{Awakening ceremony will begin shortly}
Zhao had just heard the announcement when a series of glowing icons appeared in the corner of his vision, hovering like fireflies in the dim light of the hut. He blinked, startled, and focused on them, his curiosity overriding his lingering nausea. As if responding to his thoughts, one of the icons expanded, unfolding into a translucent screen that floated before him.
|Status|
Name: Zhao
Rank: Black Iron 1-star
Mana: 100/100
Health: 400/400
Title: None
Race: Human
Age: 21
Planet: X10089
Talent: Unawakened
Class: Undetermined
Territory: Unnamed (LVL: 0)
Skills: None
"Ahh!" Zhao clutched his head, a sharp, stabbing pain erupting behind his eyes. The information was simple, but the act of reading it felt like trying to drink from a firehose—overwhelming, disorienting. He stumbled back, his vision swimming, and leaned against the wall for support, his breaths coming in ragged gasps.
(Ding… Million Times Multiplier System has activated)
(Preparing beginner pack)
(Ding… Host has just received beginner pack)
The mechanical voice rang out again, cold and unyielding, and Zhao's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't even had time to process the status screen, let alone familiarize himself with this so-called system, and now it was throwing more at him. He tried to focus, to understand, but his mind was a chaotic whirlwind of pain and confusion.
Before he could catch his breath, another announcement echoed, its tone deeper, more resonant, as if the universe itself were speaking.
{Talent awakening is beginning}
The world around him dissolved in an instant, the hut and the dome vanishing like mist in the sun. Zhao found himself standing in a vast, ethereal expanse, surrounded by swirling clouds of silver and gold. The air here was thick with energy, humming against his skin, and the sky above was endless, dotted with stars that pulsed like living things.
And there, in front of him, was the halo—the same one he'd seen in Korea, its edges sharp and jagged, radiating an otherworldly light. It hovered, unblinking, its gaze piercing through him, and Zhao felt a shiver crawl up his spine.
(Congratulations… You have awakened the B-class Talent: Increased Drop Rate)
The words appeared before him, glowing in the air, and Zhao frowned. Increased drop rate? It sounded underwhelming, almost mundane, compared to the grandiosity of this place. But before he could dwell on it, the system's voice rang out again, sharp and insistent.
(Ding… Million Times System activated)
(Your talent has reached EX grade)
(Congratulations… You have awakened the EX-grade talent: Plunder)
Zhao's eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat. Plunder? EX-grade? The words felt heavy, laden with meaning he couldn't yet grasp. The clouds around him seemed to shift, darkening, as if the very atmosphere responded to the weight of his new talent.
(Congratulations… You are the first being to break through SSS rank and get an EX-rank talent in the universe.)
(Your Reputation has increased by 1000)
(You have got the title |Rule Breaker|)
The announcements came one after another, relentless, and Zhao's mind reeled. SSS rank was supposed to be the pinnacle, the stuff of legends—heroes and gods, not a college student from Beijing. And yet, here he was, the first in the universe to surpass it. The halo pulsed, its light flaring brighter, and a new screen materialized before him, detailing his title.
|Rule Breaker|
No rule can stop you from doing what you want.
Skill cooldown -30%
Mana Usage -20%
Mana Regeneration +50%
You get the passive skill: DEBUFF IMMUNITY
You get the passive skill: CC RESISTANCE
Zhao stared at the screen, his mouth dry. Each benefit was staggering—reduced cooldowns, lower mana costs, faster regeneration, and immunity to debuffs and crowd control. It was power, raw and unfiltered, and yet it felt like a double-edged sword. No rule can stop you. The words echoed in his mind, both a promise and a warning.
"Wasn't the strongest talent SSS grade? What's with this EX-grade?" he muttered, his voice trembling. He didn't even have time to process it before more messages flooded his vision, each one more overwhelming than the last.
(Congratulations… You are the first lord to get a reputation over 1000)
(You have unlocked Reputation Store)
(You have got the title |I Am Famous|)
(Your Reputation has increased by 400)
Another screen appeared, detailing his second title, and Zhao's eyes widened further, his heart pounding in his chest.
|I Am Famous|
You are a very famous person; everyone will tend to believe you more, and you have a higher chance of getting on the good side of people.
Reputation +500
Reputation store cost -10%
Diplomacy +30%
Lord shop earning +40%
Lord shop cost -30%
Zhao's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets, his mind struggling to keep up with the flood of information. "What's with this system and all these titles?" he whispered, his voice tinged with disbelief. This was too op. He could feel the weight of it all—the power, the responsibility, the sheer absurdity of it. He, Zhao, a nobody from Planet X10089, was now the first person in the universe with an EX-grade talent.
But he knew more than anyone that nothing came for free. The system, the talents, the titles—they were tools, yes, but they were also chains, binding him to a path he couldn't yet see. He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms, and stared at the halo, its light unyielding.
"I don't know what you are or where you come from," he said, his voice steadying, "but now that you're mine, I will use you to become the strongest."
The clouds around him seemed to still, as if the universe itself had heard his declaration. The halo pulsed once more, then faded, and Zhao found himself back in the hut, the dome shimmering outside, the forest silent and foreboding.
But unknown to all, the legend of a god-king, capable of shaking the very foundations of the universe, was being born.