Silas woke with a start, momentarily confused by the unfamiliar ceiling above him. He remembered what happened and that this was real life, not a dream.
[Name: Silas Silverine]
[Race: Hatchling]
[Level: 1]
[Class: ???]
[EXP: 0/100]
[Stats]
Strength: 10
Vitality: 10
Endurance: 10
Energy: 10
Mana: 10
Agility: 10
Silas, looking at his stats, was confused. All my stats are gone. "I should have known all my stats would be gone, but they shouldn't all be at 10. Every class has its advantages, but my vitality and strength should be higher."
A sharp knock interrupted his thoughts.
"Exam starts in an hour. Let's get going."
Silas quickly got dressed.
They walked through the town to their destination, and Silas saw all the street vendors setting up their shop. He thought how he never got to see this aspect in the game. It was always just ready.
"Nervous?" Kirath asked as they approached the Examination Hall.
"Should I be?" Silas countered.
"Most are. The aptitude test reveals exactly what you are. Some discover they're suited for greatness, others... get the short stick." She shrugged. "Not everyone likes what they learn."
The Examination Hall was a large stone building. It looked very plain, nothing fancy. A crowd had already gathered in the main entrance. A number of participants were waiting for their turn to enter the hall. Silas spotted several hatchlings like himself, each accompanied by an adult guardian. There were also elves with their slender builds and pointed ears, stocky dwarves checking their gear, a cat girl whose tail wouldn't stop moving nervously, an imposing oni with a massive club, humans of various builds, and even a tiny fairy whose wings glittered in the morning light.
Kirath led him to a registration desk where a bored-looking human checked their names against a list.
"Silas Silverine, Red Flame Clan," the clerk read. "Hatchling. You're number twenty-three. Wait until called."
They found a bench along the wall and sat. Kirath folded her arms and closed her eyes, apparently content to wait in silence. Silas, however, watched the proceedings with interest.
One by one, applicants were called into a side chamber. Each would emerge some time later, usually with a changed expression. Some were excited, others disappointed, a few seemingly confused.
"What exactly happens in there?" Silas asked.
"The crystal reveals your aptitude," Kirath explained without opening her eyes. "It responds to your soul and determines what class best suits you."
Silas watched as a human emerged from the chamber, grinning broadly. "Fighter!" he announced to his waiting friends, who clapped him on the back in congratulation.
"Common class," Kirath murmured.
Most applicants indeed received common classes like an archer, a fighter, a mage, and a thief. A few gained uncommon designations like battle cleric or shadow dancers.
The room fell silent when a young male dragonkin emerged with an awe-struck expression. "Dragon Knight," he whispered, but in the hushed room, everyone heard.
"Super Rare class," someone muttered.
The dragonkin was immediately surrounded by well-wishers and curious onlookers. His guardian, an older dragonkin with battle-scarred scales, stood proudly nearby.
The excitement had barely died down when a human female in simple leather armor exited the chamber. Unlike the others, her expression was calm, almost unsurprised.
"Arbiter of the Sword," she announced in a clear voice.
The room went silent again, this time with a different emotion in the air. Something like reverence mixed with envy.
"Legendary class," Kirath whispered, suddenly alert. "She has the potential to become a ranker."
"Ranker?" Silas asked.
"Only rankers can access floor 51 and higher," Kirath explained. "Legendary classes have the highest chance of reaching that status. There hasn't been a new ranker in three years."
The woman seemed unbothered by the attention, taking a seat alone in a corner, her face a mask of serene confidence.
More applicants were tested, but none caused the stir of the Dragon Knight or the Arbiter. Finally, Silas's number was called.
"Don't embarrass the clan," Kirath said as he stood. Silas couldn't tell if she was joking.
The testing chamber was smaller than he expected—just a round room with a large crystal floating above a pedestal in the center. A stern-faced elf in official robes stood beside it.
"Place your hands on the crystal," the examiner instructed. "It will assess your talents."
Silas approached the crystal cautiously. It glowed with a white light pulsing gently like a heartbeat. He placed his palms against its smooth surface.
Immediately, warmth spread up his arms. The crystal's glow intensified, changing from white to blue to purple. Images flashed in Silas's mind. Dragons of all sizes and colors. Until he saw one dragon, it looked right sick at him before the vision stopped.
The crystal suddenly blazed with a red light so bright that Silas had to close his eyes. When he opened them, the examiner was staring at him with his mouth wide open.
"What?" Silas asked, heart racing. "What class am I?"
The examiner swallowed, gulping air. "Broodmaster," he said. "A legendary class. You... you have the ability to summon dragons."