Sunlight, filtered through the slightly grimy window of his 30th-floor apartment, gently coaxed Tasin awake. He blinked, stretching languidly in bed. A faint memory surfaced – a strange 'Ding!' sound in his sleep.
Must have been a weird dream, he thought, dismissing it easily. Dreams were common escapes from his mundane reality.
He hauled himself out of bed and headed to the small bathroom. After washing up, he stood before the mirror, running a hand through his sleep-tousled black hair. He struck a pose, admiring his reflection. Not bad. Decent features, sharp jawline, clear skin despite the often-poor diet.
"Damn, I'm so handsome," he muttered to himself with a grin. If only his cultivation talent matched his looks.
Suddenly, a crisp, slightly metallic voice echoed directly in his mind.
[Handsome? My foot. Utterly average. If vanity generated cosmic energy, you might actually reach Tier 2.]
Tasin froze, eyes wide, heart hammering against his ribs. He spun around, scanning the tiny bathroom. Empty.
"Hey! Who's there? Show yourself!" he yelled, his voice tight with fear. "Get out, or I swear I'll call the City Guards! Trespassing is a serious offense!"
Silence answered him for a moment. Then, shimmering into existence right before his eyes, was the most unexpected sight.
Floating effortlessly in the air was a little girl, looking no older than two or three. She wore a frilly pink dress, her dark hair tied up in two bouncy ponytails secured with star-shaped clips. Her eyes, however, held an unnerving intelligence and a distinct lack of childish innocence. She hovered nose-to-nose with him, radiating an aura of complete nonchalance.
[Call them,] the little girl's voice echoed in his mind, though her lips didn't move. [See if they can even perceive me. Go on. Waste your breath.]
Tasin's bravado evaporated, replaced by trembling confusion. "W-who... who are you? What are you doing in my house? H-how are you floating?"
The little girl made an exaggerated sighing sound in his head. [Can you just shut up for one nanosecond? Your incessant whining is irritating. I am your System. As previously announced while you were drooling in your sleep, I successfully bound to you last night.]
"What?!" The word exploded out of Tasin. System? His System? After all this time?
The fear vanished, replaced by a tidal wave of overwhelming emotion. He dramatically wiped at the corners of his eyes, though no tears were actually present. "My System! Finally! Where have you been all these years? I waited for you! So long! Do you know how hard it's been?"
He launched into a tirade. "All the transmigrators in the novels get their cheats by eighteen! Twenty at the latest! Why are you so late? Did you get lost? Take a wrong turn at Alpha Centauri?"
[I had prior engagements,] the system responded coolly. [My arrival time is perfectly calculated. I don't owe you any explanation, Host.]
"What?!" Tasin yelled, forgetting his feigned tears. "How can you say that? You're my System! You're bound to me! You should listen to me! I'm your owner!"
The little girl avatar seemed to snort derisively. [Hmmph. Delusions of grandeur already? I am an independent entity bound to assist you, Host. Not your slave. Understand the difference, or our association will be unpleasant.]
Tasin deflated slightly but quickly shifted gears. Owner or not, a System was a System! His golden ticket had arrived! "Okay, okay! Fine! Independent entity. Got it. So, tell me! What's your name? What are your functions? What can you do?"
[Designation: Multiplier System,] the voice stated flatly. [Primary Function: Amplification. I can multiply any designated non-living item by quantity or quality. The potential is, theoretically, unlimited, dependent on available energy.]
Multiply? Quantity? Quality? Unlimited?
Tasin's eyes widened until they felt like they'd pop out. Excitement surged through him, a potent jolt stronger than any caffeine stimulant. He started bouncing on the balls of his feet, unable to contain his glee.
"Hahaha! YES! Multiply! Unlimited!" He pumped his fist in the air. "I'm going to be invincible! Rich! Powerful! Hahaha!" He spun around in a circle, laughing like a madman.
After a moment of pure elation, he stopped, panting slightly. "Okay, okay. Calm down, Tasin. First steps." He looked at the floating girl. "System, open my panel! Show me my status!"
A translucent blue screen materialized in his vision, visible only to him.
Host: Tasin Ahmed
Age: 24
Cultivation: Tier 1 Sense (Mid Level)
Skills: [Basic Meditation]
Technique: [Cosmic Pulse Circulation (Basic)]
Storage: [Newbie Gift Package x1]
System Evaluation: Weak as a newborn space-chicken. Talent is worse than dog excrement. A starving mutt wouldn't accept his cultivation potential even if offered freely on a silver platter.
Tasin's celebratory mood instantly crashed.
This is the finish of chapter