The warm rays of artificial sunlight streamed through the transparent panels of Arthur Ragnar's room. His eyes snapped open—not dulled by sleep, but sharpened by purpose. His Soulfire Core had fully awakened the previous night, and now, the Starfall System had completely integrated with him.
He smirked.
In his past life, power had come too late and had many regrets.
But not this time.
A soft chime rang in his mind.
[ Daily Task ]
Physical Task: Complete 200 push-ups, 200 sit-ups, and a 10-kilometer sprint
Reward: +10 Origin Points, Basic Body Enhancement Serum ×1
Cultivation Task:Cultivate using the Starfall Technique for 3hr
Reward:+10 Origin Points, Soul-Refining Pill ×1
Bonus Reward: After completing daily task first time
Arthur stood, his muscles still adjusting to the new flow of Soulfire energy surging through his veins. In the past, he had been soft, coddled, unaware of what this world truly demanded. Now, he had knowledge—of future events, of hidden power plays, and of the true natures of those who wore masks in daylight.
He wasted no time.
Without wasting time, he began his physical training, his breath echoing through his quarters, each movement a rhythmic strike against the weakness of his former self. Heat spread through him with each push-up and sit-up, and by the time he completed his sprint on the estate's indoor track, his body buzzed with focused power.
[ Physical Task Complete ]
Reward: +10 Origin Points, Basic Body Enhancement Serum ×1
Without hesitation, he injected the serum. Pain flared like fire through his limbs, but he welcomed it. It was a crucible—a price paid to rise above.
Five minutes later, his muscles pulsed with new efficiency.
Now, there was one more task.
Breakfast.
After a quick shower, Arthur dressed in a sleek, dark training robe woven with nanofiber threads that enhanced mobility. He walked toward the main dining hall. In House Ragnar, one rule was sacred: every family member must eat together each morning.
He entered with measured steps.
The hall hadn't changed. A gleaming crystal chandelier cast fractured light over the long dining table of rare marble. Seated around it were faces he hadn't seen like this in decades.
• Duke Lucas Ragnar, his father—charming in public, cold and calculating in private. He was the perfect noble on the surface: honorable, respected, powerful. But behind closed doors, he measured love by political benefit. A man who only valued power and authority.
• Duchess Merida Ragnar, his stepmother—a master of duality, refined in speech, venomous in nature. Every public word was dipped in honey; every private gesture laced with poison.
• Kael Ragnar, his stepbrother—younger in age, louder in arrogance. Muscles, talent, arrogance—everything wrapped in a perfect noble shell.
• Alis Ragnar, his stepsister—older than both Kael and Arthur. Aloof, observant, and dangerous in many ways. She kept herself out of political games and family affairs, but Arthur always suspected that she knows everything.
And finally, Lia Ragnar—his mother. Alive. Smiling. Radiating the warmth that had once been his only light in the world.
Her death had broken him once. But not again.
Arthur took his seat in silence.
"Arthur," Lady Merida, surprised. "Up early today? How... unlike you."
"You're late," Duke Lucas said.
"I was training," Arthur replied simply.
Lady Merida raised a brow. "Training? You?"
Kael laughed. "What, training to be a butler?"
In the past, Arthur would have smiled weakly and said nothing.
But not now.
His gaze locked on Kael's—calm, icy, lethal. "Training to avoid ending up a deadweight like you."
The room fell silent.
Lucas's brow rose, intrigued. Merida's fork paused mid-air. His mother gently placed a hand over his.
Kael stood abruptly, chair screeching. "You think just because you've grown a backbone you can talk to me like—"
"I don't think," Arthur interrupted. "I know you're weak. And I know this household protects the weak far too long."
Kael's face twisted in anger, but Lucas finally spoke, his voice like cracking stone. "Sit down, Kael."
Arthur turned back to his plate—real meat and synthetic eggs. Nutrient-dense and expensive. He ate in silence while the family processed what just happened.
In the past, Arthur had been cheerful, naïve. Almost painfully innocent. But now, he was something else—a blade reforged by betrayal and time.
"Arthur," Lia finally said softly, "are you... alright?"
He softened only for her. "I'm fine, Mother. But I'd like your permission to go out today."
She blinked. "Out?"
"I have some friends to meet," he said. "And I also need a few Star Points."
Lady Merida chuckled. "Friends? What could you possibly need Star Points for, boy?"
Arthur didn't even glance at her. "Not for sweets, if that's what you're wondering. For training resources... and other things."
Lucas waved a dismissive hand. "Give him a basic stipend. Let the boy shop before his Awakening Ceremony."
Arthur nodded slightly. He hadn't expected Lucas to comply, but his mother's quiet nod was all the permission he truly needed.
After breakfast, Arthur left the estate.
The outer city was a seamless blend of neon and steel, where skyscrapers met floating lanterns, and cultivation merged with technology. Holographic billboards advertised the latest cultivation speed-enhancers, advance technology weapons, and portable pocket dimension cultivation room.
Arthur wore a plain black hoodie with a phase-shift hood—distorting his features enough to avoid recognition.
As he walked the market streets, his mind turned to his remaining daily task.
Three hours of cultivation.
The Ragnar estate had elite cultivation chambers, capable of amplifying progress many times over—but they were also monitored. Cultivation was not permitted until after the Awakening Ceremony, and he wasn't want to expose himself.
He previously saw a advertisement of private pocket dimension cultivation rooms but they are extremely expensive for him
He'd seen an advertisement on one of the billboard—Pocket Dimensional Cultivation Rooms but they are extremely expensive for him. Only the rich or powerful had them. Renting one was the better option, for now.
He browsed through multiple cultivation room providers—SoulNest, CorePod, Dimension Dive. All pricey. All traceable.
Then he saw it.
A half-shuttered shop wedged between two glowing storefronts. The flickering sign read: Nova Depths – Advanced Cultivation Chambers (Hourly Rate Negotiable)
Intrigued, Arthur stepped inside.
An old man with cybernetic eyes and a fractured aura looked up.
"You're the first customer in days," he croaked.
"I need a cultivation room. Discreet. High-grade."
"You got Star Points?"
Arthur transferred a few. "Enough. Show me."
The chamber was worn, but functional. Most importantly, it had a soul-concealing array—the kind even House Ragnar would struggle to breach.
Arthur activated the system and sat cross-legged.
The moment he circulated the Soulfire, heat surged through his core. For three hours, he lost himself in the rhythm of energy flow.
[ Cultivation Task Complete ]
Reward:+10 Origin Points, Soul-Refining Pill ×1
Bonus Reward: Pocket Dimensional Cultivation Room
"…What?" Arthur muttered.
A window appeared, detailing the bonus reward: a sleek silver cube, palm-sized, forged from titanium alloy and embedded with a stabilized energy core.
It could increase cultivation speed by 5×, included sound isolation layers, a built-in security grid, and accelerated time flow—double that of the real world.
These devices had just launched last month.
In his past life, he had seen one—once, and only in the hands of a powerful official.
Now, he owned one.
He grinned, sharp and hungry.
"…System, you're full of surprises."
With a thought, the cube materialized in his hand—cool, weightless, pulsing with potential. He stored it within the system's sub-space.
This changed everything.
No more rented chambers. No more exposure.
He could cultivate anywhere. Anytime.
Later that evening, Arthur slipped through the city's back alleys to a familiar noodle shop in the outer district.
Inside, warm light and steam filled the air.
"Well, if it isn't the noble brat come to visit his commoner friends," Karl teased.
Arthur smirked. "Still joking, I see."
Tessia rolled her eyes. "You better find a job, Karl, before the Awakening Ceremony."
"Any of you decided which academy you're aiming for?" Arthur asked.
"Seraphis Academy or Helios Academy " Jeff said quietly.
Karl snorted. "If I even pass the Awakening, I'll take whoever accepts me."
Tessia leaned in, eyes sharp. "And you, Arthur? Still thinking of joining Ragnar's elite branch?"
Arthur smiled.
"I haven't decided yet."
That night, under rising starlight, he returned silently to the Moon Estate, his thoughts already racing ahead.
He had time.
He had power.
And now, he had a future to rewrite.