Today was Li Xing's 16th birthday—the day that would decide his fate. The path of his future was about to be set.
Today, he would awaken his first contract beast.
The principal stood on the stage, expression solemn, his strong frame filling the crisp suit he wore.
He was a Silver-ranked contract master, owning two A-ranked beasts, already at the top of the city's pyramid.
A white tiger and a black panther flanked him, one on each side, exuding authority.
With a wave of his hand, a crystal orb dropped to the center of the stage, clear and gleaming.
"The Awakening Ceremony begins! You will receive a portal based on your talent, from the lowest gray to the highest multicolor. This determines your beast's rank—from E to SSS!"
"The rank of your beast determines your combat power, growth speed, and ultimate potential." The principal's gaze swept across the sea of students, sharp and unyielding.
"Of course, it also decides how the school will allocate resources to you in the future. We don't cater to the useless!"
"Whether you get into university or become a professional tamer depends entirely on your luck."
Li Xing listened silently, jaw tight, hands balled into fists at his sides. The weight of expectation pressed down on him like a mountain. He could do it—he had to do it.
♢♢♢♢
A blond boy stepped onto the stage, greeted by cheers from the girls.
"Master Rex is so handsome!"
"Master Rex will surely awaken a top-tier beast!"
Rex smiled slightly and placed his hand on the crystal orb.
A deep blue vortex appeared.
The girls screamed again, their voices like ringing bells in Li Xing's ears.
"Blue! An A-ranked beast! Rex really is the best!"
"Rex, do you have time tonight? Do you want to come to my place…"
A figure emerged from the portal.
It was a Blue-winged Gryphon—lion's body, eagle's head, wings so wide they almost blocked the sun, feathers shimmering deep blue.
It roared once, shaking the crystal orb with its presence, eyes scanning the hall, finally resting on Rex—majestic and commanding.
The girls squealed, Rex lightly touched its feathers.
The principal nodded slightly, his gaze lingering on Rex and the Gryphon, a hint of approval on his face.
"Good." His deep voice echoed across the stage. "Awakening an A-ranked beast is rare. Truly one of our most promising students."
He glanced down at the audience. "Remember, an A-ranked beast nearly guarantees your future. University and a career as a professional tamer are well within reach."
Students murmured, envy in their eyes as they looked at Rex.
Rex raised his head, smiling confidently, tossing flirtatious glances at the girls below, even making a "call me" gesture.
A moment later, the principal's voice rang out, cutting through the crowd's chatter like a blade:
"Li Xing… step forward."
The hall fell into a brief hush,
Li Xing took a deep breath and stepped onto the stage.
The crowd was still noisy. All eyes were on Rex's Gryphon. No one noticed him—Li Xing, the school's invisible student.
He held the crystal orb, feeling its cold weight bite into his palms. Every cheer and every sneer pierced him like icy daggers.
He silently repeated in his mind: no matter what, he must survive this moment. He could not afford to break, not now.
Li Xing placed his hand on the orb. A faint vibration ran through his palm, tremors running up his arm, as if the orb itself sensed his fear.
Inside, the orb churned and twisted. Finally, a gray vortex formed, dim and dull.
The principal's mouth tightened into a thin line, eyebrows furrowed, a trace of impatience in his gaze.
Laughter and low jeers erupted from the crowd, sharp and cutting.
Rex sneered, voice like steel: "Gray? Look at this, really embarrassing the school."
Several rich kids joined in. Someone shouted: "Get off the stage, don't waste time. That vortex is max D-rank! What a joke!"
A coin clinked beside the orb, like a slap across Li Xing's face, echoing in the hollow pit of his chest.
Someone even bet publicly: "Expel him in ten minutes, who's with me for ten thousand?" The laughter felt like a swarm of insects crawling over his skin.
The principal's expression darkened, but he didn't defend Li Xing, just glanced coldly.
Li Xing lowered his head, staring at the vortex. It swirled lazily, mocking him. The shadows inside seemed to laugh with the crowd.
Finally, a faint light flashed—the orb began determining his beast's rank.
E-rank 49.99%—almost half, bottom of the bottom, weak and nearly hopeless.
D-rank 50%—slightly better, but still weak. If he got this, maybe he could attend an ordinary university, but not a prestigious one, and certainly not become a professional tamer.
F-rank 0.01%—a one-in-ten-thousand failure, completely powerless, unable to survive in the world.
The laughter and ridicule surged, louder, relentless. Rex and his friends laughed even harder, eyes cold and cruel.
Li Xing's fingers dug into the crystal orb, his knuckles whitening. Every heartbeat pounded like thunder in his chest.
He silently prayed: "Please… not F-rank. If I get D, I can at least support my parents, earn some money, survive… just survive."
His hand trembled violently. He thought of his parents, who had sold everything, every piece of hope, for this day. Their sacrifices weighed on him like chains.
"I can't let them down. Even the bare minimum… I must hold on."
Fear and despair surged like a tide, threatening to drown him. But Li Xing gritted his teeth, suppressing the storm inside, leaving only a sliver of iron resolve.
The principal forced a fake smile. "Relax, this isn't the end of your life."
Li Xing's bitter smile trembled. Is it… really not the end?
The gray vortex spun violently, mocking, like a storm swallowing hope.
Then, a wet, translucent gray creature slowly squeezed out of the vortex, landing on the ground with a soft "plop."
It shivered, a quivering blob with no form, no dignity—just a round body and two small, blinking eyes.
The crowd erupted in laughter, cruel and merciless.
"Hahaha! This… this is a beast?"
"Look at that clown, it doesn't even have a shape!"
"F-rank slime? Nothing more useless in the country!"
Rex sneered, eyes sharp as blades: "This guy can't even earn a coin, doomed to the bottom forever."
Several rich kids joined in, mocking loudly. Li Xing's heart sank, his chest tight as if the world itself had fallen upon him.
He looked down at the soft slime. Its gray body quivered as it lifted its round head and blinked at him, innocent, helpless.
The principal's brow tightened, his fake smile rigid.
"Li Xing… reach out, complete the contract."
The voice was soft, but filled with scorn, suffocating him.
Li Xing took a deep breath.
The laughter continued like a tide, each wave pushing him closer to breaking. He clenched his fist, stretched out his hand, and gently touched the slime's soft body.
A nearly invisible thread connected them.
The contract was established.
Holding the silly, fragile slime, he walked down the stage, step by step, each step heavy with shame and fear, yet he kept his head high.
His expression remained firm. He could not, would not, show weakness in front of these monsters.
He was his family's last backbone, the final hope.
The mockery continued, echoing in the hollow pit of his chest.
"In a way, he's lucky—first the one-in-a-thousand gray vortex, now the one-in-ten-thousand F-rank slime. Ha."