The air inside the small study room was heavy with the faint hum of the old ceiling fan. Nox sat in silence, his phone lighting his face as the System's faint glow pulsed behind his eyes. The world outside was calm, but his mind — it was a brewing storm.
He had spent the last few days tutoring and working small gigs, scraping what he could. The ₱3,000 he'd earned earlier had vanished fast — rent, food, and small necessities eaten through it like wildfire. Living poor wasn't new to him, but it burned differently now. The System had changed him; every moment of weakness was now a debt to his future self.
He leaned back, eyes reflecting the faint System interface.
I need capital… a foundation. Without money, I'm nothing more than a thinker trapped in flesh.
His fingers moved to his phone camera again — not for vanity, not for memories. The quick photographs were data. Each snap at the university library, each page he captured, became a fragment of knowledge, feeding into the Copy Record skill he had quietly honed.
When he took photos, the System interpreted the act — not as a simple image, but as mental transcription. The reason was simple: when he used Copy Record, it wasn't about storing an image. It was about absorbing the essence — text, patterns, context, meaning. The faster he worked, the more efficient the process became.
So he moved like a machine. No wasted motion. Just the quiet flick of pages, the rapid clicks of his phone, and the cold gleam in his eyes that promised domination.
---
The sun had long set by the time he exited the library, his bag heavier not with books, but with invisible wealth — the knowledge he had just consumed. The streetlights flickered against the cracked pavement as he made his way home, lost in thought.
This world worships money… But the true currency is understanding how money moves.
Inside his cramped apartment, he dropped his bag and sank onto the floor. The faint hum of traffic filtered through the walls. With a deep breath, he closed his eyes.
"Enter Mind Realm," he muttered.
The world dissolved.
---
The Mind Realm expanded before him — infinite, silent, and filled with drifting fragments of ashy light. Pages and symbols floated aimlessly, representing the hundreds of books he had recorded over the past few days. It was chaos. Pure, unfiltered data scattered like stars.
He frowned.
"It's too inefficient like this…"
The System responded, its voice smooth and genderless, an echo through eternity.
— Suggestion: Construct an organizing structure for recorded data. Recommended term: Archive.
Nox smirked. "Archive, huh… Fine. Let's build one."
He raised his hand, and the black ash that made up the Mind Realm began to swirl violently. Streams of data converged, forming massive pillars and shelves that extended infinitely in all directions. At the center, a Pavilion rose from the fog — regal, dark, and ancient. Its gate bore a sigil: a burning eye surrounded by endless lines of script.
The System continued in its calm tone.
— Confirm function protocols.
Nox's eyes gleamed. "Automatic storage of all recorded data. Categorization into Low, Mid, High, and Classified tiers. Only I have permission access unless granted manually."
— Processing… Done.
"Add one more thing." He raised his hand again, voice sharp. "Search Function. Link my neural pathway to the Archive. I want instant recall."
The Mind Realm vibrated. The ashy fog condensed into luminous circuits that crawled through the Pavilion walls, spreading like veins of red lightning.
Then —
— New Sub-Ability Created: Search (Linked Neural Recall).
A deep pulse resonated across the Realm. The air grew heavy. Nox staggered as the ashy ground beneath him cracked. From beneath, a crimson light began to seep out — brighter and brighter, until the entire sky fractured like glass.
---
"Wha—what's happening?" Nox gritted his teeth, his entire body trembling. The storm of energy was violent, chaotic, uncontrollable. His own mind was shaking under the weight of transformation. Then, from the center of the Pavilion, a star-shaped ore burst free, burning like molten gold before fusing into his palm.
The pain was indescribable. It wasn't physical — it was existential. His consciousness burned.
Then the System's voice cut through the storm.
— Ding! Mind Realm has reached Level 2.
— All associated abilities and comprehension rates multiplied by 2,000×.
— System stability increased. Host synchronization optimized.
Nox stood frozen, chest rising and falling rapidly.
"Level… two."
He stared at the glowing orb that remained in his hand — no longer a raw ore, but a perfectly cut ruby sphere, floating gently above his palm, humming with life.
His lips curved upward. "This… is power."
The orb pulsed — a heartbeat of its own.
The System whispered again, softer this time.
— Detected: Summoning Item. Would you like to activate it?
Nox's smirk deepened. "Summon."
The ruby shattered into light.
The crimson light from the shattered ruby flooded the Mind Realm. For a moment, Nox was blinded — the ashy fog parted, and the air grew still, sacred, as if the entire dimension was holding its breath.
From the center of that burning radiance, a figure began to take shape.
At first, it was nothing but particles — data woven from energy, scattered and rebuilding itself through thousands of flickering codes. Slowly, a silhouette emerged: a woman, kneeling, trembling under the weight of the realm's oppressive pressure. Her form solidified — fair skin, long dark hair, and a faint aura of sophistication that screamed of wealth and power. Yet, her eyes were wide with terror.
She gasped for air. "W-where… where am I?"
Nox's voice filled the sky — calm, heavy, and echoing like a god's decree.
"This is my dominion."
The woman flinched. "Wh–who are you?"
He stepped forward from the Pavilion's gate, shadows bending around him as if reality itself refused to exist near him.
"I am the ruler of this realm. The one who governs what you see and what you are."
His tone was absolute. Cold authority given form.
Her breathing quickened, confusion turning into fear. "I… I was in my office just a second ago…"
Nox's eyes gleamed like dying stars. "That place is irrelevant now. You've been summoned here by me."
The System's voice whispered faintly — almost reverent.
— New entity detected: Faine Smith. Potential compatibility: 98%.
"Faine Smith," Nox murmured, as if tasting the name. "You'll serve a new purpose from now on."
She trembled, glancing around the endless expanse of black fog and pillars. "S-serve? What are you—"
"Silence."
The word was soft, yet the Mind Realm itself seemed to obey. The air froze. She felt her throat lock — not from force, but from will. His will.
Nox approached, each step echoing like a drumbeat in her chest. "This place operates under my rules. In here, I am god."
Her eyes widened. It wasn't arrogance she felt from him — it was conviction, unyielding and absolute.
---
"Now," he said, raising a hand. From thin air, a black card materialized — intricate golden patterns swirling across its surface, pulsing faintly with the same energy as the Mind Realm's core. It was beautiful, yet terrifying — alive.
"This," Nox declared, "is your bond. A symbol of your servitude and your new identity."
He let the card float before her. "Bleed upon it."
Faine hesitated. "W-what?"
"Your blood will seal your existence to this world. Refuse, and the Mind Realm will devour your consciousness."
He said it casually, but the truth in his tone chilled her bones.
Her shaking hand rose to her lips, and she bit down — a drop of crimson fell onto the card.
Instantly, the black and gold erupted into light, wrapping around her wrist like living ink, forming a sigil — a perfect circle crossed by golden lines. The bond was made.
"Your codename," Nox said, his voice almost soft. "Choose."
Faine swallowed hard. "...Glory."
Nox's smirk was faint but approving. "Then Glory it is."
The System chimed in.
— Follower registered: [Glory]. Bond type: Obedience (Tier 1). Function unlocked: Summoner Authority.
He extended a hand toward her, and his eyes flared crimson.
"Let me see you."
— Activating Eye of Truth.
Light rippled across his pupils, data flooding his mind in real-time.
> [Target: Faine Smith / Alias: Glory]
Origin: United States
Background: Heiress of Smith Global Enterprises — one of the top conglomerates with political connections reaching the Philippine President.
Wealth: Substantial (Unliquidated Assets: Over $500 Million).
State: Bewildered / Psychologically Compelled.
Compatibility: 98%.
Nox's grin turned predatory.
An American heiress… with political ties in this country?
His tone turned dangerously amused. "Oh, Glory… your existence will be useful."
She could only stare, trembling — her instincts screaming that she was standing before something that transcended humanity.
---
"Now," he continued, "you will be my first follower, my first investment."
He lifted his hand again, and the black sigil on her wrist pulsed.
"Your mission begins now."
The System pulsed in response.
— Initiating Quest Function Integration.
A new interface materialized before him — obsidian background, gilded text.
[Follower Quest Function: Active]
Each follower can receive unique quests from the host. Completion yields Achievement Points (AP) and rewards from the System.
Nox's eyes gleamed. "Perfect."
He conjured the Black Card once more, embedding glowing runes into its surface. "From this moment, every command I give can be manifested as a quest. Rewards and punishments will depend on your faithfulness."
The System murmured:
— Suggestion: Issue an initial quest.
Nox smiled faintly. "Very well."
He stared at Glory. "Your first quest — offer me an independent company and a financial foundation."
The System buzzed in confusion for a moment.
— Clarification required. Please specify resource type.
Nox frowned. "Fine. Establish a company under my authority and send me ₱100,000 as the first tribute."
The air shimmered — the System's tone shifted, darker, deeper.
— Host directive accepted.
— [Quest Created: The First Offer.]
Reward upon completion: Unlocked Skill — Offer & Inventory. System Evolution chance increased.
Nox snapped his fingers, and Glory's form began to fade, her eyes widening in panic.
"Wait—!" she cried.
But his voice cut through her fear, soft and godlike.
"Fulfill the offer, Glory. Prove your worth."
Then she was gone — dissolved into streaks of red and gold, vanishing back into her own world.
---
Silence.
Nox stood alone in the endless Pavilion once more, his reflection glowing in the polished black floor.
He exhaled slowly, feeling the lingering pulse of power through his veins.
A smile crept across his face — sharp, confident, and almost beautiful in its cruelty.
"Step one…" he murmured.
"…begins now."
The Mind Realm pulsed in response — a heartbeat of creation.
He turned his gaze toward the endless shelves of his Archive, the glow of infinite data illuminating his shadowed expression.
Knowledge. Power. Control.
Each one now had a foundation.
Outside, in the real world, Nox's body stirred — his eyes opening to the dim light of dawn creeping through his window. A faint smile lingered on his lips.
The game had just begun.