[: Daniel POV :]
The Celestine elder stepped forward, his amber eyes locking onto mine with a mixture of respect and curiosity.
He lowered his staff slightly and gave a subtle nod.
"Daniel," he said, his voice carrying across the courtyard like measured thunder, "congratulations. What you have awakened today… It is beyond rare. SSS rank across all fields is a prodigy few in a millennium can hope to reach''
''You have not merely taken the first step—you have leapt into legend."
My chest tightened.
The words themselves felt surreal. SSS rank… prodigy… legend.
I barely dared to imagine the weight those titles carried, even as the power surged faintly within me.
A younger Celestine with golden hair smiled warmly, her eyes glinting like sunlight on rippling water.
"It is certain," she said softly, "that the top academies will seek you. Scholars, teachers, and masters from every corner of the continent will fight for your enrollment''
''Resources, guidance, and privileges… You will have access to all that a child of your age could scarcely imagine."
The silver-haired elder spoke again, his voice grave and commanding.
"You may receive instruction personally from the elders of the Sovereign families''
''They will guide you, test you, and challenge you to hone the talents you have awakened. Few have ever been granted such an opportunity, Daniel."
I blinked, absorbing her words.
My mind spun—not with arrogance, but disbelief.
Privileges and resources? Private tutoring from the elders of the Ten Eternal Sovereign families themselves?
That was beyond even my wildest dreams.
Most children at this age simply hoped to awaken a talent that could sustain them in basic cultivation.
Whispers ran through the crowd, eyes wide with envy, awe, or fear.
Some parents bowed slightly, offering congratulations or subtle gestures of respect.
Others stared in disbelief, unable to comprehend how one child could rise so far above the rest.
I clenched my fists, letting the warmth of the Sun Incarnation bloodline coil through me, Sword Intent humming faintly at the edge of my consciousness.
My mind raced, not with pride, but with the weight of responsibility.
The Celestine elder's amber gaze softened just slightly.
"Remember this, Daniel. Power is meaningless without purpose. Privileges and tutors can guide you, but they cannot fight for you. That is your burden—and your choice."
I nodded, the words embedding themselves like steel in my mind.
"Yes… I understand."
The golden-haired Celestine smiled once more.
Even as the crowd erupted into a mixture of astonishment and whispered speculation, I felt something settle inside me.
The nightmare, the doubts, the longing to be more than normal—it all crystallised into resolve.
This was no longer about a ceremony.
This was the start of my life as a cultivator.
By the time I returned home, the house was quiet.
Mother and Father had gone off to their work, and Mira was at school, her cheerful energy absent from the rooms.
The sunlight had softened into the warm amber of late afternoon, casting long shadows across the floorboards.
I let myself drop onto my bed, the fabric of the sheets barely muffling the weight of my exhaustion.
My body still hummed with the residue of the Awakening Ceremony, and my mind refused to rest.
Everything that had happened today—the recognition, the ranks, the Celestine elders, the whispers of the crowd—was incredible, almost impossible to believe.
I had truly awakened SSS-ranked talents.
Sun Incarnation bloodline, Sword Intent, SSS Spiritual Root, and a physique meant for endless combat.
Yet… something nagged at the edges of my thoughts.
Something I couldn't ignore.
I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to push it aside, but when I opened them again, a faint shimmer caught the corner of my vision.
A holographic screen appeared, hovering midair before me.
Its light was soft but unmistakable, the contours of its interface alien yet strangely familiar.
Icons and text hovered and shifted, as though alive, as if the system itself were breathing.
I froze, staring at it, my heart picking up its pace.
Slowly, I raised a hand, instinctively, almost afraid to touch it.
"What…?" My voice cracked. "Am I the only one who can see this… or have I gone truly insane?"
[: Congratulations on Awakening. You have received a Gift Bag :]
The screen flickered, responding to my presence as if it had been waiting, its soft glow illuminating the dim room.
Symbols and numbers scrolled rapidly, strange yet intuitively understandable, like a language my mind instinctively recognised.
I blinked, heart racing.
"SSS rank… Sun Incarnation… Sword Intent… this has to be connected. But how? How is this even possible?" I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper.
[: You're definitely not an insane host :]
I froze. "Who… are you…?"
[: I'm a System :]
My pulse spiked, and I swallowed hard. "System…? What kind of system is this? What do you want from me?"
[: Identity request denied. Current cultivation rank is insufficient :]
"What…?" I stared at the screen, jaw slack. "Insufficient? My rank… It's SSS! How could that be too low?"
[: Host, your SSS rank is only the beginning and it's only your foundation and not your cultivation progress.
I pressed my hands against my knees, trying to steady my racing mind.
"So… I can't even know who you are yet. Great… just great. A talking system that mocks me by withholding answers until I'm strong enough."
[: Not mocking. Preparing :]
I let out a long, shaky breath.
My heart was still hammering from today, from the Awakening Ceremony, from… this. A system.
I stared at the holographic screen, the glow reflecting faintly in my eyes, and forced myself to ask the question that had been gnawing at my mind.
"What… what exactly is your purpose? Why me? Why now?"
[: My purpose is simple :]
[: To help you grow stronger :]
I froze, blinking at the words. "Grow stronger…? You mean, like… cultivate?"
[: Precisely :]
[: I am a System designed to guide your growth, track your progress, and unlock your potential. I provide functions, tools, and resources according to your cultivation rank :]
I frowned, trying to wrap my head around it.
"Functions… resources… tools…? What kind of functions do I have right now?"
[: Host, your current cultivation rank is… none :]
[: Based on your current rank, you have unlocked the following functions :]
[: Inventory Function :]
[: Reality Stimulation :]
I leaned back on my bed, running a hand through my hair. "So… that's it? Only inventory and some kind of training simulator?"
[: Correct :]
[: Additional functions will unlock as your cultivation rank increases and your experience grows :]
I let out a long, slow breath, a mix of frustration and anticipation settling in my chest.
"Alright… so it's a system to help me grow stronger. Inventory… Reality Stimulation… nothing flashy yet."
[: Patience, Host. Growth is gradual. Potential is limitless :]
I stared at the screen, the quiet hum of the holographic display filling the room. My SSS-ranked talents were a start… but now, with this system, the real journey was about to begin.