Planet No. 6 — Original Star.
Designation: Garbage Recycling Station No. 2585.
This place existed solely to store martial refuse. The very air shimmered with the remnants of shattered thunder and restless fire, lingering like the sighs of discarded gods.
Inside the resting area—
"Shinka Recycling doesn't feed idlers, Shizuka."
The speaker was a middle-aged man wearing thin-rimmed glasses, his sharp demeanor like a hawk. As he spoke, spittle nearly struck the face of the silent youth before him.
"Three years. For three years, your life-energy value has been astonishingly stable—always stuck at 7. To put it bluntly, it's humiliating. Even the pet I've been raising, a vicious dog, tested at 8 just yesterday. Yes, you heard right. Higher than you."
"Boss Wang, are you pulling my leg?"
"Here."
Wang Sei shoved a report into Shizuka's hands.
[Pet Name: The Future Dog That Shall Surely Shatter the Void][Life-Energy Value: 8][Weight: 15.1 kg][Innate Talent Awakened: Suspected]
Shizuka: ???
He had thought Wang Sei was simply humiliating him, but this? Who in their right mind gives their dog such a long, chūnibyō name?
And yet… he only felt more miserable.
Still, Shizuka knew.
In this era where martial cultivation flourished and super-warriors stood upon the stars like gods and demons, raising one or two martial pets was nothing unusual.
"Shizuka, Shinka Recycling is a legitimate federal enterprise. We're responsible for every single recycler. Ten points of life-energy is the bare minimum for a Grade-1 recycler."
Wang Sei's expression hardened as he issued his ultimatum.
"Within three days, if you don't raise your life-energy to 10, I'll have no choice but to expel you. You'll return to being a drifter. I think you understand well enough… life as a drifter is nothing short of brutal." His glasses glinted coldly as he leaned closer. "And I believe you don't want to lose this job, do you?"
Shizuka stood there quietly, his expression complicated.
Three years ago, he'd been found in the wastelands outside the Divine Phoenix District by the station's owner, Yōzora. Acting on her professional sense of duty—"trash should be recycled, not discarded carelessly"—she brought him back and gave him work as a recycler of martial refuse.
But three years passed, and his life-energy value never budged. He couldn't even reach the standard for a Grade-1 recycler. And now, rumors said city authorities were coming to conduct a risk inspection due to a recent incident.
The recycling stations weren't just junkyards. They handled the refuse generated by the Crimson Federation's martial cultivation every year—waste that had to be recycled and neutralized for safety. It was a serious business, closely monitored by the Federation. Every recycler had to be registered and certified by official departments.
Wang Sei's voice grew more stern. "You need to raise your strength immediately. In three days, when the inspectors come, they'll test your life-energy level. Remember, even if this job doesn't sound glamorous, plenty of outsiders covet it."
"By then, you'll have competitors."
Shizuka's heart jolted.
This is bad.
They're targeting me.
Two days ago, two Grade-2 recyclers triggered a "martial waste riot" during collection. One died, one was gravely injured. The case caused wide attention. That the city would send investigators was normal. But from Wang Sei's tone… this felt aimed at him specifically.
Wang Sei sighed. "The city knows about you."
For three years, Shizuka had failed to meet the minimum standard. To put it bluntly, he was only here because of Yōzora's connections. Wang Sei, fond of the boy, had covered for him.
But now, someone had deliberately exposed his situation.
"This isn't the time to dwell on that. What you need to think about is: how do you raise your strength in three days? How do you pass the test? How do you defeat the outsiders coming for your spot? Do you understand?"
His tone grew graver with each word.
Shizuka finally understood the severity of it all.
Failure meant being expelled.
Losing his job.
Becoming a drifter—society's rat, beaten down by anyone, stepped on by everyone.
Wang Sei gave him a long, deep look before turning to leave.
Then, abruptly, he stopped, doubled back, and scanned the area. Making sure no one was around, he thrust a book into Shizuka's hands like a lightning strike. His eyes said: This is all I can do for you. Then he hurried away.
Shizuka looked down at the book.
Elementary Internal Art: Spark Scroll.
He stared after Wang Sei's retreating figure in shock.
The Spark Scroll.
This was a treasured text of Shinka Recycling. Even a Grade-1 recycler needed to accumulate contribution points to exchange for it. The value of an internal art to a warrior was beyond words.
His communicator buzzed suddenly.
A message flashed across the screen.
[From contact "Martial King": Only three days!]
The weight of the Spark Scroll in his hands suddenly felt heavier.
Shizuka remembered something Wang Sei once said: Compared to those in the Divine Phoenix District, we are the lower class. And the lower class… why torment each other?
He knew life as a drifter was cruel.
He must not become one.
Otherwise, with his current ability, he'd be a corpse rotting in some nameless alley within days.
His grip tightened around the Spark Scroll. So… this is my final chance?
[Elementary Internal Art: Spark Scroll][Potential: C][Purification Attempts: 1][Would you like to purify?]
What?
Shizuka rubbed his eyes. His pupils quivered.
Quickly, he stowed the scroll and rushed back to his quarters.
Inside his room, he drew it out again, smoothing the creases on its cover.
The panel reappeared. This time, more text lines shimmered into view—like swarms of gnats, but to Shizuka, each was as precious as divine medicine.
[Awakened Talent: Scavenger][You may restore, extract, or purify resources based on their state.][All things under heaven and earth have value in recycling.][Talent: Scavenger][Ability 1: If the item's form is broken, trigger "Restore." Based on the core's condition, repair it to a usable state.][Ability 2: If the item's core is broken, trigger "Extract." Drain its final value, absorb its essence, strengthen yourself.][Ability 3: If both form and core are intact, trigger "Purify." Evolve the complete item to a higher state.]
Heart pounding, Shizuka selected "Purify" on the Spark Scroll's panel.
[Purification Successful][Elementary Internal Art: Spark Scroll → Upgraded to Intermediate Internal Art: Crimson Lotus Genesis]
Shizuka's mind exploded. The scroll in his hand was unchanged, but within his consciousness, a torrent of knowledge burst forth!
Intermediate Internal Art: Crimson Lotus Genesis.Rebirth through flame, the lotus of life…
As he absorbed the technique, his eyes blazed with new light.
Intermediate-level arts were reserved for Grade-2 recyclers. At Shinka Recycling, the so-called "intermediate" version was merely Godfire Scroll, an upgraded Spark Scroll. All of them stemmed from a higher-level art, Shinka Blazing Sun Scroll.
But Crimson Lotus Genesis was different—an independent, complete system.
Shizuka's heart surged like a storm.
Most of all—
"This Scavenger talent… if I use it in my work as a recycler, I'll be unstoppable!"
"Broken martial skills, torn manuals, depleted spirit crystals—this entire mountain of martial refuse will become my holy treasury!"
He clenched his fists tightly.
"That's why—I must keep this job!"