"S… S-level? Am I seeing things?"
"No! You're not hallucinating, and the tester isn't wrong. It really is S-level! With talent like that, the five top universities must have received the news already. I bet their recruiters are racing toward Tianhai City right now. I'm so jealous—!"
"I never thought I'd witness an S-level awakening in my lifetime. If I die today, I'll die with no regrets!"
"He actually created a miracle. Maybe not the first miracle in history, but in Tianhai City? Absolutely unprecedented!"
---
On the observation deck, the reporters and public-relations staff who had looked down on Jack just minutes ago now stared at him in open awe. Their expressions had completely reversed, and their voices were filled with admiration.
All anyone could think was: This is so damn real.
Boom—boom—boom!
Principal Huang Chongguang, who had been sitting stiffly on the stage, leapt to his feet. His face flushed bright red as his heart pounded wildly. He practically bounded down the steps to reach Jack, eyes shining with excitement.
"Hahaha… young and promising!" he exclaimed, grinning so widely that his cheeks trembled.
"Principal," Jack said with a polite nod. Despite the intense attention, his voice remained steady, though the heat of Huang's eager gaze made him slightly uneasy.
Jack had always respected Huang Chongguang. Even though some teachers looked down on students from ordinary families, the principal had never been like that. He had opened expensive training equipment to every student, rich or poor. Fair, just, and strong—Huang was a rare and admirable man.
Moreover, Huang wasn't just a principal. He was a one-star Gold Awakened—already among the top tier in Tianhai City.
(In this world, awakened ranks run: Black Iron, Silver, Gold, Diamond, Extraordinary, and King. Each rank is divided into one through nine stars.)
So Jack's respect was not just for the man's character, but for his strength as well.
Even though Jack himself now possessed S-level power, he kept his manners flawless.
---
"Student Jack," Huang said, eyes glittering with curiosity, "may I see what your special ability can do?"
The principal's excitement was palpable. An S-level special-type ability—its effect unknown! Witnessing it firsthand would be an honor beyond measure.
"Of course."
Jack's lips curved into a small smile. Truth be told, he was as curious as anyone else. Inside him pulsed a mysterious, almost demonic energy.
Drawing a deep breath, Jack clenched his fist.
Buzz…
A low vibration filled the hall as a white halo bloomed around his hand, shimmering with an eerie brilliance.
Every teacher, student, and reporter fell silent. Even the faintest whisper died as they stared at the glowing aura.
Jack stepped forward.
Bang!
Without warning, he thrust his fist into the empty air ahead.
Snap—!
A sound like shattering glass echoed through the hall.
Everyone gasped as thin, jagged cracks spider-webbed outward from Jack's fist. Within seconds, a circle of fractured space five meters across rippled in front of him, as if the very air itself were splintering.
---
"What the hell! Did he just shatter the void with a punch?"
"Impossible! Not even most supernatural masters could do that with pure physical strength!"
"No, look carefully—the space isn't actually broken. But those cracks… what are they? My scalp is tingling!"
"Special-type abilities… they really defy imagination. What would happen if that punch landed on a person?"
The observation deck was far enough away that many spectators could only see the eerie cracks and hear the sound. But even from that distance, the sight made hearts pound and spines shiver.
"This is—!"
Principal Huang and Teacher Wang Zhou, standing closest to Jack, blanched. The destructive aura radiating from his fist was overwhelming. Instinctively, both men stepped back and activated psychic energy shields—protective barriers that only Gold-rank awakeners could form.
Yet, to their astonishment, the strange power didn't harm them.
As Jack lowered his fist, the cracks faded, and the void settled into perfect calm.
---
Whitebeard's demonic power, Jack thought, wonder mixing with relief. The air trembled, but there was no backlash at all. The system is incredible!
He had prepared himself for the physical strain of such an attack, but when he withdrew his fist, there wasn't even the faintest discomfort. No doubt the system was quietly removing any side effects.
All Jack could think was: This feels amazing!
"Student Jack," Huang finally managed, lowering his shield, "could it be that your ability generates vibration force?"
The principal's face showed a trace of embarrassment. He and Wang Zhou—both among the strongest in No. 3 Middle School—had just flinched before a teenager. And they'd done it in full view of the entire school and a host of media reporters.
But no one could blame them. The sheer destructive energy Jack had unleashed was terrifying.
Huang was certain of one thing: if that punch had struck a solid object, every Silver Awakener nearby would have been gravely injured without serious preparation.
As for Black Iron Awakeners—they would have died instantly.
Yes, instantly, whether they'd been ready or not, nine stars or not.
The power Jack displayed surpassed most elemental abilities. Even the devastating force of lightning-based powers might pale beside it.
This was the true might of an S-level special ability.
---
"That's about right," Jack said with a small, confident smile. "I call this ability the Devil's Shock Force."
The name suited it.
In this world, every awakened ability had to be registered, so it was wise to name it himself before the authorities tried to label it.
"S-level special ability—Devil's Shock Force…" Huang's eyes blazed with excitement. He clasped Jack's hand with both of his own.
"Student Jack, I've already notified the five top universities. Tomorrow, their special-recruitment representatives will arrive at No. 3 Middle School. You will receive the most prestigious admission treatment and can choose the most complete, advanced university for cultivating your talent!"
"Thank you very much, Principal." Jack's grin widened.
Indeed, when someone possessed overwhelming talent, opportunities naturally followed.
---
The five top universities—Mado University, Teikyo University, Wulin University, Jiangnan University, and Zhongzhou University—were once the world's greatest schools even before the Extraordinary Era.
Since that era's awakening, they had evolved into humanity's educational sanctuaries. Each specialized in nurturing different types of superpowers, offering unrivaled guidance to help students master their gifts and grow stronger.
Before acquiring his system, Jack had only dreamed of entering one of these schools, much as countless ordinary students once dreamed of Peking or Tsinghua University.
Now, these very institutions were coming to recruit him.
The thought made his chest swell. This feels so good it's unreal—no, it's so damn real!
---
"You're welcome, you're welcome!" Huang beamed. "This is what I should do. Come, come—sit up here."
He gestured toward the principal's seat on the stage. "As the first student in No. 3 Middle School to awaken an S-level power, you're our pride. And your reward will be generous. I'll personally present it to you."
A moment later, Jack found himself seated in the principal's own chair.
Anyone entering the hall might have thought he was the one in charge of the school, not the man standing beside him.
---
From his new vantage point, Jack scanned the crowd. His gaze found Class 2, where his friend Chen Darong stood.
"Darong," Jack called with an easy smile, "your turn next. Come on!"
"Hahaha… Brother, just wait for me!" Darong shouted back, eyes shining with excitement.
On the other side of the hall, Lin Ting, Tang Zihao, and Zhao Hong looked as if someone had drained the blood from their faces. Their expressions twisted with bitterness and quiet despair.
Had Jack just ignored them?
Of course he had. To him, they had never truly been rivals.
Now that he had awakened an S-level power, their worlds had completely diverged. The distance between them was no longer a mere gap; it was a chasm they could never cross.
The realization cut deep.
Lin Ting felt it most of all. Shame burned through her, so sharp it made her tremble.
She remembered how she had once spoken down to Jack, even imagining he might serve her family someday. The thought now was laughable.
An S-level awakener as a servant? Her entire family wasn't worthy to polish Jack's shoes.
---
And so the Awakening Hall buzzed with stunned whispers and awed stares, every eye fixed on the young man who had turned their expectations upside down.
Jack—once just another student from an ordinary family—had in a single morning become the pride of Tianhai City and a symbol of limitless potential.
The world suddenly felt frighteningly, exhilaratingly real.