In the blink of an eye, the semester was drawing to a close. After months of rigorous training and study, Kael Vorn''s body had transformed remarkably.


    He had filled out, his muscles becoming more defined, and he had even shot up in height.


    Standing at over 1.8 meters tall now, he was a picture of strength, with well - formed muscles that lent him a powerful yet not overly bulky appearance.


    With the courses completed, a week - long break ensued.


    This period was dedicated to allowing the students to rest and rejuvenate, preparing them for what lay ahead.


    Kael Vorn slung his schoolbag over his shoulder and set off at a jog towards home.


    "…It''s 6:11 p.m. on June 7. The eleventh large - scale permanent military base in the Spirit Realm of Daxia has been officially completed.


    The list of the first - batch legions dispatched for garrison duty has been confirmed. It is understood that the list includes…"


    "Chinese hamburgers! Chinese hamburgers! Only three yuan each!"


    "…"


    As he jogged along the bustling street, the cacophony of sounds from the loudspeakers of the roadside shops filled his ears.


    But none of these distractions could slow his pace.


    In the June heat, even at six o''clock in the evening, the ground, having been baked by the sun all day, still radiated intense warmth.


    He swiftly crossed the road and ducked into the welcome shade of a building, then continued his run along the street.


    Before long, an old - fashioned residential area came into view. On a curved iron frame, several large, rust - stained characters spelled out "Guangming Residential Area."


    Taking two steps at a time, Kael Vorn bounded up the stairs and opened the door to his fourth - floor home.


    His parents were yet to return from work. One of his younger brothers, who was in junior high school, was boarding at school, and the other, in primary school, should have just finished classes and was likely on his way back.


    Kael Vorn opened the ancient refrigerator that had served the family faithfully for at least a decade.


    He rummaged through and took out some ingredients, then set about cooking. His parents'' factory did not provide dinner, so every time he got home, he made it a point to cook and wait for them.


    The saying "Children from poor families take on responsibilities early" held true in his case. It was debatable whether this was a compliment.


    In reality, it was more a statement of necessity. Given a choice, no child would willingly take on the burden of work at a young age.


    A little after seven o''clock, his parents and younger brother had all arrived home. The family of four sat around the dining table, quietly enjoying their meal.


    On the table were three simple dishes and a bowl of soup: home - style tofu, stir - fried pork with chili peppers, scrambled eggs with bitter gourd, and seaweed and egg soup.


    Kael Vorn''s cooking skills were commendable.


    Having helped with household chores since childhood and having picked up some tricks from the restaurant''s head chef during his part - time job, he had developed a knack for cooking.


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    At the table, Huo Liren finished his meal first. He put down his chopsticks and looked at Kael Vorn and his younger brother.


    " I bought you something. It''s in your room. Go take a look later and see if it fits," he said.


    "Okay," Kael Vorn replied. He quickly wolfed down a few more bites, then headed to his room.


    Kael Vorn''s room was tiny. Besides a bed, there was scarcely any space left. After placing a desk, the remaining area was filled with books.


    On the floor, there was a cardboard box. When he opened it, he found a stab - proof vest inside.


    Kael Vorn opened the packaging and examined the brand. It was a well - known one, and this vest likely cost over ten thousand yuan.


    His parents'' combined monthly income was only a little over four thousand yuan.


    Supporting the entire family, including their grandparents back in the hometown, was a challenging task.


    Saving up over ten thousand yuan would undoubtedly take them years.


    Holding the stab - proof vest, Kael Vorn''s grip tightened.


    This was a symbol of his parents'' love, yet from what he had learned about the Spirit Realm, its practical value was limited. In the Spirit Realm, there were few attacks that such an ordinary stab - proof vest could withstand.


    In a real - life battle situation, the wiser choice might be to find an opportune moment to end his life quickly, sparing himself from the unthinkable tortures that awaited.


    …


    The week passed in a flash. After bidding farewell to his family, Kael Vorn made his way to school. Today was the day of the Spirit Awakening.


    The school was abuzz with activity. The regular - class students were absent, and the campus was filled with those about to undergo the Spirit Awakening.


    The school gate was bustling with traffic.


    Many parents had driven their children to school. "Kael Vorn!" a voice called out from afar.


    Kael Vorn turned to see his deskmate, Ren Zhengyang, running towards him.


    In contrast to Kael Vorn, who traveled light, Ren Zhengyang was decked out in an array of gear, with various odds and ends hanging from him.


    "You''re wearing a stab - proof vest too!" Ren Zhengyang, with his sharp eyes, immediately spotted the vest beneath Kael Vorn''s outer clothing.


    "Yeah," Kael Vorn replied.


    "Check this out! I''m even wearing stab - proof pants!" Ren Zhengyang, with a youthful flourish, rolled up his trouser leg to reveal the stab - proof pants underneath.


    Kael Vorn was accustomed to his friend''s antics and didn''t bat an eyelid.


    Ren Zhengyang''s family was a small - scale middle - class household. They owned a shop, and their daily life was relatively comfortable.


    "Here, this is for you," Ren Zhengyang said, tossing a small bag over.


    "What''s this?" Kael Vorn asked as he caught the small black bag and began to unzip it.


    "A survival kit! Your big brother takes good care of you, right?" Ren Zhengyang exclaimed, throwing an arm around Kael Vorn''s shoulder, causing the various items on his body to jingle.


    Kael Vorn opened the survival kit.


    It was filled with an assortment of useful items: several sharp knives, a first - aid kit, a rope, fire - starting tools, and other miscellaneous gadgets. It was an excellent survival kit.


    "Not bad… You''re really a great big brother!" Kael Vorn grinned, this time truly meaning it.


    This small survival kit, though unassuming, would easily cost at least a thousand yuan to purchase. Despite his quirks, Ren Zhengyang was indeed a good friend.


    Shortly after, the homeroom teacher quickly gathered the class, and they boarded a coach bus. The Spirit Awakening was a perilous endeavor and couldn''t be carried out casually at school. They needed to travel to a specialized location.


    The students chatted animatedly on the bus, excitedly discussing their post - Awakening plans and envisioning the extraordinary lives that awaited them.


    The homeroom teacher watched them with a smile, but his expression dimmed as he thought about the harsh reality: at least half of these students might not return alive.


    After a journey of over two hours, the convoy of coach buses finally reached a base located far from the city center.


    This was the Spirit Awakening base. A battalion of the Daxia Army was stationed here, tasked with safeguarding the base and the students about to undergo the Spirit Awakening.


    Shixi City was just a small county. With five high schools in the area, over three thousand students had come to participate in the Spirit Awakening this time.


    As more and more buses arrived, the place grew increasingly noisy.


    The students were led into a classroom. The homeroom teacher entered, holding a crystal ball the size of a pomegranate.


    All eyes in the class were immediately drawn to the object in the teacher''s hand.


    "Students, this is a simulator of the Spirit Awakening ball you''ll be using. I''ll now demonstrate how to operate it," the teacher announced, standing at the podium.


    The simulator was for demonstration purposes only and had no real - world functionality.


    The students watched intently as the teacher demonstrated the operation.


    This demonstration was crucial, as it held the key to their impending Spirit Awakening.