The first thing I heard after waking up was the sound of people screaming.
Not the kind of screaming you hear in movies.Not the "oh my god someone tripped" type.
No.This was the kind of screaming that made your stomach twist, the kind that said, "I'm about to die, and there's nothing I can do."
I sat up, blinking.
Above me, the sky was a mess of jagged red cracks, like some giant had stabbed the heavens with a sword. Dark mist leaked from the fissures, swirling like spilled ink across water.
Yeah. Definitely not Earth.
And yet, memories—sharp, painful, unbearably real—rushed into my head. Memories of a life I had already lived.
I had died. And now, I had been reborn.
Name: Zayle CrossAge: 16Status: "Weakest, most laughable kid in class"Talent: Dormant. Absolutely garbage. Zero potential.
The original Zayle: beaten behind the training halls, textbooks thrown into toilets, mocked by everyone—teachers included.
Handsome but useless. Pretty but powerless.
No wonder he died.No wonder I replaced him.
But as my vision cleared, something stirred inside me.A heat, bright and fierce, coiled in my chest, like a star exploding.
His talent… had evolved with my arrival.
And then, a voice boomed in my skull.
[SYSTEM INTEGRATION COMPLETE]
Reincarnation Trait Activated: "The Fool's Blessing"Effect: For every failure, humiliation, setback, or misfortune, host gains accelerated growth.The greater the suffering, the greater the evolution.
I blinked."…So you're telling me the more I get screwed over, the stronger I get?"
[Affirmative.]
I rubbed my face."Fantastic. My whole life is a joke buff."
This world was called Astraheim, and it had one law:
If you can't fight, you don't survive.
Outside every city were Beast Zones—lands crawling with mutated monsters that grew stronger every year. They attacked villages, ambushed travelers, and sometimes formed hordes capable of wiping out entire districts.
To survive, nations built Combat Academies, where teenagers awakened talents and trained to become hunters.
The one I attended:
Starcrest Combat Academy — Middle Division
A place where strength mattered more than grades, and weakness was basically a death sentence.
Power rankings were simple:
Apprentice 1–8
Disciple 1–8
Master 1–8
Elder 1–8(Elder 8+ are legends, rarely seen in students)
Old Zayle? Stuck at Apprentice 1, the absolute bottom.
Even the nerd who cried at spiders was Apprentice 3.
Trash tier indeed.
The First Test of Reality
The screaming around me intensified. I pushed myself up.
This wasn't a battlefield.This was the front courtyard of Starcrest, students running like headless chickens.
Hovering above them: three shadowy monsters, eyes red as molten metal, dripping darkness like ink.
A Minor Rift had opened.Minor Rifts tended to eat people.
"Move! Inside the barriers!" someone shouted.
The voice. I knew it.
Aria Lyrel.Silver hair, piercing blue eyes, knightly posture, kindness radiating like a shield.People liked her. Guys drooled. Girls copied her hairstyle.
She had always protected the old Zayle:
Stopping bullies
Wiping blood from his lip
Correcting rumors
Smiling when no one else would
Her eyes locked onto me."Zayle! What are you doing? Move!"
Memories flashed: her shielding him, wiping his blood, defending him.
I straightened my back."Aria… I'm not the same as before."
Her brow furrowed."What do you mean—"
A shadow monster dove.
My body reacted before my mind did.
One heartbeat. Two.
BOOM.
My fist punched through the creature's face. It exploded like smoke in the wind.
Aria froze."Z-Zayle…? How did you—?"
I flexed my hand, grimacing."That… hurt like hell."
[SYSTEM]Pain Registered. Growth Accelerated.Apprentice 1 → Apprentice 2
"…This system levels me up by getting hurt?"
No time to complain. Two more shadows approached.
"Aria, back up."
"But—"
"I said back up."
She obeyed, wide-eyed.
I smiled. Heart racing, hands shaking, adrenaline surging… but one thing was clear:
Confidence.
Three Minutes Later
The courtyard was silent, black dust swirling where the shadows had fallen.Students stared as if I had sprouted horns.
Aria approached."…Zayle. You fought three monsters. Alone."
"Yeah."
"And killed them."
"Apparently."
"You were Apprentice 1 yesterday."
"People change. Character development."
She stared at me like I was insane.
Before she could speak again, a voice cut through the air.
Professor Lyselle Snow.
Everyone froze.Her reputation alone: Master-tier, beauty and terror combined. A student once died under her training.
She approached, violet hair flowing like blades."Zayle Cross."
Each syllable hit like a hammer."You. With me. Now."
Aria gasped."Professor… he just—he needs rest—"
Lyselle didn't look at her. Only at me.
"Sloppy. Reckless. Pathetic. But… potential. Unacceptable for me to ignore."
A chill ran down my spine.
"From now on, you will train under me."
Gasps erupted.
Aria grabbed my sleeve."Zayle… are you serious?"
I grinned."Death once? I'm over it. Let's go."
Lyselle smirked."Good. Don't waste my time."
[SYSTEM]New Path Triggered: 'The Teacher Who Breaks Her Students'Warning: Historical survival rate 42%.
And just like that…My real life began.