Awakening!

Mingzhu Magic Association.

A sleek Mercedes-Benz pulled up in the grand plaza.

The driver respectfully opened the door, and a somewhat heavyset young man stepped out.

The puffy-faced young man glanced around, disdain in his eyes. "Why did my awakening application only just get approved?"

"Young master, the authorities schedule awakenings according to demand. From the notice, it looks like two others will share your Awakening Room," the driver said.

"What rotten luck. I have to share an Awakening Stone with other people." Luo Song cursed.

The driver reminded him, "Let's go up. It's almost our turn."

"We could've gone to the Imperial Capital. The master would definitely have arranged a private awakening for you," the driver said.

"No way. That dumbass Xu Dalong was just bragging in the group chat about getting into Imperial Capital Academy. Look how pleased he is with himself. Anyone would think his wife had given birth," Luo Song sneered.

"Of course. With your ability, young master, you could get into an elite class in the Imperial Capital. There's no need to stoop to his level," the butler said indulgently.

"I told you I'm going to Pearl. I just don't want to deal with that mangy dog." Luo Song glared at the butler.

The butler said nothing more and followed Luo Song into the Mage Tower.

They passed countless perfectly circular rooms before the butler found their assigned Awakening Room and led Luo Song over.

A young man was sitting outside, waiting.

Luo Song looked him over. Everything the guy wore put together probably cost less than his shoes.

Since when could broke losers come here to awaken Magic?

And share an Awakening Room with me?

"What fucking rotten luck!" Luo Song muttered.

His voice was just loud enough to carry through the empty waiting area.

Zhou Sining turned and saw a pudgy man with dark circles under his eyes, accompanied by an old man wearing an awkward smile.

The pudgy man was sizing him up, his contempt impossible to miss.

Zhou Sining rolled his eyes.

Fuck. A dumbass.

He ignored the fat bastard and kept waiting.

"What's with that look?" Luo Song had never put up with treatment like this.

He was already pissed about being dragged here early in the morning. The idiots in his high school group chat kept mocking him for going to Magic City to be a big fish in a small pond, and now he had run into this broke loser.

What fucking rotten luck!

"If you can't keep quiet, get out." Zhou Sining had taken an instant dislike to the fat bastard.

Everything the man said and did fit Zhou Sining's stereotype perfectly.

Magic City really did live up to its online reputation as a breeding ground for obnoxious assholes. He couldn't even come for an awakening without running into a textbook example.

"Do you know who I am, you broke loser? How dare you talk to me like that?" Luo Song looked down on him even more.

Sure enough, a country bumpkin who came to Magic City to beg. No manners at all.

Zhou Sining's mouth twitched. "What fucking rotten luck!"

Luo Song's eyes widened. The broke loser had thrown his own words right back at him.

He was about to lose his temper when the Awakening Room door opened.

A sixteen-year-old young man came out, an excited smile on his face.

Clearly, the result of his awakening was everything he had hoped for.

Just then, Su Zhe returned from the bathroom.

"Looks like it went well, Jiaping." Su Zhe walked over with a smile.

"I awakened the Lightning Element." Sun Jiaping grinned.

"That's great. Train hard, and you can get into Pearl Institute High School."

Luo Song could tell the two were with Zhou Sining. He rolled his eyes. "It's just the Lightning Element, and he thinks he can get into Pearl Institute High School?"

Sun Jiaping's face fell.

As an only child, he was naturally happy to have awakened the same element as his parents. Then a stranger had insulted him out of nowhere.

Society really is getting more civilized. Even dumbasses can come here to awaken.

Su Zhe looked at the fat man nearby, his gaze turning cold.

"Commander, don't waste your time on an idiot."

Zhou Sining tugged Su Zhe back and briefly explained his earlier clash with Luo Song.

As soon as he finished, the awakening instructor came over.

"Which one of you is Zhou Sining? It's your turn to awaken."

"That's me." Zhou Sining stood.

At that point, Su Zhe couldn't be bothered with the fat man either.

He turned to Zhou Sining. "I have something else to take care of, so I'll take Jiaping with me. Once you're done, head back to the hotel, or look around outside if you like."

"Sure." Zhou Sining didn't mind.

He was an adult and could take care of himself.

Besides, he had planned to explore Magic City anyway. Having Su Zhe along would only make it less convenient, so an early departure suited him.

Su Zhe left, and Zhou Sining followed the awakening instructor into the Awakening Room.

The instructor led him into a small, dark room. A round platform stood in the center, holding an Awakening Stone that radiated silver light.

"Don't be nervous. Put your hand on the Awakening Stone and follow its guidance," the instructor said. "Here's the call device. I'll be waiting outside, so call me anytime if there's a problem."

"Okay."

The Awakening Room fell so quiet he could have heard a pin drop, yet the pounding of his heart grew louder in his ears.

Zhou Sining was nervous.

Strictly speaking, this was the first time he had awakened Magic since crossing into this world.

There was also a chance the Gangsha Flame would cause his awakening to fail, seriously affecting his future prospects. Of course he was nervous.

After a few breaths, Zhou Sining calmed himself, rested his hand naturally on the Awakening Stone, and slowly closed his eyes.

At first, he felt only a coolness against his palm. After two or three seconds, a strange sensation shot up his arm and into his brain like lightning.

Then his consciousness entered his Spiritual World.

In that world, a few glimmers of starlight were visible beside the dazzling Fire Element Nebula. Everywhere else was Chaos.

The strange sensation remained. Following it, Zhou Sining focused on a small patch of Chaos beside the Nebula.

Though it looked no different from the rest, he could sense the Chaos Mist there swirling and slowly receding.

Soon, that small patch visibly dispersed, revealing a faint gleam of starlight.

It was the palest white. Without looking closely, he might not even have noticed it had a color, only that a few stars were shining.

It worked!

Joy surged through Zhou Sining. His awakening hadn't failed!

The next instant, another strange sensation entered his mind. Before he could think, he saw the white Fire Element Nebula beside it begin spinning rapidly.

At its center, the Gangsha Flame Seed suddenly flared three meters high. The flames swiftly formed a thick white tendril, terrifying to behold!

Fierce and violent, the tendril formed by the Gangsha Flame carried an unstoppable force as it hurtled straight toward the pale Star Dust!

"Stop!"

Zhou Sining shouted, but the Gangsha Flame wasn't about to stop so easily.

Boom!

The newly formed Star Dust was so fragile, and the flaming tendril had struck to kill. It couldn't withstand such a brutal blow!

Crack!

A sound like shattering glass exploded in Zhou Sining's mind. He could only watch as the Star Dust, not yet fully formed, broke into starlight and vanished from his Spiritual World.