Lost Origins: SS Ranked Awakening

Moving away from the 3rd mountain top, He headed to the kitchen to complete his morning shift and have a lesson with the head chef since he wasn't having any classes until later.

Time quickly went by in the kitchen and before he knew it, it was time to attend a class. Looking to his watch to check the type and location of the class, his face darkened. The class just happened to be the same 'gym session' as before.

'I wonder what kind of hell he has in store for us this time.'

He thought, making his way to the sports centre.

Making his way to the gym, he moved into the locker room to change into the right outfit before assembling with the others at the previous spot, this time he didn't come across Richard.

Waiting in position, ten minutes passed and there was still no sign of the instructor. This was the first time they had to wait for an instructor. Usually, they were present before they got to the venue or they came in the moment the class started.

'Did something happen?'

Kieran thought, remembering the incident Leora had once given hints about.

Before he could think further along that line, the masked instructor came in, stretching his back.

"Ahhh, I really slept like a baby."

He uttered, yawning.

"Huh? You're here already? That just makes things easier, let's start right away."

He said, just acknowledging their presence.

Kieran could feel his brows twitch at the instructor's lax attitude.

"Yesterday, I had you run a simple five-mile course, but you all disappointed. I really wonder you want to chase your enemies on planets with high gravity."

He said getting a chair to sit on.

"The run was to establish your aerobic endurance. Today, you'd be doing some consecutive tests. Since we're in the gym we'll be starting with the maximum deadlifting"

He said pointing to the part of the gym where the barbells were.

Looking at the weights, Kieran noticed that they were made of the same material he had seen in the underground cavern.

Moving in sets of five, they walked to the five barbells placed on the floor. Picking up one of them, Kieran could feel the weight increase progressively until he felt like he was at his limits.

'Strange'

He frowned. Turning to look at his side he noticed the same confused expression on the other recruits.

'I still have six more to go.'

Kieran thought, picking up the barbell again. They were required to perform a total of seven maximum deadlifts. Completing the challenge with little to no struggle.

Feeling some weird gazes on him, he looked around to see the others struggling a little.

Stepping away from the barbell, he waited for the others to finish up and another set to come up.

'What the hell was that supposed to be?'

The instructor thought, the gleam in his eyes concealed by his long hair.

This was meant to test their stamina and strength. It wasn't supposed to be this easy, what the instructor didn't know was that stamina was Kieran's number one strongpoint.

The instructor was in for more surprise as he watched some other recruits like Jack, Ruby, Sabrina, Ethan, Liam, the white-haired guy with the look of disinterest, the blonde and two others clear the exercise with little to no difficulty.

When the remaining recruits completed the exercise, the instructor stood up and led them to an open field within the camp. With his back still turned towards them, he stated their purpose there.

"The rest are field tests. So, they will be held here."

"There are basically two tests left. The Standing Power Throw and The Sprint-Drag-Carry."

Apart from the first, Kieran wasn't really familiar with the second test. But luckily, the instructor had bothered to explain the process.

The two exercises weren't really hard. So, like before, they moved to where the weights were. This time all none of them had a problem with clearing the exercise.

When the last of them completed the tests, the instructor finally turned towards them.

"Hmm, that's all for today. We'll talk about the combat test later."

He said, dismissing them.

Kieran immediately headed to the library after the class and he immediately noticed something strange, the receptionist who always had a bored expression on her face every time he came in was absent.

'Strange.'

Kieran thought, taking a pause before moving into the library too continue his learning spree.

'This whole citizenship system's pretty convenient for whoever made it'

Kieran thought as he read a book explaining a little about the government structure.

He knew nothing about it since all the teachers in the college assumed that to be basic knowledge, something that was thought at home. Unfortunately, he didn't know until a few months before the incident that his dad had gotten him citizenship status.

The old man had never bordered to explain to him, and he wasn't concerned enough to find out, but now, it was one of the things hindering him.

Something he had to deal with and the military had presented to him the best method to do so.

According to the book, the world was governed by the world government which consists of ten seats with the heads of the 9 pillar families taking a seat each and the military taking the last seat.

With the council acting as the head, rest of the government took on a classical structure with the head of each planet under humanity's jurisdiction having the title of a Marquess, the heads of the zones in the planet with a title of Count, the heads of the major cities as Viscounts, the heads of smaller cities as Baron, with a Lord being someone of high reputation/ standing.

There was a lesser council where all the Marquess' gather in the interest of their planets or to receive and report to the representative of the main council.

The citizenship structure also followed the same structure as the major government officials with the inclusion of Knight above the level of lord and the exclusion of marquess.

The residents of the slums were identified as outcasts by the rest of society, people who weren't even worth being called humans.

The breakdown was as follows from low to high:

Outcasts

Commoners

Citizen (lvl1 to 9)

Lord

Knight

Baron

Viscount

Earl

Someone at the level of earl despite not being in the government still enjoyed most of the benefits apart from some exclusive ones.

'These nobles really have it easy.'

Kieran thought as he stared at the part of the book that indicated that the children of Noble families were born into high ranks depending on the standing of their family.

Those from the main branch of the pillar families were born as knights, while those from lesser families were born as level 9 citizens.

'It's just like she said.'

Kieran thought, looking through another part of the book talking about the military's method of increasing the status of the soldiers.

It was just like Leora had said, he needed to accumulate merits on the battle field. The things he could do in the camp as a recruit were extremely limited, but when he became a second year, he'd get more opportunities.

On his way out of the library, he met Leora, who for the first time since he had known her, had a serious expression on her face.

'Must be serious'

Kieran thought.

He had no intention of inquiring. Seeing him, she called out,

"Kieran, it's about to start"

Pausing a bit, he nodded, before leaving the spot. On his way back, he encountered Ethan.

He was just coming back from some personal business when he saw someone he didn't expect. The strange guy who didn't know the difference in status, daring to talk to his Sabrina like that.

'I should have a chat with him.'

He thought of blocking Kieran's path with a playful smile.

He didn't usually bother himself with things like this, but he had seen the look of relief on her face when he disregarded her.

She felt more comfortable with him, despite knowing he was over thinking things, he still felt like doing something.

Blocking his way, he commented with a playful laugh,

"It's a surprise to meet you again at this moment. Must be fate, I guess."

Staring at the guy who blocked his way, Kieran noticed from his uniform that he was also a first-year recruit like him.

'Do I know him?'

Kieran thought, his face getting uncontrollably colder as he asked in his frigid tone,

"Am I supposed to know you?"

"Huh? What do you mean by…."

Ethan trailed away surprised at Kieran's question.

Staring at him some more, it became obvious that Kieran really didn't remember him.

Coughing to hide his embarrassment, he regained his composure and continued,

"Ahem! You sat at our table during the orientation programme on the first day"

Searching through his memory, he finally remembered the elegant blue-haired lady he had sat at the ceremony and her two body guards.

'He must be one of them'

"I remember, you're her bodyguard. What do you want with me?"

He asked.

He could feel his face flush red from embarrassment, he had never been this frustrated before. Ethan felt like ripping him apart.

"B-bodyguard? I'm not. My name is-"

"What are you doing Ethan?"

A voice interrupted. Looking to the side, Kieran could see Liam approaching them.

'It's the other one. I should leave.'

Kieran thought silently making his way out without attracting the attention of either of them.

"I asked a question."

Liam repeated.

"It's none of your business. Back to-"

He replied turning back to see that Kieran had vanished.

"Shit!"

He exclaimed, trying to gather his composure once again.

"Where's Sabrina? You aren't with her"

He asked Liam.

"She's not a kid that needs watching"

He replied before walking off.