Taryn sat in quiet meditation, the familiar hum of energy now flowing more naturally through his veins. His breathing was steady, his mind clear. Then it hit him — the subtle shift. The moment of breakthrough.
Level 2.
His eyes opened slowly, and he felt… different.
Lighter. Sharper. Stronger.
Every sensation had a vivid edge now. His heartbeat no longer felt like a struggle, and even the air around him seemed to part as he moved. For the first time since coming to this world, his body truly felt alive.
Taryn whispered to himself, "So this is… power."
Before he could savor the moment any longer—
"BOOOY!"
Taryn flinched back as the system popped up inches from his face, hovering with exaggerated sparkle effects and a giant grin plastered across his digital form.
"You did it! You actually reached Level 2! A round of applause for the former 'pathetic noble young master'!" the system teased with confetti that appeared from nowhere and disappeared into sparkles.
Taryn rolled his eyes. "You could let me enjoy the moment for five seconds…"
"Nope!" the system chirped. "Because now comes the real deal. Listen up: You've cultivated, sure. But what good is that if you don't know how to fight?!"
Taryn blinked. "Wait… you're saying—"
"Yes! What you need now is fighting skills. Techniques! Domination! Destruction! (All legally approved and ethically questionable.)"
The system clapped its little hands, and a glowing scroll appeared.
"Behold—your first martial technique! The Basic Flow Technique."
The scroll hovered before Taryn as the system explained proudly:
"This baby is compatible with all kinds of weapons and even bare hands. It helps you flow with your opponent's movement, redirect force, and strike when it matters. Not flashy, but deadly in trained hands."
Taryn nodded thoughtfully. "And you're giving this to me for free?"
"Please. Nothing from me is really free. It's part of your growth package—sponsored by yours truly!"
Before Taryn could even respond, the system snapped its fingers.
"Oh—and for fighting experience… why not fight yourself? Or rather, a simulated version of an opponent at your level. Let's see what you got, champ."
The air shimmered, and a humanoid figure formed before Taryn—equal in energy, speed, and size.
"Meet your first sparring partner: System Combat Dummy Alpha-One. Don't hold back!"
The system grinned again.
"Also, welcome to Cultivation 103: Combat Application & Adaptive Training. Yep, new module unlocked! You thought your days were hard before? Oh, Taryn, my boy—you're in for some fun now. HAHAHAHA!"