Sol sat frozen, his breath shallow, waiting as the system processed his question. The silence stretched, each passing second feeling like an eternity. His fingers curled into his palms, tension coiling in his chest. Whatever the system said next could change everything.
Finally, the voice echoed in his mind, calm and unwavering.
"Processing complete. Affinities detected."
Sol swallowed, his pulse thudding in his ears. His heart almost stopped. "Affinities?" he whispered. "More than one? No way."
A brief pause. Then, the system responded.
"Plant Affinity. Classification: Rare."
Sol blinked. Of all the possibilities that had raced through his mind, this was not one of them.
"Plant?" he muttered, trying to wrap his head around it. His mind instantly filled with images of vines, towering trees, and overgrown wilderness. Then, suddenly, he remembered the cosmic tree—that towering, endless entity from his vision. The memory sent a shiver down his spine. He had expected something… different. Something more suited to his life in the slums, something mechanical or energy-based. But plants?
The system continued. "Your affinity does not manifest in conventional forms. Your potential extends beyond simple plant manipulation. Further data is required to assess full capabilities."
"Affinity rating to plant-based abilities is measured on a scale of 1 to 15 upon awakening. The highest recorded is 15. Your current affinity rating is 10%."
Sol exhaled slowly, leaning back against the bed. His heart was still racing, but now for a different reason. This affinity—it wasn't what he had imagined, but something told him it was far from ordinary.
And if it was rare, then perhaps it was more powerful than he realized.
He needed to know more.
Before he could sink any deeper into thought, the system's voice interrupted once more.
"Illusion Affinity. Classification: Rare."
Sol snapped back to attention. "Illusion?"
"Affinity rating to illusion-based abilities is measured on a scale of 1 to 15 upon awakening. The highest recorded is 15. Your current affinity rating is 15%."
Sol's eyes widened slightly. Unlike the plant affinity, which had left him uncertain, illusion immediately struck a chord. A rare affinity—and a perfect 15% rating from the start. That wasn't normal.
His mind reeled at the implications. If the plant affinity had already left him questioning everything, this only complicated things further.
Before he could even process more, the system dropped another bombshell on him.
"Time Affinity. Classification: Mythic."
Sol's breath hitched. Time? His thoughts crashed into each other, unable to form a coherent response.
"Affinity rating to time-based abilities is measured on a scale of 1 to 15 upon awakening. The highest recorded is unavailable. Your current affinity rating is 13%."
His chest tightened. A 13% rating? That was incredibly high. Higher than his plant affinity. Higher than most awakened affinities, period. Time—the very concept of it was beyond comprehension, beyond control.
He stared at the system's words, trying to ground himself in reality. Plant and Illusion were already overwhelming enough, but Time? That wasn't just rare—it was the kind of ability people killed for.
His fingers dug into his palm. His mind raced with the possibilities—this changed everything. He had always known affinities determined fate, but this? This was something else entirely.
The sheer potential behind the Time Affinity made his stomach twist. It wasn't just rare—it was dangerous. People would kill for an ability like this. No, they wouldn't just kill him. If the wrong people found out, death would be mercy compared to what they'd do to him.
He swallowed hard, a cold unease settling deep within him. Power like this painted a target on his back bigger than anything he had ever imagined. And worst of all? He had no idea what it truly meant—what he would become because of it.
Sol sighed in resignation. There was nothing he could do about it now. He just had to make sure no one ever knew.
But as the unease faded, another feeling crept in—excitement. He had three whole affinities. That was almost unheard of. Less than 50% of humans could unlock even a single affinity, and maybe 5% at most ever awakened a second one. And three? He had no idea how rare that was, but he knew the number had to be absurdly low.
Then there was his Time Affinity. His mind raced, exploring every possibility. Time itself… the very concept of it defied logic. How could he use it? What were the limits?
He sat on the floor, his head spinning with ideas. The potential was staggering. Could he slow time? Speed it up? Travel through it? But one thought stood above all the others, repeating in his head like a whisper from the abyss.
Could I stop time on myself and live forever?
The thought terrified him as much as it thrilled him.
Before he could sink any deeper into his thoughts, the system's voice interrupted, breaking him out of his daydream."Would you like an overview of the sync's updates?"
Sol blinked, still adjusting to the overwhelming information he had just received. He exhaled sharply before responding, "Yeah… go ahead."
The system processed for a brief moment before replying.
"System sync updates detected. The synchronization limit has increased, now allowing up to six objects to be paired instead of three, significantly expanding functionality. The system has also gained the ability to conceal one of your affinities from detection, with the concealment capacity expected to grow as synchronization progresses. Processing speed has been enhanced, adapting to evolving abilities with greater efficiency, reducing any lag between affinity development and system integration. Sensory augmentation has been improved, allowing for the detection of environmental anomalies and unseen threats, providing real-time analysis beyond standard human perception. Encrypted memory storage is now active, ensuring that critical data remains protected from external interference. Lastly, subconscious synchronization has deepened, allowing the system to integrate more naturally into your instincts, triggering certain functions automatically under high-stress conditions."
The system paused before adding a final statement.
"Full integration remains incomplete. Synchronization will continue as the host develops. Additional functions may manifest unpredictably. Proceed with caution."
Sol inhaled sharply. The system wasn't just evolving with him—it was adapting to him. Each new feature made it clear that this wasn't just a tool. It was something far more advanced, something that could shape his very survival.
Then he paused, his thoughts screeching to a halt. His breath caught as realization dawned, and he hurriedly asked, "Did you say I could hide one of my affinities?"
"Confirmed," the system responded. "You are currently able to conceal one affinity from detection. Concealment capacity will increase with synchronization progress."
Sol couldn't believe what he had just heard. The thing that had been worrying him the most, the one problem he had no way of solving, had just been erased with a single answer. Relief flooded through him so quickly it almost made him dizzy.
Then, out of nowhere, he burst into laughter. A sharp, almost delirious laugh echoed through the room. "Ha… haha! That old coot really planned out everything!" His chest tightened, a mix of gratitude and pain swelling inside him until it was almost unbearable. His teacher had thought ahead, had given him something invaluable—not just the ACE system, but the means to survive the impossible.
His fists clenched, his laughter dying into a quiet, choked breath. "Damn it… you really never stopped looking out for me, huh?"
His mind reeled at the implications.