The auditorium of Tianlan Magic High School hummed with nervous energy. Students fidgeted in their uniforms, their eyes locked onto the glowing spherical crystal orb hovering at the center of the stage. The orb pulsed with an eerie blue light, its surface swirling with latent magic—the conduit through which young mages would awaken their first elements.
Yu Tian stood in line, his fingers absently tracing the Little Loach Pendant hidden beneath his collar. The system's voice echoed in his mind:
[ Host's Mana Sensitivity: 98% ]
[ Warning: Triple-Element Awakening Imminent. ]
[ Masking Protocol Engaged. ]
A smirk tugged at his lips. Let them see only what I allow.
"Next! Yu Tian!"
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. The frail driver's adopted son wasn't someone people expected much from.
Let them underestimate me.
He stepped forward and placed his palm on the orb. The moment his skin made contact, his vision shattered—
Reality folded.
He stood in a vast, starless void—his Inner Universe. Before him, three colossal celestial bodies materialized:
Lightning – A swirling vortex of violet electricity, crackling with unrestrained fury.
Space – A shimmering, translucent sphere that warped the void around it like a blackhole's event horizon.
Fire – A roiling inferno, its flames burning two times brighter than natural.
The elements screamed for release.
But Yu Tian gripped them.
Not yet.
The Little Loach around his neck pulsed, its enhanced mana storage acting as a dam. With a mental command, he veiled Lightning and Space behind an illusionary barrier, leaving only Fire to shine through.
Only Fire erupted outward—a blazing pillar that turned the Awakening Stone crimson.
"F-Fire element!" the examiner stammered.
But something was wrong.
The flames weren't normal. They burned five times hotter than any student's before, warping the air with each flicker. The crowd recoiled as the stone's surface cracked from the heat.
[ Innate Talent: Arcane Sovereign (Partial Manifestation) ]
[ Fire Affinity Amplified: 200% ]
Yu Tian feigned exhaustion, staggering back.
Just as planned.
[Crowd's Reaction]
Mu Bai's ice-blue eyes narrowed. "That intensity… unnatural."
Classmates gaped, some envious, others fearful. A few muttered about "cheating."
Teachers scrambled to record the anomaly, whispering about "once-in-a-generation talent."
No one noticed:
The flicker of violet lightning in Yu Tian's pupils.
The way the air warped faintly around him when he moved.
As Yu Tian stepped down, the system updated:
[ Lightning Element: Concealed (Mana Signature Masked) ]
[ Space Element: Concealed (Dimensional Ripples Suppressed) ]
[ Fire Element: Displayed (Amplification: 200%) ]
[ Warning: Excessive Force May Disrupt Illusion ]
He exhaled.
Good. Let them think Fire is my only power.