On the awakening ceremony grounds of Jianghai High School.
Crowds surged as high school seniors looked anxious, while reporters on the outer perimeter eagerly looked on with anticipation.
After the arrival of the demon beast rifts, humanity lost most of its territory. Today, martial prowess was revered above all else, and anyone who awakened a high-level ability would ascend to greatness in a single leap.
Xie Litang's eyes were somewhat blank. Looking around with a gaze that was innocently dumbfounded, she murmured, "Wait, I was just playing Yasuo and honestly stacking Heartsteel up to twenty thousand stacks against Malphite. God damn it, where the hell did I get sent to?"
Suddenly.
Boom!
A dazzling pillar of light erupted from the awakening stage.
【S-Grade ability, Ice Phoenix Bloodline.】
The teacher presiding over the awakening ceremony shouted in excitement. This was the highest-grade ability awakened at Jianghai High School's ceremony in three years.
Flashbulbs flashed as a cold-looking, proud young woman stepped down from the high stage, surrounded by teachers like a star amidst stars.
Xie Litang felt nothing about it, but her memories told her that this girl was named Xue Qingyue, her roommate. Even worse, the original owner of this body had used Xue Qingyue's photos to scam people online for free meals and drinks.
【Next, Xie Litang.】
The teacher on the high stage spoke with an impatient voice.
Xie Litang shook her head and stepped forward.
Though still completely bewildered, she decided to get whatever this ceremony was over with first.
On the ceremony stage stood a meticulously polished stone tablet, inscribed with incomprehensible energy circuits. Xie Litang gently placed her hand on it.
A numbing sensation vibrated from her fingertips, and the stone tablet merely hummed softly twice.
Soon enough.
The screen above displayed the result.
【E-Grade ability, Teammate Sacrifice. Effect: For each sacrificed teammate, gain +100% to all attributes for 10 minutes.】
Xie Litang's heart skipped a beat. The instant she saw the ability's effect, she knew she was destined to be a solo player for the rest of her life.
The entire venue instantly fell silent.
Then, a burst of roaring laughter erupted.
【Teammate Sacrifice? That's a potential criminal right there. I suggest locking her up immediately.】
【Treasure your life and stay far away from Xie Litang.】
【The main thing is that this ability is way too trash. Who would dare team up with her?】
【Too bad she's actually pretty good-looking. Even if I got a date with her now, I'd be scared she'd stab me.】
【You'd actually dare date her? Xie Litang's reputation behind closed doors is awful. Watch out, she might be a bio-hazard.】
【I have no idea how someone like her shares a dorm with Xue Qingyue. How could a phoenix roost with a wild chicken?】
Xie Litang completely turned a deaf ear to them. After all, people naturally loved to flatter the high and trample the low.
If she had also awakened an S-Grade ability, these people's tune would probably shift to calling her and Xue Qingyue the twin blooms of Jianghai High School.
As she stepped down from the awakening ceremony stage, a hand blocked her path.
The memories flowing through her mind told her that this was one of her roommates, Li Ruoxi.
Xie Litang frowned slightly and said, "Something wrong?"
Li Ruoxi snorted coldly, her tone filled with disgust. "By our unanimous decision, you are no longer qualified to live in Dorm 703. If you know what's good for you, move out immediately."
The other roommate, Su Xiao, also walked over, her face full of vigilance. "That's right. Who wants to share a dorm with a potential murderer? Who knows if you'll sacrifice us to the skies one day?"
"And don't think we don't know the bad things you've done."
"Using Qingyue's photos for online dating scams to defraud money—is that true or not?"
As soon as those words fell, an uproar instantly erupted from the crowd.
Especially since Xue Qingyue was the school beauty of Jianghai High School, this immediately incited public fury.
The reporters' camera shutters clicked incessantly. In truth, they could have brought it up at any time, but exposing it right now undoubtedly maximized the humiliation.
Xie Litang was still dazed, but even though it was the original owner's mess, she had to shoulder the blame.
Xie Litang took a deep breath and shouted loudly, "Everyone, quiet down!"
The surroundings instantly fell quiet for a moment.
Xie Litang looked at the two roommates who had spoken.
"Using Qingyue's photos for online dating scams—that was indeed my fault. I admit it."
"I, Xie Litang, also promise right here that I will take responsibility for my actions."
Pausing for a moment, Xie Litang walked up to Xue Qingyue, bowed slightly in apology, and said, "I apologize to you here for everything I did before."
This was indeed wrong. Although Xie Litang loved playing Yasuo and stacking Heartsteel, her moral compass wasn't warped.
If she was wrong, she owned up to it.
Soon, she turned her gaze back to the other two roommates.
Xie Litang's eyes grew cold as she said in a chilly voice, "It's true that I awakened Teammate Sacrifice, but what right do you have to call me a potential murderer?"
Li Ruoxi immediately scoffed indignantly, speaking domineeringly, "A trash-ability awakener like you, and you're putting on airs?"
Su Xiao frowned and said with a tone of disgust, "If we say you're a potential murderer, just accept it."
The reporters' camera shutters flashed wildly once more.
Barring any surprises, tomorrow... no, probably in just a few hours, Xie Litang's reputation would be completely dragged through the mud.
Before she could defend herself further, the leaders of Jianghai High School rushed over.
One of them pushed Xie Litang aside, making her stumble and fall onto the ground. The principal spoke with an impatient expression, "What a disgrace! Get out of here right now."
"Look at what you are."
"Xue Qingyue is S-Grade, Su Xiao is A-Grade, and Li Ruoxi has at least B-Grade Elemental Affinity."
"I have no idea how a dorm of phoenixes produced a wild chicken like you."
Afterwards, he offered explanations to the reporters, declaring that the school would handle the matter strictly.
Xie Litang had nothing to say. She stood up and walked away.
As she passed by Xue Qingyue, a cool, indifferent voice came over: "We were never from the same world to begin with. Be a decent person from now on."
Xie Litang remained silent.
In less than half a day, right after the awakening ceremony ended, the school issued its punishment for Xie Litang: expulsion.
Xie Litang went to her dorm room and packed up her things.
While she was still on school grounds, several peacekeepers located her and took her away in front of all the teachers and students.
Xie Litang knitted her brows and muttered, "Seriously, what a hellish start."
"Where's my system daddy? Save me!"
【Ding~】
【Detected 'Teammate Sacrifice' trait, meeting system binding conditions.】
【Would you like to bind the Wind-Style Swordmaster System?】
The corner of Xie Litang's mouth twitched slightly as she whispered, "I knew it. System daddy might be late, but it never fails to show up. It's even my favorite Feeder Yasuo... cough, cough, I mean, the Way of the Wind-Style Sword."
"Bind."
【System binding successfully completed.】
【Host has acquired Wind-Style Swordsmanship.】
【Detected host's current predicament. Would you like to enable the system loan feature? You may borrow any single piece of equipment from the shop.】
【Note: This system's interest rate is 'lend nine, return thirteen.'】
【Until the loan is repaid, the system will prevent unlocking the next feature.】
"'Lend nine, return thirteen'?"
"System, screw your mom!"
【Will you borrow or not?】
"I'll borrow. Of course I'm borrowing!"
Anyone who had played the Wind-Style Swordmaster Yasuo knew.
The first item was definitely rushing Heartsteel.
Rate on N.U.
