Stargazers: World stage

Vahn awoke with a pounding headache, his senses dulled and his mind clouded. Blinking against the dim light filtering through the dorm window, he groaned and propped himself up on one elbow. His hand instinctively went to the side of his head, trying to soothe the throbbing pain. As he sat up fully, he noticed something attached to his chest, a small, circular device softly beeping with each faint pulse of his heartbeat.

"What's this?" he muttered, ripping the heart monitor off with little care.

"Oh? You're awake," Dhyte's voice broke through the haze. He sat at the edge of his bed, his face etched with worry.

"What happened?" Vahn asked, his voice hoarse.

"That's what we should be asking you," William replied from across the room, arms crossed, his expression serious. "After beating Barion, you suddenly started convulsing."

Vahn opened his mouth to respond, but a sudden golden interface flashed before his eyes.

[YOU HAVE ABSORBED ESSENCE OF ???]

[ABSORPTION RATE: 1%]

His breath caught in his throat. "What?" he whispered, staring at the message in disbelief.

"Is something wrong?" William stepped closer, his posture tense, ready for anything.

"No, nothing," Vahn waved him off, masking his confusion. Then, with a curious glance, he asked, "Can you see anything in front of me?"

William exchanged a wary look with Whyte. "What are you talking about?" he replied, his brow furrowed.

Vahn exhaled sharply. 'So, they can't see it,' he thought, calming himself. 'This screen... only I can see it.'

He focused on the message again. 'Absorbed essence?' His mind drifted back to the pod from earlier that day to the mysterious being he'd encountered. He had assumed the process had failed, but clearly, it hadn't.

'Is it triggered by fighting?' The theory seemed plausible, though strange. And the "1% absorption rate" piqued his curiosity. He clenched his fist, feeling a subtle yet undeniable difference in his strength.

'I've definitely gotten stronger.' His heart raced with excitement. He had always yearned for an ability, and now, it was finally his. He was surprised. Among the things he did to get the ability was regularly check his body for any changes, and now he could feel the difference between his previous body and his current.

He clenched his fist and opened it again. The way his hand moved was different and he didn't need anyone to tell him, he had awakened.

'So, what is my ability?' Smiling at the thought of finally awakening, he began thinking of what his ability could possibly be. 'So, do I think of using it?' He closed his eyes and thought of using his ability.

However, nothing happened.

"Hey, William, can I ask you something?" Vahn broke the silence.

"Hmm?" William responded, tilting his head slightly.

"How do you use your ability?"

William chuckled. "Are you seriously asking me that?"

Vahn nodded, unfazed.

"Oh, you were serious? Well," William sighed, "it's like instinct. In the same way you don't think about chewing your food, you just do it. You know what you can do, and you release it."

Vahn absorbed the explanation and focused on his hand again. 'Maybe it's a physical ability.' The latent power he felt coursing through his body hinted at immense potential. He gauged himself to be at peak E-rank, perhaps capable of taking on a D-rank.

'Now, for my new goal, I should grow my ability to at least C-rank before this two years end.' he resolved, his heart swelling with determination.

"Nghn…"

A groan snapped him from his thoughts. Barion stirred, his battered form struggling to sit up. William and Dhyte instinctively prepared for a possible confrontation, however, Barion merely glanced at Vahn before trudging to his bed without a word. He didn't even clean off the blood on his body.

Vahn watched him with mild interest, then reclined, letting sleep claim him once more. William sighed and climbed into his bed. Dhyte switched off the lights and the room descended into an uneasy silence.

However, he couldn't sleep that night due to the tense situation.

…

The shrill ring of the alarm pierced the dawn quiet, dragging them from sleep at 6 AM.

It was the first official day of classes at the Alliance.

After quick showers and donning their black camouflage uniforms, the standard issue for Alliance military personnel, distinguished only by unique badges and intricate designs, the trio left their dorm.

"Which class are you in?" Dhyte asked.

"1-F," Vahn replied, glancing at his phone, which displayed his schedule and a map.

Navigating through the sprawling campus, he arrived at his designated classroom after parting ways with Dhyte and William.

The layout was typical: rows of desks, and a podium at the front. His eyes quickly locked onto a familiar figure.

'Carla.'

She sat near the window, her demeanor cool and indifferent and the only vacant seat in the class was beside her. Steeling himself, Vahn approached.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hi," she replied curtly, not sparing him more than a glance.

Awkwardly, he took his seat, the tension palpable. Thankfully, the class was a bit rowdy, the cringe was less that way.

Suddenly, an arm draped over his shoulder. "Just talk to her already," a voice teased.

Vahn turned to see a tall boy with black hair and striking green eyes. "Who are you?" he asked.

"Handel. Call me Han," the boy grinned.

"Vahn," he replied, still confused by Han's boldness.

"I saw you yesterday. You've got no game, man," Han laughed, oblivious to Carla's indifference.

Before Vahn could respond, a commanding voice cut through the chatter.

"SETTLE DOWN!"

The room fell silent as a tall figure strode to the podium. Dressed in a similar uniform with an olive-green overcoat, his stark white hair contrasted sharply with his dark attire.

"As we met yesterday, my name is John Martis," he announced, his voice sharp and authoritative. "Call me Professor Martis. I'll be your class supervisor.

"You've all heard the general history of demons, abilities, and their effects. But today, we begin exploring the truths hidden beneath that history."