CHAPTER 67: EXPECTATION

As I mulled over that, the orb began to swirl again. After a moment, a glowing word appeared across its surface.

I squinted.

Novice.

A few gasps rippled through the crowd.

"What?! Novice? Then there’s no hope for him."

"Another failure."

"I really thought he’d be at least ’Advance’ based on that bulky build."

More and more voices joined in.

I was just as surprised. With how intimidating Blackburn looked, I honestly expected a top-tier result.

So... he was all talk, huh?

The orb swirled one final time before settling. A final word shimmered into view:

B-Rank.

A wave of mixed reactions echoed around the hall.

"Hmph. Not bad."

"Well, at least he’s B-rank."

"Guess it could’ve been worse."

B-rank, huh?

Not amazing, but not terrible either.

The crowd offered a polite round of applause.

So, B-rank was still considered respectable, even if the class was only Novice.

But the man named Blackburn did not seem to think so.

Without acknowledging the applause, he turned sharply on his heel and walked straight out of the hall, his expression locked in disappointment.

The room went quiet for a moment.

No one had expected that reaction from a B-ranker.

"...W-well, there you have it!" Melon chimed in, breaking the silence with forced cheer. "Our first candidate: a B-rank, Novice-tier Physical Class! Perhaps he’ll specialize soon enough."

She glanced at the orb, then back to the crowd.

"Next up, we have Kim!"

Kim stood up, his face a mixture of nerves and determination. He walked slowly toward the orb.

"Kim! I want to order noodles after this!" someone shouted from the back.

The crowd erupted in laughter.

Kim did not even flinch.

His eyes were locked on the orb, his heart filled with something stronger than fear, resolve.

He had a dream, and nothing would shake it.

I watched him carefully from the side.

He really means it...

Despite his earlier cockiness, I could see the truth in his expression. He wanted this.

Kim placed both hands on the orb.

It swirled for a moment before glowing a soft, muted green.

"A Spiritual Class," Melon announced. "Congratulations! You show strong affinity with Acolyte, Artisan, and Monk paths!"

Kim’s eyes widened. That... clearly was not what he expected.

The orb continued, displaying his Class Rank...Novice.

Then his Adventurer Rank appeared: E-Rank.

A hush fell over the hall... before the murmurs started.

"Another failure."

"I swear, this is just like last month

No surprises."

"Kim! Don’t forget the noodles!"

"Can you shut up already?!"

The noise in the hall rose again, mockery, disappointment, snide remarks.

Kim stepped back from the orb, his fists clenched at his sides.

Kim walked slowly back to the long bench and sat down.

His face was blank with disbelief.

Then, quietly, he buried his face in his hands. I could see the tremble in his shoulders.

He was crying.

I felt a pang in my chest. Even though I had only met him minutes ago, I understood the weight of that moment, the crushing disappointment when your dreams don’t match reality.

Some nearby adventurers patted his back, offering quiet words of comfort.

I looked away.

Do I still believe I’m the chosen one?

The thought sent a cold shiver down my spine.

But it’s okay. I reminded myself of Bob’s words.

Our abilities are special. We’re meant for S-rank.

Still... I couldn’t deny the creeping nerves building in my stomach.

---

The next candidate stepped forward, a girl with a calm demeanor.

She had better luck than Kim.

The orb identified her as a Magical Class user. Her Class Rank was Novice, and her Adventurer Rank came out as C-Rank.

When she chose Mage as her class, the orb lit up and bathed her in a gentle blue glow. Her smile was radiant.

The crowd applauded warmly and congratulated her.

After her, things got even better.

A man with boundless energy approached the orb. He was revealed to be a Spiritual Class with B-Rank Adventurer grade and an Advance Class Tier.

He chose Martial Artist as his specialization.

The cheer that followed nearly shook the hall.

Advance class, just like Maya said, is rare. Not quite rare as Prime, but quiet impressive.

"Next candidate, Alan!"

And just like that, it was my turn.

---

Meanwhile...

"Hey, Oliver, let’s make a bet on this Alan guy," Lee said, smirking as he slung his arm over a scrawny, nervous-looking man.

Oliver flinched. His messy hair covered his eyes. "I-I don’t have coins to spare..."

"I said bet

," Lee snapped. "You wanna go against me? You sure about that?" His voice dropped cold and threatening.

Oliver swallowed hard. Defeated, he raised a trembling hand holding a single gold coin.

"O-okay... I bet one gold his rank is... lower than mine."

Lee grinned cruelly. "Three gold. Anyone else in?"

He turned to the rest of his gang. Familiar faces, Mark and the others, all nodded with wolfish grins.

"Then it’s settled. We bet his rank is higher than yours. If you lose..."

He leaned close.

"You owe each of us three golds."

"A-alright..." Oliver muttered, eyes downcast. He was used to this kind of treatment.

After all, he held the lowest recorded adventurer rank in the guild: F-Rank.

As rare as S-Rank, but at the opposite end of the spectrum.

And so, naturally... every bet would go against him.

"Heh heh heh... I can’t wait to see how this turns out," Lee chuckled darkly.

---

All eyes were on me.

Gulp.

I swallowed hard.

Then, with legs slightly trembling, I stepped forward.

"Just enjoy the moment, dude," Bob’s voice called out behind me.

"All the best, Alan!" came Evelyn’s cheerful encouragement.

"You’ve got this," William added with calm certainty.

Each step toward the orb felt heavier than the last.

The hall felt too big.

Even my stomach betrayed me with a low, nervous growl.

Finally, I reached the orb.

My hand hovered above it, shaking.

It’s okay, Alan. Just take a deep breath.

You can do this.

I closed my eyes. Inhaled. Exhaled.

Then, with all the courage I could muster, I placed my hand firmly on the orb.

And what happened next...

...shocked everyone in the hall.