After a great effort, despite the short time, Vulces was ready. He casually places the book "Elements and the human body", her only textbook for the day, in her bag and walks towards Aristle, the young man standing at the door.
Aristle:"It amazes me that you can prepare in that short of a time... I guess that's the one thing I haven't gotten used to in years."
Vulces smiled, bowed her head, waved to her sister and stepped out the door.
As he walked down the road chatting with his friend, the 15-minute walk felt like 3 minutes, and at the end of the 15-minute walk that felt like 3 minutes, his graduation was waiting for him.
Every young person who completes secondary education is considered to have reached adulthood when they receive their own identification number according to the Universal Identity Standards, or U.I.S.S., which qualifies them for most jobs. Each person's ID number is assigned according to their ability. Like the majority in his country, Vulces was a metal user. His skill was to use his chains made of ferrotitanium (an alloy of iron and titanium), heat-resistant and strong, as if they were part of his body.
According to the rules of the set standards, the identification numbers are determined as follows:
The first two (rarely three) digits indicate the number of the first element the person controls.
The next two or three digits indicate the secondary element, if any.
The third number is the type of ability, i.e. the way it is used. If it is related to the body, it is a 1, if not, it is a 0.
The fourth row indicates the gender. 0 for male and 1 for female.
The last part indicates the number of people who have the same ability.
This way each person is then given a unique identification number, which is written on a card with the element or elements they use in one corner. Of course, to prevent damage, poisonous or potentially damaging elements are not placed on the card, but the element number is written with a simple warning sign.
Vulces, with this information in mind, walked through the school gates with Aristle. Of course, no matter how fast he prepared and took his time, he spent the extra time chatting on the way. Realizing this, he turned to Aristle, nodded decisively as if to say trust me and knocked on the closed door.
The sound from inside was calm and monotonous. A simple "come in" was heard. When Vulces slowly opened the door, Professor Herald, the teacher of that course, was standing in front of several boxes and buckets, which were not familiar to Vulces at all.
Before entering, Vulces motioned for Aristle to follow him and then made his way to his usual desk, took his seat and looked at Aristle, who was also making his way to his desk. As soon as they were in their seats Professor Herald spoke.
Proffesor:"You were late, you didn't ask what was in front of me and you didn't give a reason for the delay. Gentlemen... That was a bit rude. Are you that disinterested in the lesson? In that case, I'll get your attention... In our last and most important lesson, we're going to look at intraspecies dominance. I'll take a volunteer from each form. Ah... But not a full volunteer for the floor, because the most suitable person for this experiment is already among us! Aristle. Come here, come on!"
Aristle gets up without question and stands by the lectern.
Professor:"Give me your wing!"
Aristle was a very popular young man for his talent. His wing-shaped limbs, made of black gold, an alloy of gold and palladium, shone in all their glory, attracting the attention of the whole school and his surroundings.
Aristle slowly unbuttoned his shirt and took it off. Then he folded his shirt, placed it on the dais, turned around and stretched his wings.
Professor:"Good... Very good! Now friends. This is black gold, an alloy of gold and palladium."
The professor grabs Aristle's arm and lifts it.
Professor:"... This is a simple skin and bone combination. Not interesting, am I right? But this young fellow's talent is not only his wing! And don't try what I'm about to do at home, children."
The professor takes his lighter, lights it and holds it to Aristle's arm.
Professor:"Does it burn? Is there a burning sensation?"
Aristle answers in amazement.
Aristle:"N-no...!"
Professor "That's it, guys... the side ability of solid users. Skin that can withstand extreme temperatures... Isn't it perfect...! Aristle. You can put on your shirt and take your place."
Aristle: "Understood."
Aristle obeyed the professor and took his seat. Then the professor, after getting the attention of the class with a fake cough, continued.
Professor: "Now we call on a liquid user with a strong acidic ability. Mallie. I trust you."
Although Mallie was popular in her group of friends, she was not a very popular person. The reason must have been her cold demeanor. Even though she was a pretty girl, she was one of those who preferred to stay in the background. Her blessing was that she could use the acid hydrogen chloride at will.
When Mallie reached the professor, he handed her a plastic container.
Professor:"Use your gift and fill this container, please."
Mallie:"Yes, professor~."
With a warm smile on her face, Mallie granted the professor's wish and handed him the container. The professor kept the container at a distance and placed it on the table, then measured the pH of the liquid and confirmed to the whole class that it was an acid.
Then, after taking out another indicator and sticking it on Mallie's arm, he smiled when he realized that the whole class was watching him with curiosity.
Professor:"One more time, please."
Mallie secreted more liquid without even opening her mouth. The professor took the marker from his sleeve at one of the places where the liquid had touched and showed it to the class.
Professor:"With a pH of exactly 7, this liquid is neutral. The secret is pH modification, a side skill of liquid users. This sweat-like liquid, which evaporates in a short time, is unique to each person and prevents damage while using their ability. Within 3 seconds, this liquid evaporates, leaving behind the element that is the blessing of the person in its full power. Pretty interesting, huh? Now now now now... Next is the last experiment. Any gas users please come to the podium, you are expected."
It was Yivette who had the courage to stand up. The girl everyone was afraid of. Of course there was reason to be afraid, but that was just a story. Yivette was one of Vulces' friends and was feared because she could control pure oxygen.
But she wasn't strong enough to do what everyone feared, drowning people. What she could do was not so weak as to be feared, but not so potentially damaging. She could heat the air in the veins of people at a short distance and simply dilate their veins, creating the effect of low blood pressure. But that was all she was.
Yivette looked up at the professor as she took her place on the lectern, away from the watchful eyes watching her. The professor handed her a gas mask and told her to put it on. Yivette hesitated a little, but she put it on because she trusted the person in front of her.
Professor:"Now, if you are ready, I will pump poisonous gas through the mask, but don't be afraid because your lungs can filter it very easily. That's why firefighters are chosen among gas users!"
Yivette closed her eyes tightly and nodded her head, indicating that she was ready. The professor then attached a tube to the mask and pumped in the poisonous gas for 3 seconds, turned off the pump, pulled out the tube and removed Yivette's mask. ;
Yivette coughed briefly and that cough was more than enough to frighten the whole class. Yivette looked up and was startled to realize that what she had just inhaled was poisonous gas. The professor laughed loudly in response. Then he clapped his hands three times and turned to the class.
Professor:"That, children, was the last and most important lesson you needed. After this you will go out and get your ID cards and you will be ready to go to work. We are cutting today short because we have removed the extra lessons from the program so that you can listen to this lesson fully, so that you don't get distracted. And because it will have an impact on your job choice and we need to remember it, we put it in the last lesson. Now you will go out the door with the class number, you will wait at the door of the library - the largest hall - and when your name is called, you will go in and do your procedures. Children... Please don't forget me. If we meet one day and you don't say hello, I will be angry with you. Have a good day~!"
Vulces sighed loudly.
Vulces:"Oh that man..."
The young people in the class were now adults as they followed the procedures outlined by the professor and received their ID cards. They would all go their separate ways and open new paths. Maybe others will follow those paths or they will open new paths.
So each passing generation was very important for their future and for the future of the world, even if they did not know it. Those who were aware of this were more diligent than others, and they would combine their own paths with the paths of the past generations and open the paths of perfection.
They were the ones who saved their energy for their own future and used all their energy for the world. They are the ones who open the paths of the future for everyone and lead the way to open new paths. They are the future itself.
