Chapter 15 – Am I Alive?
Kai opened his eyes in the mind space, immediately noticing that it was different.
Massive chains stretched across the void, and the world was split into different parts.
The central island the largest one, the one with the tree he had created was still intact. The hill was still the literal center of the world, with the tree standing perfectly atop it.
The other eight islands were connected to the main one by eight massive chains, one for each island. It was a petrifying yet wonderful sight.
Kai was amazed and muttered,
"Am I even… alive?"
Kai's emotions were all over the place, but he sighed and muttered,
"System?"
[Hello, Host. Welcome back to the world of the living.]
[Your current status is:]
[Host Status]
[Name: Kai]
[Strength: 10 (current limit) ]
[Intelligence: 4]
[Speed: 10 (current limit) ]
[Charm: Locked]
[Agility: 8]
[Defense: 10 (current limit) ]
[Mental Fortitude: 10 (current limit) ]
[Endurance: 6]
[Mana: 550 / 550]
[Body Status: 0.5% / 100%]
[Attribute Points: 2]
[Current limit - Your physical body is unable to get any stronger form this point in attributes with your current limit to improve it you must level up a point letting all of your limits rise up by one point.]
Kai sighed. Though he couldn't see it in the real world, his eyes were glowing two distinctly different colors. Instead of their normal brown, they were now a wonderful mix of hues.
His left eye was a sharp blue that blended into brown, then faded into the deep black of the pupil it looked like a small universe.
His right eye was a magnificent blue, with pale green surrounding the pupil.
Kai's hair had also changed, shifting from its normal somewhat-black color into a stark black streaked with white. It looked like a night sky pierced by a shower of stars.
But Kai had no idea this was happening.
Only his mother did, standing mesmerized as his appearance rapidly shifted before her eyes.
His jawline sharpened, his teeth refined, and every part of his body became sleeker and more defined.
___
Back in the mind space, Kai was goofing off, talking to the system while it lectured him on how terrible of an idea his actions had been—and how he had ignored every warning it gave.
Kai then asked,
"So why did my mental fortitude and other stats rise even more?"
[When you are brought to the brink of death again and again for an extended period, your mind naturally grows stronger.]
Kai hummed.
"Shut it. You still could've told me what would happen. Oh well—when will I wake up?"
[Unknown. Estimated time: 1,000 years.]
Kai screamed,
"A THOUSAND YEARS?!"
[Correct. Unless you would like to train your soul. Note: this is not recommended. It will hurt immensely, but at this point you are basically a masochist.]
Kai growled,
"I am not a masochist in any way. I just want to get stronger."
but at the same time in the back of his mind a thought started to grow 'dose the system change with me? for is it just becoming more friendly what is this so called system?'
[Is that a go-ahead?]
Kai sighed.
"Fine. Let's do it—but I really don't want to deal with more pain."
[Clearly.]
The system's voice somehow sounded sarcastic, even though it was supposedly just a machine.
Kai frowned.
"Hold on… I never asked what even are you?"
[...]
Kai narrowed his eyes.
"Hold on you ignored me..."
His words faded as a deep warm sensation appeared in his body but it wanst his body it was his soul. I was a present felling
Then kai suddenly yelped as it felling shifted becoming hot.
The in another sudden shift Burning.
Kai suddenly screamed within the mind space.
"What the hell is this?!"
The system replied coldly.
[Soul training. Just as you requested.]
____
While in the real world Kai's brain activity just spike immensely
Kai groaned, his vision bending as if he were about to pass out again. He bit down hard on his bottom lip to stay conscious. Mana spilled forth—not blood—because any injury to the soul or mind caused mana to dissipate rapidly.
Still, he didn't stop. He bit harder, forcing himself to stay awake through the drowsiness and the insane, strangely soothing pain.
After an hour, it finally stopped.
Kai felt numb and collapsed onto the grass.
This time, the sensation felt real—too real—but also comforting, unlike the system.
The grass beneath him was soft. The hill elevated his neck, allowing him to comfortably stare at the sky, now blue and dotted with clouds unlike the first time he had been here.
The sun felt surreal, its warmth soothing, while cool winds swept away the excess heat in a perfectly calming loop.
Kai sighed in satisfaction.
"Honestly, I wouldn't mind living here for a thousand years. Oh yeah after that session, how long is it now?"
[500 years. Each training session becomes harder but halves the remaining time.]
Kai grinned slightly, still feeling the lingering pain.
"Worth it."
Then he remembered something.
"Show me the main screen."
[Granted.]
[Host Attributes | Skills and Abilities | Bloodlines | Quests | Shop]
Kai hummed.
"Show me daily."
[Quests: Daily Quest – Completed!]
[Reward: 50 XP]
[50 / 100 XP]
[Daily quest will renew in 9 hours.]
Kai grinned.
"Not bad… not bad at all. Fine—show me my skills."
[Granted.]
[System-Given Skills]
[Inspect: Allows the host to view a short/detailed summary of a target, or an in-depth one depending on intent.]
[World Language: Allows the host to understand and communicate in any language]
[Condition: Must have a rudimentary understanding of the language.]
__
[Locked]
[Mark 0/5: Allows the host to mark individuals, enabling shared vision and location tracking. Allies or enemies can be marked with a unique scent only the host can detect.]
[Silent Movement: Silences the natural sounds of a human while Active (breathing footsteps , etc. . .)]
Kai stared at the screen, his mouth slowly opening wider.
"Wait… those changed, didn't they?"
[Correct. As you gain power, the system evolves as well. Some of that growth is used to improve current or upcoming skills.]
Kai grinned.
"Great. Just perfect. Oh yeah what about my bloodline? after all i must have gained at least one skill form that core thing."
[Bloodline Skills]
[Shifting Tide - Level 1 :- Allows the host to change there physical appearance at will.][Currently Active]
Kai screamed,
"DEACTIVATE!"
_____
It was far too late.
In the real world, the doctor arrived the same one from last time. He greeted Heather with sympathy.
"Here again?"
She sighed. and Sympathetically said
"Don't say that. Just tell me what's going on."
The doctor watched in amusement as Kai's hair and eye color slowly returned to normal. His heartbeat stopped completely then resumed at a steady pace.
The doctor smirked.
"Oh? A late awakened, I see."
Heather sighed in relief.
"So… that means he has a bloodline?"