The next day, after breakfast, I was lying on my bed with the TV playing a documentary on the history of the Magi in the background. I stared at the system screen hovering above me—more specifically, my Inventory.
Anatomia Transfiguration, Multiversal Energy Circulation Method Technique, Telepathy through Time and Space, Settings and System Storage App Bundle, and Multiversal Currency Pouch Module…
"System, what do you recommend I open?"
——
{Ding! I recommend opening the Settings and System Storage App Bundle and Multiversal Currency Pouch Module first.}
——
{System & Storage App Bundle.}
{Multiversal Currency Pouch Module.}
[Open?] [Yes] [No]
——
I hesitated for a moment, my thoughts stirring. Settings and System Storage… Currency Pouch… Both sounded mundane, almost boring—but experience had taught me that "mundane" systems always hid the most useful surprises.
"Open both," I said, voice barely above a whisper.
The system chimed again, and the screen rippled like water under a stone.
Instantly, three new apps appeared in front of me.
Opening the first, it revealed a labyrinth of menus, sliders, and toggles—everything from language preferences to energy allocation, from interface customization to deep system diagnostics. My mind buzzed just from looking at it.
The second panel glimmered faintly, a small pouch icon floating in the center. Tapping it brought a list of currencies I didn't recognize at first: Star Crystals, Dimensional Shards, Infinity Coins… and other names that made my head spin.
The third, a circular vault door—upon opening it, I was greeted by an empty storage app with a search bar at the top.
This… this is insane, I thought.
"System," I muttered, feeling a shiver of excitement run through me, "how exactly do I earn these currencies?"
——
{Ding! Currencies can be earned through combat efficiency, skill mastery, energy collection, and rare dimensional events. Some currencies are tradable between modules, while others are unique to specific realms.}
——
I leaned back against my pillow, eyes glued to the floating panels. My heartbeat picked up. Even if I didn't understand half of it yet, I knew one thing: this was going to change everything.
Shifting my attention back to Settings, I opened it and skimmed through the options—though I didn't fully understand some of the features, two of them caught my eye.
——
A.I. Assistant [ON] » [OFF]
{Turn on for more options.}
…
Power Control [ON] » [OFF]
{Turn on for more options}
…
——
"…Huh."
Feeling a little giddy, I toggled both of them on.
——
{Ding! Hello, User. This is your System speaking.}
——
I froze.
"…Oh."
That was—new.
The voice didn't echo through the room.
It wasn't even something I heard—it was just… there.
Clear. Direct. Sitting at the edge of my thoughts like it had always belonged.
My eyes flicked instinctively to the interface.
"…You can talk now?"
——
{Affirmative. A.I. Assistant module successfully activated.}
{Additional functions now available.}
——
A slow grin spread across my face.
"…Cool." I muttered.
I glanced back at the interface, curiosity creeping in.
"…Additional functions, huh…"
Without hesitating, I opened the A.I. Assistant settings.
——
A.I. Assistant Configuration
Name: _[Empty]_
Voice Type:
[Male] [Female] [Monotone]
Pitch: ——|————
Speed: —|—————
…
——
"…Oh."
My brow lifted slightly.
It wasn't just a voice.
It was… customizable.
I tapped through the options one by one.
"Male."
——
{Voice profile updated.}
——
The presence in my mind shifted almost instantly—subtle, but noticeable.
I paused, listening for a second.
"…Huh."
Then I switched it.
"Female."
——
{Voice profile updated.}
——
The tone changed again—smoother this time, lighter.
I tilted my head slightly with a smirk, considering it.
"…Not bad."
My finger hovered for a moment before tapping the last option.
"Monotone."
——
{Voice profile updated.}
——
The shift was immediate.
Flat.
Clean.
Almost emotionless.
I let it sit for a second… then reached for the sliders.
"…Let's see."
I adjusted the pitch slightly lower.
Then slowed the speed just a bit.
——
{Settings applied.}
——
"Test."
——
{All systems functioning within normal parameters.}
——
I stared blankly at the screen, thinking about it.
…Yeah.
That one felt right.
A faint smirk tugged at my lips.
"We'll go with this… and as for your name, we'll just stick with System for now."
I scrolled back down to Power Control, my eyes narrowing slightly as I looked over the available options.
——
Power Control [ON] « [OFF]
[Seal of Self] [ON] » [OFF] Set Rank: ______
[Weapon Seal] [ON] » [OFF] Set Rank: ______
[Ability Saver] [ON] » [OFF]
Slot 1:______
Slot 2:______
[Limit Reached]
…
{Upgrade Settings for more}
——
"Hmm… pretty self-explanatory."
Still, something about it made me pause.
My gaze lingered on Set Rank, the empty line staring back at me like it was waiting—expecting something. A decision.
If I lowered it… would it suppress everything? My strength, my energy, my techniques?
Or would it just cap the output?
I lifted a hand slightly, hesitating before interacting with it.
Sealing my own power… The thought felt strange. Why would I willingly weaken myself?
…Then again—control.
If I couldn't optimize what I already have, it wouldn't matter how strong I become…
And Ability Saver?
Save abilities for what?
My eyes shifted to the bottom of the panel.
{Upgrade Settings for more}
That line pulled at me more than anything else. More options. More control. Maybe even hidden functions the system wasn't showing yet.
"System," I called out, my voice quieter now, more focused, "what can you tell me about upgrading apps and Ability Saver?"
——
{System Applications can be upgraded using compatible currencies and upgrade cards.}
{Upgrading applications will unlock additional features, improve efficiency, and expand functionality.}
{Certain advanced functions—such as multi-layer sealing, conditional activation, and adaptive power scaling—are locked behind higher upgrade tiers.}
{Ability Saver allows the user to designate and store up to two abilities or techniques for automated execution.}
{Stored abilities will be operated and regulated by the system, enabling usage without requiring full user mastery.}
{Efficiency, output, and precision of stored abilities scale with application level and user compatibility.}
{Notice: Current capacity limited to two ability slots. Additional slots require upgrades.}
——
I blinked slowly, my attention sharpening.
"Multi-layer sealing…? Mastery?" I muttered.
So this—this right here—was just the surface.
My eyes flicked back to Power Control, then to the empty rank fields again.
A slow grin tugged at the corner of my lips.
"System… you're truly OP." I exhaled softly.
"This is definitely going to be useful. Alright, System what do you recommend next?"
——
{User should open Multiversal Energy Circulation Method next.}
——
I tapped it, and the panel expanded with a soft ripple, flooding my vision with cascading text, diagrams, and symbols too complex to comprehend at a glance.
A small header blinked insistently:
Level Access: 1–8 / 36 (Locked: 9-21, 22-30, 31-36)
Only 8 ranks are visible… I murmured. 28 ranks remained hidden. Even so, this was more than enough to start.
The system displayed a chart detailing cultivation ranks and their subdivisions:
——
Mortal: Low » Mid » High » Peak » Perfected
Demi-God: High » Peak » Perfected
Divine: Low » Mid » High » Peak » Perfected
Ancient: Low » Mid » High » Peak » Perfected
Eternal: High » Peak » Perfected
Immortal: Low » Mid » High » Peak » Perfected
Immortal Empyrean: High » Peak » Perfected
…
——
I blinked. Twenty-nine levels.
But I already knew something the system didn't need to explain: I was born an Immortal Empyrean.
Honestly, I didn't expect to start this high, and I still didn't fully know how to wield my strength.
So this wasn't just about ascending in rank—I was already close to the top.
So… this was different.
This was about bringing my Mana Heart up to the same level as me—shaping, binding, and cultivating it so it could contain the power I already possess and will come to gain in the future.
Scrolling down, Level 1 instructions appeared:
[Awaken an energy storage source capable of containing and regulating your energy flow. Can be a Dantian, Energy Core, Mana Heart, or equivalent.]
I paused, thinking. Dantian… I'd read about those in cultivation novels. Energy cores sounded more mechanical. But… Mana Heart… dragons. I'd read countless times about dragons' hearts storing immense, self-sustaining energy. The concept resonated more than anything else.
Mana Heart it is.
My fingers twitched, a small thrill running through me, and then I tapped the option. The system immediately responded:
——
{Mana Heart selected as energy storage source. Initial activation requires focus on internal energy condensation and conscious binding of energy pathways.}
——
Diagrams flickered across the screen: a heart-shaped energy core, pulsating softly with multicolored energy, abstract yet tangible in concept. It wasn't real… not yet. But I could feel the possibility of it.
The steps for Level 1 were laid out clearly: sense your natural energy flow, condense a small reservoir, begin molding it into the shape of a Mana Heart, and finally integrate it into your own heart.
The system added:
{Note: User already possesses the life rank of an Immortal Empyrean. But cultivation of the Mana Heart will scale toward the understanding of energies.}
I leaned back, swallowing hard. This isn't about reaching a new rank… it was about having the power to match my rank.
Twenty-nine levels to full mastery. Eight visible. Seven or more unknown.
And I was about to take the first step…
But first.
{I recommend going to the training room.}
…
Sitting in the middle of the training room, just about to start, a thought crossed my mind.
"Oh yeah… System, why didn't my Eyes of Analysis hurt when I was analyzing Yu earlier?"
{System used your Eyes of Analysis with the Power Control setting, limiting them to prevent adverse side-effects.}
"Oh… wait… I didn't have it yet, though?"
{Permission was granted from the main supercomputer.}
"Main… supercomputer?"
{User need not worry. Would you like to change the training room into a suitable environment for awakening your Mana Heart? We can make it match your talent as well.}
I raised an eyebrow, excitement flickering through me despite myself.
"Well… why not?"