Chapter 3 — Lin Mo
Lin Mo arrived at school early.
Too early.
The gates were barely open, the security guard still sipping cheap coffee and scrolling through realm updates on his communicator. Morning fog clung to the pavement, blurring the outlines of buildings and students alike.
Lin Mo walked in calmly.
But inside him, everything was different.
His steps were lighter. His posture straighter. The shadows beneath his feet stretched subtly, responding to his movement like obedient servants.
He ignored them.
Control later.
As students passed within a meter of him, panels appeared one after another.
Not weak ones.
---
[Talent Detected]
Target: Zhou Kai
Talent: Heavy Sword Mastery
Rank: C
---
[Talent Detected]
Target: Han Yue
Talent: Wind Acceleration
Rank: C+
---
[Talent Detected]
Target: Qin Yu
Talent: Spatial Sensitivity
Rank: B-
---
Lin Mo's breathing slowed.
So this was it.
This was the truth he'd been blind to all along.
This school wasn't ordinary.
It was a talent reservoir.
Students laughed, complained about homework, argued about lunch—all while carrying talents that could dominate battlefields in secret realms.
And he?
He'd been teaching them.
A former F-rank nobody lecturing future elites.
A bitter smile touched his lips.
No wonder they never respected me.
A warning panel suddenly surfaced.
---
[Copy Authority Limitation]
Weekly Copy Limit: 2 Talents
Copied This Week: 1 / 2
---
Lin Mo halted briefly in the hallway.
"So it's not unlimited."
That made sense. Power without restraint always came with a price.
He exhaled slowly and continued walking.
He didn't rush.
He observed.
He filtered talents like a predator scanning prey—not for food, but for compatibility.
Fire? Too unstable.
Ice? Good control, poor synergy.
Speed? Useful—but temporary.
Then—
Sword.
---
[Talent Detected]
Target: Li Zheng
Talent: Sword Affinity
Rank: C
Compatibility: High
Copy Available — Yes / No
---
Lin Mo stopped.
Li Zheng was seated near the window, polishing a training blade with casual confidence. A top student. Ranked third among second-years. Known for cutting down D-rank monsters alone.
Sword Affinity.
Clean. Direct. Deadly.
Perfect.
Lin Mo answered without hesitation.
Copy.
---
[Sword Affinity — C Rank]
Copy Successful.
Weekly Copy Limit Reached: 2 / 2
---
The panel faded.
Li Zheng frowned suddenly and looked up, glancing around as if something had brushed past him.
Lin Mo was already gone.
---
The day passed quickly.
Too quickly.
Students noticed changes.
Lin Mo's gaze was sharper. His voice carried more authority. When he spoke, even the unruly ones fell silent instinctively.
By afternoon, whispers spread.
"Teacher Lin feels… different."
"Did you feel that pressure earlier?"
"Is he awakened now?"
Lin Mo ignored it all.
The moment classes ended, he left.
---
At home, he didn't hesitate.
Curtains drawn. Door locked.
The panel appeared instantly.
---
[Borrowed Talent Stored]
Sword Affinity — C Rank
Merge Available
Estimated Pain Level: Moderate
Success Rate: 35%
---
"Higher than before."
As expected.
His body had already adapted once.
Lin Mo sat on the floor, back against the wall, breathing steadily.
"Let's finish this."
Merge.
---
Pain surged—but it was different.
No longer wild.
No longer chaotic.
It was focused.
Sharp.
Like a blade carving him from the inside.
His arms trembled violently as muscle fibers tightened, reorganized, refined. His bones hummed faintly, resonating with something metallic and cold.
Images flooded his mind.
Sword arcs.
Stances.
Timing.
His hands clenched unconsciously, fingers twitching as if gripping an invisible hilt.
He groaned—but did not scream.
Ten minutes passed.
Then silence.
---
[Merge Complete]
Sword Affinity — C Rank (Refined)
Realm Advancement Achieved
---
Lin Mo opened his eyes.
He stood.
The air felt different—clearer, lighter, obedient.
He raised his hand.
A shadow condensed.
Then sharpened.
A blade-like outline formed briefly before dissolving.
Lin Mo smiled.
He summoned the panel again.
---
[Cultivation Status]
Realm: Elementary Warrior
Rank: D
Combat Evaluation: C+ (Situational B)
---
He laughed softly.
"Elementary Warrior…"
D-rank by classification.
But he knew the truth.
With shadow control and sword mastery combined, most C-rank awakened wouldn't survive three exchanges.
Even B-rank…
If they're careless.
He grabbed his jacket and left.
---
The weapons market smelled of metal and oil.
Lin Mo walked past high-end stores filled with glowing blades and artifact-grade weapons. Prices displayed casually in the tens of thousands.
He didn't stop.
His funds were limited.
Very limited.
After some searching, he found it.
A simple black alloy sword.
No inscriptions. No enhancements.
But balanced.
Sharp.
Affordable.
He spent nearly all his remaining cash.
Then bought one more thing.
A sword skill manual.
"Basic Shadow-Cleaving Form"
Not famous. Not expensive.
But compatible.
Lin Mo left with nothing left in his account.
He didn't regret it.
---
Evening fell.
The city lights flickered on.
Lin Mo cooked instant noodles and ate quietly.
Then—
His communicator buzzed.
A message.
From his sister.
---
Lin Yan: Brother…
---
Lin Mo froze.
It had been months since she'd called him that.
Another message followed.
---
Lin Yan: I'm in trouble.
Lin Yan: Some guys followed me.
Location Shared
---
The room darkened.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
Lin Mo stood.
Grabbed his sword.
The shadows gathered.
---
The alley was narrow and poorly lit.
Three men blocked Lin Yan's path.
She was backed against the wall, eyes wide, hands clenched tightly around her bag.
"You've been ignoring us lately," one thug sneered. "Think you're too good now?"
Another laughed. "Your brother's just an F-rank teacher. What's he gonna do?"
Lin Yan's lips trembled—but she didn't cry.
"Leave me alone."
A footstep echoed behind them.
Slow.
Measured.
The alley lights flickered.
The thugs turned.
Lin Mo stood there.
Sword in hand.
Shadows moving like living things behind him.
"Step away from her."
His voice was calm.
Cold.
The men burst out laughing.
"Who the hell—"
The shadow moved.
One moment it clung to the wall.
The next—
It lunged.
A thug screamed as darkness wrapped around his ankle, slamming him face-first into the pavement.
Lin Mo drew his sword.
The sound rang clear.
A clean, chilling sound.
The alley fell silent.
Lin Yan stared.
Her brother stood tall.
Different.
Dangerous.
Her mouth parted.
"B-Brother…?"
The remaining thugs backed away slowly.
"This… this isn't possible…"
Lin Mo raised his blade.
Shadows sharpened.