"Yesterday, a deafening roar erupted in the depths of the Pacific Ocean. It is speculated that a Rank Nine Emperor Beast has broken through. Coastal cities are advised to strengthen their defenses," read the first news item.
"A tragedy occurred a month ago in Liyang City, Sichuan Province: due to a breach in the defensive perimeter, a monster horde broke into the city, killing tens of thousands of citizens. The investigation led by Li Qiang, the Rank Eight 'Hurricane Wind Sword' power user, has yielded results. A press conference will be held tonight at 9 PM," reported the second piece of news.
"Liu Yang, an outstanding graduate of Magic City Expert University, reached Rank Five yesterday and officially decided to join the Cinder Guild," stated the third news item.
"The USA has seen its first S-Rank superpower user in four years. His element is wind. The awakened individual has already been specially recruited into the Houston Superpower University," reported the fourth piece of news.
After skimming the trending headlines, Xu Jingming put down his phone and vigorously rubbed his temples. His head was pounding. Cross-referencing his sudden influx of memories with the news he had just read, he could now say with certainty that he had, indeed, transmigrated to another world.
The world he had landed in was called the Azure World. The level of civilization and technology here was roughly the same as in his former world. However, there were two key differences: the presence of ferocious beasts and superpowers.
The former were incredibly dangerous, bloodthirsty monsters that sowed chaos throughout the Azure World. The latter, however, were the source of power that humans used to fight against the invasion of these monstrosities.
"I just had a little too much to drink at my master's graduation party, and I wake up in another world. Who do I even complain to?" Xu Jingming thought to himself.
"And if I was going to be transported to another world, couldn't they at least have given me a slightly better starting advantage?"
Xu Jingming was slightly perplexed. According to the memories he had just inherited, his predecessor was also named Xu Jingming. He was a graduating student at Jiangcheng No. 2 Middle School. Aside from his attractive appearance, he was utterly unremarkable in every other respect. Even the superpower he awakened was only E-Rank—a "Faint Electric Discharge."
"Superpower…" Xu Jingming murmured thoughtfully, raising his right hand. He snapped his fingers, and thin, pale blue-white electrical arcs danced between them.
In his former world, such a trick would have caused a sensation. But here, in the Azure World, it surprised no one. That was because, in this world, every person awakened a superpower at the age of sixteen, becoming an Awakened.
Superpowers came in the widest variety: some could control wind and fire, some could transform into a beast, and others could heal wounds... There was a vast difference in quality among the various superpowers. According to the Azure World's evaluation system, superpowers were divided into nine levels: from F to E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, and SSS.
The vast majority of people only awakened D or E-level superpowers. Only a fortunate few managed to awaken C or B-level abilities. Those lucky enough to awaken an A-level ability were considered the chosen ones! As for the even higher levels—S, SS, and SSS—they were so rare that they appeared only once every few years or even decades.
Two years ago, when it was time for his predecessor to awaken his superpower, he predictably awakened only an E-level ability—the "Faint Electric Discharge."
Superpowers were also categorized into six main types: Elemental, Augmentation, Mental, Restorative, Natural, and Special. His "Faint Electric Discharge" belonged to the lightning element, which fell under the Natural type of superpowers. The lightning element was considered one of the best among all superpower types. But the E-level rating meant that the destructive power of the "Faint Electric Discharge" was not very high. For instance, the electric arcs currently wrapping around his fingers were comparable in impact force to a stun gun, or perhaps even weaker.
"Did I transmigrate to this world just to become a human taser?" Xu Jingming wondered. "I, too, want to become invincible and take my place among the strongest…"
Extinguishing the electric arcs on his fingertips, Xu Jingming propped his chin with his right hand and sighed as he looked ahead. He was in a brightly lit classroom. It was currently break time, and the classmates around him were chatting animatedly. Directly in front of him was a blackboard. In the lower right corner of the board was written: "1 Day Until Graduation Exams."
In Great Xia, the country where he was currently located, graduation exams were held every year on June 7th to select students for further study at Superpower Universities. Today was June 6th, and the exams were due to start tomorrow.
It must be noted that due to the existence of ferocious beasts, superpower users were considered a special class. They not only commanded the respect of ordinary people but also enjoyed various privileges. Simply put, superpower users were the elite of society.
It is important to understand that people who had merely awakened a superpower were still only considered 'Awakened' and could not control too much power. Only after a certain period of training could an Awakened evolve into a true superpower user, capable of fighting powerful ferocious beasts face-to-face.
Superpower users were divided into nine ranks, from the first to the ninth. Each rank, in turn, was subdivided into the Low, Mid, and High Level. Even to reach the lowest—First Rank, Low Level—it typically took an ordinary Awakened four to five years of hard training.
But if one enrolled in a Superpower University, where mentors were available, this process could be significantly shortened. This was precisely why the graduation exams were so crucial.
However, for him, having only awakened an E-level superpower, the chances of getting into a Superpower University were close to zero…
"Don't they say that all transmigrators are supposed to get some kind of cheats? Where's the System? Save me!" Xu Jingming muttered mentally.
No sooner had these words sounded in his mind than an electronic voice rang out in his consciousness:
[Abyssal Azure System Activation in progress…]
[System Activation successful, distributing Novice Gift…]
[Novice Gift distribution complete. Would you like to receive it now?]
Upon hearing these notifications in his head, Xu Jingming's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open in astonishment:
"A System… It actually exists?!"
After the initial shock, an uncontainable joy swept over him! As a transmigrator, he fully understood what having a System meant. It meant he had a chance to change his fate and reach the very top!
"Phew," Xu Jingming took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He didn't immediately accept the gift but mentally asked, "What does the Novice Gift include?"
[200 Ability Points and the S-Rank Superpower 'Purple Sky Divine Thunder']
"Purple Sky Divine Thunder, an S-Rank Superpower?!" A brilliant light flashed in Xu Jingming's eyes, and his breathing quickened.
He didn't yet know what Ability Points were, but he knew about S-Rank superpowers. They were the rarest type of superpower in the entire Azure World!
As reported in the recent trending news, even in the USA, a country equal in power to Great Xia, it took four years for a new S-Rank superpower user to appear! In Great Xia itself, there hadn't been an S-Rank superpower user for two or three years!
And those who awakened S-Rank superpowers, unless they died prematurely, invariably grew into mighty experts capable of protecting entire regions!
"System, if I accept the Novice Gift, will I really gain an S-Rank superpower?" Xu Jingming double-checked to be sure.
[Yes]
Upon receiving the affirmative answer, Xu Jingming's eyes shone. An S-Rank superpower!! The chance to change his destiny had arrived!
"Jingming, stop daydreaming, Old Chen is here," his desk-mate whispered quietly.
Xu Jingming snapped back to reality and realized that the lesson had already begun. Standing behind the lectern was a middle-aged man with a crew cut—this was the homeroom teacher of Class 5, Chen Fan.
"As soon as classes are over and I get home, I'll immediately accept the Novice Gift," Xu Jingming decided.
Although he was excited internally, he understood that accepting the gift in class was not the best idea. Therefore, he suppressed his emotions and began to listen attentively to the lesson…