Six months have passed in the blink of an eye.
Evan Windback stood before the tall iron gates of the exam venue of broken sword academy in this city, each city of the Federation had a venue assigned for the exam, his gaze fixed on the emblem engraved at the centre—a shattered blade surrounded by runic inscriptions.
Today was the day for the written entrance examination of the academy.
Since the fight six months ago, Evan's life had changed in ways he never expected.
The injuries he suffered that day had healed long ago. In this world, fractures were nothing more than temporary inconveniences. What lingered, however, was the sense of urgency carved into his bones.
He could no longer afford hesitation.
That night in the hospital had marked the beginning of everything. After Austin left, Evan had drifted into an uneasy sleep.
Pain still lingered faintly throughout his body when a strange sensation washed over him. It felt as though something cold and heavy had settled deep inside his chest.
Then—
A voice echoed in his mind.
[Analysing Host…]
[Compatibility confirmed.]
[Initializing Star Aether System.]
Evan jolted awake.
His heart pounded violently as he scanned the empty hospital room.
There was no one around, no sound.
'Was I hallucinating?'
Before he could think further, translucent blue text appeared before his eyes.
[Star Aether System – Activated]
Evan froze.
The text floated clearly in mid-air, unaffected by his blinking or rubbing his eyes.
[This system preliminarily records, analyses, and optimizes all Aether-related knowledge and experiences of the host based on the tier of host]
[Current Status: Dormant – Awaiting Awakening.]
His breath grew shallow.
A system.
A cheat.
The very thing he had read about in countless web novels in his previous life.
Yet unlike the exaggerated cheats of fiction, this one felt… restrained.
No instant power.
No godlike abilities.
Just potential.
[Note: System functions will expand after Awakening.]
That single line kept Evan grounded.
From that day onward, everything changed.
For the next six months, Evan buried himself in study like never before.
The family library became his sanctuary.
With the help of the StarAether System, he discovered something frightening—he was absorbing knowledge far more efficiently than before.
Whenever he read about Aether circulation, elemental theory, or historical case studies, the system would quietly organize the information.
[Knowledge integrated.]
[detected traditional Aether refinement theory.]
[Optimization available after awakening.]
At first, Evan was terrified.
Later, he became obsessed.
He tested it carefully, ensuring no one noticed anything strange. The system never interfered without his intent. It merely observed, recorded, and refined.
Perfect for someone like him.
Someone with no backing.
No resources.
Only time and determination.
By the time the examination announcement arrived, Evan was ready.
Now, standing among thousands of fourteen-year-olds gathered outside the academy, Evan appeared calm—but his palms were slick with sweat.
This exam would decide everything.
The first phase was purely theoretical.
No brute force.
No bloodline advantage.
Exactly the battlefield Evan needed.
Inside the examination hall, silence reigned.
The moment the paper landed on his desk, Evan exhaled slowly.
This is it.
Broken Sword Academy – Entrance Examination
Question 1:
Explain the fundamental difference between passive Aether absorption and guided refinement.
Evan smiled faintly.
His pen moved.
Question 7:
What limits a newly Awakened individual's control over elemental purity?
'Thirty to forty percent', Evan thought.
But not because of talent alone.
He wrote rapidly, expanding on neural adaptation, Aether resistance, and mental load—details most students wouldn't even consider.
[Answer quality: Exceptional.]
The system remained silent otherwise.
It wasn't solving the exam for him.
It didn't need to.
Two hours passed like minutes.
When Evan finally put down his pen, he felt drained—but satisfied.
Outside the hall, murmurs erupted instantly.
Some students looked relieved.
Others devastated.
Austin was waiting near the entrance, arms crossed.
The moment he spotted Evan, he grinned and asked, "So? Did you survive?"
Evan nodded. "I think… I did well."
Austin laughed. "With your brain? I'd be shocked if you didn't."
After their chatter they both started walking towards the exit, with Austin occasionally making some queries on what kind of question came.
After thinking about something Austin suddenly asked, "so when will you be returning the 10000 credits you owe me.?"
Evan instead of answering asked instead, "Can't you think of the bigger picture?"
Austin said Unhappily, "You know that if you fail I will also suffer your failure"
Evan listening this reassured Austin about his attempt and how they will have a bright future ahead. He could not help but think of the path that lays ahead.