Fingers trembled. A cold sweat broke out across Krishna’s brow. The shimmering blue screen still floated before him, a surreal hallucination in his tiny, cluttered apartment. He blinked once, twice, vigorously, scrubbing at his eyes like a child trying to banish a monster under the bed.
Still there.
“No,” he whispered, a strangled sound. This couldn’t be real. His mind, strained by exhaustion and despair, was finally breaking. He pinched his arm, hard. A sharp, stinging pain lanced through his skin. Not a dream.
Breath hitched in his throat. Panic clawed its way up, cold and sharp. What was this? Some sort of advanced AR gone rogue? A prank? But who could pull off something so elaborate, so utterly impossible?
"Primordial Tides System Initiated. Host detected: Krishna Agarwal."
A calm, synthesized voice echoed directly inside his head, not from the screen, but from *within*. His jaw dropped. The words were clear, concise, utterly undeniable.
"Host, do you accept the Primordial Tides System as your vessel? Y/N."
Accept? Vessel? His heart hammered against his ribs, a frantic drumbeat against a wall of fear. He wanted to scream, to run, but his feet felt glued to the dusty linoleum floor. This was insane. Completely, utterly insane.
Yet, the blue screen pulsed, patient. His sister. Anya. Her face, tear-streaked, flashed behind his eyes. The doctor’s grim prognosis. The impossible fees. Desperation, raw and primal, cut through his terror.
What choice did he have?
He had nothing else. No money, no prospects, no family but her. If this was a hallucination, he was already lost. If it was real… could it be a way out?
“Yes,” he breathed, the word a mere exhalation. His voice was hoarse, barely audible.
The blue screen flared, a brilliant sapphire light washing over him. A faint tingling sensation spread from his chest, radiating outwards, a strange warmth encompassing his entire body. It wasn't painful, but it was undeniably *there*.
"Host Krishna Agarwal accepted. Primordial Tides System bound. Vessel activated."
A new cascade of information flooded his mind, overwhelming his senses. It wasn’t just words on a screen anymore; it was like a torrent of data, images, and concepts pouring directly into his consciousness. He stumbled back, colliding with the worn armchair, collapsing into its familiar embrace.
Martial arts. Cultivation. Qi. Realms. He saw ancient figures, glowing with internal energy, shattering mountains with a single strike. He saw spiritual beasts, vast and terrifying, roaming untouched landscapes. He saw a world, far grander and more dangerous than the one he knew, unfolding before his inner eye.
Suddenly, the screen changed. A more organized display now. "System Information" flashed at the top.
"The world is awakening, Host. Qi, the essence of life, returns. Cultivation is the path to power, longevity, and true potential."
His mind raced, trying to process it all. This wasn't just some game. This was… a new reality. The world he knew, the one where he struggled to earn minimum wage, was gone. Replaced by something out of the mythical stories his grandmother used to tell.
"Host's cultivation realm: Mortal (Level 0)."
"To advance, Host must accumulate Qi, refine body and soul, and complete System missions. Each realm unlocked grants profound knowledge, potent abilities, and access to higher-tier rewards."
Rewards. That word resonated deeply. Anya. Her fees. Could this system, this unbelievable, impossible thing, truly provide a path for her?
"Higher cultivation and successful mission completion yield greater rewards. With each level gained, the Host will receive increasingly valuable insights into the world’s true nature, ancient secrets, and advanced cultivation techniques."
He focused, trying to clear the whirlwind of thoughts. He needed to understand. He needed to find something, anything, that could help him now. His gaze fixed on the screen, which now displayed a series of categories.
[STATUS] [INVENTORY] [SKILLS] [MISSIONS] [SHOP]
His finger, still trembling, hovered over 'SKILLS'. A strange compulsion guided him. He pressed it. The screen shifted again, revealing a vast, bewildering tree of icons and names.
[COMBAT ARTS] [FORGING] [ENCHANTING] [BEAST TAMING] [ALCHEM...