Outside the church, there is a boy sitting on the grass in a meditative pose. He has black hair unkempt and up to his shoulders. Wearing simple blue clothing and surrounded by nature, he looked like a model example of a cultivator.
"SYSTEM, why the fuck is my cultivation not going up after 2 years of trying to absorb energy. As a main character shouldn't that meridians sealed status have been fixed by you already!"
That boy is Raikou, his external state is the opposite of the thoughts he is screaming within.
My strength and agility have gone up from exercising daily, but it is too slow and my cultivation is stuck from the sealed meridian issue.
"Answering your question for the 100th time, your meridians will continue to be sealed until you fulfill the hidden requirements set. And as I have said a hundred times, the requirements are 'hidden', therefore I can not help you with this situation"
"Some system you are, shouldn't you give me a mission or some method with the reward being the unsealing of my meridians"
"..."
"Alright, kiss my ass then. I'm going to figure this out"
This has been Raikou's routine everyday for the last year after being able to walk and his vocal chords were fully developed. He also has this argument with his system regularly to no avail.
After 2 years, his stats have developed to
Name: Raikou | Age: 3
Cultivation Level: None (Meridians Sealed)
Strength: 3
Dexterity: 4
Intelligence: 10
Wisdom: 5
Charm: 5
--
"One of these days, I will figure it out..." he mumbled.
"Raikou! Come with me, we are going to the market to buy stuff" A woman called out. That is Mary, by now Raikou regards her as his mother and she regards him as her son.
Her voice fills Raikou with a warm feeling of love as he smiles and rushes towards her to accompany her to the market.
"You were trying to cultivate again weren't you. I told you, with your sealed meridians it is near impossible without a miracle. I don't want you getting your hopes up too high, remember I will always care for you and look after you even if you can't cultivate. So don't push yourself to the depths of despair." she smiled at Raikou while consoling him.
Raikou has heard this speech from her many times, and it makes him feel closer to her as his mother. No one has ever shown kindness to him before, especially in a method such as this where the other gets nothing out of it. However, this makes Raikou want to cultivate all the more, he understand from his novels that weak people tend to have many issues occur in their lives in these worlds. He doesn't want his mother to go through any more pain. Raikou can tell that his mother has faced a tragedy in the past, there is great sorrow hidden in her eyes, but she has never told him about it and he doesn't want to bring up any past sorrows of his mother.
They continue to walk to the market when Raikou falls to the ground with a thud. "Little shit, look where you're going, you got your peasant germs all over my clothes." A bald man menacingly looks at Raikou before bringing his boot down on his face.
"NO! Sir, my son did not do this on purpose. Please leave us."
"Hey sexy lady, how about you come with us, hehe." One of his henchmen call out to Mary with a gaze filled with lust.
"BASTARDS. Pick on someone your own size, you dickless bitches. You're lucky that i'm only a kid yet, otherwise I would give you a good smacking. How are you going to say I have peasant germs when you look like a muscly potato with the yellowest teeth ever! ALSO, tell that dirty henchman of yours to stay away from my mother." Raikou went on a rant after hearing what the man said to his mother.
"...oh fuck, I didn't think that through. I should've checked their cultivations before saying all that."
he muttered
He analysed them using the system to see that the leader was a mortal realm 2nd level, while his 2 goons were both at the 1st level. That came as a relief, as he had analysed his mother's cultivation in the past and it was at the 4th level.
"You little shit, who do you think you're talking to. I was only going to beat you up and take your mother, but now I'm going to play with her while making you watch."
Mary suddenly attacked the leader with her staff raised and pointed, "Stay away from my son, WATER BURST."
Raikou was shocked to see that the man was not affected and he was confused, how did that not do damage with his mother's superior cultivation.
"RAIKOU RUN, my cultivation is higher than theirs but all my skills are for healing and my combat efficiency is extremely low!"
Raikou froze, how could he be so stupid... This is his fault. His mother was going to get taken by these men, because of his big mouth.
No... They would have taken her either way. This is Raikou's fault for being weak.
Ding. "Hidden requirements fulfilled! Feel despair for the first time in your new life"
Reward: Godly Meridians.