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Chapter 4 – Choosing a Method
During the awakening ceremony, the entire hall was silent. Everyone was focused, their expressions serious as time passed quietly.
This year, Changqing No. 1 Middle School had an impressive number of awakeners—35 students successfully awakened their talents.
The results were as follows:
1 S-rank talent
1 B-rank talent
3 C-rank talents
6 D-rank talents
8 E-rank talents
16 F-rank talents
This was a significant improvement compared to last year, with the number of awakeners doubling. But the most outstanding result was the emergence of Nangong Ya, the school's first S-rank talent, which was bound to bring the school immense prestige.
In Qingshan City, there were 13 high schools, and if no unexpected results appeared elsewhere, Changqing No. 1 Middle School would undoubtedly be ranked first this year.
With this increase in awakened students, the school was set to receive far more resources than in previous years. After all, the younger generation represented the future of humanity, standing as the first line of defense against the invasion of alien beasts. Schools were not just educational institutions—they were training grounds for warriors.
The students who had successfully awakened their talents were overjoyed, their faces beaming with excitement. Meanwhile, those who had failed were left frustrated, envious, and even dejected. Despite attending the same school, their futures would now be completely different.
The Director of Studies stepped onto the stage once again and called for silence.
"Quiet down, everyone! Listen carefully!"
The crowd gradually settled as he continued.
"First of all, congratulations to the 35 students who have successfully awakened their martial souls. However, to those who did not awaken their talents—do not be discouraged. Awakening a talent is an extremely rare event.
Not everyone is meant to become a warrior, and that is perfectly fine. Most of society is built by ordinary people, not warriors."
The director's voice was firm, yet filled with encouragement.
"Even if you didn't awaken, it does not mean your future is bleak. You can still study hard, apply to a good university, and pursue any career you desire.
Becoming a warrior is not a shortcut to success. Warriors bear immense responsibility. They must go out into the wilderness, face deadly alien creatures, and fight battles on the front lines of the starry sky. Many sacrifice their lives in these battles.
This so-called talent? It is both an honor and a burden. The death rate among warriors is incredibly high.
So for those of you who remain unawakened, you are not at a disadvantage. Focus on your strengths and build your future accordingly. There is no need for envy or self-pity."
His words had a motivational effect. Many of the disappointed students regained their composure.
Life goes on. Talent isn't everything.
Yang Xie, who had successfully awakened, listened quietly. His heart was not at ease.
If he had failed to awaken, he would have been forced to stay in the slums, watching his grandmother suffer for the rest of her life.
This was something he could never accept.
He had sworn to change her fate. He had to ensure she lived a better life and saw a brighter future.
There was no room for failure.
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Entering the Aura Room
"Students who did not awaken, return to your classrooms and focus on your college entrance exams. Your goal is now to enter the best university you can."
"Those who successfully awakened, stay behind. You will follow me to the Aura Room."
With that announcement, the crowd thinned. Out of 1,000 students, only 35 remained.
Under the director's guidance, the group walked toward the Aura Room.
"This is the Aura Room, specially prepared for newly awakened students. It contains a Spirit Gathering Array, which makes the aura concentration ten times stronger than the outside world."
The principal, Wang, took the stage and continued the explanation.
"Before we begin your training, each of you will receive a personal terminal."
The director and faculty members began distributing the devices. The personal terminals looked like high-tech wristwatches. Before they could be used, each student needed to complete an iris scan and fingerprint authentication.
After quickly activating the terminals, the students strapped them onto their wrists.
The warrior's personal terminal had only three primary functions:
1. Communication – A satellite-based system that allows warriors to communicate even in deep space. It also has an emergency distress signal for calling reinforcements.
2. Task System – A list of missions, including hunting alien beasts, escorting goods, or other assignments. Completing tasks earns rewards, including money and valuable resources.
3. Skill Library – A repository of all available skills and martial arts techniques.
"You are all newly awakened, so the school is providing you with a special privilege—you may select one skill technique and two martial arts techniques for free.
In the future, if you want higher-level techniques, you will need to spend money or exchange war merit—points earned from fighting alien creatures on the battlefield."
Principal Wang paused, allowing the students to absorb the information before continuing.
"As you select your skills, remember this rule—martial souls define your strengths, but they also limit you.
Each of you awakened with a specific elemental attribute. Your skill and martial arts choices must match your attribute, or else your training efficiency will suffer drastically.
For example, if you have a fire attribute, learning a water-based skill will be disastrous—your progress will slow to a crawl.
Some martial souls have multiple attributes, allowing for more flexibility, but even then, you must choose wisely.
Be cautious about revealing your innate talent to others. Your abilities are both your greatest strength and your greatest weakness. Treat them as a secret trump card."
After hearing the principal's advice, the students nodded in understanding and left to choose their training rooms.
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Choosing a Skill
Inside his assigned room, Yang Xie opened the Skill Library on his personal terminal.
The skills were categorized by elemental affinity. There were ten primary attributes:
Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth
Wind, Thunder, Ice, Darkness, Space
Yang Xie ignored all other categories and went straight to the Darkness Attribute Skill Section. There, he found dozens of techniques, but three stood out:
1. Shadow Killing Manual – A stealth-based assassin technique specializing in speed and concealment.
2. Evernight Codex – A dark energy technique that doubles combat power in darkness.
3. Fu Tu Xuan Gong – A brutal, physical enhancement technique that grants extreme strength and resilience.
Each skill had its own advantages.
Now, Yang Xie had to make a choice—which path should he take?
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