Blue Star – Year 2050

Base City 5, Central High School

Class 10

The early afternoon sun spilled golden light through the reinforced glass windows of Central High School, casting long, warm streaks across the pristine desks of Class 10. But the glow did little to lift the heavy silence that had settled like a blanket over the room.

At the front stood Mr. Arnold, tall and composed, his gaze solemn as it swept over the young faces before him. Behind him, the digital blackboard gleamed with cold precision, displaying the words: The Great Calamity of 2000.

Fifty years ago..." Arnold began, his voice measured but filled with unshakable weight. "The sky split open on July 5th. A rift—unseen and unimaginable—tore through our atmosphere. From it descended a strange, luminous gas, blanketing the Earth in mere hours. And with that gas, our world changed forever."

A hush hung over the classroom. The tale was familiar, drilled into them since childhood, but the magnitude of it never truly dulled.

"The gas mutated everything it touched. Plants, animals... even us. While nature adapted swiftly, human evolution stumbled forward at a crawl. But that wasn’t all. The very continents themselves began to shift, converging into a single supercontinent. Though 70% of the planet remained ocean, Earth was no longer the place our ancestors knew."

A soft hum filled the air as a holographic globe hovered mid-air, rotating slowly to display the reshaped planet.

"One billion people died in the first six months."

A gasp cut through the stillness. The statistic never failed to chill the bones, no matter how often it was repeated.

"And then came the Beast Tide."

Arnold tapped his screen, and images of grotesquely mutated creatures flickered into view—towering, snarling abominations of flesh and power.

Humanity was struggling with all it’s might but couldn’t do anything to the monsters. Tank, fighter jet, gun, sniper,grande nothing could do any harm to this beasts. So they had to resort to it’s last option. The nuclear bomb.

"The nuclear response was immediate... and catastrophic. It was like a mutual destruction.

Entire regions turned to radioactive wastelands.

People died like ants.Humanity’s last hope was to cluster into fortified zones—what we now call Base Cities."

He paused, letting the enormity settle before continuing, this time with a hint of reverence in his voice.

"But amid the ashes, hope emerged. A strange island surfaced near the new supercontinent—shrouded in alien atmosphere. The world leaders were searching for a ray of hope everywhere.Risking everything, humanity sent an expedition. What they found changed the course of history."

The image changed to a massive wreck: a half-buried alien spaceship, its hull scarred but humming faintly with dormant power.

"Inside the ruins was knowledge... far beyond our comprehension. And more importantly—a path to martial arts. One that allowed humans to absorb cosmic energy."

The students straightened in their seats. This was the part that lit sparks in their eyes every time.

"A year later, the first martial artist was born."

After that many martial artists emerged in various base cities. Beside scientists invented laser guns from the alien technology, the base city was fortified.

Martial artists began fighting with the monsters and started pushing them away. They started investigation thoughout the supercontinent.

Many other alien ruins were found out.

New technology, new techniques were also discovered.

Humanity again was started thriving.

"But our pride blinded us."

Just after 30 years of development, we thought we could take back our lands from the monsters and we started a decisive battle against the monsters.

But we miscalculated something entirely.

The sea.

The most mysterious place on earth. After the catastrophe, humanity didn’t venture around the sea very much. So they had no idea what was lurking in the depth of the sea.

The images shifted to the oceans—towering waves, nightmarish sea creatures rising from the abyss. Shark at the size of submarine or even bigger, whale was like an aircraft carrier. Lobsters with pinchers so powerful that can destroy steel like hot knife cutting butter.

"We underestimated the 70% of the world we couldn’t see. And then... came the Ocean Emperor."

The classroom dimmed. A massive octopus, the size of an island, rose from the water, its eyes glowing with malice. Each of its tentacles radiated death.

"No technology could stop it. Cities were drowned. Martial artists—heroes—fell."

Arnold’s tone became hushed.

"And then... he arrived, "Dragon". The strongest human to ever walk on Blue Star. Armed with a blade from the alien ruins, he challenged the Emperor in a battle that shook the Earth."

The room watched, spellbound, as the scene played out—energy storms, crashing waves, and a lone warrior standing against the apocalypse.

"For three days and nights, they clashed. Neither won. But a pact was formed: Dragon would not intrude into the ocean, and the Ocean Emperor would stay away from humanity’s struggle on land."

The lights returned. Silence reigned.

"That was twenty years ago. Since then, we have rebuilt. Base Cities now flourish. Martial arts has evolved. And Dragon... still watches us, a silent protector in the shadows."

He turned to face the students, eyes gleaming.

"In one month, your college entrance exams begin. If you perform well in both written and martial assessments, you could be accepted into Aurora Martial University,the best university in the entire planet. But even if you can’t admit there,there are other top class universities.

But first... you must become a Quasi-Warrior. In fifteen days, you will all take your certification test at the Alliance Branch Hall."

He paused, letting his words sink in.

"The future of humanity may rest in your hands. Train hard. Dismissed."

As the door slid shut behind Mr. Arnold, the tension shattered like glass. Conversations erupted.

"Dude, that speech again? I swear I could recite it in my sleep!"

Laughter broke out. But at the back of the class, Ethan sat frozen. His face was pale, his breathing uneven. Sweat glistened on his brow.

Ryan, his broad-shouldered childhood best friend frowned and nudged him. "Ethan? You alright, bro? You look like you’ve seen a ghost."

Ethan didn’t answer. He couldn’t.

His thoughts were a jumbled storm. Where... am I? What just happened?

He remembered... He was minding his own business in a park,but suddenly a bastard truck came out of nowhere and hit him. Then he didn’t remember anything.

I died. Didn’t I?

Am I in the hell?

His pulse quickened. Everything felt wrong—the language, the classroom, the tech, the talk of martial arts and alien spaceships...

This wasn’t Earth.

A sharp pain exploded behind his eyes, and Ethan gasped. Memories flooded his mind—fragments not his own. Faces, names, school schedules, battle rankings, gene locks.

His head throbbed. His stomach churned.

He collapsed.

The world went dark.

---

When he awoke, he was in the infirmary. Sterile white lights buzzed overhead. His limbs trembled as if the fever of a thousand dreams had just passed.

"Ethan! You awake?"

Ryan’s face swam into view, eyes full of worry. "Damn, man, you scared the hell out of us."

Ethan sat up slowly, still reeling.

"I’m... Ethan Hunt," he whispered, more to himself than anyone else. "Blue Star... Base City 5..."

The name felt foreign in his mouth, yet familiar. He was no longer the same Ethan who had lived on Earth. That Ethan had died. And in he was now someone who reborn into a new world. A brutal, wondrous, terrifying world of beasts, martial might, and alien legacy.

Somehow, against all odds... his wish had come true.

He had always dreamed of a second chance. A world where strength ruled. Where he could rise. Fight. Live with purpose.

Now it was real.

He closed his eyes.

Then, a cold, mechanical voice echoed in the depths of his mind.

> "Ding! The Infinite System has been successfully activated."

The familiar chime of a notification echoed in Ethan’s mind, and he froze.

A surge of indescribable excitement rushed through him. His eyes widened. His heart pounded like a war drum. That sound—it wasn’t just a beep. It was a call to destiny.

As a veteran netizen from Earth who had spent countless nights binging web novels, Ethan recognized the moment for what it was. He’d read it a hundred times—stories where ordinary protagonists were granted mysterious systems, cheat-like abilities that turned their lives upside down. It was the beginning of greatness.

Now, it was happening to him.

He had a system.

His breath hitched. Eyes shut, he turned his attention inward, just as countless fictional protagonists had done. He focused, mind taut with anticipation, trying to summon the interface.

> What would it be? A Shop System? A Cultivation Accelerator? A Skill Copier?

Then, in the darkness behind his closed lids, a translucent panel blinked into existence.

---

[Master: Ethan Hunt

Physique: 0.1

Spirit: 0.1]

---

That was it?

Ethan blinked. Disappointment crept in like a cold draft. No flashing lights. No dramatic fanfare. No tabs, options, or grand list of powers—just two measly stats.

His initial euphoria began to fade.

Then, like a bolt of lightning, pain lanced through his skull. He winced, clutching his head as data surged into his mind.

A cold, mechanical voice echoed within him:

> "System active. Core Function: Automatically doubles host’s attributes every 24 hours."

Ethan froze.

His thoughts stalled.

> Double... every 24 hours?

His pupils constricted.

He wasn’t a math prodigy, but even he understood exponential growth. At first, the change would seem small. But over time—days, weeks—a snowball would become an avalanche. The weakest ant could become a dragon.

His fingers trembled. He clenched them into fists, his lips parting in stunned awe.

> This... this is insane.

Suddenly, that basic panel didn’t feel so underwhelming anymore.

Physique: 0.1.

Spirit: 0.1.

The data from the system clarified: 1.0 in either stat equaled one ton of force. At 0.1, Ethan currently had around 100 kilograms of physical and spiritual strength. Neat, round numbers.

Too neat.

The system had likely calibrated his starting point intentionally. But Ethan didn’t dwell on that. He needed answers—about the world he now inhabited.

Sifting through the inherited memories of this body, a new reality unfolded.

The planet was called Blue Star—a futuristic, Earth-like world where martial power reigned supreme. While advanced technology existed, the true cornerstone of society was cosmic energy—and those who could harness it through cultivation.

Strength ruled all.

The cultivation hierarchy was divided into five major realms:

Martial Warrior

Martial Master

Martial Grandmaster

Martial King

Martial Emperor

To embark on this path, one first had to awaken their elemental affinity. Some people possessed a latent affinity to one of the nine elements: fire, water, earth, metal, wind, light, darkness, thunder and ice.

Through their element, they would receive a corresponding breathing technique, allowing them to absorb cosmic energy and evolve.

The foundation of cultivation lay in unlocking five gene locks, each tied to a realm. Every gene lock contained nine sub-locks, and unlocking each one exponentially increased a martial artist’s strength.

Before unlocking the first gene lock, a human’s strength capped at 1,000 kg—a hard, universal limit.

Once unlocked, however...

1st sub-lock: 2,000 kg

2nd: 3,000 kg

3rd: 4,000 kg

...

9th: 10,000 kg

Upon advancing to Martial Master:

1st sub-lock: 50,000 kg

2nd: 100,000 kg

... and so on.

A terrifying system of power escalation. Ethan couldn’t help but marvel.

> And I have a system that doubles my stats... daily.

Starting at 100 kg today. Tomorrow, 200. The day after, 400. Then 800. 1,600—exceeding the 1,000 kg limit. A feat no unawakened mortal had ever achieved.

> Could I break the law?

The thought made his heart race again.

His mind drifted to what he remembered from class. To qualify for a top-tier martial university, a student first needed to become a quasi-martial artist.

The criteria?

Punching force: 500 kg

Sprint speed: 25 meters per second

With that certificate, one could take the elemental affinity test. Pass, and they’d receive a breathing technique from the Alliance Hall and start cultivating.

Fail, and they were condemned to mediocrity. Powerless in a world where strength decided everything.

> This is the world I’m in now.

Still reeling from the revelations, Ethan stood from the infirmary bed. Outside, the sun was setting, painting the sky in soft gold.

He remembered the students who had helped him earlier—Ryan and the others. Smiling, Ethan treated them to a hearty meal at a nearby restaurant. It was the least he could do.

Later that evening, he booked a ride to home.

The sleek, humming car glided through the neon-lit streets. Ethan sat in the back seat, gazing out the window.

> This life... is so different from the one I had before.

Back on Earth, he had been alone. An orphan. No family. No dreams. Just a drifting soul in a gray, indifferent world.

But here... he had parents. A home. A future.

The Hunt family was among the city’s elite. His father, a successful businessman. His mother, a gentle figure from the fragmented memories in his mind.

And yet, anxiety gnawed at him.

> Will they notice I’m different? Can I act like the original Ethan?

Fortunately, the Ethan of this world had been introverted and quiet. Distant. Though he loved his parents, they hadn’t spent much time together due to their busy schedules.

Still, they cared for him deeply.

That thought warmed Ethan’s heart... and made the guilt sting.

The car stopped in front of a sleek villa in an upscale district. Ethan stepped out, nerves tightening with each step. Following the map in his memory, he entered the house.

It was empty.

Relieved, he removed his shoes and climbed the stairs. Every room matched his memory. Every photo, every detail—real.

In his bedroom, he soaked in a warm bath, letting the water wash away the tension.

Later, dressed in clean clothes, he sat cross-legged on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

> This is it. My new life has begun.

His emotions were a whirlwind—fear, awe, excitement.

He wasn’t just surviving anymore. He had a system. A path. A chance to rise.

All he needed was time.

> Every 24 hours, my strength will double. If I stay quiet, prepare, and act smart...

He looked at his hands. Clenched them.

A new fire burned in his soul.

Tomorrow would be Day Two.

And nothing would ever be the same.

Ethan now had 15 days to go to the Association martial hall to get his quasy martial warrior certificate from there.

Now that he had time to himself, Ethan sat before his sleek terminal screen, browsing through articles and forums. His mind was buzzing with curiosity.

Are all martial artists the same once they step into the Martial Realm? he wondered. Do they all have the same strength?

But it didn’t take long to find the answer.

No.

The universe was never fair—not in his past life, and certainly not in this one. Equality was a myth when it came to strength.

While martial artists might share similar foundational strength at the same realm except for some geniuses, that was only part of the equation. Skill played an enormous role—be it weapon techniques or barehanded martial arts. Mastery over these skills could multiply one’s combat effectiveness many times over.

But mastery required something special: comprehension.

Even if two people learned the exact same skill, the way they applied it in battle could differ drastically. Understanding, talent, instinct—these factors set them apart.

Then there was a game-changer—Innate Talents.

Upon unlocking their gene and stepping into the Martial Warrior Realm, some individuals awakened unique talents. These talents could be elemental in nature—fire, ice, lightning—or physical traits like enhanced strength, speed, or defense. Others awakened more specialized abilities like healing, long distance vision etc.

However, not everyone was gifted with talent.

All martial artists might not have a talent, but every genius had one.

As Ethan absorbed this knowledge, a fire lit within him. What if I awakened a talent too? he thought excitedly. Combined with the power of the system... I’d be unstoppable.

That night, he went to bed early, his heart brimming with ambition.

---

The next morning, sunlight streamed through his window. Ethan stretched lazily and brought up his attributes with a thought.

[Master: Ethan Hunt]

Physique: 0.2

Spirit: 0.2

He blinked, feeling sharper, more focused than ever. His vision seemed clearer, his body lighter. Is this the effect of the spirit attribute? he wondered.

After freshening up, he headed out for breakfast. It was Sunday—a free day. With nothing scheduled, he decided to explore the city a little.

Driving his advanced motorbike—a sleek machine modeled after a Royal Enfield but with futuristic upgrades—Ethan revved it up. The beast could easily hit 500 kph, but today, he cruised slowly.

His first stop was a shopping mall. He needed training clothes—something the previous Ethan would’ve never bought unless absolutely necessary.

As he sifted through racks of gear, his gaze landed on a girl nearby. His breath caught.

She was stunning—porcelain skin, about 170 cm tall, and a figure that could rival any model. She wore a stylish violet trench coat over a fitted turtleneck with black boots that hugged her calves—a perfect blend of elegance and strength.

Ethan’s heartbeat surged inexplicably.

Why am I reacting like this?

Then he understood—it wasn’t his emotion. It belonged to the original Ethan. That girl was Rose Leslie, his classmate and long-time crush. She excelled in literature and martial arts and dreamed of entering Aurora Martial University. Though from a modest family, she was driven—spending her days studying and practicing martial arts at the gym.

Today, she wasn’t alone. Beside her stood a younger girl, maybe her sister. She shared the same ethereal beauty.

Unlike the old Ethan, this one didn’t hesitate. He walked up and greeted her.

"Hey, Rose."

Rose turned, startled. Her eyes widened in recognition. "Ethan?" she asked, surprised. She knew him as the quiet boy who barely spoke to anyone except Ryan.

Still, she smiled politely. "Hi..."

The younger girl, Zara, peeked at Ethan curiously. He was handsome, and her sister seemed to know him. Ethan smiled gently and greeted her as well. Shy, Zara hid behind Rose’s coat.

"What are you doing here, Rose?" Ethan asked.

"Just buying clothes for myself and Zara," she replied.

Ethan nodded and offered casually, "Want to grab a coffee?"

Rose hesitated. "Maybe another time..." she declined gently.

Understanding, Ethan didn’t press further. He gave a small smile and waved them goodbye.

---

After leaving the mall, Ethan made his way to a nearby martial gym—the Tiger Fang Martial Gym. A warm-looking receptionist greeted him.

"Looking for something?" she asked.

From her, Ethan learned that the gym’s owner was a powerful Level 9 Martial Warrior. Many aspiring students trained there before awakening their genes. It was a respected place to start the martial path.

Ethan considered joining.

But then he shook his head. With the system, his strength would grow far too quickly. If he trained here, it would be hard to hide his unnatural progress. Better to stay low-key—for now.

He spent the rest of the day strolling through various parts of the city before finally heading home.

---

As he stepped into the house, Ethan paused.

They’re home...

A flicker of nervousness hit him before he composed himself. In the kitchen, his mother, Elina, was humming a tune while preparing dinner. Tall and graceful, she carried an aura of warmth. His father, Jack Hunt, sat on the couch, a towering figure of 190 cm with a strong, athletic build and a sharp, calm demeanor.

"Hey, Mom. Dad," Ethan greeted.

Elina turned, surprised. "Ethan? You’re back."

"I went out shopping," he said casually.

Her brows rose. "Shopping? That’s rare. What did you buy?"

"Training clothes."

"Training clothes?" Elina blinked, genuinely surprised. "What for?"

"I want to take the Quasi Martial Warrior Certificate exam in fifteen days. I need to train."

Jack looked up from the TV, startled.

His son, who always seemed uninterested and unambitious, was talking about martial certification?

"Why the sudden rush, Ethan?" Jack asked, his voice filled with concern but also curiosity.

Ethan felt the warmth in his father’s tone. It wasn’t suspicion—it was care.

"I want to get into a top university, Dad. I’ll need that certificate for admission."

There was a long silence.

Elina’s eyes softened, and Jack leaned back, thoughtful.

Their son... was changing. He wasn’t the same shy, withdrawn boy anymore. There was fire in his eyes. Purpose in his voice.

They exchanged a glance—one of quiet pride.

Elina turned back to him with a smile. "Alright then. What do you want for dinner?"

Ethan grinned. "How about black pepper grilled beef with garlic rice?"

"You got it," she laughed.

As Ethan headed to his room, he couldn’t help but smile.