"Ahem, everyone, please quiet down for a moment."
Wang Daochuan stepped in front of the podium and cleared his throat. Though his voice was aged, it carried strong spiritual energy that echoed throughout the entire square.
The crowd, which had been buzzing with excitement—especially after Yan Yue's surprising decision to join the auxiliary class—fell silent. All attention turned to the principal.
"Today marks an important milestone in your lives," Wang Daochuan began. "You have awakened your special powers and been assigned to your respective classes. I hope that each of you will find the cultivation path that suits you best."
He gave a small nod before concluding, "That's all. Meeting adjourned!"
Pah, pah, pah!
Applause rippled across the square.
Smith clapped politely as well, respecting the principal's concise speech.
It was refreshing. Unlike most principals who liked to ramble with lines like "I have three points, and each has three subpoints," Wang Daochuan got straight to the point and dismissed the crowd.
As he stepped down from the podium, the students began to disperse.
Those placed in the same class huddled together in excitement, exchanging cheers and contact info.
Others, less fortunate, found themselves isolated in unfamiliar classes, forced to make new connections from scratch.
Class division always brought mixed emotions—joy for some, disappointment for others.
Among all, the auxiliary class had the most dramatic mood swings. At first, many students viewed it as the dumping ground, filled with those who lacked combat ability. Some felt embarrassed. Frustrated. Even ashamed.
But then Yan Yue, the school belle and one of the most admired students, joined the auxiliary class. Her presence alone flipped the narrative. The class once seen as "useless" was now the envy of many.
Being in the same class as Yan Yue was like winning the jackpot for some of the boys.
Even students who were previously sulking began to accept their placement—some even celebrated it.
"Alright, time to head home," Smith muttered to himself.
There were no more tasks for the day. The ceremony was over, the classes were set, and campus activities had quieted down.
Smith walked out of Huaihai College's grand gates, ready to return to his home in the eastern district of the city.
Ding!
[Congratulations, Host! You have completed the Power Awakening Ceremony. You've received 50 Energy Points!]
Just as he stepped outside, the system's voice rang out in his mind.
"Huh? Fifty points? Not bad!" Smith grinned.
This was a pleasant surprise.
Fifty energy points were enough to exchange for multiple ninjutsu techniques in the system's store.
"System, open the shop."
A shimmering interface appeared in his vision, displaying a dazzling variety of techniques and items. From forbidden jutsus to rare bloodlines—it was overwhelming.
Smith immediately filtered out everything he couldn't afford and focused on the ninjutsu within his price range.
---
[Wood Release: Wood Ingot Wall]
Grade: D
Spiritual Energy Cost: 10
Energy Points Required: 10
System: A highly cost-effective defensive Wood Release ninjutsu. Recommended for early-stage defense.
[Wood Release: Wooden Spear]
Grade: D
Spiritual Energy Cost: 10
Energy Points Required: 10
System: A powerful single-target offensive technique. Recommended for early combat.
[Sharingan: Basic Illusion]
Grade: C
Spiritual Energy Cost: 20
Energy Points Required: 20
System: A crucial technique for mastering genjutsu. Highly recommended.
[Sharingan: Basic Copy]
Grade: C
Spiritual Energy Cost: 20
Energy Points Required: 20
System: Allows you to replicate others' techniques. Essential for combat versatility.
[Sharingan: Basic Insight]
Grade: C
Spiritual Energy Cost: 20
Energy Points Required: 20
System: Enhances combat awareness and perception. Key for melee mastery.
---
Smith furrowed his brows. He only had 50 energy points. That meant he could:
Get both Wood Release techniques and one Sharingan technique,
or
Get one Wood Release and two Sharingan techniques.
He started to weigh his options.
"Attack and defense are both essential… So I need Wood Ingot Wall for protection," he decided.
He was still terrified of dying in battle. Having a solid defense was non-negotiable.
"As for offense, Wooden Spear is decent… But if I spend 20 points on it, I'll have less flexibility."
Then another thought hit him.
"Wait... what if I use illusion as my attack?"
The Sharingan's basic illusion could take the place of a physical attack. Plus, it was more versatile and unexpected.
Now he had 40 points left. He could only pick one more Sharingan skill.
Between Copy and Insight, the choice was obvious.
"Copy, of course. If I can mimic other people's abilities, I won't need to buy as many techniques later."
He grinned.
"With the Copy ability, their powers become mine. That's way more efficient."
Without further hesitation, Smith made his purchases:
Wood Release: Wood Ingot Wall (10 points)
Sharingan: Basic Illusion (20 points)
Sharingan: Basic Copy (20 points)
His 50 points were used up completely.
"Man, if I just had a few more points, I wouldn't have had to stress so much about this," Smith sighed.
With his choices finalized, he continued on his way home.
The streets of Huaihai City bustled with life. Food stalls lined both sides, their aromas drifting into the air.
But as he walked, Smith looked toward the outer edges of the city.
There, a massive fifty-meter-high wall loomed in the distance. It surrounded all of Huaihai City like a protective barrier.
It was a reminder of the world's new reality.
---
Over 500 years ago, the world experienced a spiritual awakening. Humans gained supernatural powers.
But so did animals.
Humans came to be known as psychics, while awakened animals were called monsters.
The problem was, animals far outnumbered humans.
For example, ants—creatures humans once stepped on without a second thought—could now evolve into towering monsters the size of tigers, armed with jaws strong enough to crush steel.
It didn't take long for humanity to realize the danger.
With so many beasts suddenly gaining intelligence and strength, humans were no longer the dominant species.
That was when cities like Huaihai built high walls to protect their people. Huaihai's 50-meter wall was strong enough to keep out monsters below Level 4.
And above that wall floated a transparent energy barrier—an invisible dome to defend against flying threats.
In this dangerous world, every human was expected to fight.
They trained relentlessly, then joined frontline battles to keep monsters at bay.
Only through constant struggle could humanity survive.
---
After a ten-minute walk, Smith finally reached home.
The Jiang family estate, located in the eastern district, was one of the two most powerful families in all of Huaihai City.
"Welcome home, Young Master. The master is waiting for you in the dining room," a servant greeted him with a respectful bow.
Smith nodded and made his way inside the mansion.
He passed through the wide main hall, its marble floors echoing his footsteps, and entered the family dining room.
Sitting at the head of the table was a tall, broad-shouldered man in his forties, his muscles visible even through his casual clothes.
This was Smith's father—Jiang Lei, head of the Jiang family.
He was one of the three fifth-level psychics in Huaihai City, and he wielded a formidable A-rank lightning ability.
"Son, you're back," Jiang Lei said, glancing up with a smile. "Go wash your hands. Let's eat together."
Smith could already smell the food before even reaching the sink.
"Whoa, smells amazing! What did you cook today, Dad?"
"Sweet and sour spare ribs, sweet-scented osmanthus fish, fish tofu, fried meatballs... all your favorites," Jiang Lei replied warmly.
"Ah, I knew it! This smells way too good to be anyone else's cooking," Smith laughed, sitting down at the dining table. The sight of the dishes made his mouth water.
"Of course! It's a special day," Jiang Lei said proudly. "You awakened your superpower today. Of course, I had to personally cook a celebratory meal."
"By the way," he added with interest, "what ability did you awaken?"
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