I have a sovereign soul

The front gate guard of the school stared at Scott like a predator watching its prey as Scott dodged his body and slowly sank toward the closed school gate. Scott let out a breath and checked his watch—7:57 AM, just in time.

Just like all other high schools in the Republic, Scarlet Sea High School had entered the annual university entrance exam season early. A tense and fearful atmosphere spread across the schoolyard, resembling a battlefield.

Right at the entrance of the school gate stood a massive holographic display in the center, displaying several words:

"Time until the university entrance exams: 149 days, 9 hours, 24 minutes, and 59 seconds!"

The numbers on the hologram pulsed and changed every second. The shift was small, but for the exam candidates, it brought an overwhelming sense of pressure.

A passionate and emotional marching tune echoed through the public square as nearly 3,000 students surged forward like a tidal wave, rushing toward the sports field. Scott quickened his pace, blending into the crowd.

Once they reached the field, the sea of people split into two distinct groups, forming entirely different crowds.

The First Group

The largest group consisted of students with distinguished and elegant appearances, their fine features clearly standing out. Their school uniforms were crafted from special enchanted blue silk, fluttering in the wind, adding to their majestic and extraordinary presence. These were the students of the "Blue Class", primarily composed of children from wealthy and elite families of Vast Sea City.

As for their abilities, their strength was built upon piles of resources. Some of them were true prodigies in magic and had the highest chances of securing a spot in one of the Republic's top ten universities.

The Second Group

The smaller group wore ordinary red school uniforms made from standard materials. Unlike the first group, these students exuded no special aura—this was the "Red Class", mostly composed of children from working-class families.

Inside Scarlet Sea Private High School, they were like a flock of worms inside a cage of birds.

Scott was well acquainted with the Red Class and found his position in the line. Just as he was about to stand still, someone patted his shoulder.

A somewhat ringing voice called out, "Scott, did you just arrive? There's probably someone important coming to our school today!"

Scott didn't need to look back to know—it was his best friend, James Lee.

Lifting his gaze, he looked toward the main stage. Sure enough, he spotted the principal, the vice principal, and the head teacher among those on the platform.

All the top figures were present.

This was already an unprecedentedly special occasion for a typical morning.

"What kind of important person could be causing such a stir? Even Principal Scober came personally to welcome them!"

Principal Scober was the head of Scarlet Sea Private High School and a key senior member of the Scarlet Sea Guild, as well as a high-ranking magician. However, throughout the entire year, he rarely made public appearances, usually preoccupied with his own training. It was uncommon for him to personally oversee school affairs.

"It's Eddie Thompson, man! It's 'Needle King' Eddie Thompson!" James Lee was practically vibrating with excitement, his voice trembling.

Scott was shocked, his heartbeat accelerating with excitement.

Eddie Thompson—The Needle King

Eddie Thompson was the greatest legend to ever graduate from Scarlet Sea High School in many years.

Born in the slums, he nevertheless displayed a dazzling talent in magic.

By age 10, he was specially recruited by Vast Sea Academy.

By 11, his magic core reached 100% completion, and he awakened an S-rank magic talent, stepping onto the path of magic.

By 12, he was accepted into one of the Republic's top ten universities—Predator Beasts University.

By the time he graduated at 16, he had already become a Second-Class Magician, hailed as the Hopeful Star of the Republic.

During his time at Predator Beasts University, he rejected high-paying offers from over twenty magician guilds, choosing instead to join the Royal Army in the Barren Lands of Magical Beasts.

There, he fought against thousands of magical beasts, defending the people of the Republic with his blood and sweat.

Using his signature needles, he created mountains of corpses and rivers of blood, earning the fearsome and awe-inspiring title:

"The Needle King."

The Needle King's Return

After retiring from the army, Eddie Thompson returned to his hometown.

With an astronomical signing bonus, he joined the Scarlet Sea Guild, and within just a few years, he rose to become the Business Director of the Scarlet Moon Guild's new Extermination Division.

He was responsible for developing new extermination routes in the dangerous territories infested with demonic beasts.

Aside from his prestigious salary, rumors claimed he owned a significant share in the Scarlet Moon Extermination Division, earning him mountains of gold and silver annually—just from the profits alone!

"Have you heard the rumor? The Needle King was spotted near 'Middle Peace Shore.' He bought a seaside villa there—they say it's worth 100 million!" James Lee was practically drooling as he spoke, unable to hide his jealousy and envy.

He was just like Scott—a person obsessed with money. The difference was that James wanted wealth to charm beautiful women. If he had 100 million, he would have spent it all on women.

Going from a poor child in the slums to a high-ranking director in a major guild, Eddie Thompson now had a net worth in the hundreds of millions, luxury cars, and a seaside mansion—this was the ultimate dream of every slum-born child. Scott and James Lee were no exception.

They all thirsted to become the next Eddie Thompson!

"Middle Peace Shore, huh?" Scott pondered. For him, his greatest desire was simply to own a house by the sea—yet the Needle King owned an entire villa on one of the largest, most beautiful, and most expensive beaches imaginable.

To Scott, Eddie Thompson was a reminder that no matter your background, you can become someone great. That thought alone was one of the few things that kept his determination strong over the years—along with Horyang.

---

"He's here!"

Scott's watch trembled slightly, indicating that something was approaching at high speed through the air. He raised his eyes toward the western horizon.

A red bolt of lightning streaked across the sky at incredible speed. In one second, it was at the horizon. With a single flash, it was already floating silently in the sky above the field.

It was a crimson flying vehicle.

Its sleek and narrow body was shaped like an elongated water droplet. It was twice the size of common flying war vehicles. Its exterior was flawlessly smooth, without any visible seams or bolts—top-tier craftsmanship.

From the outside, it was impossible to determine what kind of magical weaponry it was equipped with. Yet, hidden beneath its red glow, there was a dangerous aura that made people's hearts skip a beat.

It was an overwhelming killing intent—one that defied the limits of space, suffocating thousands of high school students all at once.

"It's the Angry Red War Shuttle! The most advanced magic vehicle in the Republic! Its combat power might even surpass that of a beginner-stage magician! With the Angry Red War Shuttle, you can cross low-level magical beast territories without any obstacles or restrictions!" Scott's heart exploded with excitement.

As someone obsessed with magical artifacts, it was needless to say that Scott admired the Angry Red War Shuttle even more than he admired the Needle King himself!

The most shocking part was that Scott knew even the simplest component of the Angry Red War Shuttle would cost around 50 to 60 million on the market. Even the wealthy families of Vast Sea City couldn't afford it.

After a few seconds, the pressure eased. Thousands of students breathed a sigh of relief as the Angry Red War Shuttle disappeared from sight.

All that remained was a pair of abyssal black eyes. They still radiated intensity, flickering with traces of lightning. Those who met that gaze—even the vice principal and head teacher—subtly stepped aside, unwilling to meet his eyes directly.

The only one who remained unshaken was Principal Scober.

"Magicians are seriously rich! They're truly terrifying! They're absolutely dominant!" Scott muttered, swallowing his saliva.

---

"Rumor has it that the school specifically invited Eddie Thompson back to train the Blue Class students," James Lee said, his voice filled with resentment.

"You know the school's entrance exam results haven't been impressive in recent years, right? There haven't been many students getting into the top ten universities. Because of that, the Scarlet Sea Guild's reputation has been declining. That's why they called Eddie Thompson back—to provide specialized training and restore their former glory!"

Scott sighed internally upon hearing the news.

---

The Top Ten Universities held the most magical knowledge in the Republic, possessed the most abundant resources, and housed the highest number of elite magicians.

Among the countless public schools, securing admission to one of the Top Ten Universities was the greatest dream of every student.

Ordinary universities did not necessarily focus on training magicians. Even if a student had natural talent, no matter how hard they worked or how lucky they were, their chances of becoming a full-fledged cultivator were no more than 5%.

However, the Top Ten Universities were backed by major magician guilds and were specifically designed to nurture magicians. Simply getting accepted into one of them increased a student's chances of becoming a magician to 40%—five times higher than at an ordinary university!

To become an Artificer, one must first become a Magician.

And to become a Magician, one must first pass the university entrance exams.

For Scott, this had always been his goal.

But his innate talent put him at a severe disadvantage, one that could not be compensated for. His dream felt further and further away.

---

Lost in thought, Scott's enthusiasm dimmed.

He didn't even hear what was being said on stage.

Since Eddie Thompson had yet to appear, Principal Scober soon announced the end of the morning assembly.

The Blue Class students were guided away to receive training from the Needle King, while the Red Class students left in groups of two, heading toward the school building.

And so, another school day began once more…