Chapter 1: Awakening!
[Leave your brains at the door! It only gets better from here! Let's restore the glory of the Dark Class!]
[Add to Library, comment here to choose your own Ability! Choose your waifu's personality!]
"Elara Vance, S-Rank Ability—Glacial Soul!!"
The excited shout from Principal Higgins of Riverdale High instantly ignited the previously silent queue of students waiting to awaken.
"Holy crap! As expected of Elara, the school goddess. She awakened an S-Rank Ice ability! How is Dorian supposed to fight her in three days?"
"Sigh! Looks like the duel between Elara and Dorian to settle their arranged marriage is already over."
"Not necessarily. What if Dorian also awakens an S-Rank ability?"
"Are you dreaming? S-Rank abilities aren't cabbages you find at the market! The entire North River State has only produced this one in years! If Dorian gets a B-Rank, it'll be a miracle. I just hope he doesn't lose too badly..."
Amidst the noisy adulation, Elara stood on the stage, her expression as cold as ever.
She merely tilted her head, her gaze complicated as it swept over the young man waiting in line below. Then, she gracefully walked off the Awakening Platform.
Principal Higgins wiped the smile from his face, waved his hand for order, and said sternly, "Quiet! The awakening continues!"
"Next, Senior Class 6, Luke!"
Below the stage.
Dorian frowned slightly.
"An S-Rank ability, huh? She's really raising the difficulty level for our duel in three days before it's even started."
He sighed silently. Elara had already soared to the heavens. As a transmigrator, surely he should have some sort of edge, right?
He looked down at the engagement contract with Elara in his hand, his thoughts drifting away.
Dorian was a transmigrator. Three years ago, he had died from staying up too late reading web novels and woke up in this martial world where beasts ran rampant and everyone awakened special abilities.
Everyone could awaken an ability to fight beasts and defend the country!
Three years ago, right after he arrived, he was humiliated by Elara's family, who demanded he hand over the engagement contract and annul the marriage!
For a man, having a woman force an annulment is a mark of shame!
Could a real man just obediently comply?
As the saying goes, even if you don't eat the food, you fight for the breath!
Dorian refused outright and established a Three-Year Pact!
On his 18th birthday—the day of the Awakening—three days from now, they would duel!
If he lost, he would hand over the contract.
If he won, the fate of the marriage would be his to decide!
"Dorian, the wheel of fortune turns. Don't bully the poor while they are young. I believe you can awaken a great ability!"
Behind him, the skinny and small Benny patted Dorian on the shoulder encouragingly.
Dorian turned his head, looking at one of his few true friends and sidekicks, and smiled faintly.
"I hope so. I hope my fate is up to me, not the heavens!"
The next second, a mechanical notification sound rang out.
[Ding! Living Transmigrator detected. The Slaughter System has been bound.]
Dorian paused, then his eyes filled with delight. "System Bro!"
The essential cheat code for transmigrators—web novels didn't lie to me!
Now, his fate was up to the System, not the heavens!
[This System is the Slaughter System. The Host only needs to kill humans or beasts to obtain Slaughter Points for stat distribution!]
[When the Host accumulates a certain amount of Slaughter Points, special rewards will be granted.]
[Congratulations, Host! You have received a Newbie Gift Pack!]
[Reward: Qualification to awaken an S-Rank Darkness Affinity. Reward: Companion Spirit Weapon—S-Rank Death Scythe. Reward: 1000 Slaughter Points.]
The System's voice was like music from heaven in Dorian's ears.
Dorian's eyes brimmed with excitement. He clenched his fist slightly. Now, he had the capital to fight Elara in three days!
An S-Rank ability! There weren't many of those in the entire Federation!
Although he didn't know why the System gave him the Dark element, what did it matter?
Oh please! Playing a Dark/Shadow user is super cool, okay?
Mysterious, cunning, dangerous!
Plus, he had 1000 Slaughter Points and a Spirit Weapon. This was the rhythm of a skyrocketing rise!
Just as he was rejoicing, Principal Higgins' voice on the stage broke his train of thought.
"Next, Class 6, Dorian. Step forward to awaken!"
Dorian took a deep breath, suppressed his surging emotions, and walked straight toward the Awakening Platform.
His steps were light. S-Rank Darkness Ability, here I come!!
"Go get 'em, Dorian! I'd trade two inches of my manhood for you to get an A-Rank or higher!" Benny shouted encouragement from behind.
Dorian glanced back, genuinely touched. "Good brother. I won't forget this!"
As Dorian prepared to awaken, the entire playground buzzed with noise again.
He was the man who had a childhood engagement to the S-Rank goddess, Elara!
This meant Dorian's attention level had always been high, and it was even more so during the Awakening.
Arriving at the platform, the Principal spoke gently, "Dorian, don't be nervous. Just place your hand on the Awakening Stone."
Dorian nodded without hesitation and reached out to touch the stone.
Instantly, a tense atmosphere filled the air.
"I wonder what this kid will awaken. I hope it's at least a B-Rank!" The homeroom teacher muttered earnestly from the side.
He had been Dorian's teacher for three years. Although the kid was a bit mischievous, he had a good heart.
If he awakened a low-level ability and got crushed by Elara, his mental state might collapse, ruining his life!
"Let's see what his destiny holds!" The Principal agreed.
Just as the two were exchanging words, a dangerous aura washed over them.
Class 6's teacher watched the Awakening Stone, which was emitting a dark glow, and shouted excitedly, "This? This dark light must be a Dark Affinity, and the level isn't low!"
"More than that! This is definitely A-Rank or higher. Just the aura makes my heart tremble!" Principal Higgins' face was flushed with ecstatic joy.
God bless Riverdale High!
First an S-Rank Elara, and now could it be... a genius Dorian too??
Didn't that mean next year's funding would triple? He could skim a little off the top...
No, no, he could distribute more cultivation resources to the children!
At that moment, Dorian's eyes snapped open. Black shadows surged like a tide in the depths of his pupils.
In an instant, the color drained from the world.
It was as if an invisible giant hand had snuffed out the light. The playground plunged into darkness.
Principal Higgins' face turned red, his breathing rapid. "A phenomenon... this is absolutely a Phenomenon! It's undoubtedly an S-Rank!!"
An awakening accompanied by a Phenomenon was a guaranteed S-Rank!!
The students below were completely dumbfounded. Many involuntarily took a step back.
Merely standing in this darkness felt like being stared at by the Grim Reaper!
A sense of suffocation followed like a shadow—cunning, terror, death... all sorts of hallucinations pricked their nerves like needles.
Even the cool and aloof Elara frowned unconsciously. "S-Rank... is it?"
"Hmph, the kid just got lucky. But don't worry, Miss. It's likely a Dark type. They can't amount to much. You will definitely win in three days!"
Elara ignored the butler's words, staring blankly at Dorian.
Meanwhile, on the silent, shadow-filled Awakening Platform, a Throne of Shadows condensed out of the void.
Dorian sat down. He casually crossed his right leg over his left knee, gripping the Death Scythe in his hand. He tilted his chin up slightly, his gaze sweeping over the crowd like tangible shadows, the corners of his lips hooking into a lazy, almost arrogant arc.
That posture didn't look like a student who had just awakened!
He looked more like a Monarch of the Night returning from the long dark!
Sitting upon the throne, looking down on all living things!
With just that pose, the crowd below lost control. Many girls went weak in the knees, their cheeks flushing red, their eyes filling with obsession.
The boys were filled with envy. Damn it, who said playing a Dark type isn't cool??
PS: Everyone contribute a skill idea for the Dark Affinity!