I can receive unlimited protection; my parents handed me over to the state.

The night was as dark as ink, but it was torn to shreds by the enormous holographic projection in the sky.

Above Jianghai City, two colossal objects are colliding violently in the clouds.

On the left is a "Void Whale" with a size comparable to an aircraft carrier. Its dark purple skin is covered with pus that corrodes reality, and every time it swings its tail, the air vibrates.

On the right was a tiny yet dazzling figure, wielding a battle axe burning with crimson flames, like a shooting star going against the current, smashing hard into the giant whale's head.

"boom--!"

No sound came down, but everyone who looked up at the sky automatically filled in the blanks with the sound of the loud noise.

The giant whale cried out in anguish, its purple blood raining down, only to dissipate in mid-air as a stream of pure data.

"Azure Dragon! Azure Dragon! Azure Dragon!"

In the streets and alleys, countless people were shouting while holding beer bottles and computer terminals, the veins on their necks throbbing like earthworms.

That was the star messenger of China, the "Azure Dragon".

The battle axe in his hand is called "Star Slayer," and it is said to be enchanted with seven layers of "High-level Armor Penetration" and "Flame Nova." With one swing of the axe, it can even cleave space itself.

This is the era of the Star Messengers.

Eighteen years ago, the game "Star Ocean" came into reality, turning Earth into a giant instance.

To survive, to enjoy wealth and glory, and to be admired by thousands, you must enter "Star Sea," slay star beasts, and seize resources.

At this moment, in the classroom of Class 2, Grade 12 at Jianghai No.1 Middle School.

The cheers outside the window crashed against the glass like ocean waves.

The homeroom teacher, Lao Wang, banged his pointer on the podium, spitting as he spoke.

"What are you looking at! That's an S-rank Star Envoy, what does it have to do with you?"

"Those are people risking their lives for the nation's destiny! And you? You're just greenhorns who haven't even begun to awaken!"

Old Wang has a receding hairline, and the few stubborn strands of hair on his head look particularly forlorn under the light.

He pointed to the countdown on the blackboard that read "30 days until the college entrance examination," and looked on with disappointment.

"Tonight is the first time you'll physically log into 'Star Ocean,' a crucial moment that will determine whether you eat meat or shit for the rest of your lives!"

Lu Yuan sat in the second-to-last row by the window, in the "main character seat," twirling a carbon pen in his hand.

The pen tip danced between my fingers, leaving afterimages in its wake.

He watched the fading projection outside the window, his eyes devoid of fervor, only displaying an excessively calm calculation.

"The Star-Slaying Axe, with seven layers of protection, forged from the S-grade material 'Crimson Flame Gold,' took three years and six months to complete..."

Lu Yuan silently recited the data in his mind.

As the school's undisputed "theory master," he knew all the data in "Starry Sea" by heart.

He can even pinpoint the growth cycle of a single herb to the second.

"Brother Lu, stop calculating. Even if you keep calculating, the axe won't be yours."

My deskmate Qin Shan leaned over, his fat body squeezing the desk so hard it creaked.

The fat man was clutching a talisman in his hand, sweating profusely with nervousness.

"What do you think I'll awaken? If I awaken as a 'chef,' my dad will break my legs."

Lu Yuan glanced at him and slammed his pen on the table.

"What's wrong with the chef? A meal prepared by a high-level spirit chef can increase all attributes by 30%. Even the Azure Dragon would have to wait in line to eat there."

Qin Shan pursed his lips, clearly not believing it.

"You'd have to survive to a high level to even get there; in the early stages, you're just easy prey."

The atmosphere in the classroom was tense; everyone was shaking their legs, and the air was thick with the smell of hormones and anxiety.

Tonight at midnight, the whole class will log in together.

At that time, it will be clear who is the dragon and who is the worm.

"Quiet!"

Old Wang suddenly raised his voice, holding a metal box that emitted a ghostly blue light.

"Although the official login is at 12 o'clock, the school spent a lot of money to get the 'Guiding Stone', which can now detect your talent inclinations."

"This is crucial for the school's final resource distribution, so everyone stay alert!"

The entire class fell silent instantly.

Guiding Stones are rare items; they can induce the manifestation of one's talents in advance.

"The first one, Gao Yang!"

A tall boy stood up in the front row. He was wearing his school uniform neatly and his hair was combed meticulously.

When he stood up, the sound of the chair legs scraping against the ground seemed particularly jarring.

Gao Yang paused as he passed Lu Yuan.

That look was as if he were looking at a stone on the side of the road.

Contempt, even tinged with pity.

Lu Yuan remained expressionless and continued twirling his pen.

Gao Yang walked up to the podium and placed his palm on the guiding stone.

"Buzz!"

A blue whirlwind appeared out of nowhere, causing Old Wang's few strands of hair to dance wildly.

A slender sword shadow appeared on the guiding stone, surrounded by a swirling storm.

"Rank A Combat Talent: Storm Swordsman!"

Old Wang was so excited that the wrinkles on his face blossomed.

"Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! No wonder you're number one in the practical training!"

A collective gasp rippled through the audience, followed by thunderous applause and envious screams.

With A-level combat talent, as long as he doesn't die, he's a shoo-in for an elite star envoy in the future.

Gao Yang proudly withdrew his hand, enjoying the attention of the entire class, his gaze intentionally or unintentionally drifting towards Lu Yuan.

That look in his eyes seemed to say: What good is a good theory?

"Next up, Shen Meng."

A girl with long, flowing hair stood up.

She is Lu Yuan's rumored girlfriend, or "ambiguous object of affection".

The two often studied together in the library. Although they hadn't officially started dating, they were already considered a couple by outsiders.

Shen Meng walked onto the stage and pressed her palm down.

A soft white light shone, and the phantom of a staff appeared.

"Rank B Support Talent: Holy Light Priest".

"Wow! A healer! And a rare Holy Light type one at that!"

"They're a perfect match for Gao Yang's Storm Swordsman!"

A commotion arose from all sides.

A relieved smile appeared on Shen Meng's face.

She walked off the stage, passing Lu Yuan's seat.

Lu Yuan looked up, about to say "Congratulations".

Shen Meng did not stop walking at all, and did not even glance at him out of the corner of her eye.

She walked straight to the first row.

He sat down in the empty seat next to Gao Yang.

Gao Yang moved over a little, and the two smiled at each other.

Although they didn't say a word, that unspoken understanding was more hurtful than saying "Let's break up" a thousand times.

The commotion in the classroom abruptly stopped.

Dozens of eyes turned to look at Lu Yuan.

There was sympathy, there was schadenfreude, and there was mostly waiting to see the joke.

Lu Yuan's hand hovered in mid-air, and in the end he just scratched his head.

"Wow, this realistic film is going by so fast."

He chuckled self-deprecatingly, the ripples that had just begun to stir in his heart instantly freezing over.

Qin Shan was so angry that his face was trembling, and he slammed his hand on the table.

"Damn it, those dogs..."

"Fatty."

Lu Yuan pressed his hand down and shook his head.

"People strive for higher positions, water flows downhill, that's normal."

"Next up, Lu Yuan!"

Old Wang's voice was a bit complicated.

As a top student who scored full marks in theory courses, Lu Yuan has always been his pride.

But in this world, good theory doesn't necessarily mean good talent.

Lu Yuan stood up, patted the wrinkles on his pants, and strode onto the podium.

He didn't look at Gao Yang and Shen Meng when he passed by.

It was as if the people sitting there weren't two people, but two wisps of air.

Press down with your palm.

The cool sensation spread throughout my body from my palm.

Lu Yuan felt that something deep within his soul had shattered, and something else had reassembled.

"bite."

A crisp sound, like a hammer striking an anvil in a blacksmith's shop.

A murky red light emanated from the guiding stone.

There was no sword energy, no holy light.

All there was was a dark, even slightly rusty... iron hammer.

The entire room fell silent.

Old Wang's expression froze on his face, as if he had swallowed a dead fly.

"Life skills talent... Rank F... Blacksmith."

These words, squeezed out of Lao Wang's mouth, seemed light and airy, yet they struck Lu Yuan's heart like a heavy hammer.

"Pfft."

I don't know who couldn't hold back first.

Immediately afterwards, bursts of laughter erupted like a pot exploding.

"A blacksmith? Hahaha! The theory master has awakened his blacksmithing skills?"

"That's hilarious! Does this mean we can ask Brother Lu to fix our gear if it breaks in the future?"

"Repair my ass! An F-rank blacksmith can only forge pickaxes at best; repairing equipment is an alchemist's job!"

Gao Yang leaned back in his chair, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

He turned his head and said something to Shen Meng beside him.

Shen Meng lowered her head, tidied her hair, and didn't look at the podium once.

This attitude says it all.

In this world overrun by alien beasts, blacksmiths are synonymous with the lowest rung of society.

Even logistics is the lowest-ranking job.

Looking at the hazy image of the hammer, Lu Yuan felt no disappointment as he had imagined.

On the contrary, there was a strange feeling.

Because on his retina, in addition to the hammer icon, there was an extra line of small text that only he could see.

[God-level Forging System Activated]

[Talent Trait: Blessing of All Things (Unique)]

[Note: Any item you forge can be forcibly enchanted and blessed. There is no limit to the number of blessing layers the more resources you have.]

No upper limit?

Lu Yuan's heart clenched suddenly.

It should be noted that the "Star-Slaying Axe" of the Azure Dragon in the sky just now was only protected by seven layers of enhancement, yet it was called a national treasure.

What does "no upper limit" mean?

If I had enough resources, could I enchant a kitchen knife into a nuclear bomb?

Lu Yuan took a deep breath and quickly concealed the shock in his eyes.

He turned around, his face bearing that signature nonchalant expression, and stepped down from the podium.

"Have you laughed enough?"

Qin Shan stood up, glaring fiercely at his surroundings like a bear protecting its cubs.

"What's wrong with the blacksmith? Did the blacksmith eat your rice?"

Gao Yang spoke lazily.

"Qin Shan, don't get so angry. Although Lu is not good at practical combat and his talent is wasted, his theory is good."

"Maybe in the future, Xinghai will write a book about how to use a sword."

"Oh, sorry, I forgot, star beasts don't read books on the battlefield."

Another burst of laughter filled the classroom.

The thrill of trampling a former genius underfoot made this group of people, who were usually intellectually crushed by Lu Yuan, extremely excited.

Lu Yuan pulled Qin Shan down to sit.

"Don't yell, save your energy."

"But Brother Lu..."

"Shut up."

Lu Yuan's voice was soft, but it carried an undeniable chill.

Qin Shan shrank back, not daring to speak.

At that moment, the head of the grade's academic affairs office pushed open the door and came in.

The director was a fat man with a ruddy complexion, holding a list in his hand.

"Ahem, based on the results of the awakening just now, and the comprehensive evaluation over the past three years, the school has decided to issue the final batch of graduation awards."

"This is the seed money that Jianghai No.1 High School is giving you!"

The director cleared his throat.

"Gao Yang! Awakened A-level talent, S-level in actual combat, B-level in theory. Overall rating: S-level!"

"Rewards: One high-quality alloy battle sword, and three basic health potions!"

The whole class erupted in uproar.

Excellent-grade weapon! This is practically a godsend at the start of the game!

As Gao Yang walked up to receive the award, he deliberately brandished his gleaming sword as he passed Lu Yuan.

The wind from the sword ruffled Lu Yuan's bangs.

provocative.

A blatant provocation.

"Shen Meng! Overall rating: A+! Reward: One Basic Mana Regeneration Ring!"

Shen Meng accepted the ring, put it on her hand, and looked radiant.

She finally glanced at Lu Yuan.

His eyes were complex, containing apology, but more so, resolute determination.

It's like looking at a deceased friend.

"Lu Yuan..."

When the director read out the name, he paused, his brows furrowing deeply.

"Theoretical S+, Practical...E, Awakened Talent...F-rank Blacksmith."

The director sighed, seemingly lamenting the waste of school resources.

Overall rating: A.

"Although he lacked natural talent, his theoretical grades were still impressive. The school doesn't tolerate idlers, but it does value relationships."

The director pulled a dark, metallic lump from the bottom of the box.

Reward: One piece of star-patterned steel.

"Since you're a blacksmith, here's a good piece of iron for you. Go back and forge yourself a spatula."

Suppressed laughter rose from the audience.

Some people even whistled.

Star-patterned steel is indeed a good material, even better than the material of Gao Yang's sword.

But the question is, what's the use of giving you the materials?

You're an F-rank blacksmith!

Without blueprints and an advanced furnace, even if you were given a piece of vibranium, all you could use it for was cracking walnuts!

This is humiliation.

A kind of humiliation that elevates you to a high position and then brutally throws you down.

Lu Yuan stood up and walked to the podium amidst the mocking gazes of the entire class.

He took the heavy piece of star-patterned steel.

Cold and rough.

But the moment Lu Yuan's fingers touched the metal, the system panel that only he could see popped up again.

[Rare material detected: star-patterned steel]

[Current material can withstand a maximum of 3 layers of protection]

[Host's current mental strength detected; "Basic Enchantment" can be performed]

Should a rehearsal be conducted?

Lu Yuan's pupils suddenly contracted.

3层！

Is it possible for a piece of raw material, which hasn't even been forged, to withstand three layers of protection?

It's important to know that most of the so-called "superior" weapons on the market only have one layer of enchantment, and you have to be lucky to get it.

Gao Yang's sword, at most, possessed only a layer of "sharpness".

And this piece of "scrap metal" in his hand is at least 3 layers deep!

What if it's forged into shape?

What if we add other ingredients?

Lu Yuan felt as if what he held in his hand was not iron, but a key to a divine throne.

He looked up at the director's face, which was etched with arrogance, and then at the pairs of eyes below the stage waiting to see him make a fool of himself.

Gao Yang was toying with the sword, his eyes filled with a sense of superiority.

Shen Meng was looking down at the ring, as if that ring was her whole world.

Lu Yuan suddenly laughed.

She smiled brightly, revealing a set of white teeth.

"Thanks, Director."

"I really like this piece of iron."

After saying that, he took the piece of star-patterned steel, turned around, and left.

There was no anger, no explanation, and he didn't even glance at the girl who had betrayed him.

"Hey? Lu Yuan, where are you going? School's not over yet!"

Old Wang shouted from behind.

Lu Yuan waved his hand without turning his head.

"go home."

"The furnace in this lousy school is too inferior; it's not worthy of my iron."

The whole class was stunned.

Is this kid crazy?

Treating a piece of scrap iron like a treasure, yet complaining about the school's furnace?

Gao Yang scoffed, "Pretending. True, it's definitely better to go home and cry in bed than to embarrass yourself here."

Shen Meng watched Lu Yuan's resolute retreating figure, and inwardly scoffed.

I initially thought Lu Yuan was capable of awakening great talent, which is why I was with him. But now that things have turned out this way, I definitely need to find a different target.

Lu Yuan, don't blame me. Blame yourself for being so useless. You're not good enough for me, and you can't give me the life I want.

……

Lu Yuan rushed out of the school gate and flagged down a hover taxi.