Aurora City, Astra Federation.
Alex sat quietly in the vast auditorium of North River Genetic Academy, his back was straight, hands resting on his knees. Rows upon rows of students filled the hall, one hundred and eight in total, all wearing the same uniform, yet each carrying wildly different expectations for the day ahead.
Today was Genetic Serum Injection Day.
For the young men and women of this era, this day carried more weight than any examination or graduation ceremony. It was the moment fate revealed itself. Whether one would awaken a talent or remain ordinary would be decided within minutes.
Tomorrow, they would enter the Prime Sanctuaty.
That thought alone was enough to make Alex's heart beat faster.
The Prime sanctuary was not a place of safety despite its name. It was a world where humans hunted monsters, gained evolution points, and carved their future with blood and steel. Strength determined survival. Weakness invited death.
Alex had waited for this moment for far longer than most.
He was not native to this world.
At the age of five, his consciousness had crossed over from another life, bringing memories that never truly faded. He had once believed that such a transmigration would grant him something special. A system. A mysterious guide. A golden finger that would lift him above others.
But none of that happened.
He grew up like everyone else. He studied, trained, and struggled, all while carrying the silent disappointment that perhaps his reincarnation meant nothing at all.
This day was his last hope.
The Earth of this world was still Earth, but it stood a thousand years ahead of his memories. The year was 3025. Humanity had broken through technological limits long ago. Space travel was trivial. Wormhole engines allowed ships to bend space itself, making journeys to Mars or the Moon little more than a commute.
Greed, however, had pushed humanity too far.
When scientists attempted to expand the wormhole network beyond the solar system, something went terribly wrong. Instead of reaching distant stars, the wormhole connected to something entirely different.
It was not a planet.
It was not a galaxy.
It was a different plane of existence.
When humans entered that world, all their technology failed. Energy weapons went silent. Firearms became useless. Only cold weapons, guided by human strength and will, retained any effect.
That world was inhabited by monsters.
Terrifying creatures that could kill hundreds of humans with a single move. If even one of those beings entered Earth, it could flatten an entire city, perhaps even the planet itself.
Fortunately, the wormhole was one way.
The monsters could not cross over.
Humanity might have collapsed under despair, but opportunity was discovered in blood. When someone killed a weak creature and consumed its flesh, they gained something extraordinary.
Evolution points.
From that moment on, warriors began to emerge. Humans capable of crushing stone with their fists. Catching bullets in midair. Splitting mountains apart with a single strike.
This was the beginning of gene warriors.
Later, scientists discovered that some humans possessed dormant extraordinary genes. If awakened, these genes manifested as talents. These talents were powerful, diverse, and often decisive inside the Sanctuary.
Alex understood all of this well.
Talents did not determine everything, but they made survival easier. Those without talents could still grow stronger, but they would never truly match those who possessed them.
And Alex wanted one.
The headmaster stepped onto the stage, and the murmurs inside the auditorium slowly faded. He was an older man, his posture straight, his gaze sharp despite his age.
"The nurses will come to your seats," he said into the microphone. "Remain calm. There is no need to move."
Fifteen nurses entered from the side doors, each carrying a metallic case containing the gene serum. The room grew tense as they began moving down the rows.
One by one, students received the injection.
Most showed no reaction at all.
Some students clenched their fists in anticipation, only to relax moments later in silent despair. Others stared blankly, tears forming despite their efforts to hold them back.
Alex watched quietly, his chest tightened too.
Then, two rows ahead of him, a girl screamed.
Her body convulsed violently, her face twisting in agony. Her eyes rolled back as she lost consciousness, collapsing against her seat.
Instead of panic, smiles appeared on the teachers' faces.
"Take her to the infirmary," the headmaster said gently.
Jealousy rippled through the students. Fear mixed with envy.
Not long after, another student reacted the same way.
By the time the nurses reached the back rows, nine awakenings had occurred.
Alex was seated near the very end.
The nurse stopped beside him and smiled faintly. "Relax your arm. It will be over quickly."
"Thanks," Alex replied.
The needle pierced his skin.
A sharp pain flared for an instant, then vanished.
Nothing else happened.
Alex's heart sank.
The nurse sighed softly and moved on.
That was it.
No reaction. No awakening. No miracle.
When the final injection was complete, the headmaster spoke once more.
"Those who did not awaken should not despair. You can still become gene warriors. Hard work matters. If your families have the means, beast artifacts can provide assistance in the Prime Sanctuary.
If not, try to practice your martial arts more. It will be your means to survive there. You can leave now."
Alex stood up slowly.
His dreams felt heavy in his chest. His family was poor. Beast artifacts were a luxury far beyond their reach. Without talent, his future would be a slow grind of survival and struggle.
Then something strange happened.
At the corner of his vision, faint numbers appeared.
[1%]
Alex froze.
The number climbed steadily.
[10%]
[30%]
[60%]
[90%]
His breathing quickened.
[100%]
A translucent panel unfolded before his eyes, invisible to everyone else.
[Name: Alex Celestus]
[Realm: Ordinary Human]
[Strength: 20 kg]
[Speed: 2 m/s]
[Defense: 20 kg]
[Talent: Merge (Ultimate)]
[Energy: 5]
Alex stared.
He checked it again, slower this time.
Talent.
Not only that, but Ultimate. But that was not all. This status panel only awakened once they entered the santuary, not like this.
His heartbeat thundered in his ears.
He focused on the talent description.
[Merge: You can merge 10 similar things to evolve it to the next level. Energy points are required accordingly.]
The description was plain. Almost boring.
Yet Alex felt a chill crawl up his spine.
Ten ordinary things to create something superior.
That was not enhancement. That was defiance.
The laws of this world demanded struggle, rarity, and luck. This talent ignored all three. It turned quantity into quality. It turned the mundane into the extraordinary.
It was something that should not exist.
A taboo against the natural order.
Alex's lips curved upward as quiet laughter bubbled in his chest. "So that's how it is…"
If the cosmos allowed him to hold something forbidden, then he would use it without hesitation.
He walked out of the auditorium calmly, blending into the crowd of students. To everyone else, he was still unawakened, still ordinary.
But inside him, something had changed.
Ordinary was no longer a limitation.
It was raw material.
"Hahaha," Alex muttered softly, eyes burning with anticipation. "I will see what you can really do tomorrow."
The Prime Sanctuary awaited.