Chapter 109: Young Talents
"City of Light has gone through many hardships recently, and I truly understand that.
Today marks the first sign of real change."
Rios smiled happily and gestured toward those who had awakened their bloodlines before him.
"With these heroes, restoring the former glory of City of Light—and even surpassing it—will no longer be impossible.
Those who attempted to awaken their bloodlines today number only one hundred thousand. There are still more than one and a half million people who have yet to awaken theirs.
So rejoice, because from this day onward, the prosperity of City of Light will only continue to grow!"
Long live His Majesty! May the God bless his reign and grant him a long life!
Long live His Majesty! May the God bless his reign and grant him a long life!
Long live His Majesty! May the God bless his reign and grant him a long life!
....
The cheers of the Elves echoed through the hall, praising and praying for His Majesty King Rios.
Rios smiled as he looked at those who had awakened their bloodlines before him, paying little attention to the praise surrounding him.
These people were the ones who would truly benefit him.
These people were the ones who would greatly increase the strength of his kingdom.
With them, the dream of launching his conquest as soon as possible would no longer be impossible.
If Rios merely smiled when looking at those who had awakened Legendary-grade bloodlines, he wanted to leap from his seat and dance when he looked at the three sitting at the very front, directly before him.
They were two boys and one girl!
The oldest was a fifteen-year-old boy seated on the right. He had short purple hair, a muscular physique, and facial features that naturally leaned toward anger.
The second was a thirteen-year-old girl seated on the left.
She was slightly tall for her age, with long white hair, and her face was covered with nervous expressions.
The third was a ten-year-old boy with pitch-black hair as dark as the night itself and deep black eyes that seemed as though they wished to swallow everything around them. Yet despite that, his features were innocent, and his gaze was filled with curiosity toward everything around him.
He sat in the middle.
These were the three who had awakened Heaven-grade bloodlines.
Ethar, the purple-haired boy who awakened the bloodline of the Lightning Clan and manifested five petals on the fourth lotus.
Ayat, the white-haired girl who awakened the bloodline of the Wind Clan and manifested six petals on the fourth lotus.
Imris, with his dark black hair, the first to awaken a Heaven-grade bloodline, who had managed to manifest nine lotus petals—only a single step away from manifesting the tenth and obtaining a mutated Heaven-grade bloodline.
Unlike Imris, who came from a noble family, both Ethar and Ayat were commoners.
After observing them for a while, Rios shifted his gaze and addressed everyone once more.
"From this day onward, the new noble system will begin."
Rios deliberately paused after saying those few words, allowing them to sink in first.
The commoners felt uneasy upon hearing this, but the nobles were even more anxious.
"From this day onward, the nobility will be divided into five ranks, starting from One-Star Nobles all the way to Five-Star Nobles."
Rios paused again to let them absorb his words before continuing.
"Those who awakened a Legendary-grade bloodline shall become One-Star Nobles."
He then looked toward the thirty people seated directly behind Imris, Ethar, and Ayat.
"As for those who awakened a mutated Legendary-grade bloodline, they shall become Two-Star Nobles."
Then he shifted his gaze toward the trio in front.
"As for those who awakened a Heaven-grade bloodline... they shall become Three-Star Nobles!"
Rios’s voice echoed throughout the hall, leaving everyone stunned by this declaration.
Right after the Awakening Ceremony, they had learned the meaning behind bloodline talent grades, and now the commoners found that they had become nobles in a single step.
Some of them had even reached the peak of the hierarchy in one leap!
But Rios’s voice pulled them back to reality once again, and his next announcement shocked many of the nobles in particular.
Especially the Light Elves!
"From this day onward, there will no longer be anything called clans, and the positions of Clan Chief and their deputies will be abolished.
New positions will be assigned to those who reach the Third Level in the near future. These positions will be completely different from that of Clan Chief and will no longer be restricted by bloodline or color.
Within a few months, academies will be established to train everyone who has awakened their bloodline, and there will no longer be any discrimination among the Elves because of the colors of their bloodlines or their abilities.
The only distinction that will remain will be based on a person’s strength, capability, and usefulness to the kingdom.
Even so, I will not tolerate any form of discrimination or arrogance. Otherwise... you all know very well the fate of those who disobey me!"
Rios’s aura spread throughout the hall, reminding everyone exactly who he was. However, it deliberately avoided the children and targeted the adults in particular.
Rios had treated them kindly recently, but he did not want them to forget his wrath.
His principle was simple. It revolved around...
Reward and punishment.
The carrot and the stick.
Follow me, and I will bring you a piece of paradise.
Defy me, and I will make you long for hell.
"Father!"
Yasmin looked worriedly at her father, Chief Dathan.
As the Chief of the Water Clan, Rios had just abolished his position.
"It’s alright, my daughter. There’s no need to worry. I’m fine. Fortunately, little Imris did not disappoint us and awakened a powerful bloodline.
He will surely surpass us in the future, and our family will rise alongside him."
Chief Dathan smiled reassuringly at her.
"Of course, Father."
Yasmin held onto his arm and nodded.
His joy over his grandson had completely erased the sadness he had felt over losing his position.
In addition to Etham, Thandria, and Elena—the Chiefs of the Wind, Lightning, and Light Clans respectively—none of whom were bothered by this change in position.
There was also the counselor Gao, the Chief of the Wood Clan, who was currently imprisoned.
And the Chief of the Fire Clan, whose daughter had awakened a mutated Legendary-grade bloodline, securing their family a respectable position among the nobles.
That left only one chief whose children had failed to awaken the talent required to become nobles.
Inside one of the mansions of City of Light.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"You worthless piece of trash! You’ve brought shame upon our family! You couldn’t even awaken a Legendary-grade talent to secure us a place among the nobles!"