"Hold me tight! Otherwise, you'll die!"
As a crisp bell rang out, Blake woke up from his sleep in an instant. He'd had that strange dream again—he found himself chasing a cluster of light in the darkness. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't reach the light that seemed so close at hand.
Ever since he was a child, this dream had been a lingering shadow in Blake's mind. Every time he woke from it, exhaustion would sweep over his entire body, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish between reality and dreams.
This time, the dream was particularly intense. Blake could even hear the cry coming from the light. If the alarm hadn't rung in time, he would have thought he was going to die suddenly in the endless darkness.
Yet Blake, still lying in bed gasping for breath, didn't have the energy to dwell on the death warning in his dream. In an hour, he was to deliver his inaugural speech—a pivotal moment in his life.
After putting on his old formal suit, Blake stepped out of his rented apartment with a piece of bread in his mouth. He needed to hurry to the chapel of the College of Humanities at Liberty University of Libra.
As a top student in the History Department of Liberty University of Libra, Blake completed a five-year program in just four years. Moreover, he'd successfully secured a faculty position in the History Department, beating out a host of seasoned competitors.
Blake's success wasn't accidental. Along with the strange dreams came an extraordinary memory. He once thought that the dreams had somehow honed his mind, making it exceptional.
Walking onto the street, Blake looked up at the sky as usual. Though his watch showed past eight o'clock, the sky was only just beginning to light up, obscured by a black curtain.
According to historical records, three hundred years ago, the planet humans inhabited was suddenly covered by this black curtain. It blocked most astronomical phenomena and drastically altered daylight hours.
After the curtain appeared, more than half of each 24-hour day was plunged into night. In winter, most human cities received less than eight hours of sunlight.
Perhaps to distinguish this era from the past, humans designated the year the curtain appeared as Year 1 of the New Era. Now, three hundred years into the New Era, the black curtain in the sky remained unchanged.
While the curtain dimmed the light, the heat from the sun remained undiminished. The June morning already felt sweltering to Blake, so he unbuttoned his collar and hurried through Libra's streets.
As the capital of the Free City-States, Libra was a renowned metropolis. It had stood firm during the brutal wars at the dawn of the New Era, serving as humanity's last line of defense.
In Year 1 of the New Era, along with the black curtain, a dense fog emerged, stretching thousands of kilometers along the west coast of the human continent. Just as humans prepared to explore the fog, tens of thousands of monsters emerged from it.
Their teeth could crush city walls, their claws tear through steel, and their bodies withstand gunfire. They defied all human understanding of biology, and later generations would call them "Abominations."
The Abominations dealt a devastating blow to humanity. Coastal metropolises were destroyed in an instant, and the entire west coast was stained blood-red. Humans rallied their armies to fight back, but their physical inferiority left them at a disadvantage.
In Year 10 of the New Era, the once-mighty Ottoman Empire, which had controlled a third of the continent, fell. Waves of refugees fled east to escape the fighting.
By Year 20, only the Kolkin Autonomous Republic in the far east remained, struggling to preserve human civilization. Other regions had become Abomination territory, with a few scattered refugees hiding in vain—their fates already sealed.
Year 22 marked the first turning point in humanity's struggle. A young man claiming to be a divine messenger used miraculous means to lead humans to victory after victory.
With the messenger's rise, more miracles appeared on Earth. Those who received these divine manifestations were called "Transcendents." They claimed to act on the will of the Seven Gods, tasked with saving humanity, and under their leadership, humans launched a full-scale counterattack.
By Year 48, when all Abominations had been driven from the land, the century-long war ended. Human numbers had dwindled to a tenth of their pre-war total. Countless technologies were lost, with no way to recover them.
Because Transcendents had played a decisive role in the war, they gained immense prestige among humans, and their faith in the Seven Gods became the dominant religion.
As belief in the gods spread, human society underwent subtle ideological shifts. Balanced by the influence of the Seven Gods, the continent's power structure was redefined—more complex than the fragmented states of pre-New Era times.
As humans rebuilt after the war, the Kolkin Autonomous Republic, which had survived relatively intact, took the lead. With support from the Prophetic Church, this once-small nation absorbed vast territories and formed the Free City-States.
Over centuries of rapid development, the Free City-States became the economic and cultural center of the continent. Even their language became the common tongue of humanity, a symbol of their dominance.
Lost in thoughts of history textbook contents, Blake soon spotted the gates of Liberty University of Libra. This prestigious institution led in funding and research output, making it the dream school for countless students.
Entering the campus, Blake pushed aside his wandering thoughts. But before he could review his speech notes, a voice from behind caught his attention.
"Blake! I just heard—apparently, the dean of the Guidance Force Academy will attend your inaugural speech!" A tall man in a faculty uniform panted, placing a hand on Blake's shoulder.
"Professor Alex! You're not serious? Dean Silvia has no reason to come for someone like me!"
Despite the four-year acquaintance's serious tone, Blake looked skeptical.
"I don't know the details! Better prepare yourself—when that beautiful dean shows up, all hell will break loose! We're all looking forward to it!" With a mischievous smile, Alex ran toward the chapel's back door.
Puzzled by Alex's cryptic behavior, Blake walked through the chapel's main entrance, half-convinced. He forgot all about his speech, stealing glances at the door, waiting for the possible arrival.
The arrival of History Department Chair Professor Cremor finally began the ceremony. But Blake wouldn't speak immediately—he had to wait through the professor's opening remarks, and the white-bearded, goateed elder was notoriously long-winded.
As Blake, still tired from his dream, fought to stay awake, a voice from outside jolted him alert, leaving him stunned.
"Professor Cremor, still as verbose as ever! If you don't change that habit, you'll lose your best people!"
A tall woman appeared, wearing a gray robe and knee-high boots. Her elegant makeup and bewitching, alluring face instantly drew every eye. Hands on her hips, she carried an air of 傲慢,as if looking down on the masses from a lofty peak.
"It's Dean Silvia! I can't believe my eyes!"
The crowd erupted—gasps and screams filled the chapel, chaos breaking out. Clearly, from the moment Silvia entered, Blake was no longer the center of attention.
"Silvia! Still so disrespectful to your elders. For your grandfather's sake, I'll let it slide. I didn't invite you today. If you have no business here, please leave," Cremor stroked his goatee, maintaining his usual poker face.
"I'm on official business! On behalf of the Guidance Force Academy, I sincerely invite Mr. Blake Culo to join us as a professor in the Guidance Rune Department!" Silvia's bombshell electrified the chapel. In an instant, all eyes turned to Blake, who stood frozen in shock.
"Dean Silvia, I know your academy is powerful—established just over twenty years ago, yet already the university's top school! I've heard tales of you poaching faculty to expand your staff, but I never thought you'd target my History Department! Blake is a product of our department—when did he become associated with yours?" Sensing hostility, Cremor showed rare anger.
"Blake is the only student from another college to complete the first two years of basic courses in the Guidance Rune Department, scoring perfect marks in both Basic Guidance Studies and Rune Deconstruction!" At Silvia's signal, her assistant produced Blake's old transcripts and minor thesis.
"Blake is indeed one of our finest students! I'm amazed he managed to minor in Guidance Runes while graduating early! But that hardly warrants a visit from our genius Guidance prodigy herself?" Faced with the evidence, Cremor struggled to respond, but pressed on.
"Professor Cremor, the details aren't your concern! I formally invite Professor Blake to serve as my assistant dean! This is a dean's privilege—no need for departmental or college approval! His consent alone suffices. And after five years at the Guidance Force Academy, he'll be eligible for associate professor status!"
The words "dean's privilege" and "associate professor" sent the chapel into a frenzy. A dean's privilege was used only once a decade, and associate professor was a lifelong goal for most faculty present.
"The Christie family keeps its word. I'd never stoop to trickery. But I'm sure Blake needs time to process this. I'll leave the decision until the Night Festival. I trust he'll give me a satisfying answer."
With Blake still dazed, Silvia made her promise and departed. As her figure vanished, the chapel erupted into chaos. The inaugural speech's original focus fled the scene, though he hadn't spoken a word all day.