Chapter 4: Martial Soul Ceremony

Months had passed, and the day had finally arrived. Wang Chen, ever composed, made his way to the city hall, where the awakening ceremony would take place. The hall was crowded with children, all buzzing with excitement or nerves, but Wang Chen's focus was elsewhere. He wasn't concerned about his innate soul power, that was secondary to him. What mattered most was what martial soul he would awaken. That… that could shape his future.

As he entered the hall, he noticed the excited chatter echoing around him, though he kept to himself. Wang Chen knew the drill—he knew how the system worked. He just didn't care about impressing anyone today. He didn't want anyone, especially that old man, finding out just how talented he was. If he did, his so-called "father" would pull him away from his mother in no time. "Good asset" and all that nonsense.

Soon, the noise died down as an authoritative man walked onto the platform. His presence commanded attention, and the room immediately fell silent.

"Line up," the man said, his voice sharp but controlled. "My name is Master Zhou. Today, you will awaken your martial souls. For many of you, this will be the first step in your journey as spirit masters. Some of you will awaken something strong, others… less so."

The children shuffled nervously, but Wang Chen remained calm. The old man doesn't seem too bad, he mused, observing how the children responded to Master Zhou's presence.

Master Zhou continued, his gaze scanning the group. "A martial soul is the core of your strength, the spirit within you. It could be a tool, a beast, or something entirely unique. But no matter what it is, it will shape your path. What's equally important is your innate soul power, measured from 0 to 10. If you're at level 0, you'll never become a spirit master. But if you have soul power between 1 and 3, you're average. Not bad, but you'll need to work hard."

He paused, letting the weight of his words settle.

"If you're at level 4 or 5, you're already ahead. Most spirit masters start there, and with effort, you'll grow strong. Levels 6 to 8 are rare, and those born with it are considered talented. And if you're lucky enough to be born with level 9 or 10, you're what we call a prodigy. Full innate soul power, at level 10, is almost unheard of. You have the potential to be the strongest of your generation."

Wang Chen shifted slightly. He knew all of this already, thanks to his stepbrother's constant boasting. What concerned him wasn't his soul power level—it was what martial soul he would awaken. That was the wildcard. He was interested to see what was hiding inside him, but there was also a flicker of anxiety. He hadn't shown it, but when Master Zhou's words echoed about how a martial soul could "shape your path," Wang Chen felt a moment of hesitation. He wasn't worried about power. He was worried about how he would live with it.

One by one, the children stepped up to the platform. Some left with smiles, others with disappointment as their martial souls and soul power levels were revealed. Soon enough, it was Wang Chen's turn.

He approached Master Zhou with calm, steady steps. The older man placed his hand on Wang Chen's head, channeling spirit energy through him. But something was wrong—no martial soul appeared. Master Zhou frowned, his hand pausing in mid-motion.

Then, his gaze shot to Wang Chen's eyes. The dark irises had changed, glowing red with a single tomoe spinning slowly in each eye. The air seemed to still.

"A mutated martial soul… a body-type spirit," Master Zhou muttered, his face betraying surprise for the first time that day.

Wang Chen's stomach tightened slightly. "What… does that mean?" he asked, his voice steady, though a flicker of unease crept into his chest.

Master Zhou hesitated. "Mutations can be powerful or unstable. It's unpredictable. You'll have to find out for yourself over time whether it's a blessing or a curse."

The old man's calm words didn't help the churn of emotions inside Wang Chen. This martial soul... it could determine everything.

Master Zhou motioned him to the spirit measuring stone. Wang Chen placed his hand on the stone, his heart steadying. The glow rose steadily until it stopped at level 5.

"Level 5 innate soul power," Master Zhou announced, his tone neutral now. "Decent. Work hard, and you'll be fine."

Wang Chen barely reacted to the result. Of course, it's level 5, he thought. Half my energy's tied up in that clone I left training at home. He had expected as much. Master Zhou, of course, didn't know about his little trick.

The ceremony ended soon after, and Master Zhou called out three names including his. "For those of you with level 5 and above, the city hall will sponsor half of your school fees for spirit master academy."

Wang Chen approached Master Zhou after the others left. "Is there any way to waive the full fee?" he asked, his voice polite but direct.

Master Zhou regarded him for a moment with his eyes showing surprise. "If you're willing to attend as a work-study student, the remaining half of the fees will be sent to you. Does that interest you?"

Wang Chen raised an eyebrow. "What's the catch?"

Master Zhou's expression softened slightly. "No catch. The only difference would be that you'll be sharing a room with other work-students."

The man wrote a letter and handed it to him. "Give this to the principal when you arrive at Nuoding Academy."

Wang Chen thanked him, pocketing the letter as he left. He hurried home, his thoughts swirling around the day's events. His mother wasn't home, out working late again. A small meal sat on the table, and he ate quickly, still processing what had happened.

Then, he made his way to his room. As soon as he stepped inside, he paused. Someone else was there.

Of course, it was himself.

His soul clone flickered between the corners of the room, practicing the Flicker Jutsu they had been working on. Wang Chen shut the door behind him and leaned against it, watching the clone for a moment.

"How'd it go?" the clone asked, flickered right in front of him. The sarcasm was barely concealed, the clone smirking as he asked the question.

"Mutated martial soul. Level 5 innate soul power," Wang Chen replied, his voice deadpan.

The clone snorted. "Level 5, huh? Guess that makes sense, considering half your power's in here," he said, gesturing to himself with a chuckle. "Can you imagine our old man's face if he knew you were pulling a trick like this?"

Wang Chen smirked. "I'd pay to see it." He glanced at his hands, then back at his clone. "But the martial soul…"

"What is it?"

Wang Chen lifted his gaze, and the one-tomoe Sharingan in his eyes spun slowly. The clone's grin dropped, his eyes widening in disbelief.

"No way," the clone muttered, stepping closer. "The Sharingan? Wait...the actual Sharingan? Like... Sasuke and Itachi Uchiha? You... we... have the legendary eyes?"

Wang Chen's eyes widened and his jaw tightened. "How's this..even possible?" he asked himself, his mind racing. He had always both feared and admired the Uchiha clan, their prowess. But one man's image haunted him more than any other: Madara Uchiha.

The clone swallowed. "Madara," he whispered. "You remember what he did… What he was capable of during the war."

Wang Chen nodded grimly. The Ghost of Uchiha, the man who had single-handedly overwhelmed the Five Kages like nothing. A man whose power was so immense that even from a distance, he had instilled fear in Wang Chen and countless others during the Fourth Shinobi War.

"Yeah," Wang Chen murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "That man terrifies me."

The clone shook his head slowly. "And now… we have the same eyes."

Wang Chen didn't reply. He simply stared at his reflection in the mirror near, the red eyes glowing back at him. This was his future now—his curse and his potential.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Wow, surprise surprise. Who would've thought? 

Word Count: [1363]