Chapter 23 – Choosing a Specialization & Identity Ranks

The academy’s main hall buzzed with restless energy that morning. The final-year students were gathered together, their faces showing a mix of excitement and anxiety. Today was a turning point: the day each of them would choose their specialization path. After years of studying the fundamentals of magic, they would now decide the direction of their lives—whether they would become offensive mages, support casters, healers, or even choose the rare hybrid paths.

Among the crowd, Zareen sat quietly, his gaze flickering to the black identity card lying on the table in front of him. Its deep, jet-black surface stood in stark contrast to the bronze and silver cards most students carried. Even now, its meaning remained a mystery. The academy had given him no explanation, and even the senior instructors could only nod in confusion whenever they saw it.

On the far side of the hall stood Gino, his posture radiating confidence. His grin was wide, his chest puffed up, as if he already knew exactly what path he would choose. His rivalry with Zareen still burned bright, though the two had grown closer as roommates. Many students looked at him with admiration—Gino had proven that a native-born student could stand toe-to-toe with, even surpass, travelers summoned from other worlds.

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Instructor Ardian, one of the academy’s most respected teachers, took the stage. His voice boomed across the hall.

“Today, you will all choose your specialization. Remember, the path you select will define how the world sees you. But do not be afraid—choosing the path of an attacker does not mean you cannot use support magic, and choosing support does not mean you are forbidden from attacking. What you are choosing is your primary focus.”

Murmurs spread among the students as they began whispering guesses about what their peers would choose.

Ardian continued, his tone steady and calm. “Today, we also introduce a ranking system for identity cards. This will not only apply to you as students, but to all explorers from other worlds.”

He raised a bronze card for everyone to see. “Bronze—the starting rank. Given to those still learning, untested in real battle.” Then he held up a shining silver card. “Silver—the intermediate rank. For those who have proven skill and experience in the field.” Next came a gold card. “Gold—granted to those recognized not only for their strength, but for their contributions to missions and society.” Then he lifted a softly glowing platinum card. “Platinum—rare and prestigious. Only a handful of people ever reach this rank, usually great heroes or archmages.”

The hall fell completely silent when Ardian stopped. Then, slowly, he held up a pitch-black card. His voice turned careful, deliberate.

“And finally… Black. Unidentified. Only a very few individuals possess this rank. Even the academy does not fully understand what it means. One thing is clear, however: those who hold a black card are not bound by the usual classifications. They stand outside the system entirely.”

Whispers broke out again, and several students glanced toward Zareen. He instinctively lowered his head.

“Isn’t that like Zareen’s card?”

“Yeah, he’s had a black one from the start.”

“Does that mean he’s actually stronger than our teachers?”

Zareen clenched his knees under the table, ignoring the stares. To him, the card wasn’t a badge of pride—it was a question mark. A weight. He didn’t feel stronger than anyone; if anything, he had often been a burden, especially at the beginning of his time at the academy.

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The selection process began. One by one, students were called forward to write their choice on a glowing sheet of enchanted parchment. Once written, their name and chosen specialization would be permanently recorded.

When Gino’s name was called, he strode forward without hesitation. He wrote quickly, and the parchment flared with a bright blue light.

“Gino, specialization: Offense,” the registrar announced. Cheers erupted across the hall. Everyone had expected this outcome—his fiery, aggressive fighting style had made it obvious.

Then it was Zareen’s turn. His steps were slower, more hesitant. Standing before the glowing parchment, he stared at it for a long time.

*Am I really an attacker? Or just a supporter?*

Memories of his training with Gifa surfaced. The tiny sorcerer had always stressed the importance of learning attack basics, even if Zareen felt more comfortable as a supporter.

Finally, he wrote down his choice. The parchment glowed a soft lavender light.

“Zareen,” the registrar read aloud, “primary path: Support… with secondary focus on Basic Offense.”

The hall erupted into murmurs. It was unusual for someone to select a dual path—while allowed, most students specialized in a single discipline. Some students whispered that Zareen was foolish for splitting his focus. But Zareen remained calm. Deep down, he knew this was the path that suited him best.

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When all students had made their choices, Ardian stepped forward once more to close the ceremony.

“Remember,” he said, his voice firm, “your identity cards will evolve as your power and experience grow. Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum… perhaps even beyond. But there is something more important than the color of your card—how you choose to use your strength for the sake of this world. Never forget our purpose: to protect this world from the darkness.”

The hall was quiet, the weight of his words settling on every student. Some looked inspired, others deep in thought.

Zareen bowed his head, gripping his black card tightly. Across the room, Gino grinned and gave him a firm pat on the shoulder when he returned to his seat.

“Hey, Zareen,” Gino whispered with a grin. “I know you chose support, but don’t think I’m going to let you lose to me in everything. Our rivalry is still on.”

Zareen gave a small smile. “We’ll see about that.” Deep inside, he knew this was the start of a new chapter.

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That night, Zareen returned to his dorm room. He stared at his black card under the soft glow of a magic lamp, the surface still just as dark and unreadable as ever.

*Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum… they all have clear meanings. But me? Why black?*

From the other bed, Gino’s voice broke the silence. “You know, I have a feeling that one day we’ll learn what that card really means. And when that day comes, I want to be there to see it.”

Zareen glanced over. Gino had already drifted to sleep, but his words lingered in the air, strangely comforting.

For the first time, Zareen didn’t feel entirely alone in facing the mystery.

That night, he slept with a strange mix of emotions—uncertainty, fear, but also a faint spark of hope that maybe, just maybe, his path had been chosen for a reason, even if he didn’t yet understand it.