The morning of the fifth day arrived with the quiet hum of Base City 5 stirring to life.
In his room, Aiden sat cross-legged on the floor, his breathing steady. The faint light from the rising sun washed across his skin, reflecting softly against the silver-gray walls.
"Status."
The panel appeared before him, its surface faintly glowing.
[Host: Aiden Cross]Physique: 12.8Spirit: 12.8Talent: Unawakened
His eyes lingered on the numbers for a moment. Then he smiled slightly.
Two days ago, he had broken through the 1,000-kilogram limit — the boundary that no unawakened human was supposed to surpass.Now, he had more than twelve times that.
And yet, there was no feeling of strain. No instability. His body adjusted naturally, as though this power had always belonged to him.
He rose to his feet, stretching. The air itself seemed lighter when he moved.
At this rate, I'll be stronger than most Martial Warriors before I even awaken.
It should have terrified him. Instead, it thrilled him.
At school, the atmosphere was tense. The Quasi-Warrior Certification Test loomed just two days away, and it was all anyone could talk about.
Students compared their latest strength readings, swapped diet plans, bragged or panicked.
Darius looked like a man condemned."I swear, Aiden, if I fail this thing, my old man's gonna feed me to the mutant dogs."
"You'll be fine," Aiden said, amused.
"I've been drinking those disgusting protein serums all week, and the only thing that got stronger is my stomach," Darius groaned. "What's your score now?"
Aiden hesitated. "About six hundred."
"Six hundred?! In five days?!" Darius nearly choked on his drink. "What are you made of—nanosteel?"
Aiden shrugged casually. "Guess I've got good genes."
Darius glared at him. "If you're secretly part alien, I'll disown you as my best friend."
Aiden laughed. "Relax. You'll get there."
But deep down, he couldn't deny the guilt that tugged faintly at him. His friend was working himself to exhaustion while Aiden simply… grew.
It's unfair, he thought, but this is my chance. I won't waste it.
That evening, he stopped by one of the city's smaller markets. Base City's night was alive with color — floating streetlights, neon shop banners, and faint holographic ads drifting through the air.
As he browsed a shop for new training gear, he heard a familiar voice behind him.
"Aiden?"
He turned.
Selene Voss stood a few steps away, holding a small bag of supplies. Her pale hair shimmered faintly under the soft blue light of a sign above.
"Didn't expect to see you here," she said, smiling slightly.
"I could say the same," Aiden replied. "Stocking up before the test?"
Selene nodded. "Lyra insisted I take a break from training. She says I'll collapse if I don't rest."
"That sounds like good advice."
Selene chuckled softly. "I'll rest when the test is over."
Her gaze lingered on him for a moment — curious, searching. "You seem… different lately."
Aiden blinked. "Different?"
"I don't know." She tilted her head slightly. "More confident. Sharper. Like you've… changed."
He forced a small smile. "Maybe I finally started taking things seriously."
"Maybe." She studied him for another heartbeat, then smiled back. "Whatever it is, keep it up. I have a feeling you'll surprise people."
Aiden nodded lightly. "I hope so."
They chatted for a few minutes before parting ways. As she walked off into the glowing streets, her figure fading into the soft haze of evening, Aiden found himself thinking about her words.
Different.
She wasn't wrong. He was changing — faster than even he could comprehend.And yet, every instinct told him this was just the beginning.
When he got home that night, his parents were waiting at the table.
His father, Calen Cross, was tall and broad-shouldered, his sharp eyes softened by the faint smile he offered. His mother, Mira, looked up from her cooking with gentle warmth.
"You're back late," she said. "Did you eat?"
"Not yet," Aiden replied.
"Well, sit down. I made your favorite."
As they ate together, Aiden found himself growing quiet. In his past life, he'd never known this kind of peace. This warmth. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed it until now.
After dinner, Calen looked up from his cup of tea. "Your instructor called earlier. The test is soon, right?"
Aiden nodded. "Two days."
"Good," Calen said simply. "Don't push yourself too hard. Strength means nothing if you burn out before the finish line."
Mira smiled softly. "No matter what happens, we're proud of you."
Aiden met her gaze, and for a moment, the words caught in his throat.He nodded, voice low. "Thanks."
That night, he trained again.
Each strike of his fist cut through the air like a blade. The scanner beside him buzzed, trying to keep up with the readings.
[Force Output: 12,894 kilograms]
Aiden exhaled slowly. Sweat glistened across his forehead, but he wasn't tired — not truly. The System had strengthened his endurance along with everything else.
He stepped back, closing his eyes.
In the darkness of his mind, he could almost see it now — the flow of strength within his body, the rhythm of muscle and breath, the invisible patterns that connected motion and intent.
This… is comprehension.
The words formed unbidden in his thoughts. He could feel the faint hum of something deeper — as if the world itself were revealing its structure, piece by piece.
He didn't know it yet, but his talent — Infinite Comprehension — was beginning to awaken.
The air around him trembled faintly. A pulse of pressure rippled outward, invisible yet heavy, and the lights flickered once before stabilizing.
Aiden opened his eyes. The air felt strange — alive, resonating faintly with his heartbeat.
He took a deep breath. "I guess it's almost time."
Outside, the city glowed beneath the night sky, its towers standing tall against the darkness.
In two days, he would step into the Martial Association's Hall for the test that separated the ordinary from the extraordinary.
For everyone else, it would be a challenge of strength.For Aiden, it would be his first chance to see just how far his infinity could go.
[System Notification]
Doubling Cycle Complete. New Cycle Initiated.Current Attributes: Physique 25.6 | Spirit 25.6
The faint hum of the system faded into silence. Aiden stared out the window for a long moment, his reflection barely visible in the glass.
Tomorrow, everything changes.
And far beyond the towers of Base City 5, the night sky shimmered faintly — a ripple of something ancient brushing against the edge of the world, unnoticed by all but one.
The winds whispered quietly against the glass.And Aiden Cross smiled.
"Let's see what the world has to offer."