The relief of having activated his first powers lasted only a moment, cut short when his eyes fell on the homework assignment resting on the table. His work, it seemed, was far from over before they reached the Academy. 'Right. Get this done now, relax later.' The silent pep talk did little to stir him, but Leo sighed and sat down, pulling the assignment and a pen toward him. Name: Leo. Age: Fourteen. Skill Name: The single line for a skill name suggested that one was the norm for a newly awakened student. But which to choose? Beast Taming, Super Vision, or Rend? He was certain this would be posted for the entire class to see. The last thing he wanted was to reveal the full extent of his abilities and paint a target on his back before he even knew how to defend himself. Besides, his contracted magical beast, the Swiftwing Hawk, was still just a fledgling. It would be months, if not years, before it reached its full power. Revealing Beast Taming now would just mean showing off a baby bird—an open invitation for bullies. Super Vision was undeniably cool and useful, but it wasn’t a combat skill. And among the elite, combat strength was everything. So, he returned to the bed and picked up the short sword again, determined to master Rend. Activating the skill was surprisingly simple. A single thought sent a dull red light coursing through the blade. When he swung it at the wall panel marked [Testing Area], a crescent of destructive energy shot forward, only to be silently absorbed by the high-tech alloy. Moving the blade felt like dragging it through thick dough. His arm could barely move, slowing the swing to a crawl. The skill only formed as the blade moved, however, which meant with enough training, he could surely speed up the activation. A skill like Rend would earn him respect. With a bit more practice, he could slice through a wide swathe of enemies, targeting an entire group at once. Leo hurried back to the desk and filled out the details for Rend, including the drawback about his slowed movement during its use. As he wrote, a thought occurred to him. What if he was already moving when he activated it? It was how a hawk hunted, wasn't it? They didn’t rely on brute strength; they dove at incredible speeds, using momentum for a single, decisive strike. If he could master that principle, his combat power would skyrocket. But the questionnaire didn't just ask about the skill. It asked about the user, too. Any headaches? The feeling of having forgotten something important? Physical increases or decreases? Leo took a moment to assess himself. Aside from the Super Vision, he was definitely more flexible. Not by much, but the difference was noticeable. In the end, he decided to mark that section 'none'. If his agility improved further, he could always attribute it to his training. After all, some of the elite were said to be true superhuman monsters, while others were as frail as any normal person, just blessed with mind-boggling powers. He remembered hearing about an idol who had sprained an ankle just by stumbling on her way to the stage for a meet and greet. That was proof enough that the injection didn't hand out physical gifts equally. Once satisfied that his answers would secure him a decent rating among his classmates, Leo carefully slid the paper into the provided envelope and placed it in the tray by the door. That was everything required of him until their arrival, but he felt a burning curiosity to experiment more with Rend. What if he tried to be more like the Hawk? The equipment locker should have a clawed gauntlet and a trident. Both might replicate the three-talon mark on his arm, but the trident was a stabbing weapon, which seemed ill-suited to the skill’s slicing nature. He opened the drawer again, replacing the sword with a pair of gauntlets tipped with wicked-looking claws. They weren't impressive weapons on their own, but they felt right for the skill he had in mind. The gauntlets were a bit large for his hands, as Leo was slightly smaller than average, but a few buckle adjustments made them snug enough. He tried the skill again. Extending his hand like a hawk swooping on its prey, he flexed his fingers. Four thin streaks of red light tore through the air and slammed into the testing wall. Each arc was far less impressive than the one from the sword, but their speed was incredible, and they struck multiple points on the target. Against a lightly armored opponent, this seemed like the superior approach. The more attacks they had to dodge or block, the better. Each use of the skill, however, seemed to siphon his energy. After only a few more practice swings, Leo felt his arms grow heavy. He had to sit down on the bed, his breath coming in ragged gasps. This would be a problem in actual combat training. He’d spent plenty of time in the gym, but he’d been focused on building his physique, not his stamina. But that was what the Academy was for. If he focused on his training, he was sure he would overcome it. As Leo massaged his sore arms, the first of the other students were only just beginning to stir, their guidebooks still unread. It wasn't much of a head start, but every second counted. The first awakened elite of his class was already hard at work.

Chapter 5: The Burden of Awakening