Chapter 1: The Diligent Waste

23rd century, Black City.

At St. Cuthbert's College, Eric Fernandez sat upright at his desk, meticulously focused on his studies.

"Ring-ring-ring!"

Suddenly, the shrill sound of the bell announced the end of yet another Magic Theory class.

On the podium, Professor Lester, an elderly man with snow-white hair but an energetic demeanor, closed his hefty Magic tome and let his sharp gaze sweep over the sea of restless students below.

He solemnly declared, "Class, this semester has officially come to an end. One month from now, you'll face the most important moment of your lives—the university entrance exams."

"And during that time, you'll also have to decide on your specialization: Magic or Physical Cultivation Practitioner." Lester enunciated the words heavily, emphasizing the gravity of this life-altering decision.

The moment he finished, the room buzzed with excitement. Students began to whisper, sharing their plans and dreams with one another.

"I'm definitely going to specialize in Magic! My affinity for the Fire Element is maxed out!" exclaimed a girl with fiery red hair. She waved her hand, conjuring a small flame that danced in her palm, drawing gasps of admiration from the crowd.

"I'm aiming for the path of a Knight." declared a tall, broad-shouldered boy with a proud chest. A faint golden glow emanated from him as he added, "I've already mastered 'Holy Light's Protection.'"

In this world, everyone could cultivate their abilities, which were divided into two distinct paths: Magic or Physical Cultivation Practitioner.

At the age of eighteen, every individual must choose their primary discipline: Magic or Physical Cultivation Practitioner.

Mages wield dazzling, elemental-based Magic.

Physical Cultivation Practitioners, on the other hand, can pursue professions like Knight, Warrior, or Assassin, learning Martial Arts Skills to hone their craft.

For most people, the decision wasn't particularly difficult.

After all, one's aptitude was almost always predetermined by nature. Some individuals were born with a natural affinity for Magic Elements, while others had a predisposition for the physical prowess required of Physical Cultivation Practitioners. Such inclinations were typically discovered during childhood.

That said, Physical Cultivation Practitioners were far more common. After all, training your body and picking up a weapon were achievable for anyone, even at the lowest levels.

Becoming a Mage, however, was a different story—only those born with innate talent could grasp the mysteries of Magic.

In Eric's class, which consisted of over fifty students, fewer than three had the ability to wield Magic. Across the entire grade, the number didn't exceed ten.

At that moment, a sharp voice suddenly cut through the classroom:

"What do you guys think our great genius Eric will choose as his specialization?"

The comment was like flipping a switch. The atmosphere in the room instantly grew livelier, with laughter erupting from several students.

"Honestly, that's quite the tricky question." exclaimed a short, chubby boy in an exaggerated tone. "After all, this guy's talent is the once-in-a-century 'balance'!"

"Exactly! He's the one with equal talent in both Magic and Physical Cultivation Practitioner." added a girl, covering her mouth as she giggled. "It's just that... they're equally worthless!"

"Don't say that. He might feel hurt." teased someone, pulling a silly face.

"Hurt? Please! Our great genius isn't that fragile. Can't you see? No matter what people say, he's still diligently studying every single day." A blue-haired boy spoke with a mocking smirk, gesturing for the others to look toward the back of the room.

…

At the last row of the classroom, Eric sat quietly, seemingly oblivious to the mockery around him. Instead, his full attention was on the Magic textbook in his hands.

The book was worn and tattered from constant use, a testament to how many times it had been read. Its pages were marked with circles, highlights, and notes. As he read, Eric diligently jotted down key points in his notebook.

The sight made the others pause for a moment. Their expressions shifted, though none seemed particularly surprised.

"That freak... he's seriously working hard again." one boy muttered under his breath with a cold snort, his tone dripping with disdain.

"Eric, what's your study plan for today?" a voice, laced with sarcasm, called out beside him.

Hearing the question, Eric looked up briefly, his pen coming to a stop. However, he didn't reply. Instead, he glanced down at a small notepad he carried everywhere with him.

Morning:

Wake up at 6:00 AM.

Arrive at school by 6:30 AM and study Magic until 10:00 AM.

From 11:00 AM, practice Magic outdoors until 12:00 PM.

Afternoon:

Begin reading Physical Cultivation Practitioner manuals at 1:00 PM.

Start physical training at 3:00 PM.

Sword practice begins at 5:00 PM.

Combat training starts at 8:00 PM.

Go to bed at 11:00 PM.

This had been Eric's daily routine for over two thousand consecutive days.

In fact, he had been following this rigorous schedule since middle school.

Eric might very well be the most hardworking person in the world.

Around him, the chatter grew louder: "This guy's daily routine is so predictable I could recite it by heart. Did he reincarnate from East Asia or something?"

Laughter echoed through the classroom, but all Eric could feel was the noise.

"What's wrong with being hardworking? Just because I put in effort, I have to be mocked by everyone? A bunch of idiots!"

Eric grabbed the note he had written yesterday, crossed out the plans for the afternoon, and added new notes: "At 1:00 PM, private Magic training with Professor Vivian. Then go to Physical - Cultivation Practitioner training. Extend sleep time by three hours!"

After finishing, he stood up and walked out of the classroom without a second glance.

On the bus, as he gazed at the towering skyscrapers outside, Eric couldn't help but reflect.

This was a unique world.

Two hundred years ago, no one could have imagined that one day, the sword and Magic worlds from manga would actually descend into reality.

The strong could disregard any firearms, even nuclear bombs, and perform feats like flying and teleporting—truly, nothing was beyond them!

These superhuman beings first began to appear in the mid-21st century. But as time passed, their numbers grew, and governments around the world could no longer hide them. Eventually, they were made public.

The entire Earth officially entered the Transcendent Era!

However, true Superhumans were still rare!

A Superhuman was someone who possessed either Magic or the skills of a Physical - Cultivation Practitioner. They were one in a million, the fortunate few blessed by the heavens. Their numbers were so small that in an entire town, it was incredibly rare to find even one Superhuman.

Most ordinary people still lived typical lives: attending regular schools, finding regular jobs after graduation, and leading average lives, just like in the time before the 21st century.

They had no innate talent for Magic or Physical - Cultivation Practitioner abilities.

"And on the other hand, Superhumans are almost always people above others. Even the weakest Superhuman is a wealthy, carefree person." Eric thought to himself, filled with a deep yearning to become one.

In the grand scheme of things, ordinary people were like cogs in a machine, existing only to serve the Superhumans.

And the reason Eric put in all his effort to become a Superhuman wasn't just to improve his own life. He had another goal: finding his biological parents.

He hadn't seen them since he was ten, and only by becoming a Superhuman would he have any chance of discovering their whereabouts.

"But even if I push myself to the limit, the sad truth is, my talent is terrible. I don't even know if it's because my parents made a deal with a demon or something else…" Eric stared at his palm, a deep sense of frustration reflected in his eyes.

At 18 years old, he still had neither Magic talent nor Physical - Cultivation Practitioner talent!

When others at the school discovered their innate abilities for Magic or Physical - Cultivation Practitioner, they immediately focused on training in one of those areas. Eric was the only one who was simultaneously practicing both Magic and Physical - Cultivation Practitioner.

But in the end, all his efforts had earned him was the harsh criticism from Professor Lester: "Eric's efforts in both fields are just the sum of zero and zero!"

"To hell with that! I'm not giving up!" Eric muttered angrily to himself as he walked home, his backpack weighing heavily on his shoulders.

He firmly believed that if he worked hard enough, he would definitely be rewarded! If he put in a thousand or even a million times more effort than ordinary people, he would eventually become a Superhuman!

Lost in these thoughts, Eric arrived home. Just as he reached his doorstep, a striking figure caught his eye.

"You're back?" A cold, emotionless voice greeted him, and Eric looked up to see an older woman standing at the entrance to his home. She was wearing a deep purple Magic robe and a Magic hat.

The form-fitting dress accentuated her curvaceous figure, and her silvery-white hair cascaded down her shoulders, contrasting beautifully with her pale, porcelain-like face.

Vivian, Eric's private Magic tutor.

She was the one he had drained his wallet to hire, paying her for weekly Sunday Magic lessons. Although it was expensive, she was an elite instructor, an Advanced-level Magic Master!

So even if it meant draining his savings, Eric felt it was worth it.

As for himself, being a so-called "failure." Vivian, as a great Magic Master, always treated him with disdain—either scolding or insulting him.

Her lessons were always perfunctory. She'd often say things like, "What are you even doing learning Magic? Just be a normal person!"

But she was a true and powerful Magic Master, so Eric endured her condescending attitude. He worked even harder, persistently asking her for advice.

As long as she could teach him real skills, Eric was willing to pay any price. He treated her like a goddess, deeply respectful, always careful not to upset her.

This time, when Eric saw her, he immediately walked toward her briskly, afraid he might seem insincere, and tucked his phone back into his pocket.

"It's rare for you to be early, Vivian. I was just about to send you a message. This is the first time you've arrived before me…" Eric remarked, surprised.

In the past, Vivian was always late. When she showed up was completely up to her mood.

There had even been times when she arrived two and a half hours late for a three-hour lesson. So Eric was genuinely surprised this time.

However, as he got closer, Eric noticed that her expression was colder than usual. She was holding a purse, and her green eyes were filled with impatience.

As soon as she saw Eric approaching, she spoke directly, "Hey, I heard you only have one month left until the high school entrance exams. Eric, I hope you understand that you have no hope. Give up. Even if I keep teaching you, it won't make any difference."