---
The sky above Astraeus City shimmered like fractured glass.
Not because of weather—no, the climate in the capital was artificially regulated—but because reality itself was thinning.
It always did on Awakening Day.
Aurelion Virex stood at the highest balcony of the Virex Estate, his hands resting lightly on the cold glass railing. Below him, the city stretched endlessly—silver towers, floating transit lines, and distant spires pulsing faintly with world-energy.
Everything looked… controlled.
Predictable.
Engineered.
And yet, today, unpredictability ruled.
"Master Aurelion," a voice spoke softly behind him. "It's time."
He didn't turn immediately.
Instead, his gaze lingered on the sky. Tiny distortions flickered like invisible waves, bending light at odd angles.
So it begins…
Every year, millions awakened.
Every year, society reshaped itself.
And every year, power redistributed—not equally, never equally—but according to something far more terrifying:
Potential.
Aurelion exhaled slowly, then turned.
Standing behind him was Elder Cassian, the Virex family's chief advisor. Old, sharp-eyed, and dangerously observant.
"You've been waiting for this moment your entire life," Cassian said.
Aurelion gave a faint smile.
"Not waiting," he replied calmly. "Preparing."
---
The Weight of Expectation
The Virex family did not produce failures.
Not in business.
Not in politics.
And certainly not in Awakening.
Aurelion walked through the grand halls of the estate, his steps measured, unhurried. Servants bowed as he passed, their expressions a mix of respect and quiet anticipation.
They all knew.
If Aurelion awakened a powerful world, the Virex influence would expand further.
If he didn't…
He wouldn't allow that possibility.
Not because of pride—but because failure, in this world, was inefficient.
And Aurelion despised inefficiency.
---
The Awakening Arena
The Astraeus Central Arena was already filled.
Thousands of elites occupied the elevated platforms—nobles, investors, high-tier world users. Below them, the Awakening Circle glowed faintly, an enormous geometric construct carved into reality itself.
At the center stood a crystalline structure—The Origin Prism.
It pulsed slowly.
Like a heartbeat.
Aurelion stepped into the arena alongside dozens of others his age. Some were nervous. Some excited. Some overconfident.
He observed them all.
A boy to his left was clenching his fists too tightly—anxiety.
A girl ahead of him kept glancing at the crowd—seeking validation.
Another boy stood tall, chin raised—arrogance masking insecurity.
Predictable patterns, Aurelion noted.
"Participants," a voice echoed across the arena. "Today, you will awaken your Personal Worlds and Origin Talents. Your future… begins now."
The crowd quieted.
Even the air felt heavier.
One by one, names were called.
---
Awakenings Begin
"Darius Kelm."
A tall boy stepped forward confidently. He placed his hand on the Origin Prism.
Light erupted.
Behind him, a projection formed—a blazing landscape of molten rivers and volcanic skies.
"Fire World," the announcer declared. "Origin Talent: Flame Amplification."
Applause.
Strong. Predictable. Valuable.
Next.
"Elira Vonn."
A serene girl approached. Soft green light blossomed.
A forest appeared—massive, ancient, alive.
"Nature World. Origin Talent: Accelerated Growth."
More applause.
Aurelion watched carefully.
Not the displays—but the patterns.
Energy flow. Stability. Reaction time.
Each awakening followed rules.
Clear rules.
And anything with rules… could be broken.
---
His Turn
"Aurelion Virex."
The name carried weight.
The arena shifted subtly—attention sharpening, expectations rising.
Aurelion stepped forward.
No hesitation. No visible excitement.
Just calm.
He placed his hand on the Origin Prism.
---
Silence
Nothing happened.
No light.
No projection.
No reaction.
A murmur spread through the crowd.
"Is it defective?" someone whispered.
"Impossible…"
Even the officials frowned.
Aurelion didn't move.
But inside—
He was analyzing.
No energy feedback… no resonance…
That shouldn't be possible.
Then—
A faint pulse.
Not from the Prism.
From… somewhere else.
Lill
---
The Shift
The world tilted.
Not physically—but perceptually.
Sound dulled.
Light bent.
And for a brief moment, Aurelion felt as though he was falling—not downward, but inward.
Into something vast.
---
A Voice Without Sound
> [Initializing…]
The words didn't echo.
They existed.
Directly in his mind.
> [Origin Talent Detected]
[Classification… Unknown]
[Reclassification… Anomaly Tier]
Aurelion's eyes narrowed slightly.
Anomaly…?
Interesting.
---
The System Appears
> [Origin Talent: Infinite Multiplier System]
> Functions:
Loot Extraction
Copy (Imperfect)
Enhance (Multiplier-Based)
> [Warning: No Defined Limit Detected]
[Warning: Stability Not Guaranteed]
For the first time—
Aurelion felt something unfamiliar.
Not fear.
Not excitement.
But… uncertainty.
---
The World Emerges
Suddenly—
The arena exploded with light.
But it wasn't elemental.
Not fire. Not nature. Not void.
It was… undefined.
A distortion.
Behind Aurelion, a world formed—but unlike the others, it lacked clear structure.
Fragments of terrain flickered in and out of existence.
Mountains appeared—then dissolved.
Oceans formed—then froze mid-motion.
The sky… watched.
Not metaphorically.
It watched.
The crowd fell silent.
"What… is that?" someone whispered.
"No classification…"
"Is it broken?"
---
Inside His World
Aurelion's consciousness was pulled inward.
He stood within his own world.
If it could be called that.
The ground beneath him shifted slightly, as if unsure of its own existence.
The horizon stretched infinitely—but details refused to stabilize.
And then—
A small flicker appeared before him.
A floating fragment.
A shard of something… not his.
---
First Loot
> [Foreign Fragment Detected]
[Possible Loot Extraction]
Aurelion stared at it.
Already?
He reached out.
The moment his fingers touched the fragment—
It dissolved into light.
---
> [Loot Acquired: Minor Thermal Resistance]
---
Aurelion paused.
Then, slowly…
He smiled.
---
Enhancement
> [Enhance?]
Cost: Minimal
Stability Risk: Low
Multiplier Options:
×2
×5
×10
×???
His eyes lingered on the last option.
Undefined.
Unstable.
Unpredictable.
---
He chose it.
---
Reality Reacts
> [Enhancement in Progress…]
[Stability Fluctuation Detected]
The world trembled.
Cracks spread across the sky.
The ground beneath him warped violently.
For a moment, it felt like everything would collapse.
---
Then—
Silence.
---
> [Enhancement Complete]
[Thermal Resistance → Unknown Grade]
---
Aurelion exhaled slowly.
His heart was steady.
But his mind—
Was racing.
---
Back to Reality
The arena returned.
But everything had changed.
The projection behind him stabilized slightly—but still defied classification.
The officials whispered urgently.
"Record it as… Unidentified World Type."
"Origin Talent?"
"…Unknown."
The crowd erupted—not in applause, but confusion.
Speculation.
Doubt.
---
A Different Kind of Attention
Aurelion stepped away from the Prism.
Outwardly calm.
Internally—
Calculating at extreme speed.
Loot… copy… enhance… no limit…
Unstable scaling…
This… changes everything.
---
Eyes on Him
As he walked back, he felt it.
Attention.
Not admiration.
Not yet.
But something sharper.
Interest.
Caution.
And then—
One gaze stood out.
---
Lyra
A girl stood among the awakened.
Silver-black hair, calm expression—but her eyes…
Were focused directly on him.
Unwavering.
As if she could see something others couldn't.
For a brief moment—
Their gazes met.
---
She frowned.
Just slightly.
---
She noticed something, Aurelion realized.
Interesting.
---
Closing Line
As the ceremony continued, Aurelion looked at his hand—the same hand that had just rewritten the rules of his future.
And quietly, almost imperceptibly—
He whispered to himself:
"Let's see… how far this system can go."
---
[End of Chapter 1]