Jessica's invitation

"The rise of one person can drive an entire era forward." Mike set aside the matter of the supreme being, as it was still too far out of his reach. Right now, he wasn't even considered a Battle Soldier—how could he even think about such lofty matters?

The realms are divided by combat power: [Battle Soldiers - Battle General - Battle Chiefs - Battle Lords]. 

As for what lies beyond the Battle Lords, whether it's the [supreme being] or not, there's no answer. Battle Lords are already the pinnacle that ordinary people can aspire to reach.

These four realms are not defined by levels in the Tower of Truth but through a [Combat Power Test]!

Generally speaking, reaching level 30 in the Tower of Truth gives one the opportunity to take the [Battle Soldiers Test] and become a first-tier Battle Soldier, enjoying certain federal subsidies and benefits. Some, weaker in combat at the same level, might have to wait until they reach levels 40 or 50 to become first-tier Battle Soldiers.

Conventionally, anyone below level 200 is considered a Battle Soldier, ranging from one to nine tier.

"A one-tier Battle Soldier gets a monthly subsidy of $15,000, receives a small amount of magic crystals each month, and enjoys additional discounts in certain areas!" Mike casually browsed through the benefits available to Battle Soldiers.

It must be said, these benefits are quite superior! In society, even becoming the weakest Battle Soldier significantly elevates one's status, ushering them into a new social stratum.

That's why countless people fall and rise in succession, eager to level up in the Tower of Truth and pass the Battle Soldiers evaluation.

"Although the benefits for Battle Soldiers are great, the difficulty of becoming one is also significant!" Mike thought to himself. "Based on past years' tests, any awakened person who reaches level 30 in the Tower of Truth at the age of 18 can participate in the Battle Soldier evaluation!"

Level 30 is the threshold for first-tier Battle Soldiers and also the admission threshold for many universities specializing in supernatural abilities. However, the acceptance rate at these universities is less than 10%!

At that moment, the instructor on stage was just getting to this point, "In the next 100 days, everyone should strive to level up as much as possible, aiming to reach level 30 in record time and get into supernatural universities!"

"According to the latest scientific research under big data analysis, the first 100 days after awakening your talents is the fastest time to level up! If you can't reach level 30 during this period, there's only a 0.2% chance of breaking through level 30 later on. Folks, you've got to seize this opportunity!"

The instructor's expression turned somewhat somber as he spoke. He himself was stuck at level 29 in the Tower of Truth, unable to break through to level 30, and had missed his chance at the supernatural universities. For years, he had been stuck at level 29, unable to make any progress.

Clearing his throat, he announced, "Class dismissed. James, Jessica, you two stay back."

The classroom quickly emptied as the students rushed out, eager to re-enter the Tower of Truth and embark on new journeys to change their destinies.

The two who were asked to stay received very different treatments. When their classmates looked at James, most gazes were filled with envy, tinged with a hint of jealousy. 

Given his A-level talent and S-level performance in the novice instance, James reaching level 30 should be as easy as getting an erection. His future prospects are immeasurable!

James was quite nonchalant about these gazes, his rebellious face unbothered by the attention. After all, they weren't really in the same world anymore, and there was nothing much to say.

When the classmates looked at Jessica, however, their gazes shifted to something else—pity, mockery, and schadenfreude. Admiration for the strong and disdain for the weak were common attitudes.

Yet, compared to James, Jessica was even more indifferent. Her indifference stemmed from absolute confidence! 

With an S-level talent and a class that perfectly matched her abilities, Jessica's potential was beyond everyone's imagination. What James might achieve in his lifetime was merely Jessica's starting point!

After the others had left, the instructor first turned to James, offering a few words of encouragement and advising him to stay humble and diligent, not to slack off because of his talent advantage. 

James nodded as if he was taking it seriously, but inside, he was utterly dismissive. After all, he was destined to become a Battle Chief—what right did someone who wasn't even a Battle Soldier have to lecture him?

The instructor, with far more life experience than James, saw right through his half-hearted attentiveness but chose not to call him out on it. Instead, he turned to Jessica, offering her a few words of comfort and encouraging her to put more effort into her support and lifestyle classes.

"F-level talent isn't the end of the world. Life goes on," he said, his voice carrying a mix of genuine emotion and a hint of melancholy. 

"You might find this funny, but when I first awakened to an E-level talent, it felt like the sky was falling. I refused to accept my fate. I went wild in the Tower of Truth, even thought about sneaking off to the Abyssal Plane to fight, figuring that dying for the Federation was better than living a cowardly life!"

He sighed and chuckled at himself, "It all passes. Look at me now, teaching and nurturing minds, even trained a few Battle Generals. Everyone has their own way of living. Under the bright sun, accompanied by the stars, we too can be ordinary folks who keep their feet on the ground and their eyes on the stars."

This kind of heartfelt advice was deeply moving. 

"Thank you, sir!" Jessica responded sincerely.

"Alright, you guys can head out too," said the instructor as he was the first to leave the classroom.

As Jessica was about to leave, James called out to her. Despite his short stature, only about 5 feet 8 inches, and his rather thin frame, his presence was still imposing. 

"Jessica, want to team up for exploring the Tower of Truth?" he offered. "With me, even an F-level talent like you could easily level up to 10!"

Jessica coldly declined, "No thanks, I'm good on my own."

Regardless of James' intentions, his condescending offer was more than Jessica could bear. 

"Change your mind, you know where to find me!" James called out confidently to her retreating figure. "In this entire magic high school, even throughout Florida, my talent is top-notch, second to none! Teaming up with me, your leveling efficiency would skyrocket, and you might even have a shot at reaching level 30. Think it over!"

Watching Jessica's retreating figure, James shook his head. 

She'll regret this, he thought. 

James wasn't boasting—having an A-level talent in Florida was indeed impressive! According to the instructor's estimates, James could potentially become one of the tier-three Battle Soldiers before the college entrance exams!

As Jessica walked further away, the smile on James' face slowly faded, his expression turning cold and sinister. "With my top-notch talent, all I'm missing is resources! Jessica might be useless, but the Morrow family is still a family of Battle Chiefs. I need to find a way to get close to her, only then will she willingly support me," he plotted silently, a plan forming in his mind.

Unaware of James' scheming, Jessica left the classroom and started running, not even bothering to look for her driver but instead rushing to catch up with Mike.

"Mike, Mike, wait up!" she called out.

Outside the school, under the setting sun, Mike and Cain's shadows stretched long on the ground. Jessica, panting and out of breath, finally caught up to Mike.

"What's going on here?" Cain asked, giving Mike a surprised look but tactfully stepping aside to give Mike and Jessica some space.

"What's up?" Mike asked casually.

Jessica catching her breath, sweat beads rolling down her forehead, sticking to her hair, and hitting the ground. "I was wondering if you'd like to team up with me to explore the Tower of Truth?"

Cain looked on in disbelief. Did I hear that right? Jessica, the most beautiful girl in the whole school, was actually asking Mike to team up with her?