“Twelve years of studying have all led to this moment!”
“Your entrance examination is tomorrow.
Whatever you do, keep your mind calm and your nerves under control.”
“If you’re taking the Academic Examination, check your stationery tonight.
Make sure everything you need is ready and working.”
“And for those taking the Combat Examination, prepare your combat suit and weapons as well.”
The stern voice of Daniel Carter, the head teacher of Class Five, echoed through the classroom.
Kael Veyron sat quietly at his desk, listening while sorting through the memories he had inherited.
Tomorrow was the College Entrance Examination.
In Blue Star, universities were broadly divided into two categories.
The first consisted of ordinary universities focused on academic education.
The second consisted of Superpower Universities, institutions dedicated to cultivating Awakeners and developing humanity’s extraordinary combat forces.
Naturally, the College Entrance Examination was divided into two corresponding paths.
The Academic Examination.
And the Combat Examination.
The Academic Examination was straightforward.
Students sat inside examination halls, answered questions, and competed based on their academic performance.
The Combat Examination was completely different.
Candidates were required to wear specialized combat suits, carry approved weapons, and enter designated hunting zones.
There, they would face genuine ferocious beasts.
And kill them.
Their final scores would be determined by the number, strength, and species of the beasts they eliminated.
It was not a simulated battle.
It was not a virtual reality test.
It was real combat.
And real combat meant real death.
Students were allowed to choose either examination.
Those who lacked confidence in their abilities or had awakened particularly weak powers could simply take the Academic Examination.
They could attend an ordinary university and live the life of a normal citizen.
But Kael’s predecessor had chosen the Combat Examination despite possessing nothing more than an E-rank ability.
Kael completely agreed with that decision.
After all, the Combat Examination represented a chance.
A small one.
But still a chance.
If someone didn’t even dare to step onto the battlefield, then becoming an ordinary citizen was probably the only path left to them.
Daniel Carter’s voice became more serious.
“I’ll emphasize this one final time.”
“The Combat Examination carries a genuine risk of death.”
His gaze swept across the classroom.
“For students whose awakened abilities are below D-rank, I do not recommend participating.”
The room became noticeably quieter.
“There is still time to change your selection.
The deadline is nine tonight.”
“If you’ve changed your mind, come to my office before then.”
Daniel Carter paused.
“That’s all for today.”
“Class dismissed.”
Students immediately began packing their belongings.
But before leaving the podium, Carter’s eyes briefly settled on Kael.
Kael noticed.
He couldn’t help rubbing his nose.
He knew exactly what his teacher was thinking.
Among all the students in Class Five who had chosen the Combat Examination, Kael was the only one with an E-rank ability.
And according to previous years’ statistics, most students who died during the examination possessed abilities below D-rank.
Carter was worried about him.
Kael understood that.
I know he’s trying to protect me.
But Kael also understood something else.
This was Blue Star.
A world where ferocious beasts could invade cities.
A world where ordinary people could die without warning.
A world where possessing enough strength to defend yourself could mean the difference between life and death.
Every major city maintained powerful defensive systems.
High-voltage barriers surrounded critical areas.
Military forces were stationed throughout the nation.
Specialized Awakener squads were always prepared for emergencies.
But none of those measures were perfect.
Every few years or sometimes even more frequently a city would suffer a breach.
A Beast Tide would pour through the defenses.
Buildings would collapse.
People would scream.
Cities would become battlefields.
And thousands or even tens of thousands could die.
Kael didn’t want to be helpless when that day came.
Even if he had remained stuck with his E-rank Weak Electricity ability, he would still have taken the Combat Examination.
And now?
He was about to obtain an S-rank ability.
There was no reason to back down.
Besides…
A faint smile appeared on Kael’s face.
I’m not exactly the same person who walked into this classroom this morning.
He began packing his schoolbag.
“Kael.”
A voice came from the desk in front of him.
A boy with short, uneven hair turned around.
It was Evan Hayes, Kael’s closest friend.
“Are you seriously not changing your choice?”
Kael shook his head.
“No.”
Evan stared at him.
“You’re unbelievable.”
He raised a thumb.
“Out of all the E-rank Awakeners in Class Five, you’re literally the only one crazy enough to take the Combat Examination.”
Kael raised an eyebrow.
“What?”
“You thinking about joining me?”
Evan immediately shook his head.
“Absolutely not.”
He grinned.
“I’m going to an ordinary university, spending four years enjoying life, and meeting plenty of pretty girls.”
“Protecting the country and fighting monsters?”
He pointed at Kael.
“That’s for brave Awakener heroes like you.”
Kael rolled his eyes.
“Get lost.”
“Happily.”
Evan laughed and turned away.
Kael slung his schoolbag over his shoulder and left the classroom.
Kael’s new parents had died when he was ten.
They had been caught in a Beast Tide.
The government had later provided compensation of more than a million credits, along with ownership of their family home.
But there had been no relatives willing—or able—to take care of him.
So Kael had grown up alone.
Oddly enough, he wasn’t particularly bothered by it.
In his previous life, he had also grown accustomed to being alone.
Compared with that, the situation before him was far more important.
Kael hurried home.
The moment he stepped inside, he closed the door.
Silence filled the house.
He placed his schoolbag down.
Then his expression changed.
A translucent blue interface appeared inside his mind.
The Deep Blue System.
And in the center of the interface was a glowing virtual box.
The Beginner’s Gift Pack.
Kael’s heartbeat accelerated.
He rubbed his hands together.
“Finally…”
He stared at the box.
“Let’s see what you’ve got.”
He pressed the Claim button.
The system responded immediately.
[Beginner’s Gift Pack claimed.]
[200 Ability Points have been credited.]
Kael’s eyes flashed.
But before he could examine the ability points, another notification appeared.
[S-rank ability: Purple Sky Thunder.]
[Ability transfer commencing.]
[Progress: 10%…]
Kael’s expression changed.
“Already?”
Then—
20%.
30%.
BOOM!
A deep rumble erupted inside his body.
Kael’s eyes widened.
An unimaginable force suddenly exploded through every part of him.
Countless blue-violet lightning arcs appeared across his skin.
His hair rose from the static.
His entire body seemed to become a source of electricity.
Crackling energy spread through the room.
Kael gritted his teeth.
The transformation was unlike anything he had ever experienced.
It wasn’t simply an increase in power.
It felt as though something ancient was being carved directly into his body.
Something vast.
Something terrifying.
Something that did not belong to an ordinary human.
40%.
The electricity intensified.
50%.
Kael’s entire body was now surrounded by blue-violet lightning.
60%.
The windows began vibrating.
70%.
The air itself seemed to distort.
Then—
BOOM!
A violent surge of lightning erupted from Kael’s body.
The living room was instantly engulfed.
The sofa exploded.
The television shattered.
The coffee table split apart.
Fragments of wood and glass flew in every direction.
Lightning crawled across the walls.
A wave of electricity smashed through the window.
Flames erupted among the debris.
Outside, the neighbors immediately heard the explosion.
“What happened?!”
“There’s a fire!”
“Call the fire department!”
“Wait….that’s the Veyron house!”
“Is someone inside?”
Several neighbors rushed outside.
Others immediately called emergency services.
But Kael heard none of it.
He was completely immersed in the transformation.
The power continued flowing through him.
80%.
His breathing became heavier.
90%.
The lightning surrounding him grew increasingly violent.
95%.
The entire house trembled.
98%.
Kael clenched his fists.
99%.
Then….
100%.
The transformation was complete.
At that exact moment, the sky above the city changed.
The clear afternoon suddenly darkened.
Clouds gathered from every direction.
Within seconds, the sunlight disappeared beneath a massive layer of black clouds.
Thunder rolled across the heavens.
But there was no rain.
Instead, streaks of purple lightning moved through the clouds.
They twisted and coiled through the sky like enormous serpents.
The citizens of the city looked upward in confusion.
“What the hell is happening?”
“Why did the sky suddenly turn black?”
“Look at those lightning bolts!”
“I can feel some kind of pressure…”
“Could this be a Lightning-type beast?”
Panic spread rapidly.
The city’s defense forces reacted almost immediately.
Military command centers switched to emergency protocols.
“All units, this is not a drill.”
“The city is entering heightened alert.”
“Third Defense Legion, mobilize immediately.”
Armored vehicles began moving through the streets.
Awakener squads prepared their equipment.
For several minutes, the entire city believed a powerful lightning-based beast might be approaching.
Nobody realized that the source of the phenomenon was sitting inside an ordinary house.
Inside the ruined living room, Kael remained motionless.
The lightning surrounding him slowly disappeared.
It flowed back into his body like water returning to the ocean.
The room fell silent.
A few seconds passed.
Then Kael opened his eyes.
A streak of purple lightning flashed across his pupils.
He slowly raised his hand.
He could feel it.
Power.
An overwhelming amount of power.
His body felt completely different.
Stronger.
Faster.
More resilient.
But most importantly…
His ability had changed.
Kael looked at his hand.
He merely had to think.
Crackle!
Purple lightning immediately appeared around his fingers.
It twisted and danced through the air.
Kael stared at it.
The electricity looked similar to his previous Weak Electricity ability.
But the resemblance ended there.
The old blue-white sparks had been weak and unstable.
This lightning was different.
Ancient.
Dominant.
Terrifying.
Even the air seemed to tremble around it.
Kael slowly clenched his fist.
“So this is…”
He looked at the purple lightning with growing excitement.
“The S-rank ability…”
A smile spread across his face.
“Purple Sky Thunder.”
He could feel the destructive potential contained within every strand.
If his former Weak Electricity could barely stun someone…
This?
Kael looked toward the ruined wall.
A single spark jumped from his fingertip.
Crackle.
The wall immediately developed a blackened mark.
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
His smile grew wider.
“If this hits someone…”
He imagined the result.
It wouldn’t merely shock them.
It wouldn’t merely knock them unconscious.
With enough power behind the attack…
They could be blown apart.
Kael slowly lowered his hand.
For the first time, he truly understood what the Deep Blue System had given him.
He had started this morning as an ordinary eighteen-year-old with an E-rank ability.
Now…
He possessed an S-rank power that could potentially change his entire destiny.
And tomorrow was the Combat Examination.
Kael looked toward the shattered window.
Purple lightning flickered silently around his fingertips.
A cold smile appeared on his face.
Tomorrow…
Let’s see what this power can really do.