Chapter 1
A warm breeze brushed across the open plaza, carrying the mixed scents of metal, greenery, and the faint ozone drifting down from the sky-lanes above. Hundreds of students stood gathered beneath a massive holographic banner floating in the air—"WELCOME TO THE TALENT AWAKENING CEREMONY."
Towering buildings of glass and silver surrounded the plaza, their surfaces reflecting countless space bikes and hover-shuttles streaking through the sky. The world buzzed with energy.
Among the gathered crowd, a boy blinked back to consciousness, eyes unfocused.
"...huh? Wasn't I just watching a movie? Why am I… here?" he muttered, confused.
Before he could gather himself, a surge of foreign memories crashed into his mind—scattered fragments, blurred scenes, incomplete moments. After nearly a minute of dizziness, he steadied his breathing.
"Wait… don't tell me—did I transmigrate? Or reincarnate? Or whatever the hell counts as waking up in someone else's body."
He paused. "But how did the original owner die… while still standing? With a perfectly healthy body? That's suspicious… I'll worry about that later."
Someone nudged him.
"Bro, pay attention! It's not every day a famous guy guides us through awakening!"
"Ah—right, my bad." He straightened and looked forward.
A man in a dark-blue uniform floated slightly above the platform, supported by a gentle swirl of mana. His voice was calm yet carried weight as he addressed the students.
"Welcome to the Awakening Palace, students. Or should I call you the future Deviants of humanity?" he said with a faint smirk. "I am Mike—your guide for today's Talent Awakening Ceremony."
The crowd quieted.
"As you know, talent alone does not make a perfect Deviant. Physique, bloodline, training—everything matters. Humans stand at the bottom of the universal food chain, yet our potential is unmatched."
He raised his hand, and holographic images appeared—humans fighting monsters, starships crossing galaxies, colossal beasts emerging from rifts.
"Physiques are divided into Common, Uncommon, Rare, Unique, Legendary, Mythical… and God Physique."
The students murmured in excitement.
"Talents, Abilities, Skills, and Resistances follow a ranking system: F, E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, SSS, Z, ZZ, ZZZ and EX."
Mike continued, pacing slowly.
"As you level up, your chosen path strengthens you. Levels start from 1 and end at 1000. Very few humans in the last thousand years have reached the realm beyond Level 1000—Immortality."
A hand shot up from the crowd.
"Sir, doesn't that mean other races might wipe us out if we grow too strong?"
Mike chuckled. "No. Humanity has alliances with most federations. Our real battlefield is the other dimension—the Fallen Realm. That's where we face constant war."
A teacher from the side cut in, "Okay, okay, let's not turn this into a history lecture. They'll learn everything in their higher classes. Please stick to awakening-related information."
A girl raised her hand.
"Sir, what about job classes? How do they work later?"
"Oh, right! Good question. And your name?"
"Stella Rose, from the Rose Family."
Mike raised an eyebrow. "The Rose Family's scion, huh? I heard you're talented in both mana and qi. Rare combination. Keep working hard."
"Thank you, sir."
Mike nodded. "As for job classes—once you grow stronger, you can choose up to five main paths. Choose carefully. Your physique and talent will influence your compatibility.
Support jobs exist too—Blacksmith, Alchemist, Healer, Tamer, Chef, Musician, Dismantler, and more. Once chosen, a job cannot be changed."
He pointed at four floating orbs representing different energies.
"And remember—there's more than one type of energy in this world.
Mana – for elemental and non-elemental abilities.
Qi – physical strength cultivated through training.
Aura – manifests through mastery of weaponry.
Spirit – accessible only to those blessed by nature.
Rare energies like Mind, Soul, and Body also exist, tied to special talents or physiques."
He clapped his hands together.
"And with that, let's move to the main event—the Talent Awakening Ceremony!"
The boy sighed internally. Man, that was long. But useful.
He sifted through the memories again.
"So my name is… Max Ed? Wow. What kind of parent names their kid Max Ed? Maxed. Seriously?"
He glanced outside the windowed walkway as they moved through the air on a horizontal lift. Ships pierced the clouds above, and skyscrapers intertwined with artificial forests, creating a futuristic landscape far beyond Earth of his previous life.
'Should I live a peaceful lifestyle job… or become a combatant? And what about the original Max—was his mind tampered with? I need answers. But first… awakening.'
After a long ride through sky-bridges and floating platforms, a massive structure came into view—a silver tower with an infinity symbol glowing above it.
"This," Mike announced, "is where the ceremony takes place."
Guards checked their IDs.
"Impact School students? You may proceed."
As the gates opened, the glowing words came into view:
INFINITY GUILD
The boy exhaled slowly.
Alright… let's see what kind of talent I awaken.