"Young master, it's seven."
Two soft knocks came from outside the door.
Lu Fang opened his eyes.
He looked at the chandelier on the ceiling.
It was made of crystal, and it was huge. Morning sunlight streamed through a gap in the curtains, refracting into tiny glimmers on the crystal.
The mattress beneath him was so soft that half his body sank into it. The silk quilt lay smooth against his skin.
Lu Fang drew a breath.
A faint scent of incense lingered in the air-sandalwood.
He sat up and rubbed his hair.
Today was Monday.
It was also the most important day of his life.
The day he would awaken his class.
Lu Fang threw back the quilt and stepped onto the carpet.
The carpet was soft, too, made of pure wool. His feet barely made a sound on it.
He walked over to the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows and pressed a switch on the wall.
The heavy curtains slowly drew apart.
Dazzling sunlight flooded in all at once.
Lu Fang narrowed his eyes, taking a moment to adjust.
Outside was a neatly trimmed lawn, with a fountain farther away and the sights of Jiang City beyond it.
This was the hillside villa district.
The people who lived here were either rich or powerful.
Jiang City had three pillars, its three strongest guardians, and Lu Fang's parents held two of those positions.
Both were powerhouses above level 400.
That was a height most people did not even dare imagine.
Lu Fang looked down at his palms.
They were pale, their lines clear, without a single callus.
These were the hands of a wealthy young master.
I have to awaken a decent class.
At the very least, I can't embarrass Mom and Dad.
That was what Lu Fang thought.
He turned and walked into the bathroom.
The mirror reflected a young, handsome face, with a calm look about the eyes and brows.
After washing up, he changed into his school uniform.
A white shirt and black dress pants, the fabric crisp and the cut well fitted.
Lu Fang straightened his collar in the mirror.
He opened the door and stepped out.
The old butler stood outside in a tailcoat, his hair meticulously combed. Though his temples had gone gray, he looked vigorous.
"Young master, breakfast is ready."
After breakfast, Lu Fang walked to the villa's entrance.
A black stretch limousine waited there, its jet-black body gleaming like a mirror.
A teenage boy stood beside it.
He was about Lu Fang's height, with slightly dark skin and a smile that revealed a mouthful of white teeth.
That was Jiang Xia, the old butler's son.
He was also the friend Lu Fang had grown up playing with.
"Brother Fang!"
Jiang Xia chuckled and opened the car door for Lu Fang.
The two settled into the back seat.
The car started and drove smoothly out of the villa district.
It was quiet inside. The soundproofing was excellent, keeping out even the sound of the wind.
Jiang Xia squirmed on the leather seat, looking a little restless.
Lu Fang glanced at him.
"Nervous?"
"How could I not be, Brother Fang?"
Jiang Xia wore a woeful expression, rubbing his hands back and forth over his knees.
"This is our awakening! If I awaken a lifestyle class, like a cook or a tailor, my life will be over. I'll have no choice but to go home, follow in my dad's footsteps, and become your butler."
Lu Fang smiled.
"There's nothing wrong with being a butler. Look at Uncle Jiang. People respect him."
"That's different."
Jiang Xia shook his head, longing showing in his eyes.
"In this world, only people with combat classes stand above the rest. I want to go to the front lines, kill otherworldly races, level up, and grow stronger. I want to see what things look like beyond level 100, too."
In this world, everyone could awaken a class.
There were many kinds of classes.
Combat, support, and lifestyle.
Every class could gain experience points and level up by killing monsters.
The higher the level, the stronger they became.
This was also the foundation of humanity's resistance against invasions by otherworldly races.
Lu Fang leaned back against his seat, watching the trees race backward outside the window.
"I want to awaken a combat class, too."
His family had power and influence, and his parents were both top-tier powerhouses. Even if he were useless, he would never have to worry about food or clothing for the rest of his life.
But who wouldn't want power of their own?
Especially in a world where such tremendous power resided within individuals.
Only being strong himself would make him truly strong.
Jiang Xia turned to look at Lu Fang.
In his eyes, Lu Fang was always this composed.
"You'll definitely be fine, Brother Fang."
Jiang Xia sounded certain.
"Your parents are both level-400 big shots. You've got the genes. I read in a book that awakening has a lot to do with heredity. You'll definitely awaken a hidden class or a powerful damage-dealing class."
"Whatever it is, it'll definitely be better than mine."
Jiang Xia sighed, then filled with hope again.
"I'd be happy just awakening as a warrior. Even a shield warrior would do. I'd be able to take hits and dish them out."
The ride was very smooth.
Before long, the gates of Jiang City No. 1 Middle School came into view.
This was the best middle school in Jiang City.
Anyone who got in either had top grades or came from a distinguished family.
Quite a few luxury cars were already parked outside.
Lu Fang and Jiang Xia got out.
People streamed through the school gates, students in identical uniforms walking in twos and threes.
Every face held excitement and nervousness.
"Lu Fang!"
"Morning, Young Master Lu!"
"Good morning, Senior Lu!"
People kept greeting him as he walked.
Lu Fang wore a polite smile.
"Morning."
"Hello."
He answered each one with a nod.
He did not slow his steps, but he did not seem dismissive, either.
The two entered the classroom for Class Two of their final year.
Quite a few students were already seated, and the room was noisy.
Usually, everyone would chat about games and celebrities. Today, there was only one topic.
Awakening.
Lu Fang had just reached his seat and had yet to sit down.
"Lu Fang!"
A voice came from behind him.
It was fairly loud, with a hint of provocation.
The classroom instantly fell silent.
Quite a few people turned to look.
The speaker was a tall boy with hair combed glossy and slick, thick eyebrows, and eyes opened wide.
That was Wang Yixing.
Lu Fang turned around and looked at him.
Wang Yixing strode up to Lu Fang, his chin slightly raised.
"Today's awakening day."
Wang Yixing stared into Lu Fang's eyes.
"I always scored a few points lower than you on exams before, but that was theory. That was rote memorization."
He snorted.
"But awakening is different. It's about talent and bloodline."
Wang Yixing's father was Jiang City's third pillar.
He was also a level-400 powerhouse.
Their families were old friends, and the two were rivals as well.
Ever since he was little, Wang Yixing had liked competing with Lu Fang.
They competed over grades, sports, and who received more love letters.
Unfortunately, he had never won.
Looking at the determined expression on Wang Yixing's face, Lu Fang found it a little amusing.
"So?"
Lu Fang's tone was even.
"So today, I'm definitely going to beat you."
Wang Yixing clenched his fists, raising his voice a little.
"I can feel it. The power inside me is stirring. The class I awaken will definitely be stronger than yours."
Lu Fang pulled out his chair and sat down.
"Wang Yixing."
Lu Fang called his name.
"You've never beaten me before."
Lu Fang paused.
"And you won't beat me in the future, either."
His tone was very soft, as though he were stating a fact.
Like the sun rising in the east, or water flowing downhill.