"Damn. Those are two very large knockers," Arthur muttered, his gaze absolutely locked on the massive billboard across the street.
It was a glossy, high-budget advertisement from the White Beast Guild, one of the most prominent factions in the City of Austia.
The guild routinely used these towering displays to remind the citizens that they were perfectly safe from the rogue beasts and treacherous dungeons that constantly threatened the city walls.
But it wasn't the White Beast Guild, nor their lofty promises of safety, that had held Arthur fascinated for five straight minutes. It was the model. Or rather, the high-ranking Platinum-tier Summoner who served as the guild's poster girl.
"Lady Abelle has got to be the hottest summoner in the entire world," Arthur whispered, his eyes unashamedly tracing the spectacular curves of the blonde-haired beauty. She wore a skin-tight pink combat suit that did absolute wonders for her incredibly round, gravity-defying breasts.
The photographer had perfectly captured Lady Abelle mid-flight, gliding down from the heavens atop her massive, scaled Wyvern summon.
"The cameraman definitely understood the assignment," Arthur said, scratching his head in genuine confusion. "But seriously, how do you even capture a masterpiece like that? Did the guy have a flying summon of his own? Wyverns fly at the speed of a jet. It's either a military-grade drone or some serious wizardry in Photoshop."
He took one final, appreciative look at the billboard-sized cleavage and nodded with profound respect. "Doesn't matter how they made it. Lady Abelle's Boobs are a national treasure. If I somehow manage to awaken a Wyvern today and get scouted by her guild... man, I might actually stand a chance to crack that fortress."
He paused, then let out a self-deprecating chuckle, shaking his head. "Yeah, keep dreaming, buddy. There's a ninety-nine percent chance I won't even manage to summon a stray cat today, let alone a dragon-kin."
Right on cue, a massive double-decker city bus rumbled to a halt in front of him, completely obscuring his view of the holy grail. The pneumatic doors swung open with a hiss. Sighing at his lost view, Arthur stepped on board, shuffling down the aisle to grab a solitary seat at the very back.
Today was Awakening Day.
Every single student in his senior class at Austia City High had finally reached the legal age of eighteen. And, as common knowledge dictated, the Awakening Ceremony was a genetic lottery. Not everyone possessed the latent mana required to pull a creature from the Rift. Out of a hundred students, only a lucky handful would be privileged enough to bond with even a low-grade, Iron-class beast.
Yet, despite the crushing odds, Arthur felt remarkably calm. Whatever fate awaited him at the summoning podium, he was ready to accept it.
That didn't mean he didn't harbor a secret, wildly unrealistic wish. In his wildest fantasies, he'd awaken a True Dragon, skyrocket to the top of the world, and earn a front-row seat right next to Lady Abelle's glorious chest. A man could dream.
The bus rumbled forward, eventually screeching to a halt outside the grand gates of Austia City High. Arthur hopped off and navigated the crowded hallways, heading straight for his homeroom.
Inside, the classroom was already a warzone of nervous energy. Students were huddled in tight groups, loudly boasting about the mythic beasts they hoped to summon.
As usual, nobody noticed when Arthur walked through the door. To them, he was just a background extra with no background background or powerful family backing. In a cutthroat world ruled by powerful summoners, a nobody like Arthur was only ever noticed when someone needed a punching bag.
He slid into his seat in the back corner, resting his chin on his palm.
"I want a Dragon with four wings," Alexa declared, her voice filled with starry-eyed hope.
"Now, now, let's be realistic. A dragon is practically impossible to summon on a first awakening, even for someone like me," Christoffer chimed in, adjusting his collar with a smug grin. "Personally, I'd be ecstatic with a Frost-Fang Sabertooth."
"None of you fools are going to summon a damn thing," a loud, mocking voice boomed across the room.
It was Sidwig, the undisputed class bully. He was leaning back in his chair, a cocky sneer plastered across his face. "I have a feeling that out of this entire room of losers, only me and Isoreth are actually going to succeed."
Nobody dared to contradict him. Sidwig's father was a prominent Gold-tier Summoner, a status that came with immense wealth, political influence, and prime access to rare mana elixirs. With a pedigree like that, humility wasn't in Sidwig's vocabulary. Naturally, he had spent the last three years turning life into a living hell for the kids on the lower end of the social ladder, especially Arthur.
Isoreth, on the other hand, didn't even bother to look up. She sat at her desk, radiating a cold, untouchable aura that practically screamed leave me alone. She was stunningly beautiful, fiercely intelligent, and hailed from one of the wealthiest dynasties in the City of Austia.
Her father was a legendary Platinum-tier powerhouse who owned one of the top-ranking guilds in the entire region.
Arthur watched the exchange from his corner, silently scoffing. He understood exactly why a parasite like Sidwig kept trying to group himself with her. In this world, summoning talent was highly hereditary. Because both of them came from elite bloodlines, the probability of them awakening powerful high-tier beasts was practically a statistical certainty. Sidwig was just trying to ride her coattails.
Suddenly, the heavy classroom door slid open, cutting through the annoying drone of the students' wild imaginations.
Mrs. Alger, their stern homeroom teacher, stepped into the room. Her sharp eyes swept across the nervous teenagers, instantly silencing the chatter.
"All students, line up and head to the Awakening Hall immediately," Mrs. Alger commanded, her voice echoing with military precision. "It's time."
A collective shiver ran through the classroom. The moment of truth had finally arrived. Arthur stood up, dusted off his uniform, and joined the line of students towards the exit.
However it happened, the chaotic crush of eager students shuffling out of the classroom forced Arthur right next to Sidwig. Then, the universe decided to play a cruel joke. Arthur's shoe clipped the edge of Sidwig's expensive leather boot.
Oh, fuck, Arthur thought, his stomach dropping straight into his shoes.
Sidwig didn't wait for an explanation, let alone an apology. He spun around, a sneer twisting his face, and launched a heavy fist straight into Arthur's jaw. The impact sounded like a wet sack of flour hitting concrete, sending Arthur sprawling hard onto the floor.
Arthur's head rang like a church bell, his vision blurring into a dizzying swirl of colors. Through the static in his ears, he could hear the immediate, mocking cheers of his classmates.
"Watch where you're stepping, trash," Sidwig barked, spitting on the floor next to him. "Keep your filthy feet off my boots before I break them."
The classroom erupted into cruel laughter. Arthur groaned, slowly trying to push himself up, but his equilibrium was completely shot. His knees wobbled, threatening to give out.
Suddenly, a hand appeared in his blurry field of vision. It was slender, pale, and unmistakably belonged to a girl.
Arthur blinked, tracing the elegant line of the arm up to the person offering him help. His jaw almost dropped further than it already had. It was Isoreth. The ice queen herself.
"Get up," she said, her voice cool and even.
Dazed, Arthur reached out and took her hand. For a wealthy, elite prodigy, her grip was surprisingly firm, pulling him effortlessly back to his feet. The moment their hands connected, the entire hallway went dead silent. Dozens of eyes stared at them in utter disbelief. Sidwig's jaw was practically on the floor.
"What are you all looking at?" Isoreth snapped, her piercing silver eyes sweeping over the crowd like a localized blizzard. "Move."
The chilly aura she radiated was enough to make everyone instantly look away and resume their frantic exodus toward the Awakening Hall. Sidwig hesitated, glaring at Arthur with pure, unadulterated venom, before letting out a harsh grunt and storming off.
Arthur rubbed his throbbing jaw, wincing. "Ugh... thanks."
Isoreth looked him up and down, her expression unreadable. "You're welcome. But tell me, why don't you ever fight back?"
Arthur stared at her, momentarily distracted. Goddamn, she is gorgeous. Up close, her silver hair shimmered under the fluorescent lights, perfectly matching her sharp, intelligent eyes.
"Are you crazy?" Arthur muttered, shaking his head to clear the cobwebs. "Have you seen the size of Sidwig? The guy is built like a brick wall. He's literally a giant."
Isoreth let out a soft, rare chuckle. "Size doesn't matter..."
The moment those words left her mouth, Arthur's inner pervert bypassed his brain entirely, dragging his thoughts straight into the gutter.
Size doesn't matter, huh? Arthur thought, his eyes instinctively darting down toward his own zipper. Are you absolutely sure about that, Isoreth? Because I've got some data that might interest you.
"...The biggest people usually have the thinnest brains," Isoreth continued, completely unaware of the absolute degeneracy happening in Arthur's mind as she turned to walk out of the room. "The brute-force types always have a weakness. Find it, and use it against them."
Arthur hesitated, looking down at his bruised hands before quickly jogging to catch up with her down the corridor.
As he walked a half-step behind her, his gaze naturally drifted down. The school uniform skirt did absolutely nothing to hide the hypnotic, rhythmic sway of her hips as she moved gracefully down the passage.
Arthur sighed internally, a shameless grin tugging at the uninjured side of his face. Well, small guys like me have a weakness too... and right now, it's that absolute masterpiece of an ass.