"Don't be nervous, kids. I called you here today not for trouble, but to share good news. The school wants to reward you."
The old principal's face was filled with genuine warmth and pride as he looked across the three students seated before him—Lucas, Alexis Lane, and Noah Chen.
"According to academy regulations," the old man continued, "students who awaken S-Level Talent or higher receive financial support. It's meant to help you jumpstart your professional journey and start ahead of the curve."
Lucas raised an eyebrow. A bonus?
He figured it made sense. In a world like this, Talent level determined everything. The stronger your innate ability, the higher your potential—and the more crucial it became for the country to invest early in future elites.
Of course, this wasn't just charity. The Ministry of Education had long been running elite training programs, hoping to foster powerhouses for national defense. It was a quiet arms race—only here, the weapons were students.
The school framed it all nicely. "Incentives," "bonuses," "support."
But Lucas could already see the bigger picture. He was now considered a national asset. And they were making sure he knew it.
Beside him, Noah Chen's expression lit up with unmistakable joy. The shy pharmacist-in-training clearly didn't come from wealth. The way his thin fingers trembled slightly gave him away.
By contrast, Alexis Lane sat poised and unmoved, her arms crossed with practiced elegance. Her eyes remained neutral, as though she couldn't care less about any reward the school might offer.
Lucas wasn't surprised. In the fragments of memory he now possessed, Alexis was a girl born into money and prestige. To someone like her, 200,000 credits was pocket change.
But he was glad Noah looked happy. The guy deserved it.
---
"The reward isn't huge, but it's solid—200,000 credits per person," the principal said cheerfully. "Just provide your professional account ID. The finance office will transfer the amount by this evening."
Lucas nodded politely, silently noting that free money was still good money.
Noah looked like he'd just won the lottery. His eyes widened, and a subtle grin spread across his face. The way he held himself up straighter made Lucas smile. The bonus would clearly make a difference in Noah's early development as a life-class professional.
Alexis? She barely blinked.
The principal, perceptive as always, noticed the contrast in reactions—but chose not to comment. He smiled, then continued.
"In addition to the financial reward, the school is also providing you with a complete set of novice equipment—of rare grade and purple quality."
He turned to Noah and added, "Of course, for non-combat professions, we've prepared a starter package of premium alchemical ingredients instead. It's tailored to help develop your specialization quickly."
Noah nodded enthusiastically. "Thank you, sir!"
---
At the mention of purple gear, Lucas's eyes sharpened.
In this world, equipment quality followed a color-coded system, from low to legendary:
White – Basic
Green – Common
Blue – Fine
Purple – Rare
Gold – Epic
Orange – Legendary
Red – Divine
Even among the same color, items varied from one to five stars, each star increasing overall power and stat value.
Purple gear wasn't easy to come by, especially not for Level 1 characters. This kind of bonus wasn't just a boost—it was practically a head start in a marathon.
Lucas was about to ask how many stars when the principal anticipated his curiosity.
"Don't worry. These items are all three-star minimum. Fully compatible at Level 1 and optimized to serve you up to Level 20."
That made Lucas's jaw tighten—impressed.
These weren't random loot drops from beginner dungeons. This was custom-crafted gear, likely made by high-level life-class professionals. You couldn't buy them off the market unless you had deep contacts or deeper pockets.
Even Alexis glanced up at that, her previously indifferent posture shifting ever so slightly. Some items couldn't be bought—not even with money.
---
The principal opened a system window and, one by one, used the job transfer trading function to send each student their starter bundle.
Lucas opened his inventory.
Inside was a full six-piece assassin's gear set:
Headpiece: Silent Hood
Armor: Whispercoat
Gloves: Grip of the Phantom
Pants: Shadowthread Leggings
Boots: Silent Tread
Weapon: Dagger – Night Fang
All purple. All three-star. All beautifully optimized for speed, critical chance, and mobility.
Lucas grinned. Compared to average Level 1 white gear, this was god-tier for starters. He calculated that it would even outperform many Level 15 white sets in early-game dungeons.
"Nice," he muttered under his breath.
---
"Now then," the principal said, his tone turning serious, "there's one last thing to address."
He looked directly at Lucas and Alexis.
> "This year's Kyoto University entrance requirements are expected to be higher than last year."
> "Last year's cutoff was A-Level Talent with Level 15+ combat power. This year, they may raise it."
He paused for effect.
> "You two… have the talent. Now you must build the level to match it."
Alexis sat upright. "Understood, sir."
Lucas gave a relaxed nod. "Crystal clear."
Noah, being a life-class professional, didn't need to go through university-level competition. His path was different—focusing on skill mastery and crafting rather than combat trials and dungeons.
Still, the principal smiled at him warmly. "Noah, I have high hopes for you too. An S-Level pharmacist is very rare. With patience and discipline, you can become the top in your field."
"Thank you," Noah said, bowing slightly.
With that, the meeting ended. The principal stood, pleased.
"You've made the school proud. Dismissed."
---
As the three students stepped out into the corridor, a cold breeze seemed to pass between two of them.
Alexis glanced sideways at Lucas, snorted softly, then turned and walked off.
Her long, graceful legs carried her swiftly down the hall, her ponytail swaying like a metronome of disdain.
Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Still holding a grudge, huh?"
Noah blinked. "Uh… you two have history?"
"Not anymore," Lucas shrugged. "She's just a little salty I said no to her party invite."
Noah gave a half-chuckle, half-gasp. "You… turned her down?"
Lucas winked. "Timing's everything."
The two laughed, and for the first time, a genuine bond started forming between them. Lucas could tell that Noah was good people—humble, smart, and grounded.
They walked down the hallway together and eventually parted ways at the school gate, exchanging numbers and good lucks.
---
Waiting near the gate was a familiar figure.
Mason stood there with a snack in his mouth and a bag of fried buns in one hand. "Hey!" he called out, chewing.
"You've been here the whole time?" Lucas asked, raising a brow.
"Yeah. Figured you'd come out eventually." Mason grinned, crumbs still stuck to his lips. "I got hungry, though. So I raided the canteen while I waited."
Lucas laughed. "You're unbelievable."
"So… what'd they give you? Spill it."
Lucas opened his inventory window. "Check this out."
Mason whistled as Lucas displayed the gear stats.
"Damn! Purple three-star right from Level 1? Bro, we're gonna fly through the wild zones tomorrow!"
Lucas smiled. "Told you I'd carry you."
Mason looked touched—then narrowed his eyes.
"…As long as you don't start charging me rent for being carried."
---
The two friends laughed together under the golden sun, their footsteps echoing down the school pavement.
Tomorrow, monster hunts and dungeons awaited.
But today?
Today was for being teenagers, cracking jokes, and walking home under a sky that, for once, felt like it belonged to them.
___________________________________
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