The sun barely pierced through the gray sky over Bright Haven, a quiet and aging city tucked away on the northern edge of the continent Kasra. Dust swirled through narrow streets, and the clang of metal echoed from old workshops scattered like forgotten relics of an industrial past. Among them stood a small, weather-beaten repair shop with a rusting sign that read: "Zheng Repairs – We Fix Anything."
Above the shop, in a cramped, dimly lit room, sat a young man cross-legged on the wooden floor. His name was Luo Zheng.
He was eighteen. Lean, quiet, with dark hair that curled slightly over his sharp brows. His deep brown eyes were calm, almost too calm for someone living at the bottom of the power scale. He was F-Class—Early Stage. In a world where class determined status, future, and even basic respect, Luo Zheng was invisible.
Society in Virelia valued power above all. Children were tested at age ten, and those with high potential were trained, fed, and nurtured by guilds, cities, or great families. The rest, like Luo Zheng, were cast aside—too weak to be worth investing in.
His life was a cycle of hard labor, self-study, and the occasional free meal from kind shopkeepers. But he never gave up.
Every night, he read. Science, combat theory, history, meditation, and even forbidden knowledge stored on cracked data-chips from forgotten ages. He dreamed of rising, even if everyone else had given up on him.
That morning had started like any other—cold, gray, and silent. Luo Zheng stared at the cracked ceiling above his bedroll, watching dust motes drift lazily through a beam of light.
Then it happened.
A sudden chime echoed—not through the room, but directly inside his mind. A cold, clear sound. His body froze.
Ding! Genius System Activated.
"What?" he whispered, eyes widening.
A glowing blue screen shimmered into view before him, floating mid-air.
---
Welcome, Luo Zheng.
You have been chosen by the Genius System.
Mission: Raise humanity to the top.
Current Class: F (Early Stage)
Unique Trait: Divine Potential – Locked
---
He blinked. Once. Twice. The screen remained.
He waved a hand through it. Nothing happened. It wasn't a projection. It was... real.
"Is this some kind of dream?" he muttered.
The voice that followed was not human—mechanical, yet warm. Ancient, yet alive.
You are not hallucinating. I am the Genius System. A forgotten relic of the highest civilization, designed to awaken only in the mind of one with limitless mental potential.
Luo Zheng's lips parted slightly. "Me? I'm a failure. Why would it choose me?"
You have no idea what lies within you. You were ignored because your divine seed was hidden. But the world has changed. It is time to awaken what was once buried.
The words filled him with an emotion he hadn't felt in years—hope.
"I don't have strength," he said softly. "I have no techniques, no backing. Just books and broken dreams."
That is enough, the system replied. True strength begins in the mind. You will grow faster, learn deeper, and break all limits. But you must work for it. Accept the mission: Unlock your mind.
Luo Zheng's hands trembled slightly. He closed his eyes and took a breath. "I accept."
Initializing Challenge 001: Mental Awakening.
Task: Complete knowledge assessment.
Reward: +1 Intelligence | Memory Boost | Focus Enhancement
The floating screen transformed into a glowing panel of questions. Complex equations, combat theory, logical puzzles, strategy scenarios, and forgotten languages filled the space.
At first, Luo Zheng panicked. But as he read the first question, a strange clarity washed over him. His thoughts sharpened. Time slowed.
He began answering.
Minutes passed. Then an hour.
He moved through problems like water flowing over stone. His hands flew across a nearby notebook. Symbols and ideas poured out as if something ancient had awakened inside him.
Sweat dripped from his chin. His breathing steadied.
Finally—
Ding! Assessment Complete.
Result: Excellent.
Processing reward...
A rush of warmth surged through his head. Light, bright and comforting, filled every corner of his mind.
He gasped.
Reward Granted. Intelligence +1. Memory retention increased. Cognitive pathways optimized. Focus ability enhanced.
Luo Zheng opened his eyes. The room looked the same—but everything felt different. He could hear the low hum of electricity through the old lights, feel the weight of moisture in the air, and remember every book he'd read in the last five years word for word.
"This... this is real," he whispered.
Correct.
He stood up. His legs were weak from sitting, but his mind buzzed with energy.
Your next mission will unlock soon. Until then, prepare. The journey has begun.
Luo Zheng walked to the window and stared out over Brighthaven. The city looked tired—rusty rooftops, gray walls, and the soft murmur of machinery in the distance. But in his eyes, it was different now.
Every problem had a solution. Every person had potential.
Even him.
"I was born weak," he said quietly. "But I will rise. I'll raise others too. This world will change."
And as if responding to his resolve, the system chimed once more.
Let the ascent begin.