Nathan stood in the middle of the vast grassy field, the wind brushing past his new white robe as if welcoming him to his second life. The system's last announcement still echoed in his mind:
Recruit 3 disciples.
Potential above 50.
Five months.
Failure = Death.
Honestly, the system really knew how to motivate people. Nothing pushed someone harder than the fear of dying twice.
Nathan slapped his cheeks lightly.
"Alright Nathan, calm down… it's just… death. Again. No big deal. Totally manageable."
It was not manageable, but calming himself was necessary. He inhaled the fresh air deeply.
"Okay. First priority: find disciples."
He turned in a slow circle.
All he saw was grass.
Grass.
More grass.
Grass so tall it could hide an overdue library book for decades.
"System… I appreciate the dramatic entrance location, but WHY did you drop me in the middle of a green ocean? How am I supposed to find disciples here? Recruit the grass!?"
The system did not respond—either pretending not to hear him or silently judging him.
Nathan sighed.
"Okay, so I'm south of Ian City… I should probably head toward the main city."
He looked up at the sun.
"Oh no… how do I know where 'north' is? I barely passed geography in my last world."
> [Host, please walk toward your left. That direction leads to Ian City.]
Nathan blinked.
"Oh. Thanks."
He adjusted his robe, tightened it around his waist, and began walking through the grasslands. The field stretched endlessly, but the gentle wind, warm sunlight, and faint chirping of insects made the journey surprisingly peaceful.
For the first time since he died, Nathan felt… normal.
Alive.
Reborn.
"This world… feels good," he whispered.
He had no family here, no past, no shadows haunting him. Only possibilities.
And if he succeeded — disciples, a sect, power beyond imagination.
But then another important thought struck him.
"System… how am I supposed to judge someone's potential? You gave me a potential scanner, right? How does it work?"
The system answered promptly:
> [The potential scanner can read an individual's cultivation potential on a scale of 1 to 100. Above 50 is considered genius; above 80 is considered monstrous talent.]
"Woah. So 50+ is genius, and I need three of them…"
He rubbed his chin.
"System, out of curiosity, what is MY potential?"
A brief pause.
Then—
> [Host's potential: ???]
Nathan blinked.
"Huh? What does that mean?"
> [Host's potential is unreadable. Standard scanners cannot measure it.]
Nathan puffed out his chest. "Heh. So I'm too strong to measure, huh? I knew it."
> [Incorrect. Host currently has no cultivation base. Potential unreadable due to abnormal system fusion.]
Nathan slumped.
"Okay, rude."
After a few more minutes of walking, the tall grass gradually shortened. The faint outlines of structures began appearing in the distance — walls, rooftops, and smoke rising from cooking stands.
Excitement bubbled inside him.
"IAN CITY… I'm finally close."
He picked up his pace.
---
Ian City – Outer Southern Gate
Nathan reached a dirt road, and beyond it, a massive gate made of stone and reinforced wood stood tall. Guards in light armor patrolled the entrance, spears at their sides.
Nathan halted immediately.
"I… have no money," he realized.
"System… does entering the city require money?"
> [Usually, a small entry tax is required.]
"Oh great. Perfect. Amazing. The system has brought me into this world with NOTHING but god-level treasures and EMPTYPOCKETS."
But then the system spoke again:
> [However, the Green Wasteland region is free to enter and exit to encourage travel. The southern gate does not charge fees.]
Nathan blinked.
"…I knew that. Totally. I wasn't worried."
He walked confidently toward the gate, pretending to be a normal local resident who definitely wasn't a confused transmigrator with a cheat system.
A guard approached him.
"You there," the man said sternly. "What brings you to Ian City?"
Nathan smiled nervously.
"Oh, well, I uh… I came from the south. The uh… grass area."
The guard blinked. "You mean the Green Wasteland?"
"Yes!" Nathan nodded desperately.
The guard looked him up and down.
"You don't look like a wanderer… Your clothes are clean. Where are you from?"
Nathan panicked internally but forced a calm expression.
Think. THINK.
"Ah—uh—I'm a… healer!"
Why healer? Nathan had no idea.
But it worked.
The guard's eyes widened with respect.
"A healer? Oh! Our apologies for stopping you. Please enter."
Nathan walked past the guards with a straight face.
Inside the city, he quietly whispered:
"I am the greatest liar in two worlds…"
---
Ian City – Streets
As soon as he entered, the city's vibrance hit him like a wave.
Children ran past him laughing.
Vendors shouted prices for spirit fruits, herbs, and strange glowing stones.
Cultivators with long robes and swords walked with confidence.
Ordinary people haggled loudly about vegetables.
The smell of grilled meat filled the air.
Nathan felt like he had stepped into a fantasy movie.
"System… this place is amazing."
> [Ian City is the smallest in the East Continent. Larger cities are far more developed.]
Nathan's jaw dropped.
"This is the SMALL one!?"
Just imagining the bigger cities made him dizzy.
But he remembered his mission.
"Alright… disciples…" he muttered, rubbing his chin. "Where do I find people with high potential? Schools? Training grounds? The streets?"
His eyes suddenly lit up.
"System! Is there a way to detect geniuses automatically? Like a radar or something?"
> [No radar available at current authority. Use the potential scanner manually.]
Nathan groaned loudly.
"So I have to scan random people!? That's like asking me to find diamonds in a mountain of rocks!"
But he clenched his fists.
Three disciples.
Five months.
Or death.
"Alright. Let's get started."
He reached into his inventory and summoned the potential scanner — a small, circular device with a glowing crystal at the center.
It looked futuristic yet mystical.
He tested it on himself.
> [Scanning… Result: ???]
"Still unreadable… great."
He began walking through the city, scanning people discreetly.
A young man selling fruit?
Potential: 12
A woman carrying herbs?
Potential: 23
A muscular blacksmith hammering metal?
Potential: 8
Nathan's shoulders slumped.
"This is going to take forever…"
He scanned dozens of people.
Old. Young. Strong. Weak.
No one even reached 30.
"This is hopeless…" he muttered.
Then—
As he walked near a busy food stall, the scanner suddenly glowed brightly.
BEEP—BEEP—BEEP!
Nathan's heart stopped.
"What!? Did I find someone!?"
He looked around and saw a girl — around sixteen — carrying a basket of vegetables.
Her clothes were simple, her hair tied in a messy knot, her hands calloused from work.
Nothing about her seemed special.
But the scanner couldn't be wrong.
Nathan lifted the device again.
> [Potential: 72]
Nathan's eyes widened.
"A genius…!"
He felt excitement rushing through him.
This was it.
His first disciple.
He straightened his robe, cleared his throat, and approached her carefully.
"Excuse me," Nathan said, trying to sound mysterious and wise. "I would like to speak with you about your future… and your destiny."
The girl blinked at him.
Then raised an eyebrow.
"Are you… a scammer?"
Nathan choked on air.
This was going to be harder than he thought.