"One-Punch Man's performance is just unbeatable, right? Who can survive a punch from him?"

"Kakarot could eat the bald guy in one bite."

"Ultraman is the strongest—one beam can destroy a planet, and he can roam the universe."

"DC superheroes are the real deal: they can blow out stars in a single breath and casually move a dozen planets. Do you even get multiverses?"

The summer breeze drifted in from outside the classroom. After a tedious math lesson, the boys who had been holding back finally unleashed their most heated topic: power levels.

Comparisons within the same work, cross-franchise comparisons.

Citing scenes and settings, digging up lore, even a single drop of sweat in a fight could be used as proof of someone's strength—arguments erupted over and over.

"Childish."

Jiang Si sneered as he walked by. "You're in high school and you're still into this."

Jiang Si said nothing. He sat back down, pulled a thick book from his bag, the title's large characters glaringly conspicuous.

Against the Heaven!

"Ye Fan, Ye the Great Emperor is the strongest."

Laughter broke out.

Naturally there was some ridicule, too.

Jiang Si didn't bother debating with this bunch of well diggers under the sky.

Ultraman, Superman, a firefly's glow—how could any of those rival the brilliance of the full moon?

While they were still arguing over who's stronger, the web novel protagonist had already decided the fate of the ages.

Multiverses? Parallel worlds? The web novel protagonist had already proved once and for all, cause and effect reversed, time and space forming a ring.

Not only was the power gap like aliens crushing primitive humans, the disparity in realms was even more terrifying.

No matter how much you said, these kids would never understand.

Boring school, dull classmates, teachers who knew nothing—Jiang Si had grown weary of all of it long ago.

If he could become like a web novel protagonist, surely he could escape it all.

He had been searching for extraordinary powers in this world.

Qigong, magic, superpowers—anything would do.

Any supernatural ability available in the city could eventually be turned toward cultivating immortality, he reasoned.

As long as he could cultivate into an immortal, he could step onto the great path, achieve longevity, and dominate the ages!

But there was nothing.

This world was utterly ordinary; there were no supernatural powers. Following rumors of extraordinary abilities only led to disappointment and getting conned.

So Jiang Si stopped clinging to that hope.

All paths lead to the same Dao. If there are no supernatural abilities, he would take the brute-force route: hone the body to its extreme. Someday he would break past limits and catch a glimpse of the Dao.

So Jiang Si was constantly training himself. Even in class he would squeeze a hand gripper under the desk.

During lunch break he would go running, do push-ups, and pull-ups.

He had never slackened in over five years.

Training alone wasn't enough. Which web novel protagonist ever improved in a closed room? Everyone evolves through combat!

To sharpen his combat experience, he often picked fights with local thugs.

From getting beaten up and left bruised in single fights at first, he had progressed to handling two or three attackers at once without losing.

He could feel his own transformation clearly.

The story might be fictional, but the principles were never false.

Jiang Si didn't neglect his studies either. Which web novel protagonist doesn't know a bit of physics and chemistry? And recite classical poems by heart in crucial moments?

Those were essential skills. But his energy was limited, so he only learned useful knowledge; things like English, which he considered useless, were a complete mess.

He had his biases, but his grades were above average—good enough to avoid teachers' close attention, not bad enough to earn ridicule that web novels had ruined his studies.

It was only a few afternoon classes; before long, it was nearly time to get off.

When Jiang Si stood to leave and passed the students who had been arguing about power levels, the small cluster of whispering boys suddenly fell silent.

Although many in the class disapproved of Jiang Si for being obsessed with web novels and antisocial, no one dared provoke him.

After all, he really could fight.

Everyone talked about wanting to be Superman or Ultraman as a fantasy.

Only Jiang Si, that crazy fool, was serious about becoming a web novel protagonist who cultivates to immortality—his relentless training was obvious to everyone.

Such an odd person made others keep their distance.

There were exceptions, of course.

Like Lu Ya, a girl from the neighboring class.

Well-off, academically outstanding, and stunningly beautiful, she nonetheless grew close to the unpopular Jiang Si.

Every day after school she'd come find him, ignoring the many strange stares, trailing behind him as they walked home together.

She would even pull new novels from her backpack and hand them to him.

They would avoid the main road; once outside the school gate, they'd slip into a narrow path and disappear quickly.

If Lu Ya hadn't been somewhat popular at school and favored by teachers, rumors would have spread long ago.

In fact, there was nothing scandalous between them.

Jiang Si had once helped her when she was hassled by thugs while challenging them; later he asked her to borrow novels for him.

Lu Ya, however, couldn't possibly see this eccentric, obsessive classmate as a romantic prospect.

"Even if you read every web novel out there, you won't become the protagonist," she always warned, hoping he'd stop going down such an obsessive path.

Jiang Si never even looked up. "Do not corrupt my Dao-heart," he replied.

Used to him, Lu Ya kept nagging while hugging her backpack.

"The college entrance exam is coming up. My aunt said you should put web novels aside for now and study. If you put in some effort, getting into a top university is not hard. If you go to the same university as me, I can keep lending you novels."

"I have my plans."

"Your plan is to stay the same all the way through university and even into society?" Lu Ya asked seriously. "You can't stay like this forever?"

"Why not?"

"You'll regret it."

Jiang Si shoved the book Lu Ya handed back into her arms and turned to leave. "Fate made, destiny broken."

Lu Ya, who had read the poetry lines he muttered often, knew the next line.

"The Immortal Lord regrets, but I do not!"

She stamped her foot, clutching her backpack. "Why won't you listen?"

As she hurried to catch up, a small truck suddenly smashed through the wall beside them with a thunderous crash!

The alley was narrow to begin with; the little truck squeezed in and filled the entire lane.

It didn't slow at all and came barreling toward the two of them—nowhere to flee.

"Jiang Si!"

The boy looked up at the dim-eyed driver and strode forward without hesitation!

He kicked a large stone at his side under the truck's wheel; the little truck jolted and slowed slightly. Jiang Si lunged in with a direct kick—his leg collided with the vehicle, bones snapping instantly.

That momentary stop did occur.

Then he slammed his entire body into it, forcing the truck's front off course—but he was carried with it.

Pinned between the truck's hood and the wall, he scraped along the surface.

The vehicle finally came to a grinding halt in front of Lu Ya.

Stunned, Lu Ya sank to the ground, then scrambled up and stood, helpless, staring at the torn clothes and the boy half covered in blood. He staggered but forced himself to stand.

The driver tumbled out of the truck with his face bloodied, frantically dialing his phone. Lu Ya's eyes reddened.

"Are you—are you stupid? Why didn't you run…"

The once-quiet alley erupted into chaos; vision blurred to nothing, but before collapsing Jiang Si still wore a disdainful cold smile:

"Should I avoid its edge?!"