Common, Exotic, and Extreme?

Yusuf suspected that his would fall somewhere within the material plane, like his old teacher. Which gave him a slim chance of possessing an exotic will.

Standing tall and brimming with pride, he towered over Romann, their roles almost reversed. The short, white-haired youth extended his hand confidently. "All I need is your C-stone. It has likely gathered enough of your Will's fingerprint for the machine to function," he declared. The others followed suit, extracting their C-stones, with individuals like Al and Ellie viewing what they once considered mere wallets in a new light.

Handing his C-stone to Romann, Yusuf watched intently as Romann placed it precisely in the machine's designated center. Instantly, both the stone and the armillary burst into a vibrant glow.

The rings encircling the armillary compass commenced a mesmerizing revolution, celestial bodies cycling endlessly. Gradually, the moon sphere ascended while the sun tilted toward the lower portion, until the cosmic motion gradually slowed, finally halting in a fixed position.

Romann approached the machine's counter, where a book lay. "Alright, let me see if I can still read this," he announced loudly, holding everyone's attention captive. All eyes were fixed upon him, each group member eager to hear the revelations about to unfold.

Romann's gaze shifted from the book to Yusuf. Clearing his throat, he addressed the group, emphasizing the significance of a common will and dispelling any notion of inferiority. "Having a Common will does not diminish your capabilities in the slightest. The God from my Supreme Leaf, the pinnacle of power in this world, possesses a Common Will and he's surpassed all. Remember that" he emphasized.

Turning his attention back to Yusuf, Romann's voice resonated with a mix of authority and respect. "Yusuf, your Will is that of Steel. Its origin lies in the same source as all Will within the material plane: the divine Entity IA, Darkness herself. You should strive to cultivate your will in the darkness or the night." The revelation hit Yusuf like a whirlwind, momentarily paralyzing him.

However, true to his will, he maintained an outward composure, the impact only visible within. Gratefully accepting his C-stone from Romann, Yusuf bowed in a gesture of respect.

Next in line was Louise, determined and resolute as she approached Romann, clutching her C-stone tightly. Unbeknownst to the others, a wave of sweat coated her palms, and her heart pounded nervously in her chest, like a drum echoing in Romann's ears.

As Romann placed Louise's C-stone in the center of the machine, Romann closed his eyes, his thoughts dancing with a hint of amusement. "Ah, the children of this generation, burdened with their contemplation of the cards they are dealt. Perhaps there is a painful advantage in believing one is born special," he mused silently.

In this silent anticipation, the group stood, each individual harboring their speculations regarding Romann's thoughts, while a chilly aura of anticipation hung in the air.

The celestial rings once again came alive with their mesmerizing motions. The sun and moon spheres started their gradual movements, aligning themselves at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock, respectively.

Romann's eyes sparkled with anticipation as he consulted the book, flipping through its pages until he found the corresponding summary.

Louise's heart leaped with excitement at the prospect of a leadership role, a lesson ingrained within her by her Great Great Great Grandfather. Romann retrieved Louise's C-stone from the machine, revealing his surprise at discovering an individual with an Exotic will.

"Honestly, I didn't expect someone to possess an Exotic will. The chances are less than 15%. But congratulations, Louise Mitchell, you are one of the few. Specifically, you possess the Exotic Will of tension, rooted in the material plane with the divine Entity IA as its source," Romann announced.

With that, Romann swiftly moved on to the next person in line, Ellie. Al noticed Jin positioning himself behind her, wearing an unusual expression.

Ellie confidently stepped forward, her C-stone held firmly in her hand, exuding a sense of gentleness. As she passed by Louise, she offered her quick congratulations before approaching Romann with a respectful greeting and handing him her C-stone.

Placing her C-stone carefully on the machine, he stepped back, allowing the celestial rings to come alive again. This time, the sun's spherical ring began its slow rotation, gradually bringing the sun to its highest position. Standing at the back of the room next to Cesar, Al observed this formation and quietly contemplated its significance, noting that it was the opposite of Yusuf's and Louise's moon-based formations.

Suddenly, Cesar, standing beside Al, exclaimed in awe, "Oh wow! It looks like an eclipse." Romann, frozen in place, was struck by the sight of the formation, his mind filled with disbelief. "It's not as rare as someone with an exotic Will... But I should have been able to sense someone with an Extreme Will awakening their Wil!"

Sensing Romann's reaction, Ellie felt uneasy, sensing that something significant was happening with her Will's formation. The rest of the group, equally taken aback by Romann's response, could only think of one possibility—the immensely powerful Extreme will.

This time, Romann closed the book after reading the page that detailed the formation, turning towards the group with a serious expression on his face. "Somehow, not only do we have the rare and powerful exotic Will, but we also have someone with Extreme Will." he gestured towards Louise and Ellie, "This phantom seed will do very well." Romann's voice showed excitement and a smile crossed his face.

Louise and Ellie couldn't contain their smiles, feeling a sense of pride and excitement. However, Yusuf's face sank even further, realizing that the position of Captain was now completely out of his reach. Romann, meanwhile, had a flashback to when his first phantom seed team had their wills identified. He quickly added, addressing Ellie, "Now, Ellie, you possess the Extreme Will of Reflection rooted in the energy plane, with the divine being 'Oou' as its source."

However, Romann paused momentarily, contemplating something before continuing, "The fact that the extreme classification is the pinnacle of power will be a double-edged sword. In the last 100 years, many individuals with an Extreme Will have been identified. Unfortunately, only a few remain. Undoubtedly, every God Leaf will want you to join their ranks. Your future will be filled with opportunities, and you will lack nothing regarding training. However, you must understand that your safety must become your top priority, as the risk of death is almost guaranteed."

Upon hearing this, Ellie's excitement transformed into a creeping uneasiness. Suddenly, having an Extreme Will felt more like a curse than a gift. Without allowing a moment of relief, Romann shifted his attention to the rest of the group and asked, "Alright, who's next? Jin?"

Almost as thin as Cesar, Jin approached the front with his robe adorned with beautiful embroidery and stitching that read "Takahashi." He handed him his C-stone. He didn't expect to hear anything new. Coming from a family known for consistently producing the same Common Will, little variation was expected. For that reason, his old teacher was known as a true rarity. However, he walked up with a dismissive look in his eyes that was difficult to conceal.

Romann reached out, sensing Jin's demeanor, and said, "By the look in your eyes, I'd say you already know what you Will is. Nevertheless, it's always best to double-check." Romann placed it on the machine, repeating the process. The sun was in the highest position this time, with the moon slightly tilted downward. As soon as Jin saw the formation, a helpless smile of defeat appeared on his face.

Roman walked up to the book, finding the page faster than the last three times. With a sigh, he mused, "The number of individuals the Takahashi bloodline has produced possessing Lightning Will is incredible. How do families like that come into existence, I wonder?"

He closed the book, retrieving the C-stone from the machine and returning it to Jin. Romann Explained what Jinn already knew: He had the Common Will of Lightning. Jinn already knew how to cultivate his will and its source.

Four of them had now been identified with their will.

Roman addressed them with a hint of displeasure, "It seems you all are a tad perplexed. Certain types of will are labeled 'Common' due to their higher prevalence among individuals. Conversely, those born with an Exotic will are much rarer. While there may be slight variations in strength, Extreme will sets itself apart entirely, almost indistinguishable from the source. The point is each Will possesses its unique advantages and disadvantages."

Pausing briefly to gather his thoughts, Roman continued, "Even those with humble beginnings can achieve vastly different outcomes. Alright, we're almost finished. Al, Cesar, whoever..." Before Roman could finish his sentence, Cesar decisively stepped forward, already standing in front of Al.

"I'll go next! I wholeheartedly understand, teacher. It's all about the effort one puts in. It's the reason I emerged victorious in the challenge. Whether it's common, Exotic, or Extreme, it makes no difference to me bring it on." Cesar said with a palpable excitement. Romann retrieved Cesar's C-stone and placed it on the contraption.

When Roman first heard that two humans—one close to awakening his will and the other completely ignorant to Will- defeat a hybrid in the Mental Domain- he found it difficult to believe. However, upon discovering that one of them was Al, he granted the story more credence. After all, his teacher 'Immortal King Godfrey' had sent him specifically to look over Al's training. Yet, the second child, Cesar, truly ignited Roman's curiosity.

The concept of a baseline human being capable of surviving against anything in the Mental Domain was unheard of. Roman began to grasp that Cesar was far from ordinary; he stood head and shoulders above everyone else regarding capability and adaptability.

"I wonder what kind of will Cesar possesses," Romann wondered. Based on what he had previously mentioned, the chances of it being anything other than Common Will were small.

Al, too, found himself consumed by curiosity, diligently observing the unfolding scene. Meanwhile, it is anticipated Cesar has a Common Will like the rest. The machine whirred into motion, its rings manipulating the planets revolving around the rising sun. Gradually, a formation akin but opposite to Louis's began to take shape, with the sun reaching its highest point and the moon tilting slightly.

A smile played on Romann's lips as he turned towards Cesar, about to say something. However, the moon defied expectations, descending slowly from its tilt to the opposite bottom position, the reverse of Louis's formation. The planets abruptly halted, and a collective gasp filled the air. Even Romann, taken aback, stood there with his mouth agape, yet no words escaped.

Louis couldn't contain her astonishment, exclaiming, "No way!" Everyone had grown accustomed to the machine's workings, but what they witnessed defied all expectations. Yusuf, the first to recover from his awe, turned away with an uninterested expression, while Al, like everyone else, shared in the collective surprise. Despite knowing him for less than a month, Al felt he knew Cesar fairly well, yet now he began to question if he truly knew him at all.

Romann turned to face Cesar, who exuded the same excitement and determination as before. "Does this mean I also possess that rare Exotic Will?" Cesar exclaimed, his enthusiasm overflowing. "Hahaha! It seems my father was right all along. I can't wait to see how strong I can get!"

Romann offered him a wry smile before swiftly turning around and going to the book. He deftly flipped through the pages until he read the desired passage intently. Upon finishing, Romann felt a tinge of perplexity. While he already had a fondness for Cesar, he initially aimed to avoid saying anything that might inflate his ego.

"He turned to Cesar, then glanced briefly at Al as an unexpected thought crossed his mind. "Don't tell me... if Al possesses anything other than a common will, it could potentially send the God Leafs into a frenzy." Romann quickly dismissed the thought from his mind, shaking off the notion.

He approached Cesar, returning his C-stone and remarking, "Yes, you possess an Exotic Will. However, it is incomparable to Louise's or mine! Four Exotic Wills are considered the pinnacle of the Exotic Classification. Like all Wills associated with the energy plane, you should cultivate your Will in a bright room or daylight."

With a nod and a broad smile, Cesar took his C-stone and walked off, radiating the joy of a boy on Christmas Eve, joining the others. Al, not waiting for Cesar to depart, began walking forward as soon as Romann finished speaking.

This time, all eyes were fixed upon him, filled with anticipation. The chances of Al possessing an Exotic or Extreme will be incredibly slim, yet the possibility lingered, creating a certain tension in the room. Al, however, remained composed. After all, he had no intention of staying in the 15th blood ring with the others for over three decades. His sole purpose was to gain the strength necessary to protect his mother.

"Exotic, Extreme... it's starting to sound like they spend more time honing their Will against each other than killing those nightmarish creatures. That's alright. I gave up on all forms of competition years ago." Al's thoughts trailed off, his mind momentarily reflecting on a painful memory.

Al handed his C-stone over to Romann, who swiftly grasped it, giving Al a curious look. Romann silently pondered, "I recognize that rhythm—it's the music the heart plays when it's denied the chance to express itself. Perhaps he's still grappling with the loss of his friend. Maybe I was too harsh on him..."

With a gentle touch, Romann placed Al's C-stone into the machine, ready to unveil his Will.