Western Military Region Headquarters.
"Report!"
"Come in!"
A Sergeant with a ramrod-straight posture pushed open the heavy doors and entered. Holding a folder in his left hand, he saluted the Commander-in-Chief of the Western Military Region.
"Chief, we've confirmed the cause of this Beast Tide. The creatures attacking Azure Dragon Fortress were Night Cat Demons and Wind Demon Wolves. Their combat strength was generally Bronze rank, with the strongest at Gold rank. Colonel Huang Ming drove them back. This is the third Beast Tide launched by the beasts in the past three months."
"The beasts' attacks are becoming more frequent. We have to take appropriate measures. Draft an order at once, lowering the admission requirements for Martial Arts Universities. Any combat-type Ability User or martial artist with a D-class talent or higher can apply to a Martial Arts University without taking the entrance exam."
The adjutant looked surprised. "Chief, won't it be hard to explain this lowering of standards to the Ministry of Education?"
The Chief's eyes widened, his mustache bristling. "Explain what to the Ministry of Education? Martial Arts Universities aren't under their jurisdiction. Can studying academics drive back a Beast Tide? Just do as I said."
"Yes!" The adjutant saluted and left the headquarters.
"Ah, the front line is getting tighter and tighter." The Chief's brow furrowed.
Mountain City, Class 5, Grade 3, at Shancheng No. 1 Middle School. The bell rang.
Lin Hao stretched and gazed out the window, lost in thought.
"Idiot, Awakening Day is tomorrow. Do you want to become a martial artist or an Ability User?"
Lin Hao didn't turn around. He recognized Fang Yao's voice right away.
"Who knows what we'll awaken? It's not up to us. If I don't awaken anything, will you support me, little girl?" Lin Hao was feeling rather glum. He'd been transported to this world for sixteen years and still hadn't gotten a decent cheat.
"Sure, no problem." Fang Yao smiled gently, blooming like a lily.
The whole class was dumbfounded by their conversation. Who was Fang Yao? She was the goddess of their dreams. Over the past three years of high school, countless boys had confessed to her, and she hadn't even bothered to give them the time of day.
Lin Hao paid no attention to the murderous looks from all the boys in class. He'd gotten used to them over the past three years. Fang Yao was Lin Hao's only friend in high school, and the same went for her.
Before long, the class bell rang. A balding man in his forties walked in. He was Gao Wenhai, the homeroom teacher of Class 5, Grade 3, and he carried a stack of papers.
"Students, I have some good news. The Military Department just issued a Red-Header Document. This year, the admission requirements for Martial Arts Universities have been lowered. Any combat-type Ability User or martial artist with a D-class talent or higher can apply to a Martial Arts University without taking the entrance exam. Awakening Day is tomorrow, so be prepared and seize this hard-won opportunity."
Before the teacher could finish, the class erupted in excitement, howling like a pack of wolves. What did this mean? It meant that as long as they awakened a decent combat profession, they could enter a Martial Arts University without taking the entrance exam. It meant they would receive better training in college and have a chance to make something of themselves.
Only Lin Hao didn't join the cheering. His brow was furrowed.
"The Military has lowered the admission requirements. The fighting at the front must be getting fierce. I need to awaken a decent profession tomorrow, or I won't even be able to protect my family." Having lived two lives, he immediately realized how serious this was. He was the only one in the class who seemed to understand.
After school, Lin Hao said goodbye to Fang Yao and went home. As soon as he entered, the aroma of food reached his nose.
"Grandma, I'm home!" Lin Hao called out to his grandmother in the kitchen.
"Just in time. Dinner's almost ready," Grandma called from the kitchen.
"Oh, Xiao Hao, you're finally back." A graceful young woman of about twenty-five walked out of a room. "Your little sister heard you're awakening tomorrow and insisted I bring her to see you." She looked aggrieved.
The woman was Lin Hao's aunt, Lin Yueyue. Back in college, she'd been the dream girl of many boys. She'd awakened a drawing skill, and after graduating, she spent every day at home painting, using her artistic talent to help support the family.
A cute little girl with her hair in a bun and a princess dress heard the voices and ran out of another room. The moment she saw Lin Hao, she threw herself into his arms. She was Lin Hao's little sister, Lin Xiaorou, who was six years old and had just started elementary school.
"Brother, you're awakening tomorrow! Do you want to be a martial artist or an Ability User?" Lin Xiaorou asked, her big, adorable eyes blinking.
Lin Hao scooped her up. "I don't know. What if I awaken a Life-type skill like your aunt?"
Lin Hao's grandmother came out of the kitchen carrying a bowl of soup. "Awakening a Life-type profession would be just fine. Then you wouldn't have to fight and kill out there. Don't end up like your parents and leave me to bury my children. Dinner's ready. Go wash your hands."
The three of them obediently lined up and went to the bathroom to wash their hands.
Lin Hao's parents had died six years ago while defending against a Beast Tide. Lin Hao had been ten at the time, and Lin Xiaorou hadn't even turned one. In his memories, his parents had rarely been home. After Lin Xiaorou was born, they'd hurried back to the front line. Their grandmother had raised both him and his sister.
During dinner, Lin Yueyue, speaking from experience, explained all the things Lin Hao needed to keep in mind during his Awakening. He committed every detail to memory.
The next day, Lin Hao arrived at school early.
"Lin Hao, over here!" He had just reached the school gates when he saw Fang Yao waiting for him.
"The teacher just told us that it's Awakening Day, so we don't need to go to our classroom. We're supposed to gather on the school field." As soon as Fang Yao saw Lin Hao, she hurried over to him.
The two of them reached the field, where quite a few students had already gathered.
A stone more than three meters tall stood in the very center of the field. It was the Awakening Stone. Anyone who had reached sixteen could awaken a talent by touching it. Awakening talents were ranked from highest to lowest: SSS, SS, S, A, B, C, D, E, and F. Of course, only a small minority of people awakened. Those who failed would continue studying academic subjects and take the college entrance exam for an ordinary university.
Those who awakened a talent were assessed according to their talent's rank and profession. As long as they awakened a combat-type profession and their talent wasn't too poor, Martial Arts Universities would accept them. After all, martial artists and Ability Users with combat talents were extremely rare.
Just then, Principal Duan Cheng and a group of school administrators arrived at the platform. The students below had already lined up under their teachers' guidance.
"Students, today is Awakening Day. On behalf of the school and all the teachers, I wish you the best of luck in awakening a good talent. Of course, if you don't awaken a talent, don't lose heart. I hope you'll get into a good academic university. You can still shine and serve your country in the future."
Listening to the principal drone on from the platform, Lin Hao sighed helplessly. "Sure enough, no matter which world you're in, a leader's speech is always long-winded and unbearable."
Half an hour later, the Awakening ceremony began. Lin Hao's class was Class 5, so he still had to wait a while.
"No talent. Awakening failed."
"No talent. Awakening failed."
"No talent. Awakening failed."
Ten students had gone up in a row, and every one of them had failed. Lin Hao was dumbfounded. "Is the chance of awakening really this low?"
The principal and the school administrators shook their heads. "This batch isn't much good. Ten students in a row, and not one of them awakened," one teacher lamented.
"Let's wait and see. Didn't a student awaken an S-rank talent at the very end last year?"
"You mean that Wind Ability User who awakened an S-rank talent last year? I heard she's already reached Silver Grade this year."
The principal and the teachers discussed things on the platform as the Awakenings continued below.
"B-class talent, Ability User, Fire elemental ability." The teacher in charge of the ceremony grinned like a blooming chrysanthemum. After dozens of students, they'd finally gotten someone good.
"Class 3-5, Fang Yao." Before long, it was Class 5's turn. When she heard her name, Fang Yao smiled at Lin Hao. "Idiot, wait for me."
Lin Hao was looking forward to it, too. "Good luck!"
Following the teacher's instructions, Fang Yao placed her slender, pale hand on the Awakening Stone. The stone began to tremble violently, then burst into golden light!
The examining teacher wasn't the only one dumbstruck. The principal, the students below, and the other teachers were all stunned. Their mouths hung open, and not a word came out. After a long moment, the examining teacher stammered, "Fang Yao, SS-rank talent, martial artist, Martial God!"
Fang Yao's whole bearing had changed. A golden radiance enveloped her and lingered around her.
After Fang Yao finished awakening, the principal was the first to react. He sprang to his feet and instantly appeared beside her, his wrinkled old face blooming like a chrysanthemum.
"Fang Yao, congratulations! You've brought honor to Shancheng No. 1 Middle School. Could you tell me what profession you awakened?" The principal grew more pleased with her by the second. At last, we've got someone good. Otherwise, the school's resources would've been cut considerably next year.
Lin Hao was happy for Fang Yao, too. When he saw her return, he gave her a thumbs-up. "Not bad. I'll have to ask you, the Fang Martial God, for guidance from now on." Hearing him call her that, Fang Yao's cheeks turned red. "What Fang Martial God? That sounds awful! But I can still look out for you."
"Class 3-5, Lin Hao." The teacher in charge of the ceremony called out.
"Little girl, I'm going to awaken now." Lin Hao headed toward the Awakening Stone. "I'm a transmigrator. Giving me an SSS-rank talent isn't too much to ask, is it?"
As he thought this, Lin Hao placed his hand on the Awakening Stone, but even after waiting a long time, it didn't react. Lin Hao's face twitched. "No way. Am I going to be useless? Heaven, are you trying to kill me?" Just as the teacher was about to announce his failure, a faint blue light suddenly appeared on the stone. At that same moment, Lin Hao felt something appear inside him. With a thought, a crackling sound came from his hand. The examining teacher quickly announced, "Lin Hao, E-rank talent, Ability User, Lightning elemental ability!"
Lin Hao returned to Fang Yao's side with a dark expression. "Damn, I only got an E-rank Lightning talent. A stun baton would be more useful." But just then, a notification rang in Lin Hao's mind: "Ding! Host has awakened an E-rank Lightning elemental ability. Binding Invincible System..."
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