---Begin Note---
It has been a few hours since I woke up in this new world—Ark, a citadel carved from desperation and illuminated by sheer willpower. From the outside, it gleams like a miracle; from within, it breathes tension and fear. Based on fragmented memories and subtle intuition, I've deduced that this world is Earth, or what's left of it—twelve years post the First Mana Pulse. Whether this knowledge is implanted, dream-born, or something else, I cannot say. It's as if I've read this place before, perhaps in a half-forgotten novel... or lived it.
The Earth I remember—blue skies, sprawling cities, mundane worries—no longer exists. Now, there are only thirteen cities left, massive strongholds called Ley Cities, although Ark has dropped the old naming system. Built atop mana convergence points and empowered by Will Crystals, Ark is a sanctuary floating at the edge of a fractured Himalayan abyss. Sky sentries patrol the air. Mana cannons line the rooftops. But beneath its shimmer lies anxiety—every soul here is a survivor, not a citizen.
Outside these walls lies the Wild Dominion: a corrupted realm of untamed nature and monstrous evolution. Mana-infused beasts roam free. Mountains defy gravity. Forests bleed and whisper. Over 60% of Earth's surface has fallen to these anomalies and the remnants of the multiverse invaders. Humanity clings to existence in the few strongholds still standing. Civilization endures by adapting. And that means... Awakening.
Awakening Day comes once every three years. All youths aged 16 years old are brought to the Hall of Wills where their potential is assessed, and their fate is determined. Through a mysterious rite linked to the World's Will, each individual receives a class and rank. I'll need to understand this system if I want to survive—or surpass the odds stacked against me.
Classes and Ranks form the skeleton of society now.
Classes: There are dozens, maybe hundreds of base and hybrid classes. Here's what I've gathered:
Mages: wield elements such as fire, ice, lightning, shadow, or rarer ones like void and stardust. They can specialize into battle mages, spell-weavers, or elemental lords.
Swordsmen: are physical combatants who can enhance their blades with mana or elemental forces. With mastery, they may become Blade Saints or Elemental Slayers.
Blacksmiths: are more than artisans—they imbue weapons with power, craft mana armor, and repair relics.
Alchemists: brew potions, toxins, and enhancers. Advanced ones can manipulate the essence of reality itself.
Scouts: use extreme agility, stealth, and environmental awareness to spy, sabotage, or guide troops.
Assassins: strike from the shadows, specializing in speed and lethality. Some unlock time-slowing or poison arts.
Chefs:—yes, this surprised me—use food as buffs. Legendary Chefs can boost stats or even temporarily awaken hidden potential.
Archers: command distance warfare, often combining elemental arrows or perception-based powers.
Tanks:—aka Shielders or Guardians—are frontline defenders. They redirect damage, control terrain, and are nearly unbreakable with proper gear.
Healers: focus on restorative arts using light, holy, or water affinities. Some can even revive recently fallen allies.
Psychics: delve into the mental plane, reading thoughts, bending minds, or enforcing illusions.
Eye Users: possess ocular powers—ranging from truth-detection and foresight to immobilisation and soul piercing.
Thieves: excel at agility, infiltration, and stealing abilities or items. Many serve as agents in enemy territories.
Enchanters: bind spells into weapons, items, or environments. They are support specialists capable of massive battlefield control.
Ranks: Ranks indicate quality, not power limits. From lowest to highest: F < E < D < C < B < A < S < SS < SSS
An F-Rank Mage could still become powerful with dedication and resources, while an S-Rank lazy Swordsman might plateau early. However, starting with a high rank means greater synergy with the World's Will, faster comprehension of class abilities, and often—unique passive or active skills.
Every class rank contains 100 levels. Levelling up improves one's Status Attributes, which are:
Strength: Raw physical power
Agility: Speed and reflexes
Intelligence: Mana control and spell learning
Vitality: Health and regeneration
Perception: Awareness and sensory range
Willpower: Resistance, mental focus, and affinity with World Will
The stronger your rank and class, the more options you unlock. Some rare class evolutions require achieving S-Rank in a specific stat or meeting environmental triggers.
Hybrids exist too. I've heard of:
Flame Knights: Sword and Fire Mages
Void Assassins: Spatial manipulation with stealth
Chrono Binders: Time-limited buffs and traps
Then there's what they call "Unique Classes"—one-in-a-generation gifts from the World's Will. They don't evolve like normal ones. They mutate.
I haven't awakened yet, but I've overheard students whisper about the "trash classes." Things like Scribers, Recorders, or Memory Mages—classes that sound useful, but useless in battle. They're usually A or B-rank at most. The kind of class that makes others sneer. If I get one of those… well, I'll just have to survive long enough to rewrite what "trash" means.
Today, I will among awaken one's.
---End Note---
Tag: Critical Survival Info. Backup to crystal log.
This world is brutal. This world is alive. This world is testing us by sending us on mission against beast who roam 60% of the World.
And somewhere in this chaos, I can feel it—as if the World's Will itself is watching.
I will not break.
Even if I awaken as the weakest class imaginable…
I will learn. I will adapt.
And I will rise.