The ceremony ended long after my awakening, yet the weight of what had just occurred still lingered in the air.
Even now, hours later, I could feel the faint pulse of energy beneath my skin — a slow, rhythmic thrum like a second heartbeat.
The System.
It wasn't just a term people in this world threw around as mythology. I could feel it — vast, ancient, and alive.
The moment I'd touched that stone, something had resonated. Something deep. Something... otherworldly.
The setting sun dipped below the floating skyline of Greenwood City, painting the streets in amber light. Hover vehicles glided silently above the traffic lanes while crystal-powered streetlamps began to hum awake.
Students around me chatted excitedly about their awakenings — comparing colors, talents, and imagined futures.
"Did you see Katherine's Ice Domain?""Tier 5, right? She's bound to be recruited by one of the academies.""Yeah, but that Asher guy... Tier 8? I thought the stone would explode!"
I pretended not to hear, walking quietly through the crowd.
The whispers followed me anyway.
Even Darek kept shooting me glances, torn between admiration and disbelief. "Man, I still can't believe you hit Tier Eight. You're basically set for life now!"
"Tier isn't everything," I muttered, watching the sunset flicker between tall crystal towers.
He blinked. "Yeah, but it kinda is."
Darek had awakened a Tier 5(High) talent - Iron Body. which amplifies his physical attributes by 20% for 30 mins.
I smiled faintly but said nothing more.
If only he knew.
The moment I entered the house, my mother's eyes widened with relief and pride. "So? How did it go?"
I hesitated, unsure how to even explain. "Tier Eight," I said simply.
Her hand flew to her mouth. "Tier Eight... my son... Asher, do you know what that means?"
"Not yet," I admitted truthfully.
She embraced me tightly, her voice trembling. "Then find out. The world will be watching now."
Her words lingered in my mind as I retreated to my room.
The room dimmed as I sat cross-legged on my bed. I took a deep breath, focusing inward.
The energy I'd felt during awakening hadn't faded — it had only settled, coiled like a sleeping dragon inside me.
'System,' I thought hesitantly. 'Are you... there?'
A faint hum answered. Then—
[System: Online.]
[Primary Host: Asher Valen.]
[Status: Stabilizing Soul Resonance...]
[Synchronization complete.]
A soft interface appeared before my eyes — simple, translucent, golden light weaving symbols that felt both alien and familiar.
System Interface
[Name]: Asher Valen
[Age]: 16
[Cultivation Rank]: Unranked
[Talent]: Ultimate Comprehension ✨ (Primordial Grade – Locked at Tier 8 High)
[Class]: None
[Affinities]:
1. Space (Ancient)
2. Thunder (Ancient)
3. Sword (Ancient)
[Special Feature]: System Shop (Locked – Unlocks at Rank 5)
[Soul Status]: 64% Compatibility
"Ancient Affinities…" I whispered.
Each word carried weight. I'd studied affinities before — elemental, conceptual, even rare hybrid types like Light and Void. But Ancient? I thought Tier 9 was limit of talents but this. That wasn't in any record I'd read.
The interface responded to my thoughts.
[Affinities – Description Accessed]
Space (Ancient)
• Governs distortion, teleportation, dimensional layering, and stability of matter.
• Rare beyond measure. Requires immense spiritual control to wield.
Thunder (Ancient)
• Embodiment of destruction and creation — the breath of storms.
• Capable of tempering both body and soul through pure voltage resonance.
Sword (Ancient)
• The will to cut through all.
• Manifestation of resolve, clarity, and unity of body and blade.
• The path of comprehension and transcendence — feared and revered alike.
I sat in silence, absorbing the words.
'Sword... comprehension...'
Everything tied together in a way that felt intentional — as if my entire existence had been aligned for this path.
I stood and reached for the training sword that leaned against my wall — a dull wooden practice blade, nothing fancy.
The moment my fingers wrapped around the hilt, I felt it — the faint hum of connection.
"Let's see what you can do," I murmured.
I swung.
Once.
The blade cut through air silently — too silently. The motion felt cleaner, sharper, more fluid than it ever had before.
Every movement replayed in my mind instantly, like my brain had captured it frame by frame.
I could see where my stance wavered by a fraction of an inch, where my grip had been a little too tight. My understanding deepened with every heartbeat.
[Ultimate Comprehension Activated.]
[Analyzing Technique: Basic Sword Swing.]
[Understanding: 100%]
[Suggestion: Reduce upper-body tension by 0.8%. Balance weight distribution to right leg.]
"..."
I blinked. Then laughed quietly in disbelief. "You're kidding me."
But when I adjusted my stance and swung again —
Whsh!
The air itself seemed to bend. The sound of the strike echoed sharper, the blade cutting a visible ripple through the room's mana.
Not power — precision.
'Ultimate Comprehension... so that's what it means.'
I performed the Basic Sword Technique taught at our academy — one I'd practiced countless times but never truly mastered.
But this time... something changed.
Every motion, every fluctuation of mana, every ounce of force — I could see it, feel it, and understand it.
The moment the blade moved, the world slowed. Each swing wasn't just motion — it was knowledge unraveling before my eyes. The path of the blade, the resistance of air, the way my heartbeat aligned with each motion — it all connected into a perfect pattern.
[Skill Registered: Basic Sword Technique]
[Ultimate Comprehension Activated.]
[Deconstructing Form... Analyzing Flow... Understanding Essence...][Comprehension Level: 60%]
[Insight: The sword is not moved by strength, but by intent. Let the blade move where the will flows.][Path Guidance: Repeat until the motion becomes thoughtless — when mind and steel no longer differ, enlightenment shall bloom.]
I froze. The words weren't just data — they carried meaning. They resonated within me, echoing like a forgotten truth remembered.
I adjusted my stance instinctively and swung again.
Whshh!
This time, the blade flowed like water, silent and alive. It wasn't power. It was understanding. Every swing peeled away another layer of ignorance, revealing something purer beneath — the essence of the sword.
Ultimate Comprehension. It didn't just let me learn — it let me become what I studied.
'System,' I asked mentally, 'what is a Primordial Talent?'
There was a pause — then a single line appeared.
[Primordial: A state that precedes creation. Powers born from the void before existence. Only a fragment of the original can exist within mortal vessels.]
A chill ran down my spine.
Before creation?
That wasn't just strong — that was divine.
And yet… my system said it was locked.
Which meant this wasn't even its full potential.
'Just how many levels is it above the tier 9?' I asked myself mentally.
'system can you tell all the talent grades ?'I asked mentally.
System responded
[Talent Grades Overview]
Mortal Grade – Tier 1 to Tier 9
Elite Grade – Tier 1 to Tier 5
Transcendent Grade – Tier 1 to Tier 3
[??? Grade – Information Restricted]
My heart pounded.
"What we call the peak... is just Mortal Grade?"
"Elite... Transcendent... and beyond?"
The thought sent chills down my spine.
I focused again, this time on my Space affinity. The air shimmered faintly before me — a distortion, like heat waves.
"Space..." I whispered. "Can I… move it?"
A faint ripple answered.
[Affinity Manipulation – Basic Access Granted.]
[Warning: Current Rank insufficient for stable control.]
The distortion pulsed once — then snapped.
A crack of energy exploded, tossing papers across the room. My arm tingled violently as if electrified.
[Affinity Overload Detected.]
[Stabilizing through Thunder resonance...]
Bolts of faint purple lightning danced across my skin, grounding the energy back into stillness.
I exhaled sharply, adrenaline rushing.
So that's Thunder's purpose — to balance the instability of Space.
The affinities weren't separate — they were complementary.
Space. Thunder. Sword.
Each one tempering the other — destruction, distortion, and discipline.
Space distorts, Thunder tempers, Sword directs — a trinity of chaos, control, and comprehension.
As my breathing steadied, my mind drifted. The world seemed to blur, the room dissolving into mist.
And then—
I stood in a boundless expanse of silver light. Swords floated in the distance — thousands, millions, stretching into infinity.
Each blade pulsed faintly, whispering voices that echoed like memories.
At the center stood one sword — massive, ancient, radiant with golden runes that shimmered like constellations.
When I reached for it, the voice of the System returned — deeper, resonant, almost… alive.
[The Primordial Blade recognizes your existence.]
[Path of Comprehension – Initiated.]
[First Trial will unlock upon cultivation rank breakthrough.]
The vision shattered.
I found myself back in my room, gasping, the wooden sword still in hand — faintly glowing gold.
"What... was that?" I whispered.
No answer came — only the soft hum of energy fading into silence.
I set the sword down gently. The light outside had faded to dusk, shadows stretching across the walls.
Somewhere out there, thousands of other sixteen-year-olds were celebrating, dreaming of their futures.
Mine had already begun shifting into something else entirely.
A path of comprehension. A system of impossible origin. A destiny I didn't yet understand.
And deep down, I felt it — this was only the beginning.
I looked at my reflection in the mirror once more. The golden hue in my eyes shimmered faintly.
'If this is what it means to be chosen... then I'll find out why.'
[Ultimate Comprehension Active.]
[Observation: Resolve detected. Will synchronization increased by 3%.]
[New objective: Seek Knowledge of the Primordial System.]
The interface faded, leaving only quiet determination in its wake.
Outside, thunder rumbled faintly across the horizon — distant, like a promise.
End of Chapter 2 – Ultimate Comprehension