Chapter 1: The Weakest Student
Pain was the first thing Kaisel became aware of. Not the sharp kind that faded quickly, but a deep, crushing heaviness that sat in his chest and refused to leave. Every breath felt delayed, like his body needed permission to inhale.
He tried to move. His fingers twitched weakly against cold stone.
Laughter reached his ears before he could open his eyes.
Sharp. Mocking. Unfamiliar—yet somehow known.
He slowly opened his eyes.
What he saw wasn't a hospital ceiling, nor anything from his memories. Stone pillars rose high above him, carved with faintly glowing symbols. The air felt thick, heavy with pressure.
He was lying on the cold stone floor.
Around him stood dozens of young men and women dressed in dark uniforms, silver-lined robes marking them as students of some academy. They formed a loose circle around him, their expressions ranging from amusement to open disdain.
"Is he dead?" someone asked lazily.
"Unfortunately not," another replied. "Trash like him never dies easily."
A shadow fell over Kaisel.
A boy stood above him, hands behind his back, eyes full of contempt. The pressure radiating from him made Kaisel's instincts scream.
A cultivator, he realized.
The boy lifted his foot.
The kick landed squarely in Kaisel's ribs.
Crack.
Pain exploded.
So this is how it feels, Kaisel thought grimly.
Being conscious… and still treated like you're nothing,
he gasped, his body curling instinctively.
"Still lying there?" the boy sneered. "This is the monthly assessment hall. Get up, or crawl out."
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
Memories surged into Kaisel's mind violently.
This body wasn't his.
The name was the same—Kaisel—but the life was not.
he was the weakest student of Aurelion Academy. Talentless. Backgroundless. Always ranked last. A convenient target for humiliation.
Bullied openly. Ignored by instructors. Barely tolerated.
Understanding settled in coldly.
I transmigrated.
Another kick landed, this time on his shoulder.
"Don't waste our time," the boy said. "You already know you'll fail again."
Again.
Yes. The memories confirmed it. Three consecutive failed assessments. One more, and expulsion was guaranteed.
Whispers spread.
"Why is he still allowed here?"
"He's embarrassing the academy."
"Even servants cultivate faster than him."
Disdain pressed down on Kaisel from all sides.
He tried to move.
His body trembled weakly.
So this is rock bottom, he thought calmly.
Then—
[DING!]
The sound rang directly inside his mind.
The noise of the hall seemed to fade.
[High concentration of negative emotions detected.]
Kaisel's pupils shrank.
[Analyzing… Envy… Anger… Hatred…]
The voice was cold. Mechanical. Clear.
[Compatibility confirmed.]
His heartbeat slowed.
[Emotion Devouring System initializing…]
A surge of heat spread from his chest throughout his body. The pain dulled, not disappearing, but retreating under control.
[Binding host: Kaisel.]
[Binding successful.]
Information poured into his mind.
System Function:
Convert negative emotions directed at the host into growth resources.
He remained motionless, his face blank.
Inside, however, he was fully alert.
[Emotion detected: Envy → converted into stat points.]
[Emotion detected: Anger → converted into combat comprehension.]
His muscles tightened subtly.
His senses sharpened.
He could hear heartbeats now—fast ones, slow ones, uneven ones. He could feel the hostility in the air like static.
The boy above him frowned.
"…What are you looking at?"
He realized he was staring directly at him.
Not with fear.
With calm.
The boy snorted. "Tch. Still pretending?"
He kicked Kaisel again.
More laughter.
More rage.
The system reacted instantly.
[Emotion intensity increasing.]
[Conversion efficiency rising.]
A new message appeared.
[Hidden Mission Activated.]
[Mission: Endure humiliation without retaliation.]
[Reward: Permanent stat growth multiplier.]
He almost smiled.
A system that rewards patience, he thought.
Interesting.
He let his body remain weak.
He let the insults continue.
Each word fed the system.
Each glance strengthened him.
But he noted he will repay it soon. Those kicks he will repay them properly he remembered
"Enough."
The voice was calm, authoritative.
The crowd parted as an instructor stepped forward, his gaze sharp and detached.
"This is the monthly assessment hall," the instructor said, clicking his tongue.
"Get up already. Or crawl out. Either way, don't waste our time."
The bully stepped back reluctantly.
The instructor looked down at Kaisel. "Can you stand?"
He pushed himself up slowly, swaying slightly, perfectly imitating weakness.
"Yes…. Instructor," he replied hoarsely.
The man studied him for a moment, then turned away.
"Take your seats," the instructor said. "The assessment will begin shortly."
He limped toward the back of the hall, ignoring the whispers following him.
Still useless.
Still trash.
He won't survive long.
The system continued harvesting.
[Hidden mission ongoing.]
He sat down in the far corner, head lowered.
Invisible.
Ignored.
But inside, his thoughts were razor sharp.
An academy built on strength.
A cultivation world ruled by hierarchy.
And a system fueled by hatred.
The corner of his lips lifted slightly.
Let them look down on me, he thought calmly.
Every bit of contempt makes me stronger.
Above him, students began preparing as the assessment drew closer.
And Kaisel waited.