SSS-Rank Engineer: Only I Can Create Legendary Weapons

Percy jumped off the barge before it was even done settling, enhancing his body to cross the artificial canal in a single leap.

For an impatient second he soared, clear white waters beneath him to the white walls of the canal. Thalos was beside him not long after he landed.

"That's a bit dramatic, no?" George said from the barge. "Get in quick, there are only so many Viscount children."

"Wait, Percy!" Flynn shouted behind him.

But there was no time. He jumped from the walls and onto the street in front of the high stone building. Immediately, he and Thalos were snaking through the crowd at the front of the temple.

Someone cursed when they bumped into him, another person tried grabbing him only to be pulled off their feet by a surprising amount of strength.

They were all waiting here, trying to find space in the halls to watch the ceremony. Some of their children would go up there, albeit they weren't as likely to have an affinity as a noble.

The ceremony had started an hour ago, slowed down by speeches of stuffy, self-aggrandizing nobles and traditional proceedings.

By the time Percy and Thalos managed to reach the door, they were calling out the first child for the ceremony.

Despite the panic running through him, Percy took a moment to appreciate the grandness of the hall—the vaulted ceiling, the great pillars between the many rows of seats.

The air was reverent, filled with the scent of incense and the subdued murmuring of the crowd. At the head of the hall, on a raised stage, was a row of white robed spiritmancers with their chairs against the wall, facing the hall solemnly.

At the center of the stage, illuminating the entire hall by itself, was a single pillar radiating a kaleidoscope of colors.

The changing colors washed the white-robed spiritmancers on the stage in red, blue, and yellow. It was like light refracted through an aquarium's glass.

Commoners sat close to the back, with nobility closer to the front. All of the Count's subjects were seated here for the spirit affinity ceremony. Many of the Viscounts and Barons weren't physically here, but they sent Stewards and their Bailiffs for them.

One of the white-robed spiritmancers was standing next to the pillar, in charge calling names of people that were to come on stage.

"Vanitas Neo, child of Crona, son of our esteemed Count, please come up and start the ceremony. Let the spirits speak through you to begin your journey into greatness."

A boy rose in the front row, and silence rolled through the halls. Percy realized that they were just getting started.

The ceremony started an hour ago, but they just started with the first child now. Ceremonies like this were just fanfare at the end of the day.

What mattered more was bolstering the egos of the important men here.

He pushed through the crowd and tried to make it to the front row. Everyone was just standing around now, so it was even harder.

The stage was far, but there was still time. In the meantime, Vanitas climbed the stage. The boy had platinum blonde hair and bright blue eyes that glowed under the mystical lights of the pillar.

He was dressed sharply in a black and golden vest. Vanitas looked like something out of a shoujo manga to Percy—clean and well put together, internally and externally.

A bit too organized.

He approached the pillar with a serene expression, like he already knew his fate and was just coming here to show it to all the people here.

The spiritmancer bowed and allowed the boy to walk past him. Vanitas stood in front of the pillar, frozen for an almost imperceptible moment.

Then he reached forward and touched the pillar.

Blue light erupted from the pillar, bright enough to light up every inch of the hall. Percy knew it was Water Spiritmancy, but he learned more from the surrounding people.

"Sapphire," someone said behind him. "Lord Vanitas has a very high affinity for Water Spiritmancy."

"That's at least Rank 5 potential!"

"Amazing, such a brilliant color."

So the hue of the color determined how strong your affinity was?

Percy hummed in interest, making his way through the crowd. He was almost at the front, but one of the guards stopped him suddenly.

"I'm Perseus Amphene. Here for the ceremony," he said nervously.

The guard raised an eyebrow, Percy's words drawing a short chuckle from him.

"You would have come with the procession if that was true. I can't let every random person pass. Now get back, please."

Before he could protest, the spiritmancer on stage continued his speech, drowning out Percy with his magically enhanced voice as he read from the parchment in his hand.

"Perseus Amphene, child of Crona, son of Viscountess Hecate, please come up and let the spirits speak through you."

"That's me, this is my father, Thalos Amphene," Percy muttered hastily. He pointed back at Thalos, who was watching everyone moving around them, holding on to his sword.

The guard's eyes narrowed, also placing a hand on the sword on his hip.

"Why weren't you checked at the door? You shouldn't have brought that in here."

Shit, this is not good.

The announcer on stage stared into the front row but saw no one come through, so he rolled his eyes.

"It seems House Amphene has not graced us with their presence today." A short chuckle ran through the noble section. "Let us move on to—"

"I'm here!" Percy shouted suddenly, voice filling the hall.

A/N:

Sorry about the missed update. I was a bit busy.

Readers have kind of slowed down, so i'd like to know if there's anything you don't like about the current chapters.

Anything that i could change to improve the story.

But in the meantime, please use your powerstones and golden tickets here if you can. They help the story a lot to get new features.