"Still need to fix these noodle arms, though," Lucas mumbled, grabbing his messenger bag and heading downstairs.


His dad was still asleep, but his mom, Sarah, was already in the kitchen, the smell of breakfast wafting through the house.


Despite pulling an all-nighter of painful magical training, Lucas looked surprisingly fresh. Maybe it was the diet.


"Lucas!" Luna yawned as she shuffled down the stairs. She spotted him at the table and woke up a little. "Hey, that Xenobeast meat you brought home? I think it actually works."


Lucas grinned, flexing a hand. "Yeah. I feel stronger already."


Luna waved her arms around, dialing the drama up to eleven.


"Seriously though, when are you going to teach me how to level up fast?" She leaned in, seemingly struck by a sudden thought, and whispered right into Lucas's ear. "Tonight. Teach me tonight when you get home."


Lucas didn't mind. He had completely mastered the optimized version of The Art of Cultivation. If he taught this upgraded technique to Luna, her training speed would skyrocket. But, he couldn't let her off that easy.


"Man," Lucas sighed heavily, looking at the ceiling. "I've been so busy. I really don't have the time to wash that pile of laundry I generated last night..."


Luna glared at him, grinding her teeth so hard he could practically hear it. "Fine! I'll do your laundry!"


She looked like she wanted to strangle him, but she knew there had to be a secret behind Lucas's sudden power spike. She was dying to know what he was going to teach her. Was it some secret technique that Wolfe had been hoarding?




After breakfast, Lucas headed straight for school. As soon as he hit the front gate, he noticed the atmosphere was weird. Students were pointing, whispering, and staring.


Ding.


[Envy from Jack Keaton: Credits +5]


Ding.


[Surprise from Charlie Spencer: Credits +5]


Ding.


[...Credits +5]


Lucas watched the notifications roll across his internal vision, fighting back a grin. The System was hard at work. The stream of Credits had dried up late last night, but waking up this morning seemed to have triggered a new wave. His balance was back up to around ten thousand.


It looked like a lot, but honestly? It was peanuts.


Ten thousand was barely enough for two spins on the five-thousand-point lottery wheel. And after realizing just how terrifying the Xenobeasts in the Dimensional Rift actually were, Lucas knew he needed way more power. He needed to get stronger, yesterday.


"You actually beat Zack!"


The second he walked into the classroom, a mob of students swarmed him, vibrating with excitement. The video of the fight had gone viral across the entire senior class overnight. Everyone knew who Lucas was now. The fact that he was a nobody with an Origin Point count of 5 just a few weeks ago made the whole thing even more insane.


"Lucas, seriously, how did you do it?" Zoe Miller asked, looking like she was trying to solve a complex math problem. She knew exactly how strong Zack was—he was leagues above Hector Stone. When Lucas beat Hector, she'd been shocked. But beating Zack? That shouldn't be possible.


She'd watched the video. Lucas's form was perfect. His foundation looked rock solid. But he had only started Stance Training recently. Zoe felt like her entire understanding of the world was crumbling.


"It has to be Captain Wolfe's Journal..." one student blurted out before Lucas could answer.


The rumor mill was churning. People knew Lucas had gotten his hands on Wolfe's notes. And since Wolfe was basically the Captain America of Lancaster—the city's strongest Martial Warrior—his word was gospel.


The room went silent. Two dozen pairs of eyes locked onto Lucas. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He felt like a bug under a microscope.


"Guys, come on," Lucas said, throwing his hands up. "If a single notebook was that powerful, wouldn't everyone in the city be a Martial Warrior by now?"


The students blinked, snapping out of their trance. He had a point. Even with a legendary guide, you still had to do the work. A notebook could give you tips, but it couldn't turn you into a tank overnight.


"Wolfe said my Constitution and natural talent are off the charts," Lucas lied with a straight face, sounding incredibly professional. "Plus, I apparently have a High-Absorption Physique. I just learn faster than normal people."


Talent. Physique. The magic words.


The students gasped, their shock quickly morphing into heavy jealousy. Lucas kept his face neutral, acting humble, while internally he was doing a victory dance.


Ka-ching.


[Credits +200]


[Credits +300]


He was making bank just by standing there.


"Lucas. Hallway. Now."


Lucas looked up to see his homeroom teacher, Hannah Lewis, standing at the door, waving him over. The morning reading session died down instantly. Every student watched him leave, dying of curiosity. Why was the teacher calling him out?


"Lucas," Hannah said as she marched him toward the faculty office. "What is your Origin Point count right now?"


"I think... thirty-one?" Lucas said casually.


"Th—Thirty-one?!" Hannah stopped walking, her jaw practically hitting the floor.


She had been proud enough that her class produced a prodigy like Reece Lee. But Lucas? He wasn't just a prodigy. He was a freak of nature. Thirty-one points? That was unheard of.


"Teacher," Lucas asked, though he had a pretty good idea of what was happening. "What are we doing, exactly?


"I've put in an application for you to transfer to The Elite Combat Class," Hannah announced, unable to hide the excitement in her voice. "The instructor over there wants to size you up personally."


She was practically beaming. Thirty-one Origin Points. With nearly a year of high school left, Lucas was on track to smash past thirty-five points easily. His academic scores were solid, too. Getting into the Warrior Academy wasn't just a possibility anymore; it was practically a done deal.


And having a star student like him? well, it certainly didn't hurt her reputation.


Hannah led him down the hall and stopped at an office door. "Mr. Yates? He's here."


A middle-aged man standing inside turned away from the window. As soon as his gaze locked onto Lucas, the air in the room suddenly grew heavy.


It was a test. A pressure tactic.


Lucas reacted on instinct. He didn't flinch. Instead, he immediately flared his own Origin Force, wrapping it around his body like a shield to counteract the invisible weight crushing down on him.


This guy was a real Martial Warrior.


Seeing Lucas instantaneously defend against the pressure of his Origin Aura, the man's stern expression broke into an approving smile.


"Hannah, you can head back," the man said warmly. "I need a moment to chat with Lucas alone."


Hannah nodded, shot Lucas an encouraging look, and bustled away.


"So, you're Lucas. Not bad. Not bad at all." The man looked him up and down, nodding to himself.