"Brother, my classroom is over there."
Mochizuki smiled and waved as she parted ways with James at an intersection, heading toward another teaching building.
James continued along the familiar path, passing many classmates along the way.
But no one greeted him, and James wasn't the type to start a conversation either. He was perfectly content staying idle. Idle chatter meant nothing to him. To James, the only people worthy of attention were comrades who could fight alongside him—partners forged in real experience. As for the rest? They were just background noise.
He reached the Class A teaching building, climbed the stairs, and turned into the first classroom on the left—Grade 3, Class 1.
With smooth, natural movements, James entered, walked to his desk, and sat down.
His seat was the classic back-row window seat, also known as the King's Throne. In front of him sat an unfamiliar girl, and behind him was an unfamiliar boy.
No one even turned their head.
He looked around and realized he could barely remember anyone's name. That said a lot about how focused he'd been on sword training—and how little interest he had in human relationships.
"Did you see the video online yesterday?"
"Yeah, his powers are insane!"
"I wish I had that kind of ability."
"Don't dream. Either you're born with it, or your family's genes get upgraded."
"Why is my family just rich... and not special?"
Friend... maybe think before you speak next time.
James listened to the chatter around the classroom and began mentally reviewing what he knew about supernatural beings.
In this world, all superhumans—also called transcendentals—were powered by one core energy: spiritual power.
Broadly speaking, they fell into two categories.
The first were those born with supernatural powers and spiritual energy. They were the rare ones.
These people came into the world with innate abilities: manipulating fire or water, controlling shadows, even warping space. From birth, their life's mission was clear—cultivate their spiritual energy and refine their unique abilities.
The second group were those born without any powers—but who possessed spiritual energy. These individuals made up the majority.
Although their spiritual energy could be cultivated, they had to supplement their combat power through rigorous training: swordsmanship, magic, summoning arts, and more. It took time, effort, and no small measure of willpower. And even then, there was no guarantee of greatness.
James belonged to this second category.
He didn't rely on any natural-born power. He carved out his place at Tianshui County's No. 1 Private Junior High School through relentless sword training.
Some people speculated that James actually did possess supernatural abilities—but simply chose not to use them.
Ding ding ding!
The class bell rang. Everyone shuffled back to their seats, ready for lessons.
Even Class A students were required to study cultural subjects. Teachers covered everything from basic knowledge of the world to legal regulations for superhumans. The most complicated topic, however, was always Magical Beasts—also known as Warcraft.
Warcraft inhabited much of the uninhabited wilderness. Sometimes, they crossed into human territories, though they were typically invisible to normal people.
They ranged widely in strength—from fragile third-level creatures to beasts capable of leveling cities.
As of now, the Supernatural Association had documented over a million species of Warcraft, with more being discovered every year.
They were the most dangerous force in the world outside of the human kingdoms.
But despite their danger, they were rich in supernatural materials—and thus became valuable resources to human society.
---
The morning passed uneventfully, filled with lectures and quiet note-taking.
In the afternoon, things shifted to practical training—also known as combat classes—where professional superhuman instructors helped students unlock their powers or improve their combat skills.
This was where the divide between A-type and B-type students truly began to show.
Both groups attended academic classes in the morning. But in the afternoon, B-type students stayed in classrooms, while A-type students headed to the gymnasium for intense combat instruction.
James ate lunch alone.
He couldn't exactly go all the way to the first-year building just to have lunch with Mochizuki.
Besides, Mochizuki had her own life. Unlike James, she was quite popular among her peers and had plenty of friends.
James's own admirers and supporters were mainly from the first-year students—possibly because of Mochizuki's influence.
---
"Okay, after lunch, everyone head to Gymnasium Hall 1!" the teacher reminded them before leaving for the office.
In Class A, the homeroom teacher typically doubled as the combat instructor—and was always a powerful superhuman.
As they neared the gymnasium, James couldn't help but marvel at its scale. The massive structure loomed over them like a fortress, dominating the skyline.
How many people can this place hold? Hundreds of thousands?
It was just a junior high school gymnasium, but its size was absurd. Clearly, in this world, superpowers had transformed everything—even education.
The heart of the stadium was a colossal platform surrounded by steep seating that could accommodate massive crowds. Most of Tianshui County's large-scale annual events were held here.
James and his classmates weren't using the main platform, though.
They went to one of the smaller venues on the edge of the gymnasium. It was about the size of ten basketball courts and seated a few thousand spectators—more than enough for training purposes.
Students began filing in. Some who hadn't started class yet gathered in little groups to chat.
Ugh, those cliques again…
Even Shido and Hikari were surrounded by a few boys, laughing and chatting comfortably.
James sighed and closed his eyes to rest.
---
"Whoa!"
"Oh wow, looks like we've got company!"
"No way—that's Saki Shinomiya from Class 7. She's gorgeous!"
"And that's Koji Karita from Class 19!"
A burst of chatter filled the room. James opened his eyes.
Four or five students from other classes had just walked in.
It wasn't unusual for classes to share training time—space in such a big facility had to be used efficiently—but this combination of students caused quite a stir.
Why?
Because the three titans of the school had just walked into the same room.
That's right: James from Class 1, Saki Shinomiya from Class 7, and Koji Karita from Class 19—collectively known as the Top Three of Tianshui County's No. 1 Junior High.
They had occupied the top three positions on the strength leaderboard for the past three years—and never dropped.
Students from Class 1 instinctively turned to James, curious about his reaction.
In turn, James calmly observed the two newcomers.
---
Saki Shinomiya, a direct descendant of the elite Shinomiya family, carried herself like a noble heiress.
She exchanged a few words with those around her, but her expression remained cool and composed.
Her hair was snowy white, her eyes a soft, gem-like blue. Though her figure was slim and somewhat flat, her long legs were accentuated by black stockings that added a certain elegant charm.
When she noticed James looking, she turned to meet his gaze.
Currently ranked first in the school, her supernatural ability was Ice Magic, inherited from the Shinomiya lineage—one of the most powerful families in Tianshui County.
With looks, background, and raw ability, she was also number one in popularity.
---
Koji Karita, from the Karita family, had sharp, neatly cut hair and a fairly attractive face. His narrow eyes often held a glint of mischief or challenge.
His power? Red Flame Control—a fiery, destructive ability passed down through the Yantian family, another one of the region's great superhuman clans.
Though ranked fourth among the county's top four families, the Yantian family was no slouch. Being in the top four meant serious power.
Koji returned James's gaze without hesitation, a flicker of excitement in his eyes.
---
Are they planning to fight here?
James had never actually battled either of them.
Each year, during the grade-wide combat competition, he always surrendered once he secured third place.
Every single time, his reasoning was the same:
> "It's meaningless."
Some even joked that James was possessed by Tomioka Giyuu, the stoic swordsman. His words often came off as cold—or even arrogant.
And the implication of those words? That Saki and Koji were only powerful because of their families. That their success came from connections, not true strength.
James, on the other hand, had no famous lineage. Everything he had—he earned.
---
"Quiet!"
A booming voice exploded across the arena.
Everyone fell silent instantly as a towering man stepped forward.
This was the combat instructor for Class 1's practical course—a first-level superhuman, Wenxiong Yuanshan.
"Get ready for class!"
Øóffer going on for diamond tier
pàtreøn (Gk31)