Xiao Zhan had always been ordinary.
Twenty-one years old, third-year literature major, 178 cm, slightly underweight. No girlfriend. No enemies. No dreams that couldn't fit inside a convenience store bento. His biggest achievement this month was not failing Professor Liu's classical poetry exam.
He died on a Tuesday.
The rain had turned the crosswalk into a mirror. He was thinking about instant noodles, beef or chicken, when the truck's brakes screamed. Too late. The world became light, then noise, then nothing.
*[Soul Transfer Initiated]*
*[Scanning… Compatible vessel found]*
*[Transferring…]*
When he woke, his first thought was: _So this is hell. It smells like milk._
His second thought was: _Why can't I move my arms?_
A woman's face loomed above him, young, exhausted, eyes red from crying. She wasn't his mother. He would have recognized his mother. This woman had a scar on her chin and wore rough hemp clothes from a drama set.
"Xiao Zhan," she whispered, and touched his cheek with a calloused finger. "My little Zhan."
That was how he learned two things:
1. He was a baby again.
2. He still had the same name.
The next six years were a lesson in patience. His new world was called the Douluo Continent, a place where "martial souls" decided your fate. Every child awakened one at age six or twelve, depending on innate talent. Strong martial soul? You became a revered Soul Master. Weak martial soul? You farmed until a spirit beast ate you.
His new mother, Lin Yue, was a farmer. His father had been a city guard who died to a "ten-year shadow wolf" when Xiao Zhan was three. That made him an orphan by this world's standards. No clan, no backing. Just a hut on the edge of Blackrock Village.
He learned to talk early. He learned to stay quiet earlier. A baby who spoke in full sentences got checked for "evil spirit possession." He didn't want to be exorcised.
On his sixth birthday, Lin Yue held his hand as they walked to the village square for the Martial Soul Awakening. He was nervous, but mostly bored. He'd already accepted he'd probably get a hoe or a sickle. Maybe he could optimize farming.
The village Soul Master, a tired man named Elder Mo, put his hand on Xiao Zhan's head. "Spirit, awaken."
Light. Then a sound like tearing cloth.
Above Xiao Zhan's palm, darkness coalesced. Gold lines bled through it, forming the shape of a crown. Not a jeweled, ceremonial crown. This was a war crown - black iron, sharp points, radiating cold authority. The air went still.
Elder Mo staggered back. "King-tier… King-tier martial soul!"
Lin Yue dropped to her knees, crying. The villagers murmured, then knelt too. Not from respect. From fear. King-tier souls appeared once a century. They also brought calamity, because everyone wanted to control them or kill them.
That night, after Lin Yue finally slept, the air in front of Xiao Zhan rippled.
*[Congratulations Host For Awakening the King Power System]*
*[Binding… 1%… 47%… 100%. Binding Complete.]*
*[Host: Xiao Zhan]*
*[Age: 6]*
*[Martial Soul: Monarch's Crown - King Tier]*
*[Soul Power: Rank 10]*
A translucent blue screen floated in front of him. He waved a hand through it. No disruption. He whispered, "Mom?" Nothing. Only he could see it.
More text appeared.
*[Core Ability: Marking]*
*[Description: Host can Control Others By Marking them. Marked targets will hold absolute loyalty to Host. Their thoughts, actions, and life belong to Host.]*
*[Activation Conditions:]*
*[1. Host must be Martial Soul Awakened - Complete]*
*[2. Host must be an orphan - Complete]*
*[Status: Marking Ability Unlocked]*
*[Current Mark Slots: 1/3]*
*[Warning: Forcibly Marking someone 20+ ranks above Host may cause backlash]*
Xiao Zhan stared at the screen until it faded. Then he pulled his thin blanket up to his chin and thought, very clearly: _I am never dying ordinary again._