After disappearing from the Awakener Hall, Ethan and the other newly admitted students of Monarch University found themselves standing inside a massive hall, hidden somewhere within the university's vast grounds, an area as large as a small city.
They were not alone; the students of Monarch University who had been recruited from other Awakener Halls were also gathered there, numbering in the thousands.
Each group was organized into batches based on the Awakener Hall from which they had awakened their professions.
The students were then given their class schedules and instructions on the procedures for settling down at the university.
The university is divided into four academies, each corresponding to one of the four major profession classes: Combat-Class, Magic-Class, Controller-Class, and Support-Class.
Although all four academies operate under the same university, each functions as an independent entity, responsible for managing its own classes, faculty, and facilities.
That said, students are not strictly confined to their own academy.
With sufficient gold, they may access and use the facilities of other academies as well.
This system was deliberately designed to encourage communication, cooperation, and joint activities among students of different profession classes, reflecting the university's core belief that true strength is born from unity.
All universities except Valiant University and Visionary University follow this same system.
The four academies of Monarch University were named Sword, Shield, Wand, and Lantern.
Each academy was assigned a specific region within the university's vast lands.
These regions contained the academy's facilities, including training grounds, halls, and dormitories where students of that academy could reside.
However, students were not strictly required to live in their academy's dormitories; they were free to stay anywhere on campus, provided they could pay the required amount of gold.
The rest of the students, other than those with high-grade professions, were allowed to settle freely and were assigned to academies suited to them.
As for the high-grade professionals, they were granted special privileges from the very beginning.
They had the opportunity to be taken under the personal guidance of instructors.
Although instructors taught students from all academies during daily classes, each of them could personally select up to ten promising students to mentor.
These chosen students received specialized guidance beyond the common lessons given to everyone.
Because of this, the instructors were already arguing among themselves, competing to choose Awakeners with high-grade professions.
There were quite a few exceptional talents this year.
Ethan also hoped to be chosen by an instructor.
It did not matter who chose him, as being selected by any of them would be a great opportunity.
However, before he had the chance, Instructor Shawn suddenly appeared and took him away, saying that someone wanted to meet him.
Ethan soon found himself standing in a grand courtyard, a rich-looking yard filled with carefully tended herb gardens that led up to a magnificent mansion.
"You're here."
Ethan turned and saw a middle-aged man approaching, followed by four others.
Instructor Shawn introduced them.
"This is Headmaster Monarch. The people with him are the four deans, each of whom oversees one of the four academies. They are the strongest individuals in the entire university, second only to the Headmaster."
Ethan nodded and bowed respectfully.
"There's no need for that," the Headmaster Monarch said. "I called you here because I heard you awakened a brand new profession, and more importantly, a unique one. I wanted to see it for myself."
"Can you show me your skills?"
Ethan wasn't afraid or hesitant.
In fact, he was curious to know what such veterans would think of his abilities.
Moreover, every headmaster, dean, and instructor had sworn a spiritual oath upon taking their positions, an oath to work solely for the advancement of their students.
Even if they knew everything about Ethan, they couldn't and wouldn't use it against him.
"I awakened three skills during my profession awakening," Ethan began, "and I was lucky enough to acquire another when I reached level 5."
He then activated his skills one by one.
Ethan first used [Mourning Rain].
Within seconds, greenish-white clouds summoned from the Realm of Souls gathered unnaturally above them as the bright blue sky turned solemn and eerie, and from those clouds fell black droplets of rain.
Everyone within the range could feel its eerie presence.
"Hm, it's a debuff skill… or is it?" murmured the dean wearing the sword emblem on her robe. "It doesn't actually weaken anyone; it just interferes with their senses and disrupts their minds. It could even be classified as a support or Magic-type skill."
"Whatever the case, messing with one's head can be highly effective," the dean with the lantern emblem remarked. "Especially if it covers such a wide range."
None of them was affected by Ethan's skill, a clear sign of how powerful they were.
Next, Ethan activated [Summon Undead Knight].
A greenish smoke swirled across the ground, seeping from an otherworldly rift.
A corpse-like pale hand, covered in armor and clutching a black sword, clawed its way out.
Then, a fully formed Undead Knight, standing five and a half feet tall, emerged.
"It's a summoning skill," one of the deans muttered.
"An Undead Knight of level 7… this is interesting," said the Headmaster.
"How many can you summon?"
"I can summon an unlimited number," Ethan replied, "as long as I have enough spiritual energy."
"The level of each Undead Knight increases along with mine. And with my passive skill, [Undead Graveyard], I can store my summons and resummon them anywhere, anytime, without consuming spiritual energy."
He also mentioned his skill [Death Link], though he remained silent about his trait.
Telling them about his profession and skills was one thing, but traits were entirely different.
That, he would keep to himself.
"Your profession seems like a hybrid profession, combining a summoner profession with magic or control class professions, or it could even be a super hybrid class profession involving more than two classes. Whichever the case, you might be able to learn skills from other classes as well," Headmaster Monarch added.
"Yes, your profession is very promising, but for now, I wouldn't place it any higher than a high-grade profession since we have yet to see its full potential," Dean Lantern said.
"I agree as well. Even if you can summon innumerable undead knights, their attributes are quite basic and lack any skills or enhancements."
"If your summons were to fight against actual Awakeners of the same combat class, they wouldn't be a match even if you summoned hundreds of them. And I doubt you possess infinite spiritual energy," Dean Wand said, sharing her opinion.
"I understand, Dean Wand. I had similar thoughts about my summons as well," Ethan nodded.
"Hm, it's good that you see the shortcomings of your profession," Dean Wand smiled. "But it's only temporary. For every ten levels, you can unlock three skill slots, and you can use three [Skill Enhancement Cards]."
"Of course, it's not easy to fill your skill slots or come across [Skill Enhancement Cards], but it's very possible to acquire a skill that enhances your summons or use a Skill Enhancement Card to improve your [Summon Undead Knight] skill. Either way, your summons can definitely grow stronger."
"Thank you," Ethan said with a nod.
"We won't take up much more of your time talking," Headmaster Monarch continued. "I want you to be under the guidance of Instructor Shawn."
"I'll be happy to," Ethan replied, bowing once more to the instructor.
"With you, I now have the second student to possess a brand-new high-grade profession, and that makes fifteen first-year students under my guidance," Instructor Shawn said, patting Ethan's shoulder.
"I'm looking forward to meeting them," Ethan said, before he and Instructor Shawn took their leave.
"So, he's the one, Headmaster?" Dean Shield asked.
"Yes. If all goes as planned, he should become the most powerful Awakener. Well, that's thinking far ahead; it will still be many years before he reaches that level," the Headmaster said.
"For now, only the five of us and Shawn know about him. It would be in our best interest to keep the truth about him to ourselves. Keep an eye on him, but don't treat him any differently from the other students."
"Did I make myself clear?" the Headmaster asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Yes, we understand," the four deans replied in unison.
"Headmaster, if you want him to become stronger, why not let me guide him?" Dean Wand asked.
"Hehe, looks like you've taken quite a liking to him, Miss Lorraine," Headmaster Monarch laughed.
"Don't tell me it has something to do with his good looks?" Dean Shield said with a snort.
"That's one of the reasons," Dean Wand shrugged.
"Aren't you like a hundred years older than him?" Dean Lantern asked, trying to hold back his laughter.
"Oh, shut it," Dean Wand said, narrowing her eyes dangerously.
"Alright, that's enough," Headmaster Monarch said with a chuckle.
"I know you'd love to guide him, but it'll be more efficient if he's treated like everyone else. Besides, he's already under the personal guidance of an instructor, and this way we can track his growth compared to the other Awakeners of his batch."