Chapter 2: Awakening Ceremony

12 years later. Glory city. The city was more like a kingdom in itself. In reality, there was a huge forest known as the death forest, that surrounded three kingdoms, the Glory kingdom, the Red Scorpion Kingdom and the Iron Saber Kingdom. The three kingdoms were surrounded by the death forest and seldom had any connection to the world outside the forest.

Glory kingdom or the city itself was divided into many parts, mainly six parts namely Royal area, Noble area, General area, Soldier area, Commoners area and Slums. As per the name and order, the royal area was the innermost area with most resources and obviously the safest whereas the Slums was the outermost without even a proper defense system and closest to the danger from wild beasts. When a person reaches 12 years of age, they were tested for their core and talent, and thus graded into various sections. A level 6 core was of royal status, level 5 was noble, level 4 a general, level 3 a soldier, level 2 a commoner and level 1 were dumped as slums. One's core level was fixed at birth and it was not common for one to change their level especially at a poor and desolate place like the three kingdoms.

Today was the day of the core test. Test of each area would be held at their own respective areas. The test area of the slums was the most crowded as the population here was the most densely packed. Children of age 12 were going to be tested and many had come with their parents. This was probably the sole time to change their destiny. As people living I the slums, if their child could awaken a high level core, their future would be limitless and even they could benefit from their child.

Many had high expectations but the truth was brutal. As the offspring of people already in the slums and thus obviously having a low level core, it was really rare for a child to awaken a high level core. There were exceptions every year and everyone hopes the same would be them.

Around a million child were to be tested at different venues in the slums. In a particular venue, an old couple was taking a boy with a silver hair towards the venue. Even with hundreds of venues at different slums, there was a long queue of people. The old couple let the boy stand at the end of the queue. Other than parents of the testing child, some people were also quite interested in the test. They hope to catch a miracle.

The test was to check the core type and level by making the child to put their hands on a crystalline ball. The ball would show the image of the core as well as its level. The ball would shine a golden light and the more powerful the light the higher the core level. There was a measuring level for each core level. However, considering the tester in a remote palace it only had six level of core. Evidently, there has never been anyone in history higher than level 6 core and thus they didn't require a superior tester.

Many children were tested and in around three hours, there was only a single child to awaken a level 2 core of a wild dog type. After another two hours, one girl managed to awaken a level 3 core of plant type namely Rubus Ellipticus of rose family. Finally, it was time for little Ray to be tested. When he put his hand on the crystal ball, the ball lit brightly but suddenly lost all its brightness. The core was reflected inside the ball. It was a dull and dim white ball. If one looked closely they could see a black circle just underneath the ball. The inspector didn't know what core it was as there was not a record of such a core before. But since the light level was practically zero, he deemed it to be a level 1 core.

The old couple was disappointed. So was little Ray. A core of level 1 means there was no way for him to escape his fate of being a slum dog. But little Ray didn't lose hope. Even if he had a low grade core so what, he would make up that with his hard work.

"Child, don't be disappointed. Talent doesn't determine everything." The old man tried to console little Ray but even he couldn't believe his own words honestly.

"I understand grandpa" little Ray smiled with determination in his eyes.

"Those inner academies will probably not be interested in you. Your only option is to join the Slum academy little Ray."

"Grandpa, it doesn't matter which academy I join. Plus, I can be with you guys if I stay in the slum area."

"Oh you sweet boy" The old man smiled warmly at the little boy's reply.

There were many academies in the slum area. But all of them would only have level 1 core students. Why would a level 2 core person choose to stay in the slum and join of the academies there, let alone an even higher core person? The only exception would be when none of the commoner academies would not be interested in a level 2 core student from a slum. But that is a very rare occurrence, especially in commoner and soldier academies.

"There is a slum academy nearby where we live. You can join that."

"Ok"

The three people left the venue.

The entrance examination of the academies would be exactly one month from the date of testing. Other than those special students who managed to awaken a special and rare cores and were directly accepted by the many academies, the rest have this one month to prepare for the entrance exam. Not every person gets to be admitted by the academies. They have limited resource and manpower so only those they deemed to be worthy and have potential were admitted.

"I have a month. I need to work hard and at least get admitted in one of those academies."

Little Ray thought inwardly.