Aethel managed to calm himself quickly with the help of Superior Comprehension (B). Although this talent was only B-rank, its effects could rival some A-rank talents. it massively boosted his comprehension speed and processing, which was the primary reason Aethel hadn't screamed in panic after his brush with death.
Aethel now had to find ways to acquire talents to quickly upgrade Supreme Adaptation (SSS-) so he could adapt fast enough to his current state. He was stunned that an SSS-rank talent could prevent an EX-rank power from killing him, but he wasn't going to complain while he was still alive.
Aethel remained blissfully unaware of the true nature of the EX-rank talent surging through him. It wasn't an act of predatory consumption; rather, the mere presence of such overwhelming power was systematically tearing him apart. His mortal vessel—both physical body and spiritual soul—was fundamentally unequipped to house a force of that magnitude.
In this world, possessing an EX-rank talent is never a matter of luck or simple acquisition; it requires a specific, innate biological or metaphysical "anchor." Take Aurelia Voidweaver, for example: her status as a Voidborn provided the necessary ontological foundation to sustain her EX-rank abilities without self-destructing.
Aethel, however, was a baseline human, devoid of any such divine or primordial heritage. The only reason he hadn't already been erased from existence was his lucky decision to copy Supreme Adaptation (SSS-). That specific talent acted as a vital bridge, forcibly evolving his constitution and stabilizing his soul in real-time. Without that constant, frantic adaptation, the sheer weight of the EX-rank talent would have snuffed out his life the moment it took root.
Just as Aethel began strategizing on how to harvest and refine new talents, the world around him plummeted into an eerie, absolute silence. It wasn't just the absence of chatter; it was a total vacuum of sound. Even the rhythmic rise and fall of the chest of the student sitting right beside him had ceased.
Glancing at the boy to his left, Aethel felt a chill run down his spine. The boy wasn't paralyzed by terror or suppressed by a heavy aura; he was simply... static. It was as if a master clockmaker had reached out and halted the gears of time for him alone. Aethel's gaze swept across the great hall, confirming his fears: every student stood like a waxwork figure, caught in a frozen snapshot.
Driven by a mounting sense of dread, Aethel slowly turned his eyes toward the stage. There stood a woman, her features obscured by a delicate veil that did nothing to hide her ethereal, haunting beauty. Her eyes—deep and swirling with the colors of a distant cosmos—were locked onto his. He could feel the weight of her gaze and could swear that beneath the lace of her veil, there was a sadistic curve on her lips. She was watching him with the terrifying, patient hunger of an apex predator observing a cornered animal.
"I have suspended the flow of time within this hall," she spoke, her voice cutting through the stillness like a blade. "I did so to ensure our impending conversation remains private... Infant Voidborn."
Her words shocked Aethel, but he quickly realized that as a Calamity Voidborn, she should easily sense that he was a Voidborn as well. He was inwardly screaming at himself for the greed that brought him to this situation; if only he had gotten more powerful before copying an EX-rank talent, he might have avoided this.
Now, having no idea what to do, he decided to just ask questions. "What is a Voidborn?" he asked.
"Mmm, no kneeling and begging for your life? Quite impressive, Infant."
Her words caused a shiver to run down Aethel's spine. He was originally from the modern world where kneeling was not the first instinct when death was on the doorstep, so he had completely forgotten how this world operated. He was about to drop to his knees to apologize, but he felt something inside him firmly reject it. He sensed that kneeling of his own free will went against his very existence.
"That pride is truly that of a Voidborn, refusing to kneel even to a higher being. Well, we are the same, so that was expected. As for your question, Voidborn are beings birthed directly from the Void. The Void is a layer of existence beneath all things. It existed before all things, and all things originate from it. All Voidborn have an EX+ rank affinity with the Void. As for the other characteristics of a Voidborn, you will have to figure those out yourself, just as I did."
Aethel was surprised by the explanation. Having read many novels, he was aware of what the "Void" represented and how it was considered one of the highest peaks of power. He couldn't believe he had become part of such a high-level race after being in this world for only a few hours. His system was truly overpowered. Aethel stopped his thoughts from drifting and asked his next question.
"Why did you tell me all that?"
"Simple, because this is the first Voidborn I have ever seen besides myself, and that is very exciting. I have never been this excited in my entire life. I can't wait to see what you can do, Infant Voidborn. Hehe."
Her laugh caused a sense of dread in his mind, but he knew he was powerless. Aethel wanted to run away that very second, but he couldn't move at all. Everything from the neck down was frozen in time.
"Hahahaha, you should see your face right now. It looks like you were about to pee your pants. I was just joking; I can't believe you took it so seriously, hahaha."
Aethel wanted to cuss her out for the scare, but he knew he would be dead before he could react.
"Well, now that the mood is lifted, how about you become my disciple? I feel it will be entertaining to teach an infant how to walk. I am also the most power—"
"I accept," Aethel immediately answered.
He was not so stupid as to let such an opportunity go. There was nothing for him to lose from what he could see, and even if there was, as long as it wasn't excessive, he would have accepted.
"Oh, I thought you would be a bit more resistant since you became a Voidborn. I was planning to convince you with my charms, but I guess I was wrong. I will also let go of the fact that you cut me off mid-sentence, since you are now my disciple."
Aethel gulped. His luck seemed to be very high today.
"There is no need for any ceremonies, as I find them tedious. No need to look for me; I will call for you when I see fit. As for gifts, having me as your master should already be more than enough."
Just as she was about to leave, Aethel asked another question. "How do I become a Fledgling Voidborn?"
He needed to know because he couldn't wait 45 years to reach it, and he had to evolve before something unexpected happened. Supreme Adaptation was barely keeping him alive; if something disrupted it, he might explode.
"I told you, that's something you need to figure out as a Voidborn. Since we don't want the whole world to know about Voidborns, I will assist you with something."
She waved her hand at him. "I put a concealment spell on you to hide your rank, since it would be a bother when everyone starts asking how you became D-rank from E-rank in an instant."
Aethel wanted to check his status screen immediately but decided to wait until he returned to the dorms.
"Well, see you next time, my cute disciple." With that, she reappeared on stage and time returned to normal.
On the stage, Aurelia continued her speech. "Since introductions were made by Instructor Nymeria, all I am going to say is that the Aetherium Academy is a place of growth, not fun and games. If a student fails to meet the standards the academy has set, they will be immediately expelled regardless of background. As previously stated, only strength is respected here. One week from now, all first-year students will be put in a gate to determine rankings. The exact rules will be explained then." With that, she disappeared.
Aethel was too shocked by the events to listen closely to his new 'Master,' but it was fine since he already knew the contents of the speech from the novel. After the principal finished, the students began to leave. Aethel waited a few minutes until he saw his targets walking past and checked their status screens.
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{{STATUS SCREEN}}
NAME: ELEANOR SOLIS
RACE: HUMAN
AGE: 17
TALENT: UNDYING FLAME (SS+)
AFFINITY: FIRE (SS+)
RANK: D
STATS:
* Strength: D
* Speed: D
* Intelligence: D
* Mana: C
* Luck: S+
* Charm: B
_____________
NAME: SERAPHINA LUMINAIS
RACE: HUMAN
AGE: 17
TALENT: SUPREME LIGHT GENIUS (SS+)
AFFINITY: LIGHT (SS+)
RANK: D
STATS:
* Strength: D
* Speed: D
* Intelligence: C
* Mana: C
* Luck: S+
* Charm: B
____________
NAME: VALERIANA CELESTIA
RACE: EVOLVED HUMAN
AGE: 17
TALENT: VOICE OF COMMAND (SS+)
AFFINITIES: ORDER (SS+), LIGHTNING (SS)
RANK: C
STATS:
* Strength: C
* Speed: C
* Intelligence: B
* Mana: C
* Luck: S+
* Charm: B
____________
He saw all three heroines at once; they were childhood friends and mostly walked together. Even though their beauty was otherworldly, Aethel was too worried about his predicament to focus on it. He immediately copied their talents and Valeriana's lightning affinity, as the other affinities were bundled with the talents.
_______________
COPYING... UNDYING FLAME (SS+), SUPREME LIGHT GENIUS (SS+), VOICE OF COMMAND (SS+).
Affinity: Lightning (SS)
Daily limit: (10/10)
Daily limit reached – it will reset at midnight.
____________
After reaching his daily limit, Aethel returned to his dorm to sort everything out. He sat down and called out to his system. 'System, show me my status.'
___________
NAME: AETHEL WATTS
RACE: INFANT VOIDBORN
AGE: 17
TALENTS:
* EYE OF THE ABYSS (EX+): The ability to perceive and manipulate the 'Void'—the fundamental nothingness from which all matter and energy originate.
* SUPREME ADAPTATION (SSS-): Can adapt to anything and everything under the right circumstances, provided it does not instantly kill you and enough time is given.
* UNDYING FLAME (SS+): A flame that will never extinguish against your will; at higher stages, it can burn through laws.
* SUPREME LIGHT GENIUS (SS+): Your talent for light magic is among the highest in all reality.
* VOICE OF COMMAND (SS+): Your word is law; those of your rank or below must obey. At higher ranks, it can bend reality to its command.
* SUPERIOR COMPREHENSION (B): The peak of mortal comprehension. No mortal can rival you in terms of processing and understanding.
AFFINITIES: VOID (EX+), STARLIGHT (SS+), ORDER (SS+), LIGHT (SS+), FIRE (SS+), SPACE (SS+), TIME (SS+), GRAVITY (SS), LIGHTNING (SS).
(Time unlocked due to Voidborn status; Lightning (C) removed due to redundancy)
RANK: D
STATS:
* Strength: D
* Speed: D
* Intelligence: B
* Mana: A
* Luck: ??
* Charm: E
______________