Raze stared at the options glowing on his wristwatch for a long moment. His friends were waiting for an answer. He exhaled slowly and finally said, "I think I'll go with Beast Combat Weapon."
Felix raised a brow. "Really? Out of all those fancy options, you're choosing that one?"
"Yeah," Raze replied simply. "I don't have much battle experience. If I'm going to fight, I should at least learn how to handle a weapon properly first. It feels like the right place to start."
Beatrix nodded. "That makes sense. A weapon can cover weaknesses, and you'll build a foundation."
Liam agreed softly. "It's actually… smart. You'll be more versatile that way."
Felix scratched his head and then laughed. "Fair enough. Guess I can't argue with that. Just don't stab me during practice, alright?"
Raze smirked faintly. "I'll try not to."
The group chuckled, the tension easing a little. With that, Raze confirmed his choice on the wristwatch. The screen blinked once, then locked his class in.
The next morning, Raze and his group split up, each heading toward their assigned class.
The Beast Combat Weapon class had drawn a large crowd. Most of the students there were the type whose awakening could enhance weapons. Speed users, strength types, short-ranged future predictions, and others who specialized in raw combat prowess. It made sense. A weapon only became deadlier when paired with the right awakening.
Raze followed the flow of students toward the building. Unlike the other parts of the academy, this hall stood off to the side on its own. The design was simple but striking. A wide, single-room structure with wooden paneling and curved roof edges that gave it a Japanese-like atmosphere. It felt different, almost traditional compared to the futuristic steel of the main academy.
At the entrance, a pair of tall doors loomed shut. Beside them, a glowing scanner waited. One by one, students raised their wristwatches to it. Each scan made the doors slide open with a heavy hiss before closing again once they passed through.
When it was his turn, Raze scanned his watch. The screen blinked green, and the massive doors parted. He stepped inside, taking in the smell of polished wood.
Although the outside of the building had an eastern aesthetic, the inside was completely different. The hall was massive, the ceiling stretching nearly twenty-five meters above. The walls were bare except for the countless racks of weapons that lined them, piled high and organized with precision. In the center of the room was a square raised platform, polished and empty, ready for demonstrations.
At the back of the hall stood a man with striking blonde hair. His armor was unlike anything Raze had seen before. It wasn't ordinary metal. It was beast armor, designed to contour to his body while offering mobility and protection, with subtle, crimson streaks glowing faintly along its surface. On his back rested a long black scythe, its blade etched with patterns that seemed alive, like it had been forged from the essence of a beast.
As the minutes passed, more students arrived, filling the room until there were around fifty. Many already carried weapons of their own. All ready for practice. Raze and a handful of others were noticeably unarmed, their empty hands making them stand out among the group.
The air had a mixture of anticipation and unspoken rivalry. Looks like I'm starting from scratch, he thought, his eyes scanning the hall, taking in the weapons and sizing up the students around him.
The blonde man's gaze swept over the room, calm but piercing, and a low hum of authority seemed to fill the space. "This is going to be harder than I thought", Raze murmured to himself, gripping his empty fists.
Just then the blonde man clapped his hands together and the sound echoed through the hall. "ALRIGHT!" he bellowed and every conversation stopped. The students froze and turned to him.
"My name is Ray and I'll be your teacher today." He reached behind his back and pulled out his scythe, the black blade glowing with red streaks. He pointed it at them. "Your first task is to choose your weapon. Choose wisely. A weapon is your lifeline. When your ability fails you the only thing you can and should rely on is your own skill. Now—go and choose from the walls around you."
The students didn't need to be told twice. They scattered across the hall. Even those already carrying beast weapons reached out to test new ones, eager to compare.
Raze stayed back for a moment, his eyes sweeping the endless rows of steel and wood. Short swords, daggers, spiked clubs, whips, gauntlets. There was so much to take in. His mind raced as he walked along the wall.
Then Raze walked up to one of the random weapon racks which was filled with gauntlets, daggers and short swords. Just as he was about to reach out for one of the daggers on the racks, the system pinged and a system screen appeared in front of him.
[Zilc Dagger]
[Basic Tier Beast Weapon has been detected.]
[Agility + 4]
[Defense 1]
[Dagger is incompatible with skill: Piercing Slash.]
The dagger looked quite small in Raze's hand. The end of the dagger was razor sharp. Sharper than anything knife he had ever seen before.
'Very interesting...the system is showing me the stats of this weapon...maybe it won't be hard to choose a weapon now.'