“Prime Yuan Spirit-Purifying Pill, your guardian of health! Refined with top-tier alchemy, every pill tested to strict standards, carrying the International Martial Certification. Absolute peace of mind…”

“Lingxiao Dojo begins its new-term enrollment! Whether gifted or ordinary, you can carve out your martial dreams here! Masters guide you one-on-one…”

“Final clearance! Gene serums at rock‑bottom prices!”

“Seven-Color Bovine Infant Powder, drawn from genuine Tier-3 beast milk. Safe, pure, reliable…”

Neon lights tangled across the streets, bright signs fighting for attention in the dusk glow.

Vance Stormhaven stopped in his tracks, staring at the swirl of colors as if struck numb.

Only now did the truth sink deep—he had really crossed into another world.

A world that looked almost like the one he came from in its technology… yet carried the weight of martial power and roaming beasts.

“This is insane…” he muttered, brow twitching. “Stuff I only read in novels… and now it’s real?”

Excitement rushed under his skin, but worry followed right behind it, cold and heavy.

In this place, a ferocious beast might leap at you from any shadow.

That wasn’t the safe thrill of reading from afar—this was the kind that could take your life in a heartbeat.

Here, beasts ran wild.

Even steel cities couldn’t guarantee safety.

History books were filled with cities torn apart, the crimson lessons still sharp enough to sting.

“To survive here… I need strength.”

Vance clenched his fist, light glinting in his eyes.

Only martial power could stand against the monsters prowling this land.

Without it, he was nothing but prey waiting to be eaten.

As he sifted through the memories of the body’s original owner, he finally let out a small, steadying breath.

The original Vance Stormhaven had been a top scholar in school, sharp in every subject.

With talent like that, today’s Awakening Ceremony should grant him a solid Martial Soul.

For any warrior, a Martial Soul was a born trump card.

Once awakened, it pushed a fighter’s strength to a whole new height, far beyond ordinary practitioners.

And sixteen was the age when most people awakened.

So every high school held an awakening ritual when students entered their final year—

a way to confirm who awakened a Martial Soul and to measure its grade.

Those gifted enough to awaken one would be placed into special classes and given focused training.

As one of Luochuan Third High’s most talked‑about figures, Vance Stormhaven naturally drew attention the moment he arrived.

His talent—both scholarly and martial—was undeniable, and everyone expected him to awaken something powerful.

The campus was already tense, the ceremony about to begin.

“Vance!”

A clear, bell‑like voice cut through the noise.

He turned and spotted a striking figure waving at him with bright enthusiasm.

Serena Jadeheart—acknowledged beauty of Third High—was dressed neatly in her school uniform, her features vivid and eye‑catching.

Every small movement of hers drew the boys’ gazes whether they wanted it or not.

“Look, Stormhaven’s here!”

“This time for sure—his Martial Soul has gotta be at least B‑grade!”

“B‑grade? Don’t insult the man. At least A‑grade, easy.”

“I’ll bet a pack of spicy strips he awakens an S‑grade Martial Soul!”

“S‑rank? Stop dreaming. You think it’s that easy? Luchuan City hasn’t seen more than a handful of S‑ranks in decades. Every one of them is a legend on the Glory List.”

“But this is Vance Stormhaven we’re talking about. Is there anything he can’t do?”

As the star of Third High, Vance Stormhaven was long used to this kind of chatter. Top of the class, top in physical trials, the kind of student teachers praised and classmates envied—he wore that aura like a second skin.

Under countless curious stares, Vance walked steadily toward Serena Jadeheart.

Serena instantly hooked her arm through his, chin lifting smugly at the jealous looks from nearby girls. Then she turned to him, eyes sparkling. “Vance, what do you think your Martial Soul will be?”

Vance shifted his body ever so slightly, pulling out of her overly intimate hold.

To this so‑called girlfriend, he felt no real attachment. The affection he inherited belonged to the body’s former owner, not him.

Serena failed to notice his distance. She leaned closer, worry clouding her eyes. “If I awaken something useless… will you look down on me?”

Vance replied lightly, almost perfunctory. “After all this time, why would the strength of a Martial Soul change how I see you?” Then he nudged the topic aside. “But what if I fail to awaken anything?”

Serena flashed a bright, confident smile. “Impossible! I believe you’ll awaken something amazing. When that happens, you have to protect me.”

Vance only gave a faint smile, saying nothing more.

Just then, the principal of Third High stepped onto the high platform, holding a strange device. At its center rested a crystal orb clear as mountain spring water.

“The Awakening Ceremony begins now!” His voice echoed through the hall. “Students, step forward in order of your student numbers!”

“Zephyr Meadowbrook!”

A boy in blue‑and‑white uniform strode up the steps. His features were sharp, his brows carrying a natural arrogance. Without hesitation, he placed his hand on the shimmering crystal orb.

The crystal sphere burst into a sharp white glare, and in that flash, a massive snow‑wolf silhouette pulled itself together in midair.

The wolf’s frame was huge, its presence cold enough to sink the entire awakening field into a sudden chill.

Frostfang King. An A‑rank beast‑type spirit.

The principal shouted the name before anyone else, voice trembling with excitement. Light burned in his eyes.

The crowd exploded. Gasps, whispers, exclamations—all tangled together.

“Damn… opening the ceremony with an A‑rank?”

“Talk about absurd luck. That’s like drawing the winning token on the first try.”

“So the first heavyweight of the day shows up already, huh?”

Zephyr Meadowbrook straightened his back as if someone pulled a string through his spine. He swept a challenging look across the crowd, letting it stop deliberately on Vance Stormhaven.

Every inch of him screamed, Look at me. Remember this moment.

“Tch, those two have been at odds forever. Zephyr even chased after Serena once. But she picked Vance, so now that he’s got an A‑rank, you can bet he wants payback.”

“Who doesn’t know Vance is the perfect mix of brains and looks? Zephyr runs around school with his little gang like a street punk. If I were Serena, I’d never pick him either.”

Serena Jadeheart, standing close beside Vance, cast Zephyr a look filled with open disdain. She leaned toward Vance, her voice soft but firm. “That guy just stumbled into dumb luck. Vance, I’m sure your spirit will crush his.”

By then, Zephyr was surrounded by cheering classmates, chin held high, soaking in every bit of praise like it was owed to him.

The awakening ritual marched on.

Spirit ranks ran from lowest to highest: F, E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, SSS.

An A‑rank was already a one‑in‑a‑thousand genius. S‑rank was rarer still—hard to find even in ten thousand youths.

SS‑rank? The whole of the Great Xia Kingdom had only a handful.

As for SSS‑rank… those were near myths on all of Blue Star itself. Anyone who awakened one would be remembered for centuries.

After Zephyr’s turn, other students stepped up one after another. Most results were ordinary. Some couldn’t even awaken a spirit at all, standing off to the side with slumped shoulders and dim eyes.

“Serena Jadeheart, your turn.”

The examiner called her name.

Serena took a slow breath and stepped forward, fingers trembling slightly as she placed her hand on the crystal.

The moment her skin touched the surface, the crystal blazed to life.

A harsh roar burst from the testing array, the kind that made the floor hum and the air tighten.

Blue light surged like a rising tide, sharp and cold.

Within that blinding glow, a trident formed—edges clear as frost, its halo rippling like deep water under moonlight.

The principal of Luo Chuan Third High couldn’t hold back his shout.

“S‑class weapon‑type Martial Soul—Xuan Yuan Three‑Edged Trident!”