Chapter 1

In the city of Tianfeng in the Great Xia Kingdom, at the Fifth High School, in Class 8 of Grade 3.

"I wonder what talent I'll awaken tonight, I'm so nervous!"

"May the gods bless me and let me awaken an A-level talent!"

"Damn! You're too greedy! There are no more than a thousand A-level talents in the entire Great Xia Kingdom!"

"I heard that a senior from the previous year awakened an S-level talent and was directly admitted to the Qingwu Military Academy! Now, she has already become a first-stage Demon Realm expert!"

"First-stage Demon Realm expert! Starting salary of a million! And there are all kinds of privileges! I'm so envious!"

"Envious of her million-dollar salary? Protecting the country is our lofty aspiration!"

"Come on, for us ordinary people, not being a burden to the country is already a contribution!"

"But to be honest, seeing the country pay a huge commission to M country every year makes me furious!"

"There's no way around it. M country is the only one with fifth-stage Demon Realm experts. To deal with high-level Demon Lair monsters, we can't do it without them."

In the classroom, the students were discussing heatedly.

Zhang Ze sat alone in the corner, looking at his phone, feeling heavy-hearted.

"My sister's artificial kidney lease expires this month... It costs 5 million to renew!"

"My parents' inheritance is already used up, and I can only sell the house, but... it probably won't be enough."

"Sigh, I thought that by living again, I wouldn't have to worry about money anymore, but it still ends up like this..."

Indeed, Zhang Ze is not from this world. Ten years ago, an accident brought him from Earth to this place, where he became the Zhang family's adopted son.

The Zhang couple treated Zhang Ze as their own child, and his sister Zhang Feng regarded him as her real brother. Unfortunately, good times didn't last long. Five years ago, Demon Lair monsters attacked Tianfeng City, and the Zhang couple met their end. Zhang Feng was severely injured, with her kidneys damaged. Due to her special constitution, she could only survive with an artificial kidney.

To keep his sister alive, Zhang Ze used all of his parents' inheritance to pay for the artificial kidney lease.

It was impossible to buy one, as a single artificial kidney costs 50 million! And Zhang Feng needed two!

"I can only hope for the talent awakening tonight!"

Zhang Ze looked at the crescent moon pattern on the back of his right hand, with a row of flashing numbers: 05:26:50

This was a countdown. When the time reached zero, he could enter the "Demon Realm."

The Demon Realm appeared suddenly twenty years ago, and no one knew where it came from. The commonly accepted theory was that it was created by the gods.

Everyone can enter the Demon Realm at the age of eighteen to activate their talent skills.

Talent skill levels are divided as follows: D, C, B, A, S, SS, SSS. The higher the level, the greater the power, and the easier it is to kill monsters.

Along with the Demon Realm, Demon Lairs appeared randomly around the world, and powerful Demon Lair monsters emerged to wreak havoc on humanity!

Human weapons had no effect on them. Later, it was discovered that the Demon Realm could influence the real world. By becoming stronger in the Demon Realm, one would also become stronger in the real world!

Thus, countries around the world began to organize Demon Realm experts to fight against Demon Lair monsters, achieving impressive results!

As Demon Realm experts became more valued, an international organization called the "Demon Realm Experts Association" was established. They divided Demon Realm experts into five ranks, and those who passed the association's assessment would receive a rank certificate.

Generally, anyone who awakens an A-level talent can easily pass the first-stage assessment.

However, to deal with high-level Demon Lair monsters, fifth-stage Demon Realm experts are required! Their role is equivalent to nuclear weapons!

Therefore, countries with fifth-stage Demon Realm experts have more say in international affairs!

Currently, M country is the only one with a fifth-stage Demon Realm expert, and it has the most experts of other ranks, making it the world's top-ranked country and forming a monopoly.

When high-level Demon Lair monsters appear, other countries have no choice but to seek help from M country, which charges exorbitant commissions and imposes various harsh conditions. Countries have no choice but to accept this with gritted teeth.

Among them, the Great Xia Kingdom has suffered the most. After much pain, the country hopes to cultivate its own Demon Realm experts.

For a time, the treatment of Demon Realm experts was unprecedentedly generous.

Not only can they serve the country, but they can also gain fame and fortune. Everyone dreams of becoming a Demon Realm expert!

"As long as I can awaken an A-level talent, I have a chance to become a Demon Realm expert, and my sister might still have a chance!" Zhang Ze clenched his fists.

The school bell rang, and Zhang Ze ran out of the classroom, quickly cleaning the school martial arts hall. His and his sister's living expenses depended on this job.

After finishing, Zhang Ze checked the time. There were still two hours before he could enter the Demon Realm, so he took the last subway home.

"According to statistics, this year, there are as many as 3 million eighteen-year-old students in our country. How many talented individuals will emerge among them? Let's wait and see!"

In the subway car, Zhang Ze was watching the TV news when he suddenly received a message.

"Bro, I'm going to a classmate's house tonight. I've already prepared your meal. Remember to eat well before entering the Demon Realm, and be careful! Your sister, Zhang Feng."

Zhang Ze smiled, but his mood didn't lighten.

"If I awaken a talent below A-level..." Zhang Ze didn't dare to think further.

Back home, Zhang Ze quickly finished his meal and waited to enter the Demon Realm.

The time for entering the Demon Realm is synchronized globally, at 8 PM.

There are differences in some places due to time zones.

At 8 PM, the pattern on Zhang Ze's hand glowed a pale blue. He had already read the "Demon Realm Guide" and knew he could now enter the Demon Realm!

To enter the Demon Realm, one only needed to tap the crescent moon pattern three times. To exit, the same operation was required, making it very simple.

Zhang Ze tapped three times, and the world turned dark. After a few seconds, the surroundings gradually brightened, and he found himself on a large circular altar.

The altar was huge, about the size of a stadium, surrounded by stone pillars, and outside was a vast grassland.

People began to appear around him, looking around in confusion, clearly new to the Demon Realm like Zhang Ze.

"Welcome to the Demon Realm. I am your guide fairy." A palm-sized fairy flew in front of Zhang Ze. "Please set your name and appearance for use in the Demon Realm."

Zhang Ze thought for a moment and said, "Raksha! Masked appearance!"

Raksha was the nickname Zhang Ze had always used, and the mask was to protect himself.

This world was not peaceful. Countries often targeted Demon Realm experts to strengthen themselves and suppress others.

Recruitment, infiltration, defection, assassination... nothing was off-limits!

Don't think that becoming a Demon Realm expert makes you invincible. There are always stronger people out there!

Zhang Ze had once witnessed a murder. Although the police later denied it, Zhang Ze, who had lived two lives, knew that the victim was a Demon Realm expert.

Before he had the strength to protect himself, survival was the only truth.

"Raksha, if you are ready, we will activate your talent!" The fairy conjured a crystal ball. "Please place your hand on it, and your talent skill will appear automatically."

Zhang Ze placed his hand on the crystal ball, which immediately emitted a blinding golden light.

"I hope it's A-level..." Zhang Ze prayed, his palms sweating.

"Congratulations on obtaining an SSS-level talent skill! Summoning!"

Zhang Ze was initially stunned, then overjoyed!

An SSS-level talent skill! A talent that only existed in legends, no one in this world had ever seen it!

Awakening an S-level talent could secure admission to a prestigious university and a bright future. What would happen if he awakened an SSS-level talent?

Zhang Ze saw himself standing at the pinnacle of the world, bathed in a radiant light, looking down on all beings like a god!

"Finally, I can turn things around!"

Zhang Ze immediately checked the details of the talent skill.

【Summoning (SSS)】

Level: 1

Experience: 0/1000

Cost: 10 Vitality

Cooldown: 60 seconds

Effect:

After killing a target, you can summon one copy of the target. The copy is identical to the original, with no time limit and can be upgraded, up to level 5.

Notes:

1st-level Summoning: Can summon 10 copies.

2nd-level Summoning: Can summon 30 copies.

3rd-level Summoning: Can summon 50 copies.

4th-level Summoning: Can summon 100 copies.

5th-level Summoning: Can summon 500 copies.

"Damn!" Zhang Ze couldn't help but exclaim.

This summoning skill is amazing!

As long as Zhang Ze kills a monster, he can summon an identical one. Kill 10, summon 10!

Let these monsters fight for him while he reaps the benefits, how cool is that!

If he kills a boss, he can summon a boss!

Humans have explored up to the 38th level of the Demon Realm, with a boss guarding each level. If Zhang Ze kills all the bosses, wouldn't he have a team of bosses?

Who would dare to challenge him?

Zhang Ze's eyes sparkled as he opened his character panel.

【Name】Raksha

【ID】C Country 24751176

【Health】100

【Vitality】110

【Damage】1-10

【Speed】10

【Attributes】

Strength: 10 (average for humans is 10)

Constitution: 10 (average for humans is 10)

Spirit: 11 (average for humans is 10)

Agility: 10 (average for humans is 10)

【Available Attribute Points】0

【Skills】Summoning 1st Level (SSS)

【Equipment】None

【Overall Evaluation】Newbie

"Is my spirit 1 point higher than average because I'm a穿越者 (穿越者 means '穿越者', a term for someone who has traveled through time or to another world)?"

Zhang Ze closed the character panel, eager to test the effects of his SSS-level talent skill.

Suddenly, someone shouted, "Newbies, come to me!"