The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the homeroom teacherâs office at Star City High.
"Fly, what on earth is this about choosing a cockroach?" asked Mr. Carter, the homeroom teacher for Class Two, his face a mask of utter confusion.
Standing before him was the very student who was both his greatest source of pride and his biggest headacheâFly Ansel.
Flyâs academic performance was outstanding, making him precisely the kind of promising talent Mr. Carter cherished. But the boy was stubborn; once his mind was made up, nothing could sway him. So, when Fly announced his decision to choose the âcockroach,â Mr. Carter couldnât help but feel a potent mix of shock and helplessness.
At this school, every student, upon coming of age, would awaken their connection to the world of beasts with the help of their teachers. To put it simply, they would select an animal from the natural world to serve as a totem, inheriting its power and, in doing so, gaining formidable martial skills.
Here, strength was everything.
Typically, students would choose ferocious and mighty creatures as their Beast Totem. Tigers, lions, elephants... some even reached for the dinosaurs of ancient times.
But a student choosing a cockroach as their Beast Totem? This was unheard of, a first in the school's entire history.
Though he couldn't fathom what had possessed the boy, Mr. Carter felt he had to intervene. If he could just change Flyâs mind, he might save a brilliant student from a disastrously misguided path. That alone would be a monumental achievement.
"Fly, have you been spending too much time on the internet? Have you been brainwashed? How can an insect, such a pathetically weak creature, possibly serve as a Beast Totem?"
"It's not as if others haven't tried. In the past, we've had students with wild ideas, convinced they could unlock the hidden potential of insects. But every single one of them failed, without exception."
"Tell me," Mr. Carter pressed, "are you absolutely certain you want to choose a cockroach?"
Fly remained unmoved.
In Mr. Carterâs eyes, his student had either lost his mind or taken the wrong medicine. This choice was, without a doubt, a grave error. If only Fly would choose a more conventional Beast Totem, then with his guidanceâthe guidance of an exceptional teacherâthe boy was guaranteed to get into a top university, secure a bright future, and bring him great honor in the process.
But now...
Fly stubbornly refused to budge.
"I've made up my mind, sir. I'm choosing the cockroach," Fly declared, puffing out his chest with a look of solemn resolve.
A wave of resignation washed over Mr. Carter. A teacher could only guide; he could never force a student's choice of Beast Totem.
Sigh! Another promising sprout, trampled before he even had a chance to grow...
Flyâs eyes, however, glittered with an irrepressible excitement.
The truth was, Fly wasn't from this world. He had transmigrated here just a month ago. Being a quick and diligent learner, he had poured all his effort into understanding the rules of this new reality, and now, he had a solid grasp of them.
This was a world of beasts and martial combat.
Every child in this world, upon reaching adulthood, would receive a Totem Beastâa card representing an animal. By absorbing the power from this totem, they would acquire the corresponding animalâs abilities.
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The strength of a lion, the agility of a monkey, the speed of a leopard...
As the bond between a person and their beast deepened, the power they gained would grow stronger, more specific, more defined. It was even said that at a certain level, one could achieve physical apotheosis, transcending their mortal form entirely.
Given all this, why would Fly choose the seemingly insignificant cockroach as his Beast Totem?
Because he possessed a secret weapon nobody knew aboutâthe Insectoid Fusion System.
This system had been with him ever since he arrived in this world. At first, he was puzzled by it, but once he understood the mechanics of the world and the function of his system, he could no longer contain his elation.
What would happen if he could fuse the abilities of all the insectoid beasts onto himself? An ordinary person could only ever wield the power of a single beast, but heâFly Anselâcould possess the power of countless multitudes.
The power of a single insect might be negligible, but what about the combined abilities of hundreds, or even thousands? The thought alone was staggering.
Besides, were insects really that weak?
"Alright. Since your mind is set," Mr. Carter said with a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. He pulled two cards from his drawer. "This is a resource the school provides for new students. Use it well."
"The school's coming-of-age ceremony is in one week, followed by a basic power assessment test," Mr. Carter paused, giving him one last look. "If you change your mind before then, you can come find me anytime."
Fly took the cards. The first was a blank Martial Skill Card. After choosing a Beast Totem, one had to begin training in martial arts. A student could download the content of a martial skill onto the card to begin their practice. However, such skills were precious resources, obtainable only through purchase or as a reward from the school.
The second card was the cockroach Totem Beast. An image of the insect was etched into its center, intricate and stylized like latte art in a coffee shop.
"Thank you, sir!" Fly said with a respectful bow before leaving the office.
In the hallway, a crowd of students had gathered, having been eavesdropping. Fly had, after all, entered Star City High with top marks. That, combined with his handsome features, had naturally made him one of the most popular figures on campus. Everyone had been speculating what kind of incredible Beast Totem a gifted student like him would choose.
The reality, however, defied all expectations.
A wave of murmurs and whispers erupted behind him as he walked away.
"I have no idea. That's so disgusting!"
"Just another one of those 'top students' who has no clue how the real world works."
"I bet he's going to totally humiliate himself at the power assessment..."
...
Fly simply let out a cold laugh, not bothering to offer any defense.
Indeed, a cockroach didn't seem powerful at all. But what about a cockroach the size of a human?
Besides, I have the Insectoid Fusion System...
"A power assessment test, is it? Just you wait," he thought.
A confident smirk played on his lips.
After completing some simple administrative procedures, Fly arrived at his dormitory. Star City High truly lived up to its reputation as a prestigious academy; every student had their own private room. A bed, a desk, a chair, a wardrobe... it had everything. Most importantly, it had air conditioning.
"Now, I can focus on preparing for the test!"
Fly awakened the system.
From his very first day here, the system had felt as though it were implanted directly in his brain. With just a thought, it would materialize before his eyes like a holographic screen.
Sure enough, a golden virtual panel shimmered into existence, and two lines of text gradually appeared.
ãInsectoid Fusion System activated.ã
ãAwaiting user command...ã
"Begin absorbing the cockroach Totem Beast," Fly commanded.
Technically, one didn't need a system to absorb the power of a Totem Beast. But the system would allow him to do it faster and achieve a much deeper fusion with its power upon completion, enabling him to master the cockroach's "skills" far more quickly.
ãCommand received. Commencing absorption of the cockroach totem...ã
The text on the panel shifted. A brilliant golden light flashed and slowly enveloped Fly's body.
Hmph. Choosing the cockroach as my first Beast Totem was a calculated decision, Fly mused.
As someone from the southern regions of his previous world, he had been endlessly plagued by those winged terrors. You could say that his past life had been a constant, grueling war against cockroaches.
It was precisely because of this that he, more than anyone, understood their terrifying power.
As the old saying goes: your greatest enemy is the one who knows you best.
Cockroaches are weak? Hah! I'm going to shock every last one of them!
To reforge the glory of the InsectoidsâI am duty-bound to this cause!