Although the Academy's Headmaster, Basil, was nowhere to be seen at today's Awakening Ceremony, Jenson could sense that he had been watching everything from the shadows.
When the light of Jenson's awakening condensed into the emblem that symbolized a hidden profession, the very first person who could no longer hold back and stepped forward to inquire was none other than Basil himself.
In the history of the kingdom's academies, the birth of a hidden profession had always been an event worthy of being recorded in the annals—especially a combat-oriented hidden profession. The appearance of even one could cause the prestige of the entire academy to soar overnight.
The Dragonblood Warrior and Draconic Mage that Basil had just mentioned were both hidden professions tied closely to the bloodline of dragons, possessing terrifying combat power. If Jenson truly turned out to be one of them, not only would his future be limitless, but St. Radiance Academy might even be promoted to one of the kingdom's elite magic academies.
Basil's gaze burned so hot it seemed it could set the air aflame. Yet Jenson's expression showed little joy.
He inclined his head in a respectful salute and spoke in a calm voice:
"Headmaster, my profession… is Dragon Tamer."
"…What?! Dragon Tamer?!"
Basil froze for a moment. Then, like a tide receding, all the hope in his eyes drained away, replaced by barely concealed disappointment.
The moment those three words left Jenson's lips, a wave of commotion swept through the surrounding instructors and students.
"All that spectacle, and it turns out he's just a Dragon Tamer… what a waste."
"Yeah. Not even as good as a Summoner. A Dragon Tamer without a dragon is nothing but a useless profession."
Some pitied him, while others gloated, their voices dripping with mockery.
"Hah! Sounds impressive, doesn't it—Dragon Tamer! One of the three greatest hidden professions in the entire kingdom!"
"Yeah, even stronger than a Dragonblood Warrior or a Draconic Mage… if only there weren't that one little requirement—you've got to have a dragon first."
Everyone knew—that was the heart of the problem.
What did dragons mean in this world?
They were the sovereigns of the sky and flame, the embodiment of power itself. Even the mightiest human in the Holy Radiance Kingdom was as insignificant as an ant before them.
The only dragons that could possibly be tamed were those just hatched from their eggs. Yet the lairs of dragons were all forbidden lands, places so perilous that even legendary adventurers dared not set foot there.
Worse still, hatchlings almost never left their mother's side. Capturing one was nothing short of daydreaming.
In the long span of eight hundred years, Dragon Tamers had indeed appeared before—but one who truly possessed a dragon? Never.
A Dragon Tamer's entire skill set revolved around draconic breath, draconic might, and draconic soul. Without a dragon, it was like a warrior with all four limbs cut off.
Thus, this profession was both hailed as "one of the three greatest hidden professions" and scorned as "the most useless hidden profession."
Basil's sigh echoed heavily through the great hall.
A Dragon Tamer without a dragon was even less practical than an ordinary Summoner who could call forth a fire spirit or water spirit at will.
He forced a faint, consoling smile. "Don't lose heart. At least it's still a hidden profession—it has potential. Perhaps one day you might encounter a drake and claim it as your partner…"
Even as he spoke, his voice wavered with uncertainty.
He knew all too well—even a drake was a terror capable of razing a city, the kind of prey that would require several fourth-rank Holy Warriors or Archmages working together to bring down. Every part of such a beast was a priceless treasure—who would hand one over to a novice apprentice to tame?
Even more cruel was the fact that, without a dragon, a Dragon Tamer was nearly useless in battle—without someone to lead them, even hunting low-tier beasts in the wild would be a challenge. Without leveling up, there was no hope of ever taming a dragon species thousands of times stronger than oneself.
Thus, Jenson's future would most likely be reduced to that of an ordinary man—perhaps even worse off than craftsmen who had chosen non-combat professions.
Jenson, of course, understood all of this.
Though a trace of disappointment lingered in his heart, he had already lived through life and death in his previous existence; his state of mind was far more resilient than most.
His expression merely darkened slightly as he nodded. "I understand, Headmaster."
Basil patted him on the shoulder and said in a low voice, "Go on back for now. The Kingdom's Grand Examination is only a few days away—you can still give it a try.
I've heard you've always ranked near the top in every assessment, one of the academy's best students. Even if your profession is less than ideal, if you perform well in the examination, you might enter an ordinary magic academy. Then, perhaps, you could work as a monster hunter, making a living by hunting low-tier beasts."