[To keep status panels short, this book will not display health or defense values on character panels. Traditional magic attacks involving fire, ice, or lightning still count as magic attacks, though their effects deal physical damage. Mental attacks are calculated separately.]
Linhai City.
The Awakening Ceremony was underway in Third High School's auditorium.
The auditorium was packed. Every student on the verge of adulthood wore an expression of nerves and anticipation.
Onstage, the Principal delivered an impassioned speech, spittle flying.
"Students, today is the day that will decide your futures!"
"Class Change will grant you extraordinary power. It will give you the chance to rise above the rest and become heroes who protect our city!"
Beside the Principal stood a middle-aged man with a steady presence.
His name was Shi Wei. He held an A-Rank Class, was a level-sixty Shield Mountain Warrior, and served as Linhai City's City Defense Headquarters Captain.
He was one of the strongest people in their small city.
He had come today to prevent anyone from causing trouble and to take a look at the two promising candidates.
One boy interested him in particular. His older sister had awakened an S-rank Profession.
His grades were even better than hers had been. If he awakened a powerful profession, building a good relationship with him would be worthwhile.
"Now, the Awakening Ceremony officially begins! When your name is called, please come onstage!"
Names were called one after another. The students went up in turn and placed their hands on the crystal-clear Awakening Stone at the center of the stage.
"Wang Hao. Awakened profession: F-rank Farmer."
Laughter broke out.
Wang Hao ran offstage, his face bright red.
"Li Li. Awakened profession: E-rank Tailor."
Another wave of sighs followed.
Life professions were indispensable, but they were not the combat professions people longed for.
The mood grew subdued until another name rang out.
"Next, Yang Yu!"
The entire auditorium fell silent.
Every gaze settled on the handsome young man emerging from the crowd.
Yang Yu.
For three straight years, he had ranked first in his grade at Third High School. His academic scores had crushed everyone else's. To the teachers, he was a prodigy; to his classmates, a top student they could only look up to.
"It's Yang Yu! He'll definitely awaken an A-rank Profession, maybe even an S-rank one!"
"Obviously. He's brilliant at everything he does."
"I'm betting on an A-rank Mage!"
Amid the chatter, Yang Yu walked onto the stage and calmly placed his hand on the Awakening Stone.
The stone erupted with dazzling light.
Within the glow, the faint shapes of a longsword and a shield slowly appeared.
The Principal sprang to his feet, his breathing quickening with excitement.
"It's a combat profession!"
Shi Wei's eyes lit up too.
The light faded, and a line of information appeared clearly above the Awakening Stone.
[Name: Yang Yu] [Profession: Warrior (D-Rank)]
Everyone froze.
The auditorium fell deathly silent.
D-Rank?
Warrior?
The most ordinary, commonplace, unremarkable D-rank Warrior?
How was that possible?
This was Yang Yu!
The top student who had dominated the rankings for three years!
In this world, better grades generally meant a better awakened profession.
And Yang Yu was a legend who had ruled Third High School for three full years.
How could he have awakened nothing more than a D-rank profession?
Professions ranged from E-Rank to S-Rank. E-Rank was the weakest and S-Rank the strongest. Higher ranks came with absurdly high attributes, but more importantly, they could grant incredible skills.
The students' expectant looks turned to shock, then sympathy and regret.
The smiles on the teachers' faces stiffened, replaced by deep disappointment.
The Principal opened his mouth, then slumped back into his seat without a word.
Shi Wei shook his head. The light in his eyes went out completely.
The candidate they had pinned the highest hopes on had awakened only a D-rank profession. Of course he was disappointed.
A D-rank Warrior had too little potential. His ceiling was plain to see, and there was little value in training him.
Yang Yu stood onstage, staring at the words "D-Rank." His heart sank.
He had crossed over into this world and spent three years studying relentlessly, drawing on what he knew from his previous life, all so he could soar to new heights today.
Instead, reality had slapped him across the face.
He took a deep breath, stepped off the stage, and returned to his place.
The students around him looked at him with regret, but none of them mocked him to his face.
Yang Yu ignored them. He was examining his Profession Panel.
[Name: Yang Yu] [Profession: Warrior (D-Rank)] [Level: 1 (0/100)] [Strength: 12] [Agility: 10] [Constitution: 11] [Spirit: 9] [Skill: Blade Draw (Level 1, 0/100)] [Talent: Two Hundredfold Effort]
His panel was utterly unremarkable. His starting attributes were even a little lower than those of an average Warrior. Was it because he had focused so much on awakening a good profession that he had neglected physical training?
Yang Yu's heart sank further.
He was so painfully ordinary.
What had those three years of effort been for?
Was this all his life would amount to?
But the next moment, his gaze shifted to the talent entry.
Yang Yu's pupils contracted sharply.
Two Hundredfold Effort?
Why did that phrase sound so familiar?
Then he remembered. A character in an anime from his previous life had possessed that very trait.
He was the man known as the Effort King.
One measure of effort could produce two hundred times the results.
That was staggering.
He hurriedly opened the talent description.
[Two Hundredfold Effort] [Talent Rank: Ordinary] [Effect: Whenever you gain Skill Proficiency by using a skill or through any other means, the amount gained is multiplied by two hundred.]
Two hundred times the Skill Proficiency?
He stared at the words, his heart hammering.
He did not know whether skill levels in this world could rise indefinitely.
But someone had raised a skill past level thirty.
That was the highest level most people in this world knew of. Ordinary people had no way of knowing whether anyone had reached higher.
Raising a skill's level was extremely difficult.
Each use of a skill granted only one point of Proficiency.
Going from level one to two took 100 points, from two to three took 200, and from three to four took 400... then 600... The higher the level, the more Proficiency it required. It was a bottomless pit.
It was easy to imagine how hard that was.
But things were different for him!
Two Hundredfold Proficiency Gain Speed!
Where others had to practice two hundred times, he needed to practice only once!
A skill that took someone else a year to level up might take him only a few days!
This talent... it was practically a Divine Skill!
Yang Yu's breath came hot and fast.
So what if he was a D-rank Warrior?
So what if his profession was ordinary?
If he trained even the most basic skill, such as Blade Draw, to level one hundred—or level one thousand—
Who would dare call him weak?
One slash, and he could cleave a god in two!
His dejection and disappointment vanished, replaced by overwhelming excitement and confidence.
He felt certain he could level up as fast as those with A-rank and S-rank professions—no, so fast they would question everything they knew!
His journey in this world had only just begun!
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