Immortal Mage System

Talentless

Zenith municipal, capital city of Premier Territory.

"Detect 432, come forward," a middle-aged man's voice could be heard in the crowded hall of Zenith City.

A lengthy queue was formed before him.

Before long, Detect 432 who was seen to be Keith Rotunda stepped forward without hesitation. His face showed a clear hint of fear as he approached a duo standing in front of the Talent Detection Machine.

Today was the Talent Detection Day and every human at the age of eighteen was summoned to Premier Territory's capital city for talent detection since it was discovered that every single person in the Blue Planet awakens their talent at that age. Keith had waited for this day to come, training day and night just to help his core disclose his talent to his body.

Today, Keith only hoped not to be Talentless.

"Place your palms on the palm prints," the middle-aged man, a Silver-rank Awakened ordered.

Keith quickly placed his palms on the palm prints after heaving a soft sigh. A particular thought kept flashing into his mind, diving his emotions into a river of uncertainty.

'If I turn out to be Talentless, I won't hesitate before killing myself.'

As Keith's talent detection began, he shut his eyes and stood calm. Everyone was watching the scene. The Talent Detection was an event that almost all Awakened would attend. Actually, this was just for the purpose of seeing new strong, and incredible talents. Just like last year, one of the strongest Talent in the whole of the Blue Planet was discovered. However, this talent was nothing to compare with that of the Supreme Warlord and the Lords of the five territories of the Blue Planet.

Talents are ranked based on their power and magical capabilities. There are five Talent ranks, each having its features and aspects: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Legendary.

Since the history of the existence of Talents, no one has been able to awaken a Legendary rank Talent. Even the Lords, themselves, could only have a Gold rank Talent.

However, Keith was not expecting to awaken a strong talent. Who knows if his story could end up like every other member of his clan.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep!

[Detection Completed. Detect 432 results loading... ]

[Detect 432 Detection results completed: No Talent]

"What?!" Keith bellowed.

The whole building suddenly went noisy, the Detector who was wearing the attire of a Silver-rank Awakened looked at Keith with pity, trying to offer some words of comfort.

"Hey man, this is not the end of the world for you. There are many out there who also could not awaken their talent," the man heave a sigh and continued, "it's time for you to show that diligent act of yours. Instead of battling monsters, Specters, and Orcs, why don't you just accept being a Commoner and stay behind the walls?"

The Detector's words only added to Keith's sadness, causing him to let out the gathering tears from his eyes. No one from Keith's clan had ever awakened their talent, and this had made them a lineage of Commoners. Keith's dream was to awaken his talent and wipe the shame off his clan, but unfortunately, he was just going to be a part of the shame.

Noticing the mocking smiles and murmurs inside the vast city hall, Keith had no choice but to leave the detection zone and walk out of the building. His gaze was fixed on the floor, making sure that he didn't get a glimpse at anyone. Waves of shame and depression kept lingering in him, driving Keith into remembrance of his plans to end his miserable life.

"My shameful self has no choice, I'm surely going to kill myself," Keith said in anger as he walked through the exit of the classic building. He stepped out of the building and turned left, aiming in the direction of the city's teleporter.

Keith is from Eastern Territory, a territory where most of its residents are Commoners. The Blue Planets have one common belief: it is either one's fate is to become an Awakened or a Commoner. This has been the culture of the human race since the war with the Specters and Dark Orcs began.

The Awakeneds — those who could awaken their talent — are the ones to fight against the hostiles on the battlefield with their magical powers and also secure the walls day and night. The Awakened got ranks based on the talent they awaken. Those who awaken a Bronze rank talent are ranked as Bronze-rank Awakeneds. Just like the Warlords and the Lords, only those who could gain enough Core Fragments can rank up their talent. Nonetheless, this was not common at all.

Only those who are destined to become strong Awakeneds can rank up their talent.

Keith approached the teleporter after a short walk. As expected, the park wasn't as crowded as it was before. This was because the Talent Detection was not over, and most people in the city were at no other place but the city hall.

Still in a sad mood, Keith walked straight to the officials of the teleporters to pay for a ride directly to Brexton, the capital city of Eastern Territory. These transporters are mostly Bronze-ranked Awakened who have just 1-star or 2-star in their skill grade.

Talent couldn't be ranked up easily, but skills could be upgraded depending on the hard work and determination of an Awakened. Skill grades are categorized with stars, all having an effect on the soul of an Awakened. Skill grades are from 1-star to 12-star. Those with 1-star skill grades are likely to be newly awakened individuals, however, they could be stuck in that grade if they can't upgrade their skill.

This case is also rare.

It cost Keith eight pence for a ride from Zenith municipal to Brexton. Now, the last penny he had was just five pence. Keith's clan was literally the most inferior family in Eastern Territory, though his life as the last fruit of the clan didn't bring him much misery due to the huge support every member of his family had given him just to help him awaken his talent.

But now, those support just turned out to be useless.

Right now, Keith was still deciding on ending his life. It was okay for him to die miserably than to be a Commoner all his life.

As soon as the teleporter dropped him at Eastern Territory's park, Keith aimed towards the Menace Forest, a forest where monsters and treacherous creatures reside. Only the Awakened could enter the Menace Forest because of the powers they had to protect themselves. Just like Keith, Commoners who tried to enter the deadly forest were only seeking death. Nothing more.

Just as he tries to go through the forest path, a loud yet stern voice calls from behind.

"Hey! Where do you think you are going?"

Keith shook his head in anger and turned to look at the female figure. Unfortunately, it was Sage.

"What the hell do you think you are doing Keith?" Sage said, frowning her face as she approached Keith.

"It's none of your business, just go home," Keith said with a furious expression, his gaze fixed on the muddy ground.

"I'm going nowhere... Why are you entering the Menace Forest? Were you asked to kill a Tier-0 monster before being accepted into the Awakened Academy?" Sage asked. She was Keith's cousin.

Last year, she turned eighteen but couldn't awaken her talent just like others. After all the daily training and core empowerment rituals, no one would ever believe that Keith's case was going to end like theirs.

Sage wasn't expecting bad news anyway, but Keith's sad mood had suddenly made her heart hit her chest so hard that it could make her tremble.

Plus, Keith's silence only added to her anxiety.

"W—what happened? Your face looks so sad," Sage complained. She walked closer.

After staying silent for a while, Keith decided to speak. He raised his head, still putting on a sad look as he glanced at Sage.

"I... I'm Talentless!" Keith yelled. Suddenly, tears rolled down his eyes. He was the last hope of the Rotunda Clan, the only one who got the very best chance of wiping the shame off his lineage. Nonetheless, instead of wiping off that shame, he became a part of the shame.

"It's not your fault Keith, it's ours. Our lineage is cursed and that's just the truth. Life as a Commoner is not a death sentence so you can just live a common life just like us."

"Never!" Keith bellowed in anger and walked away. This time, he was heading home.

Not quite long after walking away from Sage's standing spot, Keith approached an old male figure who seemed to have been watching Keith and Sage lately. The old man was wearing the attire of a Silver-rank Awakened with a longsword at his belt. His face produced a slight smile as Keith stared at him, making Keith more furious.

"Here to mock my sorry ass uh?" Keith asked.

"Nah nah nah, I'm not here to mock but to help your sorry ass. Now tell me, do you really want to awaken your talent and wipe off the shame of inferiority in your clan?"

Keith frowned, he was sure that no one could awaken their talent anymore after a Talent Detection had been conducted. However, he still hoped for a miracle because of his desperate intent of being an Awakened.

"Yes, I want to be an Awakened."

The old man's face produced a slight smile. After staring at Keith for some time, he nodded and spoke:

"Come with me, I'll help you."