Taryn stepped quietly into his room, the echo of memories and laughter still dancing in his chest. He closed the door gently behind him and let out a long breath. So much had changed in just a single day. From the brink of weakness, he'd stepped into a new life, a new path—cultivation.
He moved toward the center of the room, settling cross-legged on the soft meditation mat, letting his eyes close. He could feel it now—barely, but clearly—the faint rhythm of spiritual energy floating in the air, weaving through space like invisible threads.
He calmed his breathing, sorting through the events of the day. His mind wasn't just busy—it was overflowing. A new world, new memories, a system that spoke like a lunatic, and a family of legends.
And just as he was getting into the groove of meditation—
"HAAAH!"
A loud voice cracked into his consciousness like a firework in a temple.
Taryn flinched. "You again…"
The system materialized in the air, its usual glowing orb form bouncing as if it were rolling with laughter. "So, you were born into the house of geniuses, huh?"
Taryn blinked, still half in a trance.
"Let alone your siblings," the system continued with exaggerated flair, "even your dear mother and father are not to be trifled with. No, sir. I ran a scan— and despite their current cultivation not being sky-shattering, for their age and realm, they're doing mighty fine!"
It paused, then shifted to a sarcastically theatrical tone.
"Oh, but fear not, my son! For you are not alone!" The orb spun dramatically in place.
Taryn raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me…"
"YES!" the system shouted triumphantly, "You have ME! The ultimate system! The divine, omniscient, gloriously coded, and mildly humble—me."
Taryn sighed and rested his chin in his hand. "And this is my destiny..."
"Indeed!" the system continued, suddenly serious, its glow dimming just slightly as it hovered closer. "You are the Son of Destiny, Taryn. Not because you were born great, not because you carry a grand prophecy…"
The room grew quiet.
"But because you chose to walk forward when you could've stayed down. Because you accepted the unknown. Because despite your weakness, you chose to try."
Taryn sat up a little straighter.
"Many are born with talent. Few are born with fire. You've got fire."
There was a beat of silence. Then—
"Now let's take that fire and explode it through the heavens! We'll soar to the highest peaks, dive to the lowest hells, slap a few arrogant young masters along the way, maybe win a tournament or two—AND—cultivate like never before!"
Taryn blinked again. "You lost me after 'slap a few young masters.'"
"It's a thing, trust me," the system muttered. "Anyway! I've prepared a new module for you: Cultivation 102 – Foundations of Spiritual Refinement. You're now eligible."
Taryn let out a breath. He couldn't help the small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. This system was unhinged… but maybe, just maybe, it was exactly what he needed.
"All right," he said. "Show me the next step."
"That's the spirit, Son of Destiny!"
And just like that, a new page turned in his journey.