Ryker tried not to notice the eyes on him as he walked to the stage. He could hear his heart race with every step he took. His future relied on this. Without a good talent, he can’t get into a good academy. Without getting into a good academy, he can’t get a good job. Ryker kept walking, forcing the negative spiral out of his thoughts.

Without realising it he was already walking up the stairs towards the awakening throne. The mechanical nature of the throne seeming far more threatening up close.

“Please sit on the throne and prepare yourself for the insertion of your interface.”

Ryker froze for a second before sitting down. The cold metal of the throne sapping out his warmth. The throne rumbled slightly and the restraints clamped down on his arms. Ryke was so on edge that he only just managed to stop himself from jumping from the sudden movement.

“Remember to keep still,” the headmistress reminds him, “Any quick movement could cause complications.”

The throne vibrated slightly as the needle slowly came out and the mechanical arm holding it lined it up with his neck. The needle approached his neck slowly. When the tip finally reached his skin, the needle stopped and adjusted itself. Ryker’s heartbeat increased further, almost pushing his heart out of his chest.

Ryker closed his eyes as the needle started to push on his skin. “Breathe, just breathe…” he mumbled to himself.

He felt a sudden pain in his neck, slowly moving deeper. The needle had entered. After what seemed like years the needle stopped moving. Ryker realised he had been holding his breath ever since the needle entered his neck. After taking a few deep breaths he opened his eyes. The first thing he saw as he opened his eyes was the plunger of the needle being pushed down. After it had been fully pushed down the needle slowly retracted out of his neck, just leaving behind a dot of crimson blood as evidence. Ryker didn’t feel any different after his interface was implanted.

“The interface will activate when your Qi is awakened. Just wait a few more minutes.”

The throne began to hum and channel power towards his soul. He felt a weird sensation, like his head was bursting open. It wasn’t painful but it was definitely uncomfortable. The pressure kept growing and growing. Once it got to the point that he believed there couldn’t be any more pressure it just kept going. The pressure seemed to build to the maximum before stretching and allowing for more pressure to build up. After many of the cycles the pressure and noise suddenly disappeared. Ryker didn’t comprehend this for a second. He could feel something extra. Almost like a second set of blood vessels throughout his body. He ignored this for now and stood up on shaking legs and walked towards the headmistress.

The headmistress waited until he was standing near her before announcing, “Ryker Lotus, Martial ability levels, average.

Ryker almost lost his cool at this before mumbling to himself, “That’s okay… I’m fine not being a warrior.”

The headmistress announced his second talent. “Resilience levels, below average.”

This was a huge blow. A below average talent would severely hamper a cultivator. Ryker had to calm himself down. “I can still be a mage. Right! I can become a heavy hitting caster like those ones from the movies. I can use cyberware and gene mods for strength.”

After what seemed like an eternity, the headmistress announced his final talent. “Soul power levels… average. Congratulations for awakening and welcome to the world of cultivation!”

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Ryker couldn’t believe his ears. Average? How could he be average? He walked slowly back towards his seat.

“How can I be average?” Ryker asked himself. “How will I become great? No academy will take someone with average talent.”

People were politely clapping for him. No-one really cared though. From today, nobody would pay him any attention. He was stuck at the bottom. He was nobody…

Ryker continued his dead walk to his seat and sat down. With no academy taking him in he wouldn’t be able to progress at all. How was a poor orphan like him supposed to pay for the resources needed for cultivation. He was destined to die on the streets. No money. No life. Nobody.

A firm hand grasped his shoulder, “I’m sorry mate. It must suck having such a bad result.”

Ryker pushed the hand off. “Don’t be sorry. You go and enjoy your academy. Forgot about me down here.”

Tom shook his head. “Even if you have bad talent you can still do well. Remember what all those high and mighty immortals said, ‘Cultivation is pushing past your limits and improving yourself’. If this is true then your talent doesn’t matter. You can find some way to make it work. That military guy was taking any talent and raising them a fair way up, go join that and see where you can get to.”

Ryker’s mood lightened slightly when he heard this.

“If I sign up for the military then maybe I can earn merits and aquire a bloodline to boost my talents!”

Ryker still was not pleased about his result, but he at least now had a way forward. The rest of the ceremony was fairly boring. No one else had any interesting results. Time flashed by and suddenly the headmistress was speaking again.

“To those of you who have awakened today and are leaving our school today… I ask that you act in a way which would make your school proud. Some of you may go a long way, but you must always remember your roots. If you are wanted by any recruiter they will alert you. If you are not, you may do what you wish.”

With this most of the crowd left. A few people had excited faces, while others were disappointed. The students who were not graduating had the rest of the day off so many of them were making plans of how to spend the day.

Ryker walked up to Tom as he was walking away. “Tom, good luck at whichever academy you decide to join. I’m sure you’ll do great.”

Tom snorted. “I’m sure you’ll do fine as well. We should keep in contact so we can meet up sometime.”

“Sounds good to me.”

“You better do well.”

“Same to you.”

After parting from Tom, Ryker slowly made his way over to the military recruiter from before, Lance Corporal Steven Adams. While making his was over he reassured himself that he could still make it in cultivation even with his deficiency. Very soon he was facing the recruiter and greeted him.

“I’m looking to join up to serve in the military.” Ryker pronounces to the recruiter.

The recruiter smiled at this and stuck out his hand.

“That’s good news. We have to discuss some details if you want to join up.”

Ryker shook the offered hand before replying, “Alright Sir.”

“Please, just call me Steven.”

“Sounds good Steven.”

Steven rustles around in his briefcase before pulling out a tree diagram showing the branches of the military.

“The military is split up into three sections. If you are joining, you must choose which of them you wish to join.” Steven points to the first section on the diagram. “The first is the army, the people doing the actual fighting.” He moves his finger to the second. “The next is the support section. This includes repairs, supplies and transportation.” He moves his finger to the last, “Lastly is the logistics and administration section. This is where the logistics and mission preparations are done. So which of these do you think you would most be interested in?”

Ryker had already made his mind up. “I’ll join the army.” The army was the place he could become important and gain merit.

Steven pulls out a contract and hands it to him. “Alright! Just sign this and you can come with me back to the camp. You will be leaving with the other recruits in a few hours. Do you need to collect anything from your home?”

Ryker signs his name on the form and hands it back to Steven. “Nah, everything important I already have with me.”

“In that case go to the transport outside. You won’t miss it.”

Ryker walked out the back of the school to the parking lot. A huge troop transporter towered over the other vehicles there. A soldier dressed in uniform nodded at him and opened the door leading into the transport. He walked into the transport and sat down next to some of the other recruits. He didn’t know any of them but recognised some of them from the other classes in his year.

As Ryker sat down he started to feel slightly faint, his head filled with static. He felt his balance slipping so he grabbed onto the handhold. At this time words seemed to appear in his mind.

[QI FLOW DETECTED…]

[...]

[...]

[INTERFACE ACTIVATING]