"Go on, summon yo—"
"Uhm… excuse me."
The silvery-haired teenager interrupted before the first Elder could finish. His hand lifted lazily, palm outward in a gesture that was neither urgent nor respectful. His expression was vacant, almost bored, as if the gravity of the chamber hadn't yet reached him.
All eyes turned toward him. The three other teenagers stared at him in disbelief, questioning how he could look so detached in a moment that determined their very lives, while the Elders studied him in curious silence.
"You have something to say?" asked the third Elder, his tone clipped and commanding.
"Not exactly," the boy replied. "It's just… you've all been talking for quite a while, and I'm starting to get tired. I was wondering if anyone would mind if I sat down while you continued your… Uhm... conversation."
The stares sharpened. The other three teenagers gave him looks that made his skin itch, silently accusing him of not taking this seriously.
But he was. Of course he was. His future in this world depended on this trial, why wouldn't he care? The problem wasn't in his mind, but in his body. His legs were weak, too weak to keep him standing for long. Thirty minutes upright was already testing his limits. If he thought back, the walk from the summoning chamber to this place had eaten up most of that endurance. The fact he was still on his feet at all was an accomplishment in itself.
The first Elder inclined his head slightly. "By all means, sit. Your fate is yet to be decided. Until then, you may do as you wish."
'They don't know my worth yet,' the boy thought as he lowered himself to the ground. 'So they're playing nice.'
He eased onto the cold stone floor and reclined back with a sigh. The temperature was… perfect. Not too cold, not stifling. The air in here seemed almost tailor-made for him to survive in.
The others watched him warily, still baffled at how he could be so at ease. But their attention soon shifted when the golden-haired teenager stepped forward, calling forth his status in silence.
---
CALLUM WELLS
[Race]: Human
[Rank]: S Rank (530,000 Existential Value)
[Blessing]: Brilliance Radiance
[Skill]: Hyper-Cognition (Unique Rank)
[Attributes]:
—[Constitution: S | Endurance: S | Stamina: S]
—[Magic Power: S | Willpower: S | Soul Power: S]
---
The reaction from the Elders was immediate. All three rose sharply from their seats, robes flaring with the movement.
"That… is impossible!" the third Elder exclaimed.
"No human, summoned or otherwise can possess S Rank in every category," said the second Elder, disbelief ringing in her voice.
"The Blessing of Brilliance Radiance and a Unique Skill of such caliber," the first Elder murmured, awe seeping into his tone. "Impossible, yes… and yet Callum Wells has made the impossible manifest. Tell us, how could we not acknowledge his worth as a hero?"
The Elders' full attention remained fixed on Callum now, their earlier focus on the other candidates nearly forgotten, save for the pale boy still seated on the floor.
When they finally remembered his existence, it was with a flicker of reluctant curiosity. If nothing else, they would confirm what he had to offer before deciding his fate.
He, having rested, managed to push himself to his feet. He summoned his status.
---
NATHANIEL LOCKWOOD
[Race]: Human
[Rank]: G Rank (5 Existential Value)
[Blessing]: None
[Skill]: Out of Body Experience (Unique Rank)
[Attributes]:
—[Constitution: G | Endurance: G | Stamina: G]
—[Magic Power: G | Willpower: S | Soul Power: G]
---
A faint sound escaped the Elders. It might have been a chuckle, quickly stifled.
"Alas, the truth has been laid bare," the first Elder said coldly.
"What nonsense is this?" the second Elder demanded. "G Rank with a single S in Willpower? Laughable."
"You have sullied the honor of the summoned," the third Elder added, voice dripping with disdain. "Not even the lowest of our people would bear such pitiful numbers."
The verdict came swift and brutal.
"This individual, Nathaniel Lockwood, shall be cast into the world as nothing more than the worthless thing he is," the third Elder declared. "Begone, filth."
"WAIT!" Callum's voice rang out, sharp and commanding. He moved without hesitation, stepping between Nathaniel and the Elders. "You guys should not be so quick to judge him."
Ordinarily, no one, not even kings would dare challenge the Elders' decree. But Callum's overwhelming presence and flawless statistics gave him the rare authority to speak against them.
The first Elder leaned forward, his voice like stone grinding on stone. "He holds a G Rank Existential Value, hero. That alone speaks of his worthlessness to this world."
The explanation came, not for Nathaniel's benefit, but for the others present.
Existential Value measured a being's significance in the grand weave of the world. It was a sum of their potential, their influence, and the importance of their existence. High values meant the ability to inspire, command, and alter the course of events, making such individuals treasures to kingdoms and terrors to enemies.
For a hero, it was paramount. The higher the value, the more those under their command would thrive and grow. But a G Rank? It was barely a whisper in the fabric of fate.
And Nathaniel's attributes? Every measure scraping the bottom, save for a single anomaly in Willpower.
An S in Willpower alone might have been impressive in another man. But paired with such hollow statistics, it meant nothing. What good was resolve without the strength to act?
"But he has a Unique Skill," Callum countered. "That should count for something."
The second Elder shook her head. "Do not be deceived, hero. A Unique Skill is rare, yes, but rarity does not guarantee worth."
They explained further.
Unique Skills were bound entirely to the soul of the wilder, unreplicable, irreplaceable. Some were legendary, shaping kingdoms and rewriting wars. Others… were less than useless. The ability to sing backwards. The power to turn one's skin inside out. It could be any, the unpredictability of Unique Skill made it such that it was never preferred much.
Skill ranks ranged as follows:
Extra Skills — widely accessible to all, earned through effort and training.
Epic Skills — rarer, tied to a class or path, far stronger in both potency and utility than Extra Skills.
Unique Skills — one of a kind, existing only for the individual. Their strength depended entirely on the nature of the skill itself.
And Nathaniel's? Out of Body Experience. The Elders didn't even need to speculate. Combined with his empty blessing slot, rock-bottom statistics, and microscopic existential value, his worthlessness was beyond question.
"Even so," Callum pressed, "that is not logical reason enough to throw him away. If he cannot help you out here, then send him back to our world."
The first Elder's voice was grim. "It is not so simple."
The second Elder continued. "The summoning is one-way. Once brought here, there is no return. The art to send someone back has been lost for centuries."
Callum's jaw tightened. "Then… what will become of him?"
Nathaniel, still behind him, wondered silently, Why is he being so stubborn on my behalf?