The crowd gathered quietly in the courtyard before the towering Spirit Hall, their eyes fixed on the raised platform where the ceremony would unfold. The village elders, clad in deep blue robes embroidered with silver symbols, stood ready to oversee the awakenings.
Kazuki's gaze flickered to Tang San, who seemed equally calm, though a faint shimmer of excitement surrounded him. Nearby, Old Jack gave Kazuki a reassuring nod.
"Stay focused," he whispered.
"The awakening is only the start. What comes next matters far more."
The elder stepped forward, raising a hand. "Children of the village, today you will discover the path your soul is destined to walk. May your martial souls guide you to greatness."
One by one, the children were called to the platform. When Kazuki's name echoed, his pulse quickened, but his face remained composed. He stepped forward, heart steady, and placed his palm on the ancient stone altar.
A surge of warmth pulsed through him. The System flared softly in his mind:
[Martial Soul awakened.]
[Primary Martial Soul: Eye of the Laws.]
[Secondary Martial Soul: Locked.]
[System synchronization initiated.]
[Genetic enhancement protocols activated.]
Kazuki's vision blurred briefly, then sharpened to a clarity he had never known. Patterns of space and time, threads of gold light weaving through the air, danced before his eyes. Laws, invisible to others, whispered their secrets to him.
The villagers gasped at the radiant glow emanating from Kazuki's eyes—an iridescent shimmer unlike any ordinary martial soul.
Next, Tang San's awakening drew applause—a Blue Silver Grass sprouted delicately, glowing softly with innate soul power.
Kazuki's lips curled into a slight, knowing smile. The world had no idea what was truly coming.
As the ceremony concluded, Kazuki's thoughts turned inward. The secondary martial soul still slumbered, waiting for mastery of the first.
The real test begins after the awakening.
The morning mist still clung to the stone walls of Notting Junior Soul Master Academy as Kazuki, accompanied by Old Jack and Tang San, approached the entrance. The air was thick with quiet anticipation, but Kazuki's expression remained calm, unreadable. The system hummed quietly in the recesses of his mind, monitoring his soul power, gently refining his genetic structure and enhancing cultivation pathways with each breath he took.
Old Jack stepped forward, presenting their certificates to the academy guards. One of them glanced over Tang San's soul information and nodded as soon as the faint Blue Silver Grass flickered into view. But when he turned to Kazuki—who had no visible martial soul—his expression soured.
"Both of you have full innate soul power?" the guard asked, voice tinted with doubt.
Tang San nodded without hesitation.
Old Jack offered a placating smile. "Yes. These two are quite rare cases."
The guard stared harder at Kazuki, eyes narrowing. "And what's this one hiding? No martial soul shown, yet claiming full innate power? Sounds suspicious."
Kazuki stepped forward, unflinching. "There is no deception. My martial soul does not manifest visibly under normal conditions. You may verify my record with Spirit Hall."
The guard's brow furrowed, clearly unconvinced, and reached toward his waist as if to request someone of higher authority. But a quiet voice interrupted.
"That won't be necessary."
A man in modest, scholarly robes approached, his presence subdued but firm—Yu Xiaogang, the so-called 'Master.' His eyes swept over the trio, pausing briefly on Tang San with what could almost be mistaken for warmth. Then he turned to Kazuki.
"And you are?"
"Kazuki."
Yu Xiaogang studied him with narrowed eyes. "You carry full innate soul power, yet refuse to show your martial soul? Odd. Hiding something? Or perhaps ashamed of what it is?"
Kazuki gave a shallow bow, his tone polite but distant. "My cultivation is my own. I require no master."
Yu Xiaogang's lips curled into something between a smirk and a sneer, but he said nothing. Instead, he turned fully toward Tang San.
"You have talent," he said. "I can guide you."
Tang San bowed respectfully, grateful. Kazuki simply watched—observant, patient, detached.
So this is the famed Master. A man who crafts theories to explain borrowed knowledge, preaching humility while drowning in ego. Unworthy of my time.
The academy accepted them both. Dorm Seven was small, aged, and occupied mostly by new students—each one measuring the others with open curiosity or silent disdain.
It was here Kazuki met her.
She entered with the grace of a dancer, steps light and filled with confidence. Her long hair shimmered under the lantern light, eyes bright and playful. There was a charm to her that disarmed others instantly.
"I'm the dorm leader here," she announced proudly. "I'll be keeping that title, unless someone wants to challenge me for it."
Kazuki studied her carefully.
So this is her… Xiao Wu.
She spoke with laughter in her voice and warmth in her heart—yet beneath it, Kazuki sensed something... off. A concealed aura. The faint resonance of a soul beast—cloaked in human skin, masked by innocence.
But what disturbed Kazuki wasn't her nature.
It was her denial of it.
She acted human, embraced their world, their praise. Her voice was lighthearted, not malicious—yet that very naivety grated against everything Kazuki respected about true soul beasts. She had traded her identity for a school uniform and camaraderie.
"Do you want to challenge me?" Xiao Wu asked, arms crossed playfully.
Kazuki shook his head. "No. That would be a waste of time."
She blinked, surprised. "Aren't you curious who's strongest?"
"Strength isn't proven by fighting someone weaker," he replied simply.
Xiao Wu pouted slightly but gave a sheepish smile, brushing off the moment like it was nothing. She truly didn't see herself as anything other than a cheerful girl with a fighting spirit.
You abandoned your clan for warmth they will never return. You laugh among humans while spirit beasts perish in silence… And you don't even realize it.
He said nothing more.
That night, as the dorm quieted, Kazuki lay awake beneath the worn sheets. The system pulsed faintly in the back of his mind.
[Soul Power Regulation: Stabilizing]
[Genetic Optimization: 12% Complete]
[Martial Soul Synchronization: Partial – Locked Until Rank 20]
[Progression Curve: Customized]
He exhaled slowly.
The growth was balanced. He would not draw attention. Not yet.
Let Tang San enjoy his tutelage under the Master. Let Xiao Wu twirl through her naive ideals. Let them all believe they knew the world.
When the time came, Kazuki would reshape the board they played on—move by move.
And none of them would even realize it… until it was already too late.