2: Puppet Master

The sun shone brightly. Thousands of students on the sports field wore complex expressions, some nervous, others excited.

But without exception, everyone's eyes were fixed on the stage ahead.

Principal of Yunhai High School Zhang Zhenghong had been waiting for a long time. Seeing that all the students participating in the Awakening Ceremony had arrived, he cleared his throat.

A thousand years ago, the Demon Race invaded, and Fierce Beasts watched covetously. How many Blue Star nations were destroyed by the Demon and Monster Races? Only Huaxia stands tall!

Principal of Yunhai High School Zhang Zhenghong's voice was loud and powerful. In an instant, a strong wind swept across the field, further highlighting his imposing aura.

Today is the Day of Awakening. The Class you awaken will determine the fate of the rest of your lives. Those who awaken combat or support Classes should not be complacent; the burden you carry is heavy, as you are the main force against the Demon and Monster Races in the future!

Students who awaken Lifestyle Classes should not be discouraged; you are equally important. Logistics are crucial to winning this war concerning the fate of our race!" Principal of Yunhai High School Zhang Zhenghong scanned the audience and spoke the eight words he says every Day of Awakening.

Humanity must win! Huaxia must win!

After these eight words were spoken, the students on the field were stirred up and raised their right arms.

Humanity must win! Huaxia must win!

Humanity must win! Huaxia must win!

The shouts were deafening, the momentum overwhelming!

Seeing that the atmosphere had been successfully built up, Principal of Yunhai High School Zhang Zhenghong uncovered the black cloth in the center of the stage, revealing a stone emitting purple light right before everyone's eyes!

This was the awakening stone, the only means to awaken a Class!

I announce that the Awakening Ceremony officially begins! Student Zhu Yiqun from Class (5), please come to the stage to awaken!" Principal of Yunhai High School Zhang Zhenghong looked at the first person on the list.

Countless eyes converged on Zhu Yiqun. Lu Yuan felt curious and wanted to see the specific procedure for awakening a Class.

Don't be nervous. Place your hand on the indented palm print of the awakening stone." Principal of Yunhai High School Zhang Zhenghong patiently instructed.

Soon, the awakening stone emitted a faint light, and a basketball appeared above Zhu Yiqun's head.

Lifestyle Class, C-Rank Talent." Principal of Yunhai High School Zhang Zhenghong felt the start was unfavorable, as the very first student awakened a Lifestyle Class.

Talents are divided into SSS, SS, S, A, B, C, D, and E Ranks.

SSS-Rank is the highest, and E-Rank is the lowest.

The Class determines the lower limit, while the Talent determines the upper limit. Practitioners with high Talent cultivate faster; this is the most fundamental difference.

Principal, what use is this basketball of mine?

Zhu Yiqun wore a long face.

You are naturally better at basketball than others. Work hard and see if you can join the city basketball team." Principal of Yunhai High School Zhang Zhenghong said, looking at the second person on the list.

Student Shi Zhenxiang from Class (5), please come to the stage to awaken!

...As students awakened successfully one after another, Principal of Yunhai High School Zhang Zhenghong frowned deeply. Over thirty students had awakened only Support and Lifestyle Classes, and not a single Combat Class!

Fortunately, a student named Mei Liangxin awakened an Earth Attribute Combat Class. Even though it was only C-Rank Talent, it was considered a good start.

Time passed bit by bit, and Principal of Yunhai High School Zhang Zhenghong opened the second list.

Next up is Class (6)!

Lu Yuan perked up; Class (6) was his own class!

Fire Attribute Combat Class, A-Rank Talent!

Seeing the awakening stone emit a strong red light, Principal of Yunhai High School Zhang Zhenghong scrutinized the student named Qin Shousheng before him.

When the words "A-Rank Talent" appeared, the students on the field let out gasps of surprise.

Among the students who had awakened so far this afternoon, Qin Shousheng was the first person to awaken an A-Rank Talent Combat Class!

Not bad, not bad. Fire governs destruction, and its Spirit Skill power is among the best in Combat Classes. I hope you can bring honor to the school and achieve excellent results in the Martial Examination." Principal of Yunhai High School Zhang Zhenghong placed high hopes on Qin Shousheng.

A-Rank Talent is already one in a hundred. This year, there were only three people in the entire Tianhua City who awakened a Combat Class with A-Rank Talent or higher.

One of them came from their own high school, named Lin Shuying, who awakened the Space Attribute with S-Rank Talent.

Principal, don't worry, I definitely won't let you down," Qin Shousheng said with a wide smile.

He hadn't felt much pressure about awakening a Class, as he was a second-generation rich kid, but he hadn't expected his Talent to be so high.

Very good. Work hard on your cultivation in the days leading up to the Martial Examination. If you don't understand anything, you can call and ask me," the Homeroom Teacher said to Qin Shousheng as he stepped off the stage.

Qin Shousheng was likely the student in the entire Class (6) who had awakened the best Class and the highest Talent.

Next up, Lu Yuan!" Principal of Yunhai High School Zhang Zhenghong said solemnly.

Learning that Lu Yuan was next to awaken, Qin Shousheng's smile widened.

I'd like to see what kind of Class you can awaken. Most likely, it'll be some useless Lifestyle Class trash." Qin Shousheng looked at Lu Yuan with an expression that was three parts mockery, two parts sneer, and one part disdain.

Brain-dead.

Lu Yuan couldn't be bothered to pay attention to that guy and walked onto the stage.

More and more people appeared outside the sports field to watch the excitement. Some were students who had awakened in the morning, and others were students' parents.

Among the onlookers, one woman attracted a lot of attention.

She was tall, and her long legs were particularly eye-catching. She was 175cm tall, and even the loose, bulky school uniform couldn't hide her attractive figure.

The reason she drew frequent glances from those around her was not only her extremely high attractiveness but, more importantly, because she was the only S-Rank Talent Combat Practitioner at Yunhai High School!

Lu Yuan...

Lin Shuying looked at Lu Yuan as he walked onto the stage, her expression completely unchanged.

She had already decided to break up with Lu Yuan. She couldn't even be bothered to say it face-to-face, having only sent him a two-word text message: "Break up."

You are no longer qualified to be with me." Lin Shuying shook her head.

Just now, she had received special recruitment invitations from several first-class universities in Huaxia. This was the privilege brought by S-Rank Talent plus a Hidden Attribute!

In contrast, Lu Yuan could never catch up to her pace!

Just as Lin Shuying was lost in thought, she suddenly looked up at the sky.

It was at this exact moment that Lu Yuan placed his right hand on the indented palm print of the awakening stone!

The sky turned dark... "What's going on? Am I dreaming? Why did the sky turn black?"

Holy crap, holy crap! What's that creaking sound? It sounds terrifying!

The sports field descended into chaos. The pitch-black night plunged the students into panic.

The darkness not only stripped them of their sight but also their senses!

Fortunately, the darkness quickly vanished, replaced by a dark red Blood Moon hanging in the sky, illuminating the panicked faces of the students, and simultaneously lighting up the thousands of Humanoid Guie above Lu Yuan's head!

Click, click—

Thousands of exquisitely carved Humanoid Guie, whose joints were strung with rotting, scarlet threads, stared indifferently at every student on the field.

They danced gracefully as the Blood Moon shimmered, their movements extremely elegant, seemingly celebrating something.

This scene was simply too bizarre. Lu Yuan, standing in front of the puppets, had scarlet pupils, as if a single command from him would cause the puppets to slaughter everyone present without hesitation!

Principal of Yunhai High School Zhang Zhenghong, who had witnessed the entire process, twitched his mouth and couldn't help but exclaim when he saw the dazzling red light coming from the awakening stone.

SSS-Rank Talent!

Light tore through the darkness, and sunlight returned to the land.

The words "SSS-Rank Talent" echoed across the field like thunder. Looking at Lu Yuan standing on the stage, all the Teachers and students on the field were stunned.

Did I hear that right? The Principal said Lu Yuan has SSS-Rank Talent?!

That kind of Talent really exists? I always thought it was just a legend! Since our Tianlu Academy was founded, there hasn't been a Practitioner with Talent exceeding S-Rank, right?

It looks like it's a Combat Class too! Holy crap, an SSS-Rank Combat Class! Isn't Lu Yuan invincible now?

Huh?

Qin Shousheng's eyes widened, and he momentarily froze in place, losing the ability to speak.

He hadn't expected Lu Yuan to actually awaken such terrifying Talent!

Qin Shousheng realized he had celebrated too soon and regretted what he had done to Lu Yuan in the classroom.

Outside the sports field, the bizarre scene from just now was still echoing in Lin Shuying's mind.

Hearing the Principal's words, she took out her phone from her pocket. The two words "Break up" she had sent to Lu Yuan were particularly glaring.

It was already too late to recall the message.

Swish, swish, swish—

The Homeroom Teacher, Teacher, the Director of Academic Affairs, and several other school leaders surrounded Lu Yuan.

Principal, what Class did Lu Yuan awaken?" Teacher excitedly asked. Qin Shousheng had already surprised him enough, and now came Lu Yuan, who was even more explosive!

The gap between A-Rank Talent and SSS-Rank Talent was immense. As long as enough demon crystals or demon cores were provided, Lu Yuan's cultivation would immediately surpass 99% of newly awakened Practitioners in Huaxia!

What puzzled Teacher was that he couldn't sense any obvious Class characteristics from Lu Yuan.

Principal of Yunhai High School Zhang Zhenghong, who was over fifty and had graying hair, frowned tightly. Thinking back to the bizarre puppets above Lu Yuan's head, his tone was uncertain.

Puppet Master?

Is Puppet Master one of the Three Main Class Categories?" Teacher wondered.

Lu Yuan looked at the Principal of Yunhai High School; he hadn't heard of this Class either.

Puppet Master belongs to the Special Class category, not among the Three Main Class Categories. This Class is extremely rare—so rare that according to records, only two people have ever awakened it." Principal of Yunhai High School Zhang Zhenghong said seriously.

That awesome?

Lu Yuan's heart rate sped up.

SSS-Rank Talent plus a Special Class—this was definitely the start of a Child of Destiny!

Soon, Principal of Yunhai High School Zhang Zhenghong poured a bucket of cold water on him.

Precisely because only two people have awakened it so far, throughout Huaxia, and indeed all Blue Star nations, there are no corresponding Spirit Skills for you to cultivate." Principal of Yunhai High School Zhang Zhenghong stroked the awakening stone, which continued to emit a crimson glow.

The two people he mentioned who awakened the Puppet Master Class were one named Qiu Xingyao, with A-Rank Talent, and the other named Shen Jun, with B-Rank Talent.

Qiu Xingyao gave up becoming a Practitioner, lived as an ordinary person, and passed away at eighty-eight. Shen Jun accidentally exploded and died while attempting to create his own Puppet Master Spirit Skill!

Creating a Spirit Skill is not that simple. All Combat Class Spirit Skills are researched and passed down by ancestors who went through countless bloody, even fatal, lessons.

But Lu Yuan has SSS-Rank Talent!" Teacher couldn't help but exclaim. Such Talent was extremely rare even among all the Practitioners awakened in Huaxia this year!

Was he supposed to give up such great Talent and become an ordinary person, like Qiu Xingyao?

Principal of Yunhai High School Zhang Zhenghong remained silent, his helpless gaze proving everything.

Click, click—

Lu Yuan circulated his Spiritual Energy, and a String Puppet appeared in his palm. Following the movements of his fingertips, the Guie nimbly struck various poses in the air.

However, apart from this, it had no other function.

Seriously, man, are you kidding me? Awakening the top SSS-Rank Talent, only to end up with a Special Class that has no inherited Spirit Skills?

Lu Yuan was speechless.

If so, what was the point of transmigrating? He might as well go back to being a corporate drone and slack off.

Is the Principal saying that unless Lu Yuan risks his life to create his own Puppet Master Spirit Skill, otherwise his Class is essentially useless?

Qin Shousheng, who had been listening by the edge of the stage for a long time, asked.

Principal of Yunhai High School Zhang Zhenghong nodded.

Pfft—

Then what the hell is this Class good for? Isn't it just a useless ornamental vase?" Qin Shousheng laughed out loud. He thought Lu Yuan's awakened Class was going to be something amazing.

Puppet Master?

These three words quickly spread across the sports field, and the students who learned about Lu Yuan's awakened Class had strange expressions.

They had no grudge against Lu Yuan, so they didn't openly mock him, but some felt pity, and others found it amusing.

Lin Shuying silently took out her phone, thought for a moment, blocked Lu Yuan's phone number, and turned to leave.

Principal of Yunhai High School Zhang Zhenghong wanted to say something, but then sighed and waved his hand.

What a shame. It would have been better if he had just awakened a Combat Class with any of the Five Elements attributes.

A gentle breeze swept past as Lu Yuan, having experienced great joy and sorrow, walked off the stage.

Click, click—

His fingers controlled the String Puppet, making it perform consecutive backflips, Iron Mountain Leans, and other high-difficulty poses, but it was otherwise useless.

Am I supposed to make a living performing puppet shows from now on?" Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow. He couldn't possibly fight Fierce Beasts by performing puppet shows and making the Fierce Beasts laugh themselves to death!

Where was the Cheat System that every Transmigrator is supposed to get? Cheat System, save me!

[Ding! God-Rank Evolution System has been bound!]

[Congratulations to the Host for receiving the Novice Gift Package. Would you like to open it now?]

Hearing the mechanical, cold notification sound in his ear, Lu Yuan was ecstatic.

Open it!

[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for obtaining the SSS-Rank Blood Calamity, Blood Butcher String Puppet!]

[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for obtaining the Nine Great Marionette Corps: Blood Slaughter Legion, Heavens Punishment Legion, Sky-Rending Legion, Ten Thousand Bone Legion, Golden Spear Legion, Star Swallowing Legion, Eternal Drowning Legion, World-Burning Legion, and Heavy Silence Legion!]

Just as Lu Yuan was still processing the rewards from the Novice Gift Package, another notification sounded in his ear.

There's more?!