Finn found himself in... well, he wasn't quite sure where he was. It felt as though he was floating in an endless void. Suddenly, a system alert appeared before him.
**Checking age...**
**You are 12 years old or older and eligible to merge with the cultivation system.**
**You are now merging with the cultivation system; this will hurt; you can choose to give up at any time!**
**If you choose to give up, your cultivation will be crippled, and you will remain mortal. Your dungeon opportunity will be revoked.**
All of a sudden, a stop option appeared, followed by an intense burst of energy. Finn wasn't sure what it was, but it felt like he was being blasted with raw power. The pain was intense but bearable. Finn knew some weak-willed individuals who would give up, but he could endure this. He wanted to be free, determined to gain power through his own effort.
The discomfort was significant, but he pushed through. Time seemed to stretch endlessly in this strange place. After what felt like an eternity, a new message appeared.
**Congratulations, you have successfully merged with the cultivation system; host has a strong foundation: efficiency 91%.**
**Host has a one-time opportunity to increase efficiency to 125%.**
**Pain will be at an extreme level; if host passes out or gives up, cultivation will be crippled.**
**Host has 10 seconds to decide:**
Finn's mind raced. In the Wuxia novels he had read, a strong foundation was essential. Every protagonist he admired had faced similar moments of intense trial, moments that defined their path to greatness. This was his moment, and he wouldn't squander it. Without hesitation, he mentally selected yes.
Instantly, it felt like his insides were connected to an electric chair. The pain was unlike anything he had ever experienced, as if his core was being pierced with electric prongs, electrocuting him from the inside out. His muscles spasmed, his veins felt like they were on fire, and every nerve in his body screamed in agony.
The pain was excruciating, but Finn refused to give up. He craved power—the power to be free, to do what he wanted, to have the bonds he chose, not the ones imposed by his family. He thought of the future he desired, one where he was no longer under anyone's thumb, where his strength was his own and unassailable.
Finn roared, a primal scream that echoed in the void, still in excruciating pain. The process, unbeknownst to Finn, lasted only ten minutes. Each second felt like an eternity, but he clung to consciousness with sheer willpower. His vision blurred, but his resolve never wavered.
An admin, a golem-like being with a stoic expression, was observing him. Only a few hundred million humans had the opportunity to raise their efficiency. The admin wasn't surprised Finn had survived the initial process based on his file. A little pain was nothing to the child from Earth. But the initial merging didn't even have to be painful; it was more a test to weed out those not worth any resources, making the process more efficient.
As Finn's screams subsided and the pain began to fade, he felt a new sense of strength coursing through his veins. His body felt different, more resilient. The agony had left its mark, but so had the power.
The admin placed Finn in a slightly elevated file, a file filled with other seeds of potential. This file contained a billion humans, and Finn would be monitored from time to time. He was now part of a select group, those who had shown exceptional promise under the harshest conditions.
The admin continued to monitor the hundreds of millions of beings across the multiverse it was responsible for, its duties never ceasing. Finn, now marked as a potential future powerhouse, was under its watchful eye.
After the second merge, Finn found himself designated to a martial school. As he was only 14, he was three years short of being allowed to run a dungeon.
**Martial School Assignment:**
**You have been assigned to a martial school. The school will consist of 10,000,000 students from three other races that will inhabit your planet.**
**School Terms:**
**Each term lasts 6 months. You are required to complete 6 terms. Every student in your school will be 6-term students as well.**
**Warning: Death is final; this is your world now. The strong thrive and prosper.**
Finn's eyes widened at the final warning. The gravity of the situation hit him hard. This was not a game, and there would be no second chances. The stakes were life and death. He felt a mix of fear and exhilaration. The challenge was daunting, but the promise of freedom and power was intoxicating.
He clenched his fists, determination solidifying within him. "I will survive this," he muttered to himself. "I will become stronger. I will thrive."
Finn knew he had to be cautious but also relentless. The path ahead was fraught with danger, but it was the only way to break free from the constraints of his old life and seize the future he wanted.
The next few years would be a crucible, forging him into something greater. Finn steeled himself for the trials ahead, ready to face whatever came his way.