"Tuk! Tuk!! Tuk!!!" The roaring sound of helicopters resounded all over Rising Sun Academy as the gentle glow of the sun slowly receded in the distant east, casting dusk rays across the horizon. Crowds of students in their red and navy-blue uniforms could be seen roaming the school premises, with a large number of them heading toward the Academy's cultivation ground.
Rising Sun Academy was one of the recently established schools in the Blazing Flame Province, one of the six provinces in the East-Crow Country. With a history of no more than five decades, Rising Sun Academy had already become a major institution in the province.
Today marked the final moment for the third-year students of Rising Sun Academy. Every third-year student carried traces of anxiety, anticipation, and—for some—nervous clouds hovering over their heads as they moved toward the cultivation ground.
"Song Chi!"
"Hmm?"
"Do you think I'll awaken a spirit core? And what grade do you think it'll be…?"
"Will it be high-grade…?"
"Sigh… even if it's low-grade, I'll be content with it. Song Chi, why aren't you saying anything…?"
Amidst the throng of students flowing into the field, two inconspicuous figures with contrasting builds lagged at the back of the line. The chubby one kept yapping nonstop about awakening spirit cores, while his friend wore a gloomy expression at the endless chatter.
"But Fatty, you don't…"
"Fatty Lou, shut the fuck up!" Before his friend could finish, another student nearby exploded and yelled at them.
"Damn it! Zhang, who the heck are you referring to?" Lou Hang, who had a short temper, instantly blew up and started cursing back, igniting a small commotion as other students turned to look in their direction.
"Stop it, Lou!" Song Chi intervened, dragging his friend away from the area as the number of stares increased.
"The principal is almost here…" he muttered while pushing his way forward, moving closer to the front of the cultivation ground.
At the end of every third year, academies across the world conducted the Spiritual Awakening Ceremony, aiding youths in awakening their spiritual roots. This day usually determined the future of every young cultivator after their years of study: awaken and soar into the sky, or fail and remain a mortal, continuing the struggle for survival.
During the awakening process, some were lucky enough to awaken a spirit core. The spirit core varied in grades and types, but all took one fixed form: the Ship (an aerial vessel). It might manifest as a chopper, a jet, a transport plane, a cargo carrier, or any other type of airship.
After the Great Cataclysm 5,000 years ago, life changed forever. Spatial distortions, wormholes, black holes, and other spatial phenomena became constant natural occurrences. The living environment shifted, and various void and space species became rampant in the outer reaches. With these changes, people's spiritual cores became fixed in the form of airships.
Those who awakened a spirit core became top figures in society—Space Hunters, a privileged class among pilots—while those who failed became space fighters or warriors, serving as crew members for the Hunters.
Only Space Hunters with spirit cores could venture into outer space to source cultivation resources and countless other benefits. Without a spirit core, even high-ranking cultivators dared not enter the void. The spirit core brought many fantastic advantages: increased cultivation speed, power boosts, treasure hunting, space adventures, storage space, and much more.
Roughly 70% of those who underwent awakening succeeded and became Hunters, with only a minority remaining as space fighters. Although higher-tier spirit cores were rare among the awakened, even the trashiest grade of spirit core was a hundred times better than having none at all.
Thus, the spirit core became the obsession of every youth and sensible individual.
Today, as the students trod forward toward the awakening device, each carried anxiety and anticipation about their future. Every one of them harbored the unrealistic dream of becoming a Hunter—a wish for some, a silent prayer for others, a goal they could only dream of attaining.
The third-year students of Rising Sun Academy were divided into six classes: A, B, C, D, E, and F, with each class having up to 100 students and a minimum of 50 per class. Despite all six classes being present in the open area of the cultivation ground, the place still looked sparse due to its immense size.
"Quiet!"
All of a sudden, the place fell silent as a loud roar echoed across the arena. The voice came from a refined-looking middle-aged man standing at the front of the podium, hands crossed behind his back, his coat fluttering in the wind. An owl-like sigil adorned his chest. His presence was commanding and imposing—a figure of authority known for his wisdom and fairness.
As Principal Owen raised his hand, silence fell over the crowd.
"As you all know, today you will partake in what others before you have partaken."
"Welcome, dear students, to your Awakening Ceremony," he began, his voice resonating slowly through the field. "Today, you will awaken your spirit cores—a pivotal moment that will shape your path as cultivators. But remember, regardless of the grade or type you awaken to, it is your determination and spirit that will define your journey."
The man continued after ensuring complete silence.
"Today, every third-year student from all classes will step forward to these podiums and attempt to awaken their spirit ship core."
"As you all know, the spirit ship core will determine how your future unfolds… whether you rise to the sky or fall to the bottom…" He paused, nodding slightly as he observed the anxiety etched across every student's face.
"This is your time to shine."
As Principal Owen concluded his speech, he stepped aside. A woman emerged from the shadows—a tall figure exuding authority and grace. Her name was Elder Mei, renowned for her keen insight into spirit cores and their awakening.
"Students," Elder Mei called out, her voice clear and commanding.
"When you hear your name, come forward and place your hand on the spirit awakening core." She pointed to a multicolored rhomboid crystal that two school guards had just carried onto the stage.
"The spirit awakening core will stimulate and awaken your dormant spirit core," she explained, then stepped aside and began calling names from the booklet in her hand.
The first name echoed through the hall: "Li Wei!"
A young man stepped forward, heart pounding. The place fell quiet as everyone held their breath. As the boy placed his hand on the ancient stone pedestal, a shimmering light enveloped him. Moments later, he stepped back with a look of disappointment—his core had awakened dull gray.
"Support class, gray-grade Beetle," Elder Mei announced while observing the boy's spirit core shape.
"Next, Fang Lin!"
A girl with bright eyes approached the pedestal. The light shimmered again, revealing a drone-like carrier plane glowing white—signifying Common grade. A few students clapped politely, though their faces were tinged with sympathy.
As Elder Mei continued calling names, tension thickened in the hall. One by one, students stepped forward—some hopeful, others trembling. A handful awakened to Uncommon grades, green lights flickering to life, but they were overshadowed by the growing anxiety of those still waiting.
Then came a moment that sent ripples of excitement through the crowd: "Zhang Tian!"
As the name echoed, a confident young man strode to the pedestal. The moment Zhang Tian placed his hands on it, light burst forth in a brilliant blue hue—Rare grade—as it manifested into a bomber plane with giant fangs resembling a wolf! Cheers erupted as Zhang Tian beamed with pride.
"Rare-grade Howling Wolf Bomber," Elder Mei announced amid the cheers.
Elder Mei continued, her voice unwavering. "Next, Song Chi!"
The hall fell silent once more as all eyes turned to Song Chi. Feeling a mix of anticipation and dread, he took a deep breath and stepped forward, placing his hand on the pedestal.
As light enveloped him, time seemed to stretch. Anxiety peaked; sweat already formed on his forehead. Colors swirled around him—gray, white, green—but then something shifted. Instead of vibrant hues, a colorless light erupted from the pedestal, casting an unusual shadow over the hall. Gasps filled the air as Song Chi staggered back, confusion etched on his face.
"Colorless grade!" Elder Mei declared, her brow furrowing slightly. The crowd exchanged worried glances; colorless cores were rare and often considered unstable or unpredictable.
But then something extraordinary happened. The colorless light began to coalesce and take form above Song Chi's head—a sleek fighter jet materialized from the luminous energy. Its metallic surface gleamed as it hovered in mid-air, radiating an aura of power and agility.
Whispers filled the hall as students marveled at the sight. "A fighter jet spirit core?" someone exclaimed incredulously.
"You're lucky, kid," Elder Mei said, staring at the spirit core rotating above his head before announcing the details.
"Gray-grade Fighter Jet."
Elder Mei paused as she observed the confused expressions on the students' faces. She gently lowered the booklet of names to her side, looked at the crowd, and calmly explained.
"You see, colorless grade is outside the five known grades. It usually has the same number of slots and appearance as a gray-colored one. The only difference is that it can manifest forms or classes—unlike gray-colored ones."
The reason Elder Mei called Song Chi lucky was simple: fighter jets usually awakened at Rare grade. Only a very few exceptionally fortunate individuals awakened a fighter jet spirit core at Uncommon grade. No one had ever heard of a fighter jet at Common grade or below. And thus Song Chi—with a colorless-grade fighter jet class spirit core—was extraordinarily fortunate.
Elder Mei declared, her eyes gleaming with approval. The crowd erupted into applause, cheers echoing off the walls as Song Chi stood in stunned silence.
But not everyone was celebrating. A few students who had yet to awaken exchanged worried glances. The weight of expectation hung heavily in the air as Elder Mei continued calling names.