The sun was setting at the school gate.
Noah held out two bottles of salted soda. "Here… what are you spacing out about?"
"Oh, thanks."
James took the soda and casually sipped. The special drink refracted rainbow light in the sunset, each sip carrying a cascade of different flavors. The fizzy pearls burst crisply on his tongue, sending a cool tingle through his mouth—utterly refreshing. The faint salty note made him open his mouth again and gulp it down. "Nice…"
Drinking the salted soda, James walked home with Noah.
The apartment they rented was nearby, not far from the school.
A small river wound past; the water was clear to the bottom and the embankment gleamed white.
"I'm definitely going to get into university!"
Suddenly Noah flung his bottle away, watching the splash, and blurted it out.
"Hm?"
James was calculating his household funds and thinking about enjoying the food, fun, and games of this era—also pondering that newly appeared Gate of All Heavens—so he turned to Noah at the sudden declaration.
"I'm going to get into university. I'll transfer to another department—preferably the Mecha Department. Martial arts is a dead end," Noah said seriously.
"Martial artist" is only a professional prefix in name—the Blue Star Federation's convention is that a martial practitioner only truly becomes a professional Martialist after reaching the Fourth Realm — the Guts Realm. Of course, after becoming a Martialist one could continue on, becoming a Martial Mecha Specialist or the like.
Even in ancient times, a soldier in armor and an unarmored fighter were worlds apart; mecha are even more decisive.
From prior knowledge, even the most basic military external exoskeleton can instantly make an ordinary person rival a Guts-Realm martialist in combat strength.
"Sigh… it all comes down to resources. Otherwise we could all be happily piloting mecha."
He sighed inwardly.
Why does the Blue Star Federation heavily develop the martial arts system and produce so many bio-humans? Because the frontlines lack cannon-fodder, mech pilots, and resources. There are always rumors of high-level proposals to open gene-editing tech and shorten the external incubator period of bio-humans from ten months to three or even less, but many oppose that—arguing that doing so would truly rob humans of potential and infinite possibilities.
With current tech, gene modification would greatly increase a bio-human's chance to reach the Fourth Realm of martial arts, but it would sharply reduce the probability of becoming an Eighth-Realm Martial Saint or Ninth-Realm Martial God.
"Maybe if the Blue Star Federation suffers a massive defeat and resources tighten even more, that might change."
"After all, cannon fodder is cannon fodder—you can't expect much. Martial Saints and Martial Gods aren't absolutely dominant; top-tier mecha pilots, psychics, sword-riders, and other professions can surpass them in destructive power."
"Of course, professions are not isolated—martial artists also need special external exoskeletons or specially made mecha to reach their full combat potential."
"Yeah—good luck!"
Thoughts swirling, James could only say those three words aloud.
After parting ways, James returned to his place.
Calling it a "home" was generous—more like an apartment. Upon entering you saw the living room; beyond that were a kitchen and bedroom. The space was fairly large.
"I think prices in the Happy Home complex are about 10,000 Star Credits per square meter…"
James scanned the apartment and an idea popped into his head.
"Even rent isn't cheap. Without Federation student loans and grants, it'd be unaffordable…"
He took out his phone, opened an app, and checked his wallet.
[Balance: 14,231.9 Star Credits]
"That's barely enough to buy a single square meter—earned from working after classes…"
James recalled the original owner's dream—not merely to get into university, but to buy a house!
Not here on Hu Ying Star, but on Blue Star itself—the Federation's origin, the capital planet.
"Between Blue Star property prices, immigration fees, and spaceship tickets… this amount is nothing."
"Probably only the big shots in professional fields can afford that."
James did the math and was stunned—Noah's dream was one thing, but this was on another level.
"First I have to survive before worrying about buying a house."
Having suffered under mortgage pressure in his previous life, James scoffed a little at the original owner's aspiration: "This money's for enjoying life—interstellar-era entertainment is rich and varied…"
"Though just an ordinary educational planet, there's still plenty of fun…"
Recalling basic facts about the place, James marveled at the Federation's scale.
Hu Ying Star is located in the Black Mountain System. Its atmosphere is mainly nitrogen and oxygen, with 44.6% land (including islands) and 55.4% water. Standard gravity is 1.2 times that of Blue Star.
As an education planet, its main industry is schools and training centers—practically the entire planet is an industrial cluster built around that sector.
That's why Noah felt trapped—unless one gained interstellar travel ability, there was no escape from this planet.
To bio-humans who overthink, Hu Ying Star was a huge prison; even the sky and cosmos felt oppressive.
But for James…
"How big of an ego must you have to think one planet can contain your demand for freedom?"
He shrugged, opened a food-delivery app, and ordered.
Soon the whir of rotors came from the balcony.
A delivery drone landed there, and a steaming package was below.
"Delivery confirmed, dear customer. Please give a positive review!" a cute loli voice chimed, and the drone flew off.
"Such an old-school delivery method…" James commented. He opened the meal container; a wonderful aroma rose up.
Inside was a box full of rice—each grain was about the size of a pinky tip, plump and crystal-like, like red jade.
"Mmm—this is Blood-Tooth Rice. They say it's great for replenishing qi and blood."
"There's also Sharo beast meat patties… wow, the juices…"
He picked up a patty with chopsticks. The meat looked crystalline and melted on his tongue; the Sharo meat had been prepared to be melt-in-your-mouth tender, not at all stringy. Every chew burst a flood of meat juice; paired with vegetables and fragrant rice, it was sublime.
"Delicious!"
Before he realized it, James stared at the empty box with a lingering satisfaction: "Even though it cost over a hundred, it was worth it. I'll get a milk tea after—this life of leisure is bliss. Forget buying a house for now!"
As for graduating in three years and being conscripted—James selectively forgot that thought.
After finishing, he tossed the container in the trash and pulled a pair of sci-fi glasses from a drawer.
Putting them on, a virtual world sprang up.
"Huh? This VR game has no 18+ restriction? Five-star review from me!"
In the next moment James felt like he'd discovered a new continent and got absorbed.
…
The next day.
In his bedroom.
James was flushed, panting, and soaked in sweat.
He stood like a bow, spine like a dragon—practicing the Great Dragon Stance!
Although he'd enjoyed the game the previous night, he was an adult and knew self-control. He went to bed before midnight and got up refreshed the next morning, washed quickly, and began training.
Half an hour later James was breathing heavily. He focused on his attribute panel:
[Name: James]
[Age: 16]
[Profession: Martial Artist]
[First Realm: Flesh and Skin (Refinement: 21/100)]
[Twelve Forms of Military Fist: 56/100 (Beginner)]
[Great Dragon Stance: 67/100 (Beginner)]
[Gate of All Heavens: 2/100 (Locating…)]
"The Great Dragon Stance and Twelve Forms haven't changed—one day's not enough to produce a qualitative leap, I guess."
"But the Gate of All Heavens…"
James shifted his awareness to that mirror-like sigil, and strange information flooded his mind: "One percent in a single day?"
"If that's the case, in 98 more days I could open the Gate of All Heavens and go to another world?"
He became excited.
Another world!
It could be a new transmigration—or perhaps he might return to his original Earth!
Though returning would mean going back to corporate drudgery and still not affording a toilet in the imperial capital, uh…
"Compared to that, a transmigration with a strong golden finger seems pretty good…"
James's mouth curled a little: "More importantly—there's an escape route!"
Even if he fails the university entrance exam three years from now and must be forcibly conscripted, he could go to another world instead of risking the battlefield.
"Still, preparing for a cross-world trip will require thorough preparation."
He became solemn and opened the mall app to look for gear he might need.
The basics: air detectors, food-grade toxin test strips, reconnaissance drones, and also protective gear and weapons…
After all, another world might be extremely dangerous—he had to prepare thoroughly.
Luckily he had time.
"In terms of protective gear the Federation has good stuff—entry-level nano-protect suits that can generate masks and provide full coverage. A weak ordinary person in one might be impervious even to a Third-Realm warrior's attacks."
"As for weapons, the Federation imposes restrictions… hm?"
James noticed the most expensive weapon on the marketplace and his eyes lit up.
At the top of the product page was an image of a gun—silver-white and very sci-fi, its streamlined lines promising a comfortable grip.
['Xunlong' Class Laser Rifle (Civilian Version) — Price: 200,000 Star Credits]
"'Xunlong' is one of the Federation's big arms manufacturers. The laser beam from their rifles could kill a Fourth-Realm Guts martialist—unfortunately this is the civilian version…"
James was disappointed. The "civilian version" naturally had program locks in the weapon that prevented it from targeting humanoid lifeforms.
"If I go to a monster world it might still be useful, but I can't afford it…"
"Looks like the next three months will be full of grind."
"Is this the destiny of a part-timer?"
(End of chapter 3)