Chapter 2: S-Rank Ability, Purple Thunder of the Heavenly Vault!

Twelve years of diligent study, all for this moment!

The college entrance exam is imminent; you must still stabilize your mindset!

Those taking the humanities exam, go home tonight and check that your stationery is complete and usable.

Those taking the Wu Ke exam, also prepare your battle gear and weapons...

Teacher Chen Fan’s voice echoed through the classroom, and Xu Jingming, seated in his chair, recalled memories tied to the college entrance exam.

In the Great Xia Nation, universities fall into two categories.

One type teaches cultural knowledge; the other trains superhuman warriors.

Correspondingly, the college entrance exam is also divided into the Humanities Exam and the Wu Ke Exam.

The Humanities Exam, of course, requires only sitting in the classroom to answer questions.

But for the Wu Ke Exam, candidates must don battle armor, wield weapons, and enter designated zones to fight lethal beasts to the death!

Final scores are determined by the number and type of beasts slain.

Students choose freely between the two; if they lack confidence in their strength or have awakened a worthless ability,

they may opt for the Humanities Exam and become ordinary people.

Though his predecessor had awakened only an E-grade ability, he still chose the Wu Ke Exam.

Xu Jingming fully endorsed this decision.

After all, taking the Wu Ke Exam still offers a chance to fight for something.

If one dares not even enter the Wu Ke Exam, then they truly can only become an ordinary person...

“I’ll emphasize this one last time: the Wu Ke Exam carries a risk of death. I do not recommend it for those with abilities below D-grade.”

“You still have until nine tonight to change your application. If anyone wishes to reconsider, come see me.”

“That’s all for today. Class dismissed.”

Before leaving, Teacher Chen Fan stressed it again, his gaze sweeping over Xu Jingming.

This made the latter unconsciously rub his nose.

Xu Jingming knew exactly what his teacher meant: among all the awakened students in Senior Three, Class Five,

he alone had awakened only an E-grade ability.

According to past Wu Ke Exam records, most who died on the exam grounds were students with abilities below D-grade.

“I know Teacher Chen is worried about me, but in this world, without martial strength, you truly can’t survive...”

To prevent beast invasions, every city in Great Xia has strict defenses.

Such as high-voltage electric grids, firearms units, and ability-user squads.

Yet these measures are not foolproof; cities are occasionally overrun by beast waves, with countless citizens perishing.

Xu Jingming did not want to face such a scenario in the future with no means to fight back.

“Even with only an E-grade ability, I will take the Wu Ke Exam—let alone that I am about to gain the far rarer S-grade ability.”

Xu Jingming’s gaze sharpened as he began packing his bag.

“Jingming, you really won’t change your application?”

The boy in front, with a bowl cut, turned around and asked.

“No.” Xu Jingming shook his head.

The bowl-cut boy was his best friend Zhang Hao, who had also awakened an E-grade ability.

The two shared the same fate, but two years after awakening their E-grade abilities, Zhang Hao had fully shifted his focus to cultural studies.

He would take the Humanities Exam.

“You’re awesome!” Zhang Hao gave a thumbs-up. “Out of all six or seven E-grade awakenees in Class Five, you’re the only one bold enough to pick the Wu Ke Exam.”

“You thinking of joining me?” Xu Jingming raised an eyebrow.

“Heh, I’m heading to a cultural university to spend four peaceful years with girls.”

“Heroic duties like defending the nation? That’s your job, mighty ability-user.”

Zhang Hao grinned.

“Get lost.”

Xu Jingming rolled his eyes, ignored him, and left the classroom with his bag slung over his shoulder.

Xu Jingming’s parents had both perished in a beast wave when he was still a teenager.

All they left behind was a house and over a million in compensation.

So when he returned home, he was utterly alone.

Fortunately, before his transmigration, he had been an orphan—he was already accustomed to this solitude.

Besides, Xu Jingming now had something far more important to do.

“Newbie gift pack, here I come!”

Gazing at the blue virtual interface in his mind, Xu Jingming, with no hesitation, slammed the claim button!

“Newbie gift pack distributed. 200 ability points credited.”

“S-grade ability: Purple Thunder of the Heavenly Vault, beginning distribution. Progress 10%... 20%... 30%...”

BOOM!!

With a low rumble, boundless power exploded within Xu Jingming’s body.

Countless blue-purple lightning arcs flickered and danced across his skin, flashing on and off.

He himself seemed to transform into a sphere of blue-purple lightning.

Crackling—popping—

Amidst the piercing shriek of lightning, endless arcs spread outward from Xu Jingming, swallowing the entire living room!

Sofa, TV, coffee table...

Everything the lightning touched shattered instantly!

Thunder mixed with flame burst through the windows, shattering them into fragments and surging outward!

“Mommy, the big brother across the way’s house is on fire!”

“Call the fire department quickly!”

“That’s the Xu family’s place, right?”

“...”

Such a blatant explosion naturally drew attention from residents; many called the fire department.

Yet Xu Jingming, inside the room, knew nothing of this.

He only felt warmth flooding his body, as if brimming with power.

“50%... 60%... 70%...”

The transformation continued.

Perhaps due to the ability’s evolution,

outside, the clear afternoon sky—normally around three or four p.m.—suddenly darkened, as if night had fallen in an instant!

No rain fell, but deep, rumbling thunder rolled across the heavens.

Even within the clouds, purple lightning streaked like serpentine dragons.

“Why has the sky suddenly darkened?”

“Such terrifying thunder! I feel an oppressive weight!”

“Jiangcheng Third Military Corps, go to alert status—stand ready!”

“...”

This bizarre meteorological shift plunged all of Jiangcheng into panic, as citizens feared a lightning-controlling beast was about to invade.

The military corps stationed in Jiangcheng also mobilized, entering combat readiness.

“80%... 90%... 95%... 98%... 99%...”

Inside the room, Xu Jingming’s ability evolution reached its final stage!

CRACK!

At that moment, the sky flashed—and a bolt of purple lightning plunged through the window, like a dragon, surging into Xu Jingming’s body!

As if completing its mission, the storm clouds vanished after the strike, and the sky cleared once more.

Inside the room, Xu Jingming’s ability evolution reached 100%!

The blue-purple lightning encircling his body receded like a tide, vanishing entirely into his flesh.

After a long moment, Xu Jingming in the center of the living room suddenly opened his eyes—a flash of purple lightning darted through his pupils.

“Ability evolution complete!”

At this moment, Xu Jingming felt his entire body brimming with power. Instinctively, he raised his right hand.

With a flick of thought, countless purple lightning arcs spiraled outward.

Unlike the earlier blue-white lightning, this purple lightning pulsed with ancient, formidable energy, sending shivers down the spine.

“This is the S-grade ability—Purple Thunder of the Heavenly Vault!”

Xu Jingming’s eyes gleamed faintly. He had a feeling: if this lightning struck a human, it wouldn’t be like a stun baton.

It would obliterate the entire body.