The soft hues of dawn paint Kai's room as he emerges from the realm of dreams, the echoes of Ethan's birthday celebration lingering in his consciousness.
A smile plays on his lips as he recalls the shared laughter and joy of camaraderie from the cafe.
The warmth of friendship lingers, infusing his morning with a subtle sense of fulfillment.
Stretching his arms with a yawn, Kai embraces the new day.
The routine of morning tasks commences, each action serving as a gentle reminder of the shared moments from yesterday.
Toothbrush in hand, he finds himself lost in the nostalgia of the birthday celebration.
As he brushes his teeth, a sudden intrusion interrupts his thoughts – the System, an entity usually confined to the realms of his consciousness, manifests before him.
Startled, toothbrush mid-air, Kai stares at the unexpected apparition.
"You scare me! Why do you appear suddenly like this?" Kai whispers, glancing around to ensure his family remains oblivious to this unusual encounter.
The System, seemingly enjoying Kai's reaction, chuckles teasingly, "It's a nice reaction I see there."
Kai, feigning annoyance, retorts, "If you were a physical being, you would get a punch in your face."
The System, deciding to get to the point, shifts to a more serious tone. Kai, now intrigued, leans in, ready to absorb whatever revelation awaits him.
"Let's get serious," the System declares, prompting Kai to lower his toothbrush and listen intently.
The System reveals the purpose of its unexpected visit — Kai is on the brink of a breakthrough to the Novice Rank Middle Level.
Gratitude and excitement dance in Kai's eyes, but he quickly composes himself, downplaying the significance of the news.
"Ahem.., I'm happy to hear that, but I don't think it's something that important that you would come out of your way to tell me," Kai says, attempting to mask his genuine joy.
The System, unfazed, responds, "Yeah, I normally wouldn't have come, but I wanted to tell you because I know you were getting concerned about being left behind.
Your friends have already reached Novice Rank Middle Level, and though you didn't say it, I could sense it."
Kai's smile broadens, and after a moment of silent acknowledgment, he says, "Thank you."
With the System's unexpected visit concluded, Kai resumes his morning routine, but this time, a buoyant spirit accompanies every action.
When he joins his family for breakfast, his mother, quick to notice the change, can't resist inquiring.
"What is it, Kai? You're looking in a very good mood today. Did something good happen?" she asks, her eyes gleaming with maternal curiosity.
Kai, not wanting to divulge the intricacies of his cultivator's journey, offers a vague yet cheerful response, "Yeah, something like that."
Completing his breakfast, Kai slings his bag over his shoulder and bids farewell to his family.
The walk to school is accompanied by a lightness in his step, the promise of progress buoying his spirits.
Upon arriving at school, Kai seamlessly integrates into the familiar routine. Morning classes pass uneventfully, and the time for the Combat Department arrives.
Kai, accompanied by his friends, enters the realm of cultivation.
In the Training Room, Kai assumes his position with a spark of excitement. An hour of focused cultivation passes swiftly.
And then, as if the universe itself acknowledges his efforts, notifications echo in his consciousness:
[Your Spiritual Energy has reached 350]
[You have reached the maximum limit possible for your realm]
[It is possible to breakthrough to the next level]
[Would you like to Breakthrough to the next level]
[Yes/No]
Without a moment's hesitation, Kai clicks "Yes," ushering in the opportunity to break through to Novice Rank Middle Level.
The familiar sensation of spiritual energy surging courses through him. Moments later, a new notification glows:
[You have broken through to Novice Rank Middle Level]
A sense of accomplishment settles within Kai. His friends, immersed in their own cultivation, are unaware of this milestone.
As Kai considers the path ahead, a nagging question surfaces.
"Hey, System!" he calls out, prompting the System to materialize once again.
With a mixture of curiosity and a hint of challenge, Kai asks, "I wanted to ask when I am about to break through, I get notifications like 'You have reached the limit of your realm.' Is this 'limit' normal?"
With a knowing smile, the System responds, "Oh, you noticed that. I thought it would take you some time to realize it, but It's better to know this early on."
As Kai absorbs the explanation, the System continues, "You see, Kai, the meaning of the notification is as simple as it says.
Whenever you break through to the next realm, you first reach the limit of the amount of Spiritual Energy a human can gain in that level and then break through to the next.
In your case, it's different."
"Huh?" Kai exclaims, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.
The System clarifies, "To explain it in simpler terms, a normal cultivator requires a certain amount of Spiritual Energy to through — 100 for Novice Rank Lower Level, for instance.
But you, when breaking through to the Novice Rank Lower Level, wanted to reach 150 in Spiritual Energy.
You set your own thresholds, enhancing your Spirit Veins and Foundations beyond normal levels."
Kai's eyes widen as he absorbs this revelation.
The System continues, "And now as you have both Spirit Veins and Chakras, reaching the maximum limit for each level is the prerequisite for your breakthrough.
And, FYI, now it was 350, and for the next levels, it will only keep increasing."
With a playful smirk, the System concludes, "So, you can only do your best now."
As quickly as it appeared, the System vanished, leaving Kai alone with his thoughts.
The reality of his unique cultivation journey sinks in — a path that both diverges from the norm and presents newfound challenges.