Rejection and Realization

When Drai arrived at the crowd, he was immediately surrounded by several people. These people had been paying attention to Drai when he was busy looking at his status window. Although these scouts saw him kneeling and laughing (read: crying), they didn't mind it because throughout the years they had seen many new evolvers behave weirdly after receiving their newfound powers. The only important thing to them was talent.

Looking at the surrounding people, Drai smiled.

"Hello, I'm Drai Varz and I would like to enroll in a good academy," he said.

When Drai mentioned the word 'academy', several people looked disappointed. However, they didn't leave as they believed that one's intention could be swayed with enough benefits.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Varz," said a scout smilingly. "I'm Fred from Winterfall Academy. Would you mind telling us about your class? Of course, you don't have to divulge the details or sensitive information, just the gist of it would be enough. I suspect that it's a bloodline class of some sort."

The other scouts nodded while letting this man ask the crucial questions. They had been in the business for so long and knew that it didn't matter who approached first.

"You're right, it's some kind of bloodline class," Drai replied. "But how did you find out?"

"Hehehe, all of us here have been scouting talents for years, Mr. Varz. Different types of classes usually come with their own features. In your case, your white hair strands and unnatural skin color indicate a bloodline class," Fred replied while murmurs of agreement sounded from the other scouts.

"I see. So, as you said, I have a bloodline class. Can I get into your academy with this?" Drai asked hopefully.

"Unfortunately, our admission criteria require more than just a bloodline class, Mr. Varz," Fred answered. "First, I would like to ask if your class has a special trait."

"Uhm… I don't think so," Drai said while thinking, 'It does have a trait but I don't think 'lack of skills' or 'expensive skills' are the things they're looking for. It's better not to tell them.'

"No unique traits at all?" Fred asked, baffled. "So, what does your class do? I mean like in terms of stats or skills."

"It gives me higher strength and constitution."

"Only that?" Fred asked concerned. "If it only increases strength and constitution, it's truly underwhelming, Mr. Varz. Even non-bloodline classes can do that," Fred explained as he and the crowd looked disappointed.

"Well, it also has a special stat," Drai hurriedly said as he realized the scouts were starting to lose interest. "It's called transcendence."

"Transcendence? I've never heard of it. It seems like a stat unique to your class," Fred responded excitedly.

The crowd suddenly regained their interests as they looked at one another and realized no one had a clue about this transcendence stat.

"So, what does it do? And if you're willing to tell us, how many stats did it give you?" Fred asked expectantly.

"The description says that it represents the state of transcending oneself. And it may affect skills related to my class," Drai answered. "And my transcendence is two."

"Two?" Fred blurted in surprise. "Since it's a special stat, maybe the number isn't as low as it seems. Hmmm… Unfortunately, if I may say so, the description is quite vague so we can't really understand its implications until we see it by ourselves. You said it may affect your class skills. Can you tell us how?"

"Well, there's one skill that uses transcendence for its effects. The more transcendence I have, the better the skill performs."

"I see. So, it does seem that the benchmark is different from the usual stats. It seems fine then," Fred concluded.

"Then, how about showing us one of your skills, Mr. Varz?" Fred continued. "If it's powerful or special enough, it would be a guarantee for admission."

"Uhm… my skill is passive so I can't really show it," Drai answered.

"Did you only learn passive skills, Mr. Varz? It's really surprising. Most new evolvers would at least learn one active skill, either for showing off or because of its usefulness," Fred said astonishedly.

"Well… I only took one passive skill," Drai answered helplessly.

"Only one skill? Did it cost a lot of SP that you couldn't afford to learn other skills?"

"It costed one SP…"

"Then why did you only learn one skill? Were you pressed for time? If you'd like, you may learn some skills now and we will wait for you, Mr. Varz. After that, you can showcase these skills. Just make sure to learn some active ones," Fred smiled as he and the others knew that as long as Drai performed well, his admission would be secured since he had a special stat which was hitherto unheard of.

"Uhm… How do I say this… I can't afford anymore skills," Drai miserably said as he knew his situation was rather ridiculous.

"Can't afford…?"

Fred and the crowd were stupefied. They had heard Drai saying that it only costed him one SP to learn his skill, yet now he already couldn't afford other skills. Wouldn't this mean he only had one or two SP after evolving? After all, most people would at least get offered ten skills, including several one or two cost skills. And most people would have at least ten SP to spend.

Having these thoughts, the crowd reached a unanimous conclusion: This kid must have been really lazy!

'The lowest SP I've heard someone had after evolving was five. It was also a couch potato who basically did nothing but eat, watch videos on his comm, and sleep. Yet, this guy here is on another level! He must've only been sleeping for ten years!' a scout thought dumbfoundedly.

'This guy's luck is pretty good. Being a good-for-nothing, he still got a bloodline class many people could only wish for. Too bad, but with his mentality, he'll end up as a nobody,' another scout thought while shaking his head in disbelief.

'I thought I hit a jackpot when he mentioned about the special stat. It turns out I stepped on poop instead,' Fred thought as he regretted wasting his time.

Looking at the silent crowd, Drai couldn't help but sigh. He then tried asking for the improbable.

"Uhm… Mr. Fred? Do I pass the requirement? I can showcase my strength or constitution if you want."

"Ahem… Thank you for the offer, Mr. Varz but I believe we are done here. Unfortunately, you do not fulfill our requirement. Time is short and I have other participants to scout, so I'll be taking my leave. Good luck in the future," Fred said as he nodded and took his leave. The other scouts also nodded and left without words.

Drai looked at the departing people achingly. He didn't exactly know that he was labeled as a totally worthless person who somehow got lucky, but he knew that he was being looked down on.

Drai waited in silence. He didn't want to go around and bother the scouts since he knew their reaction would probably be the same.

Drai kept waiting for someone to approach him. Unfortunately, words had spread that a sloth king was offered a bloodline class. Many people had seen a group of scouts simultaneously leaving an evolver while looking stupefied, so most of the scouts had already blacklisted Drai.

Other scouts who looked interested in approaching him were stopped halfway by their fellow scouts. Upon being told about Drai's circumstances, these scouts instantly lost interest as they shook their heads in disbelief. If these scouts knew that Drai was an absolute training freak with 30 SP, they would've pulled out their hair in regret for missing out on such a gem!

As time passed by, the crowd was getting thinner since many scouts who had fulfilled their quota and evolvers who had received admission had left the area. The rest of the people were mostly evolvers from the last batches of today's Revelation who arrived late at the venue. Some scouts seemed to represent unpopular institutions as they could be seen zipping around or waggling their fingers to the evolvers as if afraid their proposed benefits weren't understood clearly enough.

After a while, today's scouting event was coming to an end. The few people left were frantically negotiating. No one was staying still as they tried to finish their business before the time limit, no one but Drai.

Drai was still standing in desolation, unmoving from his previous spot. His eyes were shut and his fists were clenched as he tried to repress his emotions. Unfortunately, Titan's Fortitude couldn't help this time as Drai wasn't feeling fearful nor wary. He was feeling utterly disappointed in himself.

His disappointment surprisingly wasn't due to his class. It was his agitation concerning his current predicament that disappointed him.

He knew that his class was "special". At the moment when he chose the class, he had already committed to persevere against any hardships he might face in future. Yet, merely getting rejected with some side-eyed looks was enough to make him falter.

His sorrowful look was noticed by several staff members. They looked at him pitifully since they watched how not even one scout approached him after the initial group. They wondered what had happened that made everyone unwilling to approach him.

Amidst Drai's disappointment, he was thinking to himself.

'Why must I falter at this first step? Didn't I say to that person that I'd do it? Even if it wasn't a promise, were my words that cheap that they didn't even last for a single day?

'Why was I upset at the class when I saw the skills? Was I that conceited that I dared to judge the class when I knew nothing about it or any other class? Damn it! I'm a level one noob! I wouldn't even have the right to complain if I were given shit because I wouldn't know if that's true shit or gold in disguise!'

With his eyes closed, Drai recalled the moment when he "conversed" with that person. He remembered how that person never stopped smiling as if fully believing in him. Drai felt shameful. Instead of appreciating the person's trust, he even wanted to slap the person so much that he put it on his bucket list!

He should've known better, as this person was a titan! This person had no need to deceive an insignificant being such as Drai.

Feeling remorseful, Drai gathered his determination. He took several deep breaths and let all his frustration and disappointment fade away.

Sensing his finally calmed heart, Drai smiled resolutely.

'If you trust me that much, then I'll also trust you completely. I wanted that power; you wanted a seed. Both our wishes are basically the same. I don't know why I didn't realize this before. I guess my six intelligence is not just for show,' Drai chuckled.

Having found his resolution, Drai opened his eyes. In his view was still the hectic scene of scouts and evolvers, but to the current Drai, it left a different impression.

'These scouts and the ones before… they haven't seen those heights. If a titan wanted, Gaia would be gone in a flash. Who are they to judge me and my class's worth and why should I be perturbed by their ignorance? I was truly foolish,' Drai thought as he shook his head wryly.

'Maybe my life has been too smooth. I'm accustomed to physical pain but not mental distress. I guess this is a good experience for me.'

Feeling reinvigorated, Drai opened the System window, wanting to see his class with a fresh outlook.

The first thing he noticed was a change in his stat.

[Transcendence: 6]

Slightly surprised, Drai smiled at this. He didn't know this would happen, but since he decided to completely trust his class and that person, he would welcome every single change with open arms.

Opening the skill page, he saw that his SP increased too.

[SP: 33]

'This class sure loves the number four, huh? 40 strength, 40 constitution, 40 cost, and now it added four transcendence and four SP. Too bad I still don't have enough to learn the skill.'

Closing the skill page, he opened the class description once again, wanting to look at the guy's poem once more before returning to Lina and Daro.

Upon seeing the screen, Drai realized that something also changed here. There was a new third stanza following the previous two that he had seen.

[Description:

"Will of the Titans"

~

Our home left behind,

Alas we must fend.

A fate so unkind,

Demise was our end. 

~

A wish from this grave

To foster a seed

So steadfast and brave

To bear a lost creed.

~

O' friend from afar,

Be merry, be free.

Fear not shall you scar,

Right of the mighty.

Revised excerpt from Codas of Myriad Races manuscript collections.]

Reading the third stanza, Drai became silent. He stared at the words for a while. After some time, Drai closed the System window. Then he wholeheartedly laughed.

The staff members who were looking at Drai pitifully were previously baffled when Drai started smiling. But now they were shocked before becoming concerned.

'Did this guy lost his mind already? Maybe I should file a report later,' a staff member thought.

'I bet this guy was thinking about a comedy show to distract him. Poor guy. I wouldn't want to be in his shoes,' thought another staff member.

Unaware of these concerns, Drai continued laughing until he calmed down. Then, he stretched his body before walking toward the exit.

'Thank you, friend. If that's your wish, then merry and free I'll be.'

With this thought, Drai exited the venue and headed back to where his parents were waiting.