The three cards in Emma's hands were instantly recognized by John. They were the "Climate Card," the "Life Card," and the "Ocean Card."
The "Climate Card" could alter the world's climate temperature.
The "Life Card" could rapidly bring forth life in the world.
The "Ocean Card" could add one kilometer of ocean to the world.
All three were Class D resource cards, which, once used, could provide a substantial amount of resources for a creator's world. For beginner creators, these were invaluable treasures.
In the Creation Commerce Association, any one of these cards would be worth at least several hundred thousand Federation dollars.
These were the resources Principal Asher and others had just given to Emma, and nobody expected Emma to turn around and give them to John.
Principal Asher was somewhat bemused but did not interfere.
Emma came from a good background, and these resource cards were just icing on the cake for her. However, for John, they were a significant help.
Considering John's sister, Claire, was one of his proud students. Asher decided to turn a blind eye.
John fell silent for a moment before accepting the three resource cards.
In his previous life, John had refused them due to his ridiculous pride.
In this life, he chose to accept Emma's kindness.
John earnestly said, "Thank you, I will repay you as soon as possible."
Emma nodded with a smile, not thinking too much of it.
Others sneered, thinking John was just boasting.
With John's talents, who knows how long it would take to repay the value of these three resource cards.
Only John knew that with the Retrospective Simulation, it wouldn't take long for him to enhance his strength to a point that would astonish everyone.
What Emma invested now, he would repay a hundredfold in the future.
Among the crowd, a muscular student clenched his fists until they cracked.
Ben couldn't understand why, despite his family background and talents far surpassing John's, Emma remained unmoved by his advances and showed special favor towards John instead.
If previously Emma was attracted to John's potential, Ben could accept it.
But now, with John having become useless, having only created a one-square-meter world, Emma still didn't care about his downfall.
Without comparison, there would be no jealousy. Emma's attitude towards John filled Ben with envy.
"When tomorrow's assessment begins, I'll show you how pathetic this waste, John, really is!" Ben thought bitterly.
With his awakening in the martial world and possessing Class B aptitude, suppressing John, the so-called waste, would be too easy.
John was unaware that he was being targeted.
Seeing Emma awaken, he was sure of it.
Everything was progressing as it had in his previous life, without any significant changes due to his rebirth.
This meant that everything from his past life would happen again.
Not wanting to waste time, John sought out his homeroom teacher, David, and explained that he wanted to go home early.
David thought John was feeling down and said, "Don't rush to leave. After all, the principal and the mayor have very important things to announce. You're free to move around, but try not to leave the campus."
John knew what they were going to announce.
It was about Crestwood Valley Middle School obtaining three Ivy League university admission slots this year.
The top three performers in tomorrow's assessment would secure these slots for further study.
In his past life, John didn't go to college, didn't even apply.
With his one-square-meter world, no college wanted to take him in.
So, John entered the Chaotic Star Domain early on, starting his career as a star scavenger on the outskirts.
It wasn't until the Great War among the races began that John, drawing nutrients frantically from the battlefield. He rapidly grew into a high-ranking creator, and finally making his way up.
John shook his head, "I still want to go back."
Staying here made no sense.
Seeing John insist, David sighed. He didn't say much more, personally escorting John out of the school gates.
Once out of Crestwood Valley Middle School, John hailed a cab.
After giving the driver the address, he sat back as the taxi headed towards the old district of Moonlight City.
The scenery outside the window flew by in reverse, the towering skyscrapers soon giving way to low, old residential buildings.
Looking at the city, both unfamiliar and familiar, John's mind was flooded with memories.
The house in the old district of Moonlight City was the inheritance left by John's parents.
Both were official creators who died six years ago in an alien invasion, leaving behind a modest pension, an old house, and 13-year-old John and his sister Claire.
Claire, five years older than John, was the orphan of a comrade-in-arms adopted by John's parents. At 18, she awakened in the magic martial world, possessing top-grade Class A aptitude, and was hailed as Moonlight City's number one genius five years ago.
Since John's parents were often away for months at a time, it was Claire who took care of John during their childhood.
She was strict with John from a young age, becoming even stricter after their parents' death.
Back then, John resented and feared his sister.
But now, looking back, John only felt bitter.
The pension left by John's parents was not much, barely enough to support two growing children. If not for eighteen-year-old Claire taking on the responsibility of a guardian and raising him, John might have ended up being sold by some trafficker to a remote corner of the universe.
For this, Claire even gave up the chance to go to an Ivy League university, choosing to stay in the small city of Moonlight City, wasting her best four years of youth.
In four years, even with her Class A talent and without resources, Claire only managed to break through to a fifth-level creator.
If it weren't for John, she would have gone much further.
After learning of John's awakening, Claire gave up lucrative offers from big companies and went alone to the perilous Chaotic Star Domain to become a star bounty hunter, all to gather more resources for John.
If not for Claire's relentless care, John wouldn't have been able to overcome numerous difficulties in his past life, becoming a high-ranking creator on the battlefield of the Great War in just ten years.
John looked out the window, his gaze deep.
In his past life, Claire didn't die in the Great War but in a secret realm within the Chaotic Star Domain.
In a way, she died because of him.
This was something John couldn't forget in his previous life, his greatest regret.
Living again, John would never let such a thing happen again.
The car sped along, and soon John arrived at his destination. The taxi stopped in front of a residential area that had a sense of age to it.
John paid the fare, turned around, and entered the neighborhood, his gaze instinctively surveying the surroundings.
The neighborhood had green spaces and parks, and the facilities were comprehensive. It was clear that it used to be quite nice, but the buildings and amenities had aged due to the long passage of time. Despite some wear and tear, the environment of the neighborhood was surprisingly clean. The occasional elderly and middle-aged people passing by on the street would show a kind smile upon seeing John, their eyes looking at him as if he were one of their own younger generation.
John could not recognize their faces or names, only managing to return their greetings with a reserved smile.
Although the neighbors found John a bit strange today, they didn't think much of it.
Who could have guessed that the person inside John's body was no longer the reticent young boy but a soul that had returned strong after ten years of hardship?
John, guided by his vague memory, eventually made his way to his apartment building through a series of turns.
He reached the seventh floor, opened the security door, and was met with a small living room. The house, about 80 square meters with three bedrooms and a living room, had furniture that was somewhat outdated. Many areas of the wall were starting to peel, and the cheap wooden flooring had worn off its color, but the room was very clean and bathed in a warm light from the sun.
On the living room wall, there hung a family portrait of four.
In it, a young John grinned foolishly, while Claire beside him showed a stiff smile that seemed a bit unnatural. Behind them, John's parents looked at the two children with a softness in their eyes.
Memories flooded in like the tide.
John stood at the door for a long time before he dared to step in.
He murmured, "Dad, Mom, Claire, I'm back."