Chapter 1: Ten Summoning Slots a Day? How Are Other Summoners Supposed to Live?

Parallel world, Water Ball Star.

On the playground of Li Yang City No. 1 High School, numerous students and media have gathered here; reporters with long and short guns are interviewing the excited students.

Because today is the National Professionals' College Entrance Exam 100-day pledge rally, and also the day of professionals' awakening!

Students from each class lined up, waiting for the principal's speech on stage.

The principal didn't say much, just had everyone quiet down, then announced:

「The awakening ceremony begins! 」

At this moment, no one spoke; everyone's gaze turned to the awakening platform ahead.

Lu Zheng, from Class 1 of Senior Year 3, was no exception.

After reincarnating into this world for eighteen years, today is the moment that decides fate!

This is a gamified world; its total area is not only over a hundred times larger than Lu Zheng's original world, but it also possesses many dimensional dungeons that continually merge with the main world, further expanding its scale.

In the wilderness beyond human cities, there exist all kinds of monsters, demons, and ferocious beasts; many places remain beyond humanity's ability to explore, and the safety of the human race is constantly threatened!

In such an environment, strengthening oneself is the only main theme; all citizens fight, all citizens level up, and everyone bears the duty to contribute to humanity.

The reason humanity can resist these alien races and monsters is that after turning eighteen, one can awaken professional skills and become a professional.

Only by becoming a professional can one level up; in this world's background, combat professions are undoubtedly the most crucial, and they are the guardians of humanity fighting on the front lines!

Combat professionals enjoy relatively higher status and standing.

After all, for ordinary people, raising the level of support and livelihood professions is extremely difficult, far less simple than leveling up combat professions by killing monsters.

「Here! Lu bro, have a sip of iced tea! If you make it big in the future, don't forget your brothers; whether I can rise in this life depends on you! 」

Behind Lu Zheng, a boy handed him a bottle of iced tea; this boy was tall and thin, like a bamboo pole, his tone carrying a hint of flattery.

After receiving the iced tea, Lu Zheng noticed it still had ice shards, and couldn't help but laugh.

「Yang Dong, no one can be sure about this awakening; you're sucking up to me like this—if I awaken a mundane profession, wouldn't you be wasting your effort? 」

That's what he said, but Lu Zheng actually knew: since elementary school they'd been classmates till now, Yang Dong treats him and his real brother the same; still, this guy is a people‑pleaser, and it's lucky to be his friend—otherwise someone else might have ruined him completely.

「Heh heh! Even if Lu bro awakens a blank‑slate livelihood profession, I still believe you'll definitely be able to carry me to success! 」

Yang Dong paused, then continued:

「Besides, Lu bro, you've ranked first in our grade's soul‑potential test for three straight years, always keeping others beneath you—I'm sure you can directly awaken a legendary profession! 」

Professions are generally divided into five tiers by growth potential: common, elite, rare, epic, and legendary.

However, under normal circumstances, the highest one can awaken is a rare profession; only after multiple job changes can one possibly obtain an epic or even legendary profession.

「Don't brag! If that's the case, I think you'd have to get at least an epic profession. 」

Lu Zheng rolled his eyes; Yang Dong is too good at flattery—having been praised by him since childhood, Lu Zheng feels his backside has become sensitive.

Yang Dong gave another foolish laugh: 「I don't have such high hopes! I just want to get a 'magic‑master hall' so I can inherit my father's skill books and equipment; he even spent a fortune buying me two beginner experience‑boost skill books, which I'll give to Lu Zheng for you to use, and we'll wait for you to carry us to victory! Besides, we still have three months before the college entrance exam—I'll have my old man take us to grind levels, pick up some gold coins, and level up quickly! 」

Seeing Yang Dong's earnest appearance, Lu Zheng thought of their filial father‑son scene and couldn't help but shake his head and laugh.

Yang Dong's parents are both combat professionals, able to level up with him and provide more resources; Lu Zheng's family is somewhat straitened—his parents are farmer professionals, tilling a fixed plot each day, earning just enough to keep the family fed.

「Let's talk about it later—our turn is coming up. 」

Lu Zheng replied offhand, then turned his attention to the awakening platform.

The awakening process is simple: take turns going on stage, touch the awakening crystal placed on the awakening scepter, and you gain a professional talent skill; then a specialist appraiser confirms it, and the awakening result can be announced.

【Ma Dongmei, Skill: Yin‑Leg Kick; Combat Profession: Fighter; Quality: Elite】

【Zhao Kongjun, Skill: Fishing; Livelihood Profession: Fisherman; Quality: Common】

【Tian Yimu, Skill: Sowing; Livelihood Profession: Farmer; Quality: Common】

Students queued onto the awakening platform one after another; over thirty went up, yet only the first awakener, Ma Dongmei, obtained an elite‑quality combat profession, while all the rest were non‑combat types.

Such a ratio undoubtedly hinders the continuation of humanity's overall combat strength.

This result left the teachers very dissatisfied, and the school leadership was also quite worried.

「Mu Yunlan, come up for awakening! 」

As the appraiser's announcement proceeded, the female student in front of Lu Zheng moved.

This girl had an outstanding figure, shoulder‑length short hair, and an oval face full of coolness and pride—she was Mu Yunlan.

Before stepping onto the stage, she turned her head, looked at Lu Zheng, and left a sentence.

「This time, I will be above you! 」

Having said that, she strode onto the awakening platform with legs longer than Yang Dong's life.

Upon hearing those words, Lu Zheng froze for a moment; he admitted he had been thinking a bit off‑track! Yet he could also understand Mu Yunlan's words. Over the past nearly three years of high school, Lu Zheng has always been first and Mu Yunlan second, whether in academic scores or soul‑potential tests—the huge gap in both areas has left Mu Yunlan, crushed beneath him, almost unable to resist.

Over these years, her ability to keep such fighting spirit is already a hardship for her!

And today is her final showdown, also her last chance to overturn and surpass him; if she still can't exceed Lu Zheng, it will only become harder thereafter.

She would almost spend her whole life being pressed down by Lu Zheng! Amidst everyone's anticipation, Mu Yunlan placed her hand on the awakening crystal; as magical power flowed in, the formation she stood in burst with golden light, and a surge of energy from the crystal entered her body.

Upon her, a sharp, icy aura burst forth, causing the nearby appraiser to brighten in surprise.

He quickly announced Mu Yunlan's results.

【Mu Yunlan, Skill: Sword Qi; Combat Profession: Sword Cultivator; Quality: Rare】

Hearing this result, the surrounding students and teachers were all greatly shocked, even the principal rose to his feet in excitement.

The Sword Cultivator profession, of rare quality, if developed well can later transfer to become a legendary profession, Sword Immortal!

The surrounding reporters and media instantly cheered, quickly broadcasting this good news, while also recording the glorious moment in photos and video.

Mu Yunlan tried to suppress her excited feelings, but her slightly trembling body still showed she was not calm inside.

Her gaze fell upon Lu Zheng, her eyes seemingly challenging him.

Just then, the next person up was Lu Zheng.

Yang Dong encouraged: 「Lu bro, you're the strongest! I'm waiting for you to carry me to glory! 」

As soon as Lu Zheng stepped onto the stage, he became the focus of everyone's attention, and many people began to discuss.

"I heard that this is the genius who ranked first in this year's soul potential test; Mu Yunlan is merely second."

"Mu Yunlan already has a rare profession; could it be that our school this year could produce a monster whose initial profession quality reaches epic level!?"

"I recall that the last time our school produced an epic-tier initial profession holder was the previous occurrence."

"If you can't remember, quit the nonsense— the last time was forty-seven years ago, namely the Blood Dragon War God Fu Cangli, who is currently one of the empire's top 100!"

Although he had lived two lives, Lu Zheng himself felt a bit nervous.

Even his previous life's college entrance exam couldn't completely determine a person's life path, but this profession awakening almost set a person's developmental ceiling! He also looked forward to his future with anticipation.

Upon touching the awakening crystal, the magic array activated, a faint golden light flashed, and Lu Zheng froze.

Meanwhile, the appraiser at the side announced the result.

"Lu Zheng, skill: Summoning; combat profession: Summoner; quality: Ordinary"

Summoner, the most ordinary summoner profession! It is universally acknowledged as the most expensive, fragile profession.

An ordinary summoner initially has only one summon slot, randomly summoning a summoned beast of varying quality.

The quality of the summoned beast is purely a matter of luck.

The summoner themselves possesses almost no combat power, just like a life‑profession holder— lacking strong skills, weak defense, low vitality, unable to engage in battle, with all output relying on the summoned beast.

If the summoned beast is also of the support type, then this summoner is practically useless.

After all, when venturing deep into monster hordes to fight, both lack combat power and merely await death.

Moreover, raising a summoned beast's level also requires experience points; from the monsters it slays, at least half must be retained, at most four‑fifths.

In this regard, a summoner who obtains a common‑quality combat summoned beast has an initial growth rate that is not even as good as a blank slate warrior.

To reap any advantage, one must at least wait until possessing three summoned beasts, because one is needed to guard oneself while two kill monsters to level up; if a summoned beast dies, re‑summoning requires not only buying a summon scroll but also re‑leveling the new summoned beast.

Advancing a summoned beast requires many special materials, incurring huge wealth; furthermore, early on the summoner lacks sufficient upgrade ability, so gaining a new summon slot requires raising ten levels, which necessitates being carried by others— another expense.

How could an ordinary family possibly withstand such expenses!?

So, upon hearing this result, the students instantly erupted in an uproar; no one expected that the year's top rank would turn out like this.

Truly disappointing! The appraiser consoled:

"Fellow student, don't be upset. At least it's a combat profession, not an awakening failure— step down!"

Lu Zheng, hearing that, came to his senses and hurriedly stepped down from the awakening platform.

He wasn't actually sad just now; rather, a new voice lingered in his mind, something the appraiser had not detected.

【Obtained Top‑Tier Talent: Summon the Gods (Hidden)】

【Passive Effect One: You can gain ten summon slots each day, and any vacant slot can be immediately opened for a new summon】

【Passive Effect Two: When a new summoned beast appears, you may randomly acquire one of its skills】

【Passive Effect Three: When your summoned beast levels up, you will inevitably gain a random portion of basic attribute feedback amplification】

Just seeing the first talent passive, Lu Zheng was dumbfounded.

Holy crap! Ten summon slots a day, and they can be refreshed without limit— how are other summoners supposed to survive!? Please follow, please collect, welcome the blogger to drive traffic! (End of chapter)