The Awakening Room buzzed with a nervous tension that pressed on everyone's chest like a weight. Forty-six students stood in tense silence, eyes glued to the football-sized crystal that rested upon a pristine glass pedestal at the center of the room. The crystal pulsed faintly, like a sleeping heart waiting to awaken.
Richard's voice echoed, calm but authoritative. "One by one, step forward and place your hands on the crystal. If you possess an elemental affinity, the crystal will light up, and the display will show your element. There is also a small chance—very rare—that you may awaken a soul talent. If you do, you can choose to reveal it or keep it a secret. The choice is yours. The Federation will protect and nurture you accordingly."
With that, the process began.
The first student was Sam, a brown-skinned, handsome boy well-known in the school. He was popular, confident, and came from a prominent family. As he stepped forward, his swagger had faded, replaced by nervous resolve. He placed both hands on the crystal, and silence gripped the room.
A moment passed.
Then light exploded from the crystal—bright, sweeping waves of green that shimmered in the air. Sam's eyes flew open, trembling with excitement. He looked up at the display with bated breath.
[Wind Element]
A single word, yet it meant everything. Sam threw his head back and laughed, a release of pure joy and relief.
"YES!" he shouted.
Around him, murmurs rose like a tide. Some girls stared at him with admiration, their eyes shining. A few boys clapped him on the back, offering congratulations.
Richard stepped forward with a rare smile. "Well done, Sam. You are a future pillar of humanity. Stand over there. After the test, you will receive your wind-element breathing technique."
Sam nodded with pride, his confidence surging higher than ever.
Student after student stepped forward. Some were successful, their joy filling the room like sunlight after rain. But not everyone was so lucky. Cries and gasps followed the failures. Those who did not awaken any element broke into tears, their hopes crumbling like dry sand.
Their journey as martial warriors had ended before it could even begin.
Arnold stepped forward, voice steady. "Those of you who couldn't awaken, do not despair. You can still serve in civil posts. There is honor in every contribution to humanity. This is not the end for you."
He didn't say more. There were no words that could soften the sting of a dream slipping away.
Then Mark stepped up.
His face was smug, his eyes burning with arrogance. He placed his hands on the crystal, and instantly, it flared with a fierce red flame. The air heated, and a sharp gasp spread through the crowd.
[Fire Element]
Mark threw his arms up in triumph, laughing like a conqueror. His gaze immediately found Ethan, venom flickering in his eyes. His expression was provocative, daring Ethan to match him.
Ethan didn't even look his way.
Richard came forward, nodding. "Eric Silva now has a worthy successor. Young man, practice diligently. Make your grandfather proud."
Mark basked in the praise, the crowd feeding his ego. He was now just one breath away from becoming a true martial warrior.
Next was Rose.
She walked forward with a calm grace that made the room still. Her soft palm touched the crystal. In seconds, cold air swirled around her, frost coiling along the floor.
[Ice Element]
Gasps rang out. But something else was happening.
Rose's eyes flickered with a strange light. Her calm face betrayed a flicker of surprise as an unfamiliar but powerful sensation washed over her. Something was awakening inside her—something more than just an element.
A moment later, she understood.
A soul talent. A piece of information came into her mind: Ice Domain.
She could now control a ten-meter radius of chilling space around her—her domain. And this was just the beginning. As she grew stronger, the domain would evolve alongside her.
She opened her eyes and smiled.
It was the first time anyone had seen her smile so genuinely.
Even the students who had failed looked up, mesmerized. Her beauty, grace, and power—she was no longer just a school flower. She was something more. Something untouchable.
Rose approached Arnold. Her voice was steady. "Sir, I've awakened a soul talent."
The words hit like thunder.
Even Ethan's eyes widened in disbelief. She awakened a soul talent? Incredible.
No wonder the previous owner of my body was so obsessed with her, Ethan thought with a soft smile. But I can see it now. She's truly extraordinary.
Mark's face twisted with awe and greed. If I can stand by her side now… Grandpa will surely approve. She has value, and I have status.
Arnold asked gently, "Rose, are you sure you want to reveal this to the public? If you wish, I can keep it hidden."
Rose shook her head. "No, sir. I plan to use it in battle. I'd rather receive the full support of the Federation."
Arnold gave a small nod. "Very well. I'll help you register it."
Richard beamed from the side, but let Arnold handle the situation. He still walked up and offered his congratulations.
Rose nodded politely, then returned to stand alone, her usual calm restored.
Then, it was Ethan's turn.
The room stilled again.
Ethan stepped forward slowly, feeling all eyes on him. He placed both hands on the crystal. Immediately, a strange energy surged into his body, snaking through his veins like a whisper of power.
But unlike the others, Ethan could clearly sense the energy's flow.
His spirit attribute was 6—far beyond the norm. Most adults, even martial masters, didn't possess such clarity of spirit. His perception was razor-sharp.
The energy followed his veins, entered his vena cava, then flooded into his heart. It converged on a precise location between his ventricles. And there—it happened.
A core emerged.
Roughly the size of a marble, it began to spin slowly, then glowed with light.
Three colors flared.
Light. Thunder. Metal.
The room fell into a stunned silence.
The display flashed with a brilliance that made everyone instinctively squint.
Three elements. Ethan had awakened three elemental cores!
Even as awe rippled through the room, Ethan wasn't done.
Inside his mind, another message appeared:
[Talent Awakened: Infinite Comprehension]
His breath caught.
Infinite Comprehension? His eyes trembled. Comprehension is the foundation of all cultivation. To grasp techniques faster, to progress where others stall—that's what defines a genius. And I… I have an infinite comprehension talent?
His hands trembled slightly.
This was heaven-defying.
He opened his eyes and looked at the display. Then, slowly, a faint smile appeared on his face.
He was no longer walking toward his dream—he was running toward it.
Richard was the first to speak, voice vibrant with excitement. "Ethan, congratulations! Three elements... you truly are a genius! Now tell me—which element do you want to focus on?"
Ethan looked from Richard to Arnold. "Sir… do I really need to choose just one? Can I cultivate all three?"
Arnold blinked, caught off guard. "Ethan… didn't you hear what we said? Cultivating multiple elements will divide your focus. Your advancement will be three times slower. It could stall your progress permanently. Are you sure?"
Ethan pressed on. "How long does it normally take to master a breathing technique and unlock the first gene?"
Arnold rubbed his chin. "Normally, two months. A genius might need less. I've heard the top talents in the super cities can do it in fifteen days. But it depends on understanding. On comprehension."
Ethan smiled slightly. "Then I'll cultivate them all."
Gasps filled the room.
Richard was frozen in place. Arnold simply stared.
Mark, meanwhile, looked like he had swallowed a lemon. His teeth clenched so hard they might've cracked.
He really wants to cultivate all three?! This bastard... does he think he's some kind of god?
Then he sneered.
Fine. Waste your time, Ethan. I'll rise step by step, while you stretch yourself thin. You'll never catch up. I'll crush you—soon.
But Ethan didn't spare him a glance. He stood tall, calm and composed.
The path of a true martial warrior had just begun—and he would walk it with thunder in his steps, light in his soul, and metal in his bones.