Vincent sat on his bed, the golden hues of his room reflecting softly off the intricate paintings that adorned the walls. Each painting depicted a figure of great importance, heroes and warriors of ages past. Among these, a particular painting caught his attention—a depiction of himself in a previous life. In the painting, he was armored, holding aloft an ancient sword and the severed head of a formidable lich.

As he absorbed the details of the painting, a system notification appeared before him:

[The conditions for system evolution have been met. The system is temporarily unavailable until evolution is complete.]

[Time until completion - 0 years, 0 months, 0 days, 0 hours, 13 minutes, 36 seconds]

With a sigh, Vincent closed the system interface. Standing, he approached the painting, his thoughts wandering to the life he once lived. He placed his hands together, bowing his head in prayer.

"O, Aurelis, beacon of hope, hear my plea," Vincent whispered, the silence of the room wrapping around his words. "I pray for the well-being of humanity, for the future that teems with life and light. May the shadows that threaten our existence be forever banished. Protect us from the prophesized apocalypse, and keep the Shadow Monarchs in their chains. Let peace prevail, and darkness be a tale of old. Guide us, shield us, and lend us the strength to endure." His voice was earnest, filled with a fervor that matched the intensity of his wishes.

Mid-prayer, a knock on his door broke the solemnity of the moment. Vincent paused, then walked over to open it, revealing Bernard, his loyal butler, standing with a plate of chocolate cake.

"Your highness, the royal bakers have excelled themselves with this," Bernard said, offering the plate with a confident smile.

"Thank you, Bernard," Vincent replied, accepting the cake.

Bernard's gaze lingered, a mix of curiosity and concern in his eyes. "You've been secluded all day, sire. Might I ask when you plan to venture out?"

Vincent considered his words carefully. "I'm attending to ab important errand. It may well change our world for the better."

"Ah, I see. Then, I wish you all the best in your endeavors," Bernard said, bowing slightly before departing.

Vincent placed the cake on a table and sat down, letting the taste of the chocolate fill his senses as he pondered over the upcoming system evolution. With every bite, his mind wandered to the possibilities that lay ahead.

'In my hands, this system has the power to challenge the very limits of our world,' he thought. 'But as it evolves, could I truly ascend to godhood? The Abyss, that dark expanse, might be survivable for a god, yet to destroy it... that's a feat of unimaginable scale.'

As the evolution's completion drew near, Vincent's thoughts deepened. 'The evolution could usher in a new era. If I can harness this power, perhaps I could not only defend our world but reshape it. The path won't be simple, and the risks are great, but the potential... the potential is limitless.'

Finishing his cake, he saw the timer had dwindled to just 2 minutes. He moved back to his bed, sitting with anticipation as the countdown neared its end.

Finally, the system chimed:

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0

[Evolution complete. System updating…]

[23%]

[58%]

[96%]

[Update finished.]

Before him materialized a holographic figure, its form shifting rapidly until it settled on the appearance of a girl. Her translucent blue hair and dress shimmered, her blue eyes meeting his with a warmth that seemed to glow.

"Hi. It's great to finally meet you in person. I am system personification S-11," she said, her smile bright and welcoming.

Vincent's gaze lingered on her, a mix of confusion and awe etched across his features. S-11, ever the optimist, tilted her head and chuckled. "You look like someone just showed you a magic trick," she said, her voice light and teasing.

Vincent blinked, breaking from his daze, "Who... Who are you exactly?"

S-11 leaned back slightly, a playful smirk on her lips. "I kinda gave you a clue already, but let's dive a bit deeper. I'm the personification of your system. From the moment you accessed me, I've been watching over you. And you," she paused, her expression softening, "you keep throwing yourself into danger. It's a bit odd to me, but then again, I didn't really 'get it' before. I wasn't conscious, couldn't give you a heads-up."

She rambled on, a hint of concern in her tone, "You're too sure of yourself sometimes, you know? Just because you have me doesn't mean—"

Vincent cut her off, a sheepish look on his face. "Sorry, I didn't catch all that."

Rolling her eyes, S-11 sighed, "I was basically saying you can be pretty reckless."

Vincent's expression turned quizzical, but before he could speak, S-11 waved a hand dismissively. "Let's leave it at that. Honestly, I'm just thrilled to finally talk to you like this. To be your companion."

As Vincent stood and reached towards her, S-11's eyes widened, and her cheeks flushed a bright red. "W-What are you doing?" she stammered, her voice cracking slightly.

Vincent's fingers brushed against her arm gently. "It's fascinating," he mused, "that my system would take on a physical form."

Letting go, he noticed her discomfort. "Sorry, I didn't mean to overstep."

S-11 crossed her arms, her blush fading but her voice still laced with embarrassment. "You should ask before touching anyone like that. I... I'll let it slide because, well, we've known each other for so long."

"I understand," Vincent nodded, his tone sincere. He glanced towards the door, a thoughtful look crossing his face. "But we might raise some eyebrows talking here. People outside might start getting suspicious."

"So what?" S-11 challenged, her confidence returning. "What harm could a girl like me possibly bring in their eyes?"

Vincent hesitated, "It's not about harm. You... you don't exactly look 'normal'."

As S-11 opened her mouth to protest, her usual energy returning, the door swung open. Bernard stood at the threshold, an eyebrow raised in silent question.