The sky was a brilliant blue, so clear that it resembled a tranquil sea. Compared to many years ago, the air quality in Zhongyuan City had vastly improved; the sky was no longer a dreary gray, but rather a crystalline blue, a change made possible by the calamity that had occurred over two decades prior.

In the Jinsui District, at the Seventh High School.

The sound of a bell rang out, signaling the end of class. It was noon, the time to dismiss students for the day.

Cheng Tian'ang emerged from the classroom with a few books in hand, his pace brisk, as if he were hurrying to some destination. However, just as he stepped outside, a voice called out behind him.

“Tian'ang, wait for me!” A short, stout boy with a physique distinctly different from Cheng Tian'ang appeared at his side.

Though Cheng Tian'ang didn't turn around, he recognized the voice immediately and smiled as he glanced back.

“Hurry up, Pangzi! This afternoon is the talent ability test; if you take too long, we’ll miss it!” The boy was none other than Xing Ying, affectionately nicknamed Pangzi by Cheng Tian'ang due to his plumpness. They had grown up together as childhood friends.

“I know the talent ability test is today, but there’s no need to rush. Besides, there will be many people, and by the time it’s our turn, who knows what time it will be? So, don’t panic; let’s take our time,” Xing Ying replied, his hefty frame making it naturally more challenging for him to walk quickly. His size stemmed from his aversion to exercise and a fondness for food.

Upon hearing Pangzi's words, Cheng Tian'ang pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement, feeling more at ease and slowing his pace to match his friend's.

Once Pangzi caught up with him, the two walked side by side out of the school gates toward the talent testing center in Zhongyuan City.

Along the way, they were not silent; Pangzi was quite humorous, often bringing up topics that piqued Cheng Tian'ang's interest.

“Tian'ang, what do you think we’ll do if we fail to demonstrate our innate talent? If we can't become ability users, we won’t be able to join the military.” As they approached the testing center, their excitement grew, but so did their anxiety.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

After all, the talent assessment they were about to undertake was akin to the college entrance examination of the past.

Hearing Pangzi's concern, Cheng Tian'ang remained unfazed, a smile gracing his face as he reassured his friend. “Pangzi, why are you so worried? If we lack abilities, it only means we can’t become officers. We can still join the military; don’t you remember? As long as our physical fitness exceeds the first tier, we are eligible to enlist.”

“But do I look like someone whose physical fitness exceeds the first tier?” Pangzi said, a glum expression crossing his face.

“Haha, true enough! But don’t give up; you’re just a bit overweight. I know your true strength rivals my own.” As Pangzi's childhood friend and best buddy, Cheng Tian'ang was well aware of his friend's capabilities. Despite his bulk, Pangzi possessed strength far beyond that of the average person.

As Cheng Tian'ang and Xing Ying walked toward the talent testing center in Zhongyuan City, suddenly, Cheng Tian'ang felt a tightening in his chest. He had just heard a piercing cry echoing from above the city.

It was the cry of a bird, sharp and jarring, as if it had reverberated throughout all of Zhongyuan City.

“Did you hear that, Pangzi?” Cheng Tian'ang stopped abruptly, searching for the source of the alarm.

“Of course I heard it; how could I not? And if I’m not mistaken, that cry belongs to the Golden-winged Falcon, ranked among the top twenty ferocious beasts in the avian hierarchy,” Pangzi responded. A keen reader, he had familiarized himself with various ferocious creatures and their cries, and since they were currently studying the appearances and sounds of such beasts in school, he could deduce from just that cry that this bird was no ordinary beast.

Upon hearing Pangzi’s observation, Cheng Tian'ang glanced skyward and spotted the silhouette of the Golden-winged Falcon. Just as Pangzi had guessed, it was indeed a Golden-winged Falcon.

This majestic bird was massive, measuring four to five meters in length, its feathers shimmering with a golden hue. In the blazing sunlight, it appeared exceptionally resplendent, its brilliance almost blinding. Yet, within the outline of the falcon, there was a person.

“This is bad; is the beast attacking the city?” Pangzi's expression shifted to one of alarm as he spotted the falcon, realizing the potential danger it posed to Zhongyuan City. After all, the power of this falcon was formidable, and it was likely that no one among the city's elite could contend with such a powerful creature. After all, Zhongyuan City was merely a second-tier small city.

But as Cheng Tian'ang and Pangzi anxiously observed the Golden-winged Falcon, the figure behind it sprang into action. A shadowy figure wielding a massive sword moved with remarkable speed, drawing the weapon from his back. Before the falcon could react, he vanished from sight.

When Cheng Tian'ang and Pangzi managed to refocus on the figure, he had already appeared beside the Golden-winged Falcon, and with a swift strike, he cleaved the falcon in two. Within moments, it fell, lifeless, to the ground.

“What incredible strength!” Cheng Tian'ang and Xing Ying gaped in astonishment at the figure above them, momentarily rendered speechless.

“That person is an ability user,” Cheng Tian'ang finally managed to utter, his voice filled with awe as he spoke the words he had longed to hear: “an ability user.”