoho, I apologize...You see, the rank of Candidate and Aspect are given firstly by the system and it is a way that it identifies a being, but there is another ranking that is only given to Aspects, we call it the power ranking. Ranking individuals from G- all the way to SS+.]

[What we will be testing is your future rank.]

"Why?"

[To see if you are worth investing in. After all, we are not going to waste our resources on someone who can only reach the E rank or something.]

"...Makes sense, I wouldn't invest in garbage as well."

Instantly, an orb appeared in front of Jack, resting above an antique table. Jack could tell, that there were people around, however, his eyes weren't able to follow them, as they jumped around through the shadows of the room.

It was different from Olivia, who Jack could react to. Although for Jack it was in a sense more like predicting based on his instincts but this time, he couldn't even predict any of their movements.

Doing what seemed to be obvious, Jack put his hand on the orb. Changing colors like a chameleon, the orb showed no signs of stopping, until it finally landed on yellow, with a plus mark appearing at its center like a snow globe.

[OH?]

"What? No way"

Finding their reactions to show shock and excitement, the both of them started to look at Jack, waiting for the explanation, Jack just stared back with no care in the world.

[Kuhum...So, it seems you have the potential to become an S+ ranker. That is amazing, to say the least.]

"Is that good?"

[Hahaha, I keep forgetting that you don't remember, that's my bad, child. So anyways, SS rankers and S rankers are so rare, that only 5 SS rankers and around 40 S rankers exist. Meaning that you have a great future ahead...To believe that we would have 5 future S rankers joining our academy soon enough, I couldn't be happier.]

"Then let's keep the fact that I'm an S ranker or whatever hidden."

[Ho? And why is that?]

"You tell me that I should keep my class, abilities, blessings, and other things hidden, so why not my rank, I'm not trying to get hunted down. Just say I have a more common class, and I will attend."

[Hahaha. Then it should be done. By the way, if you didn't plan on attending you would have been executed by the holy land.]

"..."

[Oh and lastly, I should allow you to miss out on attending your last year in middle school, so I hope you can study together with Olivia, and understand the world sooner or later. We will welcome you very soon]

Leaving like the fleeting wind, the screen in the room disappeared, and Olivia who was sitting next to Jack, had an expression that could make anyone laugh.

Jack didn't have the ability to read thoughts, but he could already tell what she was thinking...

'F*ck me.'

Turning to look at her as Jack smoked a cigarette while drinking the clean tea left by the maids, he asked, "Can we go back home, now?". Raising her fist, Olivia's bulge on her head only got worst, the more she stared at Jack's stoic face. Letting it go, she started to leave as Jack followed behind her.

Another silent and awkward elevator ride later, they arrived at the fourth floor and entered Olivia's office.

Looking at the mess, Jack couldn't help but be reminded of the many messes he used to make when angry at his commander. Nevertheless, Jack found it strange that there were so many papers on the floor, considering that they lived in a technologically advanced world.

"Are you a hoarder?"

"W-what?...No"

"Then can I clean this office room up?"

Olivia thought about it for a moment and then gave Jack the green signal as she took her sit and rested her face on the desk.