Twenty-four hours later, the pain in my body faded, and the strange warmth in my chest became steady—like a heartbeat I didn't own but could feel inside me. Since the incident in the parallel world, everything around me looked sharper. I could sense things—the flow of energy in the air, faint vibrations in the earth, even the rhythm of my master's steps from far away.
The world had gone quiet, but inside me, something had awakened.
That morning, I sat on the terrace of our temporary home in Cairo. The professor was still resting. I closed my eyes and whispered into the stillness of my mind. "Hello… Arina, are you there?"
A moment passed before the gentle voice answered, clear and calm as moonlight.
"Yes, host. I am always with you."
Hearing her made my chest tighten, half from curiosity and half from disbelief. "Arina," I said softly, "tell me—what exactly are you? What is the purpose of this… Divinity Goddess System?"
There was a hum, almost like a breath before words. Then she replied, "The Divinity Goddess System was created by the Goddess of Balance to unify all worlds—realities separated by fate, distance, and time. My purpose is to guide you as the unifier."
"Unify the worlds?" I repeated. "That sounds impossible."
"Impossible for others, perhaps," Arina said. "But you carry the Divine Mark—the seal that connects creation itself. Through you, the paths between worlds will open, and harmony can be restored. For every world you unify, you will receive rewards."
Her tone grew warmer, as though she smiled unseen. "Rewards may include cultivation skills, techniques, weapons, both ancient and modern, spiritual beasts, or even summoning cards that call forth powerful allies. You possess what is called a signing system. Each time you travel to a different parallel world, you will receive a signing reward the moment you arrive."
"Travel to different worlds?" I asked. "You mean… transmigration?"
"Yes. But unlike death-bound reincarnation, your consciousness will travel without dying. You will awaken in a new identity, one that fits the world's laws, keeping the same face but a different story. The system ensures your transition is complete and believable."
I tried to imagine it—living a life in another world, with the same eyes but a different name. "And… what about the professor?" I asked. "Can he come too?"
"If your companion's fate aligns with yours, he may travel beside you," Arina said. "Your bonds affect reality. Those with strong ties may share your journey as companions. However, only you are bound to the system directly."
Her words made me glance toward Thornwood's room. The old man snored faintly behind the door—still recovering. I wondered if he had any idea what kind of power was growing inside his pupil.
"Arina," I said carefully, "you mentioned something about summoning cards. Explain that to me."
The hum deepened. "Every month, the System grants you a Summon Card. Each card holds one or more summons—goddesses, female cultivators, fighters, or even villains. When summoned, they appear within your world as if fate led them to you. Their memories are rewritten; they believe they have known you before, often thinking you once saved them. That memory compels them to find you."
I rubbed my forehead. "That sounds… complicated. So they don't know they were summoned?"
"Correct," Arina replied. "They do not know of the System or their summoning. To them, meeting you is destiny. Each of these summoned women carries a deep emotional scar—a heart's knot caused by betrayal from someone they once trusted. Your mission is to heal that wound."
She paused, and I felt her presence touch something inside me—soft, gentle, but powerful. "When you clear their heart's knot, their favorability toward you increases. If their favorability reaches ninety per cent, you receive a major reward—a powerful skill, weapon, or divine art. At one hundred per cent, their loyalty becomes eternal. They will never betray you. But if their favorability falls to zero…"
"...they'll turn against me?" I guessed.
"Yes," she said quietly. "They may betray you or even kill you, depending on the world's laws."
I exhaled slowly. The idea of being surrounded by both allies and possible enemies, bound by invisible affection, made my chest tighten. "So that's the system," I murmured. "A path of power, trust, and hearts."
"The path of divinity," Arina echoed.
I stood up and looked at the city stretching below—the Nile gleaming under morning light, people shouting, cars honking, everything ordinary again. Yet I knew life would never be simple now. "Is there anything else I should know?" I asked.
"Yes," Arina said. "You cannot expose the System to anyone. Not your master, not your enemies, not even those you love. If you reveal my existence, both you and I will disappear from that world. Only through secrecy can balance be protected."
I pressed my hand against my chest, feeling the faint pulse of warmth deep inside me. "Then I'll protect it. I promise."
Arina's voice softened. "You are the first host to awaken after many ages, Mukul. The Goddess chose well. Your purity and calm heart are your strength. Be wary of pride. In every world, power tempts most men, but humility redeems only a few."
Her words made me smile faintly. "Professor Thornwood says almost the same thing."
"Then heed him," she said gently. "And remember—the time you spend in other worlds does not pass the same here. To this world, your travels will last barely a heartbeat."
I nodded slowly, though she couldn't see me. "Then I'll be ready when the time comes. But, Arina… will it be lonely?"
There was a soft laugh, so human it almost startled me. "No, host. Not as long as you carry my voice in your heart."
Her presence faded into a quiet hum that felt almost like music. The mark on my chest glowed faintly beneath my shirt, pulsing once, twice, then resting again like a heartbeat.
I stood on that terrace until sunset, watching the orange sky melt into dusk. Every breath I took felt alive, charged with unseen energy. I didn't know which world awaited next or who I would meet there, but something deep within whispered that this was the beginning of a story greater than all histories combined.
And as the city lights flickered below, I whispered into the gathering twilight, "Thank you, Arina."
Her voice answered faintly, like a breeze inside my mind.
"Welcome to the Divine Path, host."