[Ding! Congratulations, you’ve acquired the Martial Path System. Do you wish to bind it now?]

John Watson was sleeping like a log when a mechanical voice buzzed in his ear.

“System?” he murmured, blinking awake.

He’d been in this world three years now—finally, the system showed up!

This place was a strange blend of tech and martial arts. They had planes and cannons, sure—but also powerful warriors and fearsome spirit beasts.

Anyone who wanted to stand at the top had to walk the path of martial cultivation. Master martial artists could crush stones with a palm, ride swords through the clouds—true monsters in human skin.

But getting there wasn’t easy.

John had taken over the body of a high schooler—same name, same face. And at this school, besides books and tests, they trained in martial arts.

Problem was, in three years, his cultivation hadn’t moved much. With graduation around the corner, he was hanging off the cliff of failure.

And now, finally, this system woke up!

“Bind it! Now!” John shouted, eyes blazing.

[Ding! Binding in progress.]

[Ding! Binding successful. Please activate the system.]

“Activate...?” John frowned, confused.

[Ding! The system is currently inactive. To use it, the host must inject a large amount of energy.]

“What?” His excitement hit the ground with a thud.

He thought the system would take him straight to the peak, the world at his feet. But this thing wanted fuel before doing anything?

“Where the hell am I supposed to get all that energy?” John snapped.

Just then, the class bell rang. He scrambled up, threw on his uniform, and rushed to the classroom.

Not that he cared much about lessons, but if he skipped, they’d drag him out to stand in the sun for hours. No thanks.

Yawning, John slumped into his seat, thinking about sneaking another nap—until a pair of black silk stockings walked in. Just like that, his drowsiness evaporated.

“Only a few days left till the exams,” said Michelle Mitchell, their martial arts instructor. She swept her gaze over the students, her voice calm but firm. “If you aim to apply for Wu Hun University, bring ten thousand coins to me tomorrow for the registration.”

Then she paused, eyes sharp. “Think it through. If you're not ready, going to a regular academic college is still a solid path.”

At the mention of Wu Hun University, the class buzzed with excitement.

The place was legendary—a haven for warriors and soul masters alike. Getting in meant stepping onto the real martial path: honor, wealth, fame, power—it had it all.

But the bar was sky-high. First, you had to reach Body Tempering, fourth stage. Without that, you couldn’t even apply.

Michelle Mitchell stood still after speaking. She was elegant but carried the sharpness of a blade beneath calm eyes. The moment she finished, chatter exploded in the room.

“Did you hear? Two days ago, a mid-grade Yellow Rank wolf beast got into Jiangbei City and tried to ambush some folks at the train station. One of the Wu Hun Uni elites took it down with a single move!”"Damn, that strong?!"

"Why the fuss? Last time they wiped out a mid-grade Dual-Headed Serpent in one move."

"Shit, if we can get into Wu Hun University, that’s the path to glory."

The classmates were pumped, itching to show what they had on exam day. Except John Watson. He was still stuck in hesitation.

Back in his old world, his science knowledge wasn’t deep but broad enough. If he stuck with liberal arts, he'd probably get into a decent college. But now, with this martial system awakened, dropping martial arts would make that system worthless.

Problem was — the damn system wouldn’t even start without a huge energy source.

If he relied on just his current strength, applying to Wu Hun University was a pipe dream.

In their school, kids from normal families barely made it to Body Tempering Stage Two. A few better ones might hit Stage Three. But to apply for Wu Hun University? You needed to be at Stage Four. That alone blocked out most students.

At that moment, Orlando Taylor, who sat behind him, tapped his shoulder.

“John Watson, James Cooper, you two planning to apply?”

Before John said anything, James turned back and grinned, “Hell yeah. If I don’t, I’ll regret it forever.”

“James, you’ve got more talent than me. You’ve got a solid shot. But me and John…”

Orlando frowned as he trailed off.

James was big — over two meters tall and built like a tank. No surprise the teachers pinned their hopes on him for getting in.

“Talent’s not the problem,” James sighed. “Issue is the ten thousand coin fee. Where the hell are we supposed to get that money?”

Ten thousand — that was three years’ worth of their living costs in high school. And there was no guarantee they’d pass.

“Why the long face? Just ten thousand. Worst case, I’ll borrow it. Or sell everything back home. Don’t care — I’m giving it a shot either way!”

Orlando’s eyes lit up with stubborn fire as he raised his head.

He was sitting at Body Tempering Stage Three. One step shy of the requirement. About ten days left till the exam. Odds were tight, but he had to try. Who knew, maybe he’d get lucky.

“Yeah, damn right. We’ll be rooting for you then,” John said seriously.

They were classmates — if Orlando got in, it’d look good on them too. Might even be handy to have a friend inside.

...

After school, John walked alone toward the dorm, mind swirling with thoughts about Wu Hun University.

He was only at Stage Two. Even if he started training nonstop now, there was just no way he’d hit Stage Four in time.

“Damn it... Am I really doomed to be just some ordinary guy this life?”

He cursed softly to himself, face grim. He hated this kind of powerlessness.

His mind snapped back to the martial system. "Shit, where the hell am I supposed to find that much energy?!"Just as he was deep in thought, a figure suddenly appeared in front of him—it was James Cooper.