Shadow Being System

Chapter 62

The next class listed under the special section was Sport Class. William smirked. Since the integration of abilities into everyday life, ordinary sports had grown stale for those with powers beyond the norm. Rules had been rewritten, leagues restructured. Now, a simple sprint could mean a race from one continent to another, a football game a matter of breaking sound barriers.

William was almost certain this would be the class Gavin would choose; after all, Gavin's dream was to become the greatest footballer—the GOAT, as he loved to brag. With his speed ability, he'd practically dance through defenses, blazing down the field like a comet.

Shaking his head at the thought of Gavin basking in glory on some massive stadium, William continued reading. Forgery Class caught his eye next. In this class, students would learn the delicate art of crafting weapons, armor, and artifacts using soul crystals extracted from dead beasts.

The mere thought of being a master forger was thrilling; master blacksmiths could make a fortune selling rare items that held powerful abilities. But William had little interest in the intricacies of forging, even if the prospect was enticing.

Then, his gaze fell upon the last option, and he felt a spark. This is it, he murmured to himself, a faint smile creeping onto his lips as he ticked his choice on the form.

Mr. John, who had been quietly watching the class from his desk, clapped his hands. "Alright," he called out, pulling the students from their thoughts. "Make sure to fill in your choices and hand your forms to the class representative."

A boy in the back piped up, "We don't have a class rep, sir."

Mr. John raised an eyebrow, and his eyes landed on the boy who had spoken. With a faint smirk, he said, "Really? Well then, congratulations, you're the new class rep."

The boy's face drained of color as he muttered under his breath, clearly cursing his own decision to speak up. The weight of responsibility settled on him like a dark cloud. Being class rep was a thankless job—extra duties, endless paperwork, and absolutely no reward.

The teacher collected his notes and prepared to leave. As he neared the door, he paused, glancing over his shoulder. "Those of you without abilities, report to the library in 30 minutes."

William's heart skipped a beat, his breath catching in his throat. In thirty minutes, I'll get my ability, he thought, a thrill of excitement mingling with an uneasy nervousness. He couldn't deny the pulse of anticipation rising in his chest, but what if… what if he ended up with a weak or insignificant ability?

Mr. John left the room, and for a moment, the class was still, each student lost in their thoughts.

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Twenty minutes later, William stepped out into the academy grounds, joining the other first-years who were also heading toward the library. The day was bright and sunny, with golden rays casting vibrant patterns across the grounds. Birds chirped in the distance, and the gentle rustle of leaves gave the atmosphere a serene calm, though tension hung heavy in the air.

Faces all around him mirrored his own expression—a mix of excitement and fear, anticipation, and a lingering question etched into every brow: What kind of ability will I get?

The system's voice broke into William's thoughts. It doesn't matter which ability you get, it whispered with a touch of smugness. After all, you have me.

William scoffed, but he couldn't deny the truth in its words. Through the system, he already possessed four abilities: his Third Eye, which granted him extraordinary perception; Darkseer, letting him see perfectly in the dark; Immunox, which rendered him immune to all poisons; and his Child of Thunder attribute, giving him partial control over lightning. So, perhaps the system was right.

In the grand scheme, his innate power wouldn't define him.

But still, he thought, smirking, a cool ability like telepathy, mind control, or something unique wouldn't hurt.

They continued walking for another five minutes, and soon, the towering dome-shaped library came into view. It was a magnificent structure, large enough to fit over a thousand students comfortably. Its exterior was a pristine white, giving it a sense of purity and mystery, and it spanned ten floors with a glass-panel roof that allowed sunlight to flood the interior.

Several soldiers stood by the library entrance, scanning the approaching students. One of the soldiers raised his hand, motioning for them to form lines at each of the ten doors. This organized them into groups of fifty, adding to the sense of order and importance.

As William shuffled to the back of his assigned line, his palms grew slightly damp. The air buzzed with nervous chatter, some students with excited grins, others fidgeting, their hands clammy with anxiety.

The library doors opened in unison, a low hum reverberating as they swung inward, inviting the students to enter. William took a deep breath and joined the flow, stepping into the library. As he crossed the threshold, he was met with a sight that took his breath away.

The ground floor was vast and mostly empty, save for a few tables and reception desks. It looked more like a mini-restaurant than a library, with cozy seating and small counters where students could eat and talk. The soft lighting gave the place an inviting warmth.

Above the ground floor, endless rows of book racks stretched up through the floors, separated by spacious aisles. Each level seemed to contain at least fifty racks, with tables for reading scattered around. But it was the top two floors that drew his attention. Unlike the rest of the library, they lacked reading tables.

Instead, the shelves there held individual transparent cases, each containing a book with a number inscribed on it.

William's pulse quickened as he looked up. Ability books, he thought. One of those would soon be his.

As the last of the students entered, they were ushered to line up on the ground floor, the usual crowd of readers absent today to make room for the new recruits. The quiet buzz of conversation ceased, and a heavy silence fell over the room.

A slow, steady tapping echoed from the far end of the library as an old man with a cane approached. Each tap of the cane reverberated through the hall, setting an almost reverent tone. His hair was silver, his eyes sharp despite his age, and he carried himself with a regal air. He came to a stop at the front, his gaze sweeping over the students with a mixture of pride and scrutiny.

"Welcome," he began, his voice rich and deep, aided by a microphone-like artifact that amplified his words, letting them resonate through the hall. "I'm sure you've all been waiting for this day."

The students leaned forward, hanging onto every word, a wave of excitement spreading through the crowd like wildfire. William's heart raced as he imagined the untold potential waiting to be unlocked in this very room.

Author's Note: Thank you Darius_Sampelean for the power stones, I really appreciate it.