(AN: Hey guys! It looks like I accidentally skipped a chapter. It's fixed now, so please go back and check out the new Chapter 29! It was originally meant to be two parts, but to make up for the mistake, I've combined them into one long chapter. Enjoy!)
Runar lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. The hotel room was quiet—Jake and Lirien had fallen asleep in the next suite, exhausted from the day's events.
He could sense Celestia was still awake across the hall, probably buzzing with excitement and questions she wanted to ask him. But she was being good, keeping his secret, letting him rest.
I should check the system notifications, Runar thought.
He'd muted them hours ago—back when he'd entered the Comprehension Space and needed absolute focus. Having notifications popping up while trying to master 184 Laws would have been... distracting, to say the least.
But now he had time. Privacy. And honestly, he was curious what the system thought about his recent achievements.
"System, unmute notifications and display message log."
Immediately, his vision filled with glowing text:
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION LOG - SUPPRESSED MESSAGES: 847]
[PRIORITY ALERT: HOST PROGRESSION DETECTED]
[YOU ARE GROWING FASTER THAN EXPECTED]
[ANALYZING ACHIEVEMENTS...]
[REWARDS IN PROGRESS...]
The text scrolled rapidly, listing everything he'd accomplished:
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: Law MasterComprehend 100+ Laws to 100% completionLaws Mastered: 184Rating: UNPRECEDENTED
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: Stage Breaker ISurpass the 9th Stage Barrier (Meteor Forging)Reached: 3333 StagesRating: IMPOSSIBLE
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: Stage Breaker IISurpass the 33rd Stage BarrierReached: 3333 StagesRating: MYTHICAL
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: Stage Breaker IIISurpass the 333rd Stage BarrierReached: 3333 StagesRating: LEGENDARY
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: Stage Breaker IVSurpass the 3333rd Stage BarrierERROR: No cultivator in recorded history has achieved thisCreating new achievement category...Rating: TRANSCENDENT
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: Demon SlayerKill 100+ demons above your realmRed Giants Killed: 14Lower Realm Demons Killed: 384Rating: EXCEPTIONAL
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: SaviorSave 1,000,000+ lives in a single actionLives Saved: 4,392,847Rating: HEROIC
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: Hidden DragonMaintain low profile despite overwhelming powerPower Hidden Successfully: 99.97%Rating: PERFECT (AN: It was celestia fault for not having a 100% rating)
CALCULATING TOTAL REWARDS...
REWARD TIER: PRIMORDIAL+
Runar's eyes widened. Primordial tier rewards? The system's never given anything above Supreme before—
The notifications continued:
[REWARD PACKAGE UNLOCKED]
[DUE TO UNPRECEDENTED ACHIEVEMENTS, SYSTEM HAS COMPILED SPECIAL REWARD SET]
HEAVEN GRADE TREASURES (VERY RARE):
Celestial Foundation Pills x100 Nine Heavens Qi Gathering Array (Portable) Immortal Lotus Seeds x10 Heaven's Blessing Incense x50 sticks Star Metal Ingots x1000kg Meridian Perfection Elixir x50 Soul Strengthening Jade x20
DIVINE GRADE TREASURES (LEGENDARY):
Void Step Boots (Movement speed +500%, Space Law affinity) Eternal Flame Cultivation Manual (Complete, all realms) Dragon Bone Armor Set (Defense comparable to Red Giant) Phoenix Tears x10 (Resurrection item - one use each) Cosmic Comprehension Tea Leaves x100g (Enhances enlightenment) Star Core x5 (Formation material, energy source) Divine Sense Expansion Pills x30
SUPREME GRADE TREASURES (MYTHICAL):
Universal Body Tempering Pills x50 Supreme Qi Condensation Array (Planet-scale) Law Comprehension Chambers x3 (Portable dimensions) Void Phoenix Physique Enhancement Pills x20 Immortal Grade Spirit Stones x10,000 Reality Anchor Talisman x10 (Prevents spatial manipulation) Soul Rebirth Pill x5 (Reconstruct destroyed soul)
PRIMORDIAL GRADE TREASURES (ANCIENT/LOST):
WEAPONS:
Void Severance - Primordial Grade Katana
Upgrades your existing Supreme Grade Void Severance Katana Soul New Abilities: Reality Cut, Dimension Severance, Causality Slash Growth Type: Evolves with user Soul Bound: Cannot be stolen or lost
Heaven Piercer - Primordial Grade Spear
Length adjustable: 1cm to 10,000km Ignore all defenses below Rule level Special: Can be gifted to trusted companion Current Status: Unclaimed
Harmony's Requiem - Primordial Grade Guqin (Chinese Zither)
Sound-based cultivation treasure Abilities: Soul Cultivation, Mass Healing, Area Buffs, Sonic Attacks Special: Music played creates Reality Alterations Note: Requires Sound Law comprehension to use fully
OTHER PRIMORDIAL TREASURES:
Origin Essence Crystal x3 (Raw universe-creation material) Chaos Lotus (Can create pocket dimensions) Time River Water x100ml (Reverses age, heals all wounds) Fate String x10 (Manipulate probability) System Fragment x50 (Can upgrade system capabilities)
ADDITIONAL REWARDS:
Contribution Points: +500,000,000 Spirit Stones: +100,000,000,000 Random Technique Scrolls x100 (Various grades) Cultivation Chamber Upgrades (Infinite Qi Realm improved to 1:100,000 time ratio) Comprehension Space Upgrades (Enlightenment effectiveness +1000%)
SPECIAL NOTE:Host has demonstrated unprecedented talent and moral character. System is proud of your achievements. Continue to grow strong while maintaining your humanity.
SECONDARY NOTE:The Supreme Grade Void Phoenix Physique Enhancement Pills are compatible with Ice-Water Dual Element Physiques. Recommended for companion cultivation.
Runar stared at the massive list of rewards, his mind struggling to process it all.
This was... insane. Absolutely insane.
Primordial Grade weapons. System fragments to upgrade his already-broken system. Origin Essence—the literal building blocks of universes. Fate Strings that could manipulate probability itself.
And the system had specifically mentioned the physique pills were compatible with ice-water physiques.
It knows about Celestia, Runar realized. Of course it does. It probably monitors everything I pay attention to.
He focused on the physique pills first:
Void Phoenix Physique Enhancement Pills (Supreme Grade) x20Effects: Enhances any physique by 2-3 grades. Optimizes elemental affinities. Increases cultivation speed by 10,000%. Grants minor spatial abilities. Improves talent and comprehension.Note: Works best on young cultivators with strong foundations.
Twenty pills. He could give Celestia maybe five or six—enough to dramatically enhance her already impressive talent without raising too many questions.
She'll become a genuine monster, Runar thought with a smile. Not just talented—actually transcendent.
Then he examined the weapons:
The Void Severance katana upgrade made sense—his sword soul would evolve from Supreme to Primordial grade, gaining abilities that could cut through reality itself.
The Heaven Piercer spear... That's for Celestia. When she's ready. A Primordial Grade weapon to match her eventual cultivation.
And the Harmony's Requiem guqin—a support treasure. Music cultivation. Area effects. Mass healing.
I could use that for large-scale assistance without revealing my combat abilities, Runar considered. Music is subtle. People wouldn't immediately connect a guqin player to the starlight cultivator who killed Red Giants.
The System Fragments were interesting. Fifty of them, with a note saying they could upgrade system capabilities.
I wonder what happens if I use all fifty at once?
He mentally selected them and chose 'Use.'
[SYSTEM FRAGMENT x50 ABSORBED]
[SYSTEM UPGRADE IN PROGRESS...]
[NEW FEATURES UNLOCKED:]
1. ADVANCED SCANNING
Can now analyze Rule-level techniques Detect hidden bloodlines and physiques Identify cultivation potential in others
2. SHARED BENEFITS
Can designate up to 3 people as "Companions" Companions receive minor system benefits (10% of host's bonuses) Can gift system-generated items directly to Companions
3. POCKET UNIVERSE
Infinite Qi Realm upgraded to Pocket Universe Time dilation: 1:100,000 Can create custom environments Bring Companions inside for training
4. QUEST SYSTEM
System will now generate optional quests Completing quests grants additional rewards Can refuse quests without penalty
5. SHOP UPGRADE
Dual Cultivation Mall replaced with Universal Marketplace No longer restricted to dual cultivation items Can purchase anything from System Database Prices adjusted to be reasonable
[SYSTEM UPGRADE COMPLETE]
[WOULD YOU LIKE TO DESIGNATE COMPANIONS NOW?]
Runar didn't hesitate. "Designate Celestia as Companion One."
[CELESTIA STORMWIND REGISTERED AS COMPANION ONE]
[ANALYZING COMPANION...]
Name: Celestia Stormwind
Age: 5 years old
Cultivation: Stardust Awakening Stage 50
Physique: Frost Phoenix Awakening (Early Divine Grade)
Talent Rating: EXX+ (Exceptional Genius)
Compatibility with Host: 97% (Extremely High)
Current Benefits: +10% cultivation speed, +10% comprehension, Enhanced recovery
[COMPANION BENEFITS ACTIVATED]
[NOTE: Companion will not be aware of system unless Host reveals it]
She has a Divine Grade physique? Runar's eyes widened. Frost Phoenix Awakening? That's why her perception is so sharp. Phoenix-type physiques grant enhanced spiritual senses.
And it's only "Early Divine Grade" which means it can grow. With the Void Phoenix Physique Enhancement Pills, I could push it to Peak Divine or even Supreme grade...
He'd keep the other two Companion slots open for now. Maybe his parents eventually, when he could safely reveal more. Or other people he met at the academy.
For now, he examined the upgraded Pocket Universe feature with interest.
1:100,000 time dilation. That's ten times better than before. One day outside equals 274 years inside.
I could bring Celestia in there. Train her properly. She'd experience years of cultivation and combat practice in a single day.
The possibilities were endless.
Morning - Two Days Later
The families stayed in Silverbrook for two days while Telstra recovered.
The Time Law cultivators worked around the clock, reversing damage across the planet. Within 48 hours, most major cities looked pristine again—as if the invasion had never happened.
Caspian received notification that his insurance claim had been processed. 120% of his ship's value, deposited directly to his account.
He was practically glowing. "I can afford a Class-B diplomatic vessel now. Maybe even a Class-A if I find a good deal. This is... this is career advancement material."
On the morning of the third day, Gaia's announcement came through:
"All citizens: Telstra has been fully secured and restored. Normal activities may resume. The Continental Academy entrance examination has been rescheduled for two weeks from today. All registered applicants will receive updated information."
"Two weeks," Jake said. "That gives us time to recover. Process everything that happened."
"Should we go home?" Lirien asked.
"Yes," Seraphina agreed immediately. "I just want to be in our own house. Our own beds. Somewhere familiar."
They arranged transportation—Caspian rented a large hover vehicle since his ship was destroyed—and made the journey back to Velsinor City.
The city looked untouched. The portal that had opened in their flight path had been far from the urban center, and the damage had been minimal. Life was already returning to normal—shops opening, people commuting, children playing in parks.
Humanity's resilience, Runar thought as they flew through familiar streets. Give them two days and they act like nothing happened.
Cross Family Home - Runar's Room - Evening
Finally alone in his room, Runar sat on his bed and began sorting through his system rewards.
The physical items appeared in his system inventory—organized neatly, each one catalogued with detailed information.
He pulled out the Void Phoenix Physique Enhancement Pills first.
Twenty pills, each one glowing with soft purple-white light. They felt warm to the touch, and he could sense the concentrated essence within—refined phoenix bloodline energy combined with void-attribute spiritual power.
I'll give Celestia six of these, he decided. Spread out over the next few months. Too many at once might be suspicious.
The rest I'll save. Maybe for my parents eventually, or other people I want to help.
Next, he examined the weapons:
The Void Severance katana upgrade was automatic—his existing sword soul absorbed the Primordial essence and evolved. He could feel it growing stronger, gaining new abilities. When he eventually reached Planetary Core realm and it awakened fully, it would be catastrophically powerful.
The Heaven Piercer spear he set aside. For Celestia, when she advances further. Maybe when she reaches Meteor Forging or Satellite Orbit.
The Harmony's Requiem guqin he pulled out physically.
It was beautiful—a traditional seven-stringed Chinese zither, crafted from wood that seemed to shimmer between existence and non-existence. The strings glowed with faint rainbow light, and when he plucked one experimentally, the sound resonated through dimensions.
He felt it immediately—the music carried his Intent, his Laws, his will itself. A single note could heal or harm, buff or debuff, create or destroy.
I should learn to play properly, Runar thought. The system probably has guides...
Indeed, when he checked, there were seventeen complete guides on guqin cultivation methods, ranging from Heaven Grade to Primordial Grade.
He absorbed them all into the Comprehension Space. I'll spend a few subjective years mastering this. Could be useful.
The Origin Essence Crystals, Chaos Lotus, Time River Water, Fate Strings—all of these he stored carefully. These were treasures that even Universal realm cultivators would kill for. He wasn't ready to use them yet.
But the System Fragments upgrade was already active, and it was incredible.
Contemplating the Academy
As Runar organized his treasures, a thought occurred to him:
Do I even need the academy?
Seriously. What could they teach him?
Combat techniques? He'd mastered every technique in his system inventory to Limit Break level.
Law comprehension? He'd already mastered 184 Laws to 100%.
Resources? His system inventory and mall contained enough pills, stones, and materials to supply a race for centuries.
Guidance? He had the Comprehension Space where he could spend subjective millennia studying anything.
Training facilities? His Pocket Universe had 1:100,000 time dilation and could create any environment imaginable.
Teachers? He was better than any Red Giant instructor. Probably better than most Supernova cultivators in pure technique.
The academy can't provide anything I don't already have, Runar realized. I'm going purely for appearances. To maintain normalcy. To not raise questions about why a "talented seven-year-old" doesn't need formal education.
It felt strange. Hollow, almost.
But then he thought about Celestia. About making friends. About experiencing youth in this second life rather than isolating himself in pursuit of power.
Maybe the academy isn't about what they can teach me, he reconsidered. Maybe it's about what I can experience there. Social development. Relationships. Learning to interact with peers without accidentally revealing I'm a million times stronger than them.
Besides, he thought with dark humor, I'm supposed to be seven years old. What seven-year-old doesn't go to school?
Fine. I'll go to the academy. Pretend to learn. Act impressed by things I mastered months ago. And use it as cover for training Celestia properly.
Decision made.
He pulled up his status screen to review his current capabilities:
[HOST STATUS]
Name: Runar Cross (Jake - Previous Life)
Age: 1 month, 5 days (Appears 16 years old)
Cultivation: Meteor Forging Stage 3333/3333
Physique: Universal Refinement Physique (Peak Supreme Grade)
Weapon Soul: Void Severance Katana Soul (Primordial Grade - Dormant)
Laws Mastered: 184 at 100%
Intents Mastered: 184 at Level 10
Techniques Mastered: 2,847 at Perfect or Limit Break
Combat Power Estimate: Can fight entry Supernova Rebirth realm
True Limit: Unknown (has never fought at full power)
System Features:
Infinite Qi Realm → Pocket Universe (1:100,000 time dilation) Comprehension Space (near-infinite time dilation for study) World-Hopping Gate (locked - requires Universal realm) Universal Marketplace (unlocked) Companion System (Celestia designated) Advanced Scanning (Rule-level analysis)
Special Abilities:
Particle-level qi control Qi fusion reactions (self-sustaining techniques) Universal Fusion Algorithm (184 Laws coordinated) Starlight Domain (Rule-equivalent through rune construction) Perfect runic vision and manipulation
Resources:
Spirit Stones: 100+ billion Contribution Points: 500+ million Pills: Tens of thousands across all grades Weapons: Primordial Grade x3, Supreme Grade x47, Divine Grade x183 Miscellaneous treasures: Too many to count
Hidden Achievements:
Saved 4.4 million lives Killed 14 Red Giants Destroyed demon invasion force Created Federation-mandatory technique Elevated family to Tier 6 Met Universal Will
Runar stared at his status with mixed feelings.
He was absurdly powerful. Ridiculously so. A one-month-old who could fight Supernova cultivators.
But he was also just... a kid. Someone who'd died at 28 in his previous life, reincarnated into this world, and was still figuring out who he wanted to be.
Power is just a tool, he reminded himself. What matters is what I do with it.
He thought about the four million people Elder Samsara had resurrected. About the Time Law cultivators reversing damage. About humanity's philosophy of strength through challenge.
I have power. More than I probably deserve. So I should use it wisely. Help people when I can. Protect those who matter. And try not to break reality too badly in the process.