Qin Che stared in astonishment at the elderly man who had suddenly appeared out of thin air, a faint spark of hope rekindling in his heart.
"Who is he?"
*Boom!*
Before Qin Che could fully process his thoughts, a deafening explosion rang in his ears, and he lost consciousness.
Just before blacking out, he clearly saw the colorless, transparent vortex of chaos being suppressed by a single strike from the old man!
Having accomplished this, the elderly man gazed at the floating Qin Che with lingering apprehension.
Upon closer inspection, one could detect faint, distorted ripples shimmering around Qin Che's body—a telltale sign of a Victim's power spiraling out of control.
"Well, well, well," the old man muttered. "Just passing through to fulfill a commission, and I stumble upon a Victim—and a Chaos Survivor at that, the kind most prone to losing control!"
At this, the old man couldn't help but recall the Mind System Survivor Dean Fu had entrusted to him for training just a few days prior.
A helpless expression crept across his face.
*My place is practically becoming a Survivor containment facility.*
"Ah, well," he sighed, shaking his head. "One more makes no difference."
Silver light erupted around him.
"Instantaneous Teleportation!"
***
***
Demon Capital, Pearl Academy.
An indeterminate amount of time had passed.
Qin Che slowly opened his eyes, his vigilance easing slightly as he took in the unfamiliar white ceiling.
"Grandpa! He's awake!"
A clear, girlish voice rang out beside him, followed by the heavy creak of a door swinging open.
"I remember now... I think an old man saved me..."
Moments later, countless fragments of memory flooded his mind.
Perhaps due to his status as a Chaos Survivor, Qin Che experienced no headaches or other side effects. He quickly pieced together his current situation: he had transmigrated to the world of Full-Time Magister.
*Creak—!*
The door swung open again, revealing a kindly-faced old man and a stunningly beautiful young woman who approached Qin Che's bedside.
"You're awake? How's your body feeling?"
Qin Che instinctively tried to move, realizing the earlier pain had vanished. He flexed his wrist and slowly sat up in bed.
"I think I'm mostly recovered."
"Mostly recovered is good enough! Good enough!"
The old man nodded in satisfaction, then carefully examined Qin Che's condition. The residual chaotic energy that had been leaking from his body had been suppressed, making him appear almost like a normal person.
"What's your name?" the girl asked, her bright eyes sparkling with curiosity as she gazed at Qin Che. "Grandpa says you and I are the same kind of person."
Qin Che turned his head, carefully studying the pair before him, a faint smile spreading across his face.
"I'm Qin Che. What do you mean by 'the same kind of person'?"
The girl seemed instantly drawn to Qin Che, eagerly responding to his question.
"I'm Ding Yumin, and this is Grandpa Xiao—he's also Dean Xiao of Pearl Academy! As for being the same kind of person, Grandpa Xiao says you and I have the same constitution."
These brief pieces of information struck Qin Che's mind like a series of shocks.
*She's Ding Yumin, and he's Dean Xiao... So I was rescued by Dean Xiao himself? What incredible luck!*
But the relief was short-lived, soon replaced by a wave of despair.
*Ding Yumin and I are the same kind of person.*
The thought flashed through his mind, leaving no room for false hope. Instead, a chilling clarity settled over him.
*Doesn't this mean I'm also a Victim?*
In the world of the Full-Time Magister, being a Victim was practically a death sentence.
The Holy Judgment Court viewed them as threats to order, never offering acceptance.
The Inquisition Court even treated hunting Victims as a path to promotion, pursuing them relentlessly like prey.
Not to mention the Holy Shadow Mages hidden in the shadows of the Holy City, each possessing the power of a Forbidden Spell!
To rise above such circumstances, one would need power surpassing even that of Farrel, the Archangel of the Eight Wings!
Such power could overturn the very rules of the world, yet it remained as distant as the heavens.
These overwhelming challenges would crush ordinary people, but they didn't deter Qin Che in the slightest.
His fingertips curled slightly, and a resolute glint flashed in his eyes, belying his age.
Having already tasted death once, why fear a second encounter?
The world branded Victims as embodiments of calamity, merely because they couldn't control the surging power within them, causing destruction whenever they lost control.
But what if one could firmly grasp this power in their palm?
Qin Che suddenly looked up, his gaze piercing through the surrounding gloom.
Victims weren't without their advantages!
He recalled Qin Yuer, another Ice-type Victim, who had broken through to become a High-Tier Mage at just eighteen!
It was a pity she still couldn't control her own power.
But Qin Che wasn't Qin Yuer. If she couldn't achieve it, why couldn't he?
The power within him seemed to sense his resolve, stirring slightly, yet no longer with its usual chaotic frenzy.
Qin Che took a deep breath, a stubborn curve forming at the corner of his lips.
What others saw as a curse, he saw as a ladder to greater heights!
"What's wrong?"
Ding Yumin's gentle voice rang in Qin Che's ear, jolting him out of his reverie.
"Nothing, just a bit dazed."
"Hehe~ Don't worry, Grandpa Xiao is amazing!"
"Is that so?"
Qin Che knew full well how formidable Dean Xiao was—he was practically the Xiao Tiandi of all magic.
Master of two Forbidden Spells, with profound spatial magic mastery, and capable of deploying water-based circulatory arrays, Dean Xiao would later single-handedly confront the Cold Moon Gaze Demon God during the Demon Capital Sea Monster Defense War!
In another novel, Dean Xiao would undoubtedly be the protagonist archetype!
"By the way, Dean Xiao, which magic system Victim am I?"
Dean Xiao sighed, as if reluctant to broach the subject.
"Chaos System. The most prone to losing control."
Qin Che nodded in understanding. So it was the Chaos System.
No wonder the earlier catastrophe had been so devastating.
Compared to the emotional control issues of Mind System Victims, the destructive power of the Chaos System was far more visceral.
"So I'm a genius after all? My first system is the Chaos System."
A smile flickered across Qin Che's face, but it only deepened Dean Xiao's heartache.
"Would you consider becoming my student? I'll guide you until you fully master your powers."
"It would be my honor."
Hearing Qin Che's response, Dean Xiao couldn't help but wear a relieved expression.
Despite her own predicament, she remained optimistic—a truly promising talent!
"Ding Yumin, right?"
In the silence, Qin Che suddenly turned his gaze to the girl beside him, his voice as gentle as the spring breeze melting snow, breaking the brief stillness in the room.
"Hmm? What is it?"
Ding Yumin, sitting on the edge of the bed, tilted her head slightly at his words, her clear eyes brimming with curiosity as she obediently met his gaze.
The emotional energy unconsciously radiating from her, like shimmering motes of light, drifted toward Qin Che. But the moment it reached him, it was silently enveloped by the faint, distorted aura surrounding him, completely absorbed without leaving even a ripple.
The girl, lost in her own confusion, remained unaware of this subtle exchange.
Qin Che gazed into her clear eyes, a fleeting hint of tenderness flickering in his own. He spoke slowly, "From now on, we're friends, right?"
This simple question made Ding Yumin's eyes light up instantly.
As if she hadn't expected Qin Che to initiate this, she nodded vigorously, her face radiant with undisguised joy. The corners of her lips curved into a beautiful smile, and even the emotional energy around her seemed to warm with a cheerful lightness.
"Yes!"
Her response was crisp and clear, like a piece of candy dissolving in warm water, quietly melting away the lingering awkwardness in the air.