New Era, Year 1077
Blue Planet, Valoria City, PTE High School
"Dear Students, today is the final day."
"Whether you choose to continue or to stop, the decision is yours."
"But always remember, no matter which path you choose, it will be the right one."
On the podium, an elderly teacher spoke with a gentle voice to the students below. His eyes were filled with complex emotions, reluctance mixed with concern. The classroom was silent, save for the soft sound of breathing. The atmosphere felt heavy, almost oppressive.
"Mr. Martin, I've made my choice. I want to join the military," a teenage boy raised his hand and declared. His voice was firm, his eyes brimming with determination.
"Very well. What about the rest of you?" Teacher Martin sighed, turning his gaze to the other students.
"I'm joining the military too," another student raised their hand, echoing the same resolve.
"I want to graduate and return to my family's pig farm," a chubby boy said, raising his hand.
"Nolan, you're still going to raise pigs? I'm worried you'll end up eating their feed!" the boy sitting next to him teased.
"Haha!"
"Exactly!"
The class erupted in laughter. Though it was a bit harsh on Nolan, the mood in the room lightened considerably.
"Damn it, you jerk!" Nolan's face flushed with anger, and he raised a fist to retaliate, but his friend dodged. The two started messing around, and the classroom's silence gave way to chaos.
"We're discussing something serious here," Teacher Martin said, slamming his hand on the desk and fixing Nolan with a stern look.
Nolan immediately sat back down.
Teacher Martin was known for being strict at this school.
"I want to continue to university," a clear, melodious voice rang out from the back of the classroom.
All eyes turned toward the source. There, seated quietly, was a girl with golden hair. Her fair skin, azure eyes, and oval-shaped face were a perfect creation of nature. Combined with her elegant aura, she seemed like a princess straight out of a fairy tale.
"As expected of Anna."
"Of course, her family is the Astorias, after all."
"Yeah, the Astoria family, one of the most powerful in Valoria City."
The students whispered among themselves, their voices tinged with awe and envy.
"Very good. Come to my office later to pick up the university application form," Teacher Martin said, his mood visibly lifting as he smiled at Anna.
"Yes, Mr. Martin," Anna replied calmly, her expression unchanging. Even as her classmates gossiped about her, she remained unfazed, as if she were merely a passerby, detached from those around her despite three years of studying together.
"And you, Roy?" Teacher Martin shifted his attention to the boy sitting next to Anna.
Roy was a teenager with jet-black hair and a face that blended Eastern and Western features, resolute yet refined, with an undeniable charm. His deep brown eyes sparkled like stars in the night sky. Upon closer inspection, one could see emotions in his gaze that seemed far too complex for an 18-year-old.
"Me? I plan to graduate high school and be done with it," Roy replied calmly.
His words sent the classroom into an uproar.
"Roy's not going to university? Isn't he the top student in the school?"
"Yeah, even Anna can't match his grades. Why would he give up?"
The class buzzed with confusion. Everyone wanted to know why Roy had made such a choice.
Even Anna glanced at him, her eyes filled with curiosity. Clearly, she too wanted to know his reasoning.
"Silence!" Teacher Martin barked, then turned to Roy. "Why? With your grades, you could easily get into a top-10 university. Why give up?"
"You know my family's situation, sir. I don't have the means to continue to university," Roy said with a forced smile, meeting Teacher Martin's gaze as he explained.
"Is that the reason?"
"That makes sense. Even though he's brilliant, university fees are astronomical. Ordinary families can't afford it."
"Such a pity. If only he'd been born into a wealthy family."
"Haha, aren't we the same? If we could afford university, who'd choose to enlist or drop out to work?"
Roy's answer left the class in somber silence. The atmosphere grew heavy again. Some sighed, others shook their heads in regret.
"But still - !" Teacher Martin began, but stopped himself. He sighed. "Fine. If that's your decision, I won't stop you. Come to my office before you leave. I have something for you, it might help."
Teacher Martin then turned to the rest of the class. "What about the others?"
"I want to graduate too."
"I'm joining the military."
One by one, the remaining students raised their hands and shared their decisions. Clearly, they had thought long and hard about their futures and knew what they wanted.
Roy sat quietly, observing the scene. His calm gaze drifted past the classroom window to the world outside.
Beyond the glass, towering skyscrapers dominated the skyline, their walls adorned with glowing billboards. The most prominent one read, "V09 Potion, Umbrella Corporation's Latest Breakthrough," its massive size covering dozens of buildings.
Occasionally, flying cars zoomed past, their exhausts spitting crimson flames as they soared into the sky, leaving trails of distorted air that rattled the windows.
Watching the spectacle unfold, Roy couldn't help but feel a pang of awe. No matter how many times he saw it, this world never ceased to amaze him. It felt both strange and familiar.
Roy wasn't originally from this world.
Eighteen years ago, Roy Crowley had been reincarnated from Earth to this place, a planet called Blue Planet. In his old life, he vaguely remembered walking down the street when a runaway truck hit him, sending his body flying dozens of meters. He thought he was dead for sure, but when he opened his eyes, he was a newborn baby.
Over the past eighteen years, Roy had grown accustomed to life here. Still, moments like these, watching flying cars streak by, brought back memories of his old world, especially the differences between the two.
"Ding-dong!"
The bell signaling the end of class snapped Roy out of his reverie.
On the podium, Teacher Martin finished his duties. He stepped closer to the students and spoke in a warm tone.
"Classmates, no matter what path you choose, I wish you success!"
"For those of you graduating, the Federation will provide you with a Basic Gene Potential Development Manual and 1,000 Federation Credits. These will be sent to your personal IDs. Check and confirm them when you get home."
"Value these resources. If you study the Gene Potential Manual diligently and, with some luck, become a Gene Warrior, it could change your fate."
"Now, class dismissed."
With those final words, Teacher Martin turned and left the room.
The classroom remained silent for several minutes after his departure.
"...."
The sound of a chair being pushed back broke the stillness. Anna stood, grabbing her bag, and walked straight toward the door without a word.
Roy followed suit, standing and leaving quietly.
"Those two are so alike," someone remarked after they left.
"Who knows? I heard rumors they were dating."
"Really? No way!"
"How would I know? It's probably just a rumor. Anna's from the Astoria family, after all. Roy's smart and good-looking, but how could he compare?"
"Maybe not now, but if Roy becomes a Gene Warrior, he'd have a shot!"
"Get real. Becoming a Gene Warrior isn't easy. Valoria City has over a billion people, and there are barely 10,000 Gene Warriors."
"Yeah, but if Roy did become one, forget Anna, he could even go after a superstar like Mina!" Nolan said with a laugh, patting his round belly.
"You know Mina too? I've got a few terabytes of her movies. Want them?" Nolan's deskmate grinned mischievously.
The class burst into laughter.
Though the conversation had started about Roy and Anna's rumored relationship, it inevitably shifted to Gene Warriors, spoken of with reverence and longing.
Out in the hallway, Roy overheard the chatter drifting from the classroom. He shook his head with a wry smile.
"Whoever started that stupid rumor must have too much time on their hands."
He and Anna had no such relationship. In fact, despite being deskmates for three years, they'd barely spoken.
Part of it was because Roy, as a reincarnator, was mentally far older, nearing 50 if you counted both lives, and had little interest in teenage romance. As for Anna, her aloof personality seemed innate.
This kept their relationship far from what the rumors suggested.
Still, Roy couldn't deny that pursuing Anna would be near impossible, even if he wanted to. The gap between them was too vast, unless he became a Gene Warrior.
His thoughts drifted to an incident from his early days in this world.
At first, Roy assumed this was an ordinary world. But when he was three, he saw a man leap from a hundred-meter height and land unharmed. That's when he realized this was a world of extraordinary power.
From online research, Roy learned the man was likely a Gene Warrior, a group possessing terrifying strength. Even the weakest among them was leagues beyond an ordinary human.
From that moment, Roy knew his life's goal: to become a Gene Warrior.