Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, casting golden rectangles across the expensive carpet. It was still daytime, probably early afternoon based on the angle of light. Still the same day he'd awakened in this world, though so much had happened it felt like a lifetime had passed.
'I should test these abilities, see what they actually feel like in practice. But first...'
His attention shifted back to the bloodline section of his status, specifically to the Soul Regalia ability that remained unused.
"The system mentioned I need to forge my Soul Regalia," he said, looking at the translucent screen. "How much time do I have before the opportunity passes?"
[Approximately forty minutes remain in the optimal forging window. The connection between your newly awakened core and your consciousness is still fresh and malleable. If you delay beyond this window, the connection will stabilize in its current configuration and the forging opportunity will be lost permanently.]
[Soul Regalia is the signature ability of Crowcrest bloodline. Every member forges a unique weapon from their mana core that serves as their primary combat tool throughout their cultivation journey. Failure to forge during the optimal window means losing this advantage forever.]
"Then I need to do it now," Ariel decided. "Before anything else. Walk me through the process."
[Acknowledged. Soul Regalia forging requires deep meditation and significant mana expenditure. The process will consume approximately 500 units of mana, half your current capacity. You will need several hours to fully recover afterward.]
[The methodology is as follows: Enter deep meditative state. Sink your awareness into your mana core. Perceive the essence of who you are at the most fundamental level. Your experiences, your nature, your desires, your potential. All of these factors combine to determine what weapon emerges.]
[The weapon type is not consciously chosen. It manifests organically based on your soul's true nature. Some forge swords, others spears, axes, bows, or more exotic weapons. The form that emerges will be the perfect weapon for you because it is you, given physical shape and purpose.]
[Once forged, the Regalia can be summoned and dismissed at will. It exists in a dimensional space connected to your core when not manifested. It cannot be stolen, lost, or permanently destroyed. If damaged, it repairs itself by drawing on your mana. As you grow stronger, your Regalia grows with you, potentially developing new properties or even transforming into new forms.]
Ariel nodded, settling back into lotus position on the plush carpet. His body folded into the posture automatically now, the enhanced flexibility making it effortless. He closed his eyes and began the breathing pattern that was becoming familiar. In, two, three, four. Hold, two, three, four. Out, two, three, four.
The rhythm calmed his thoughts, centered his focus, prepared his mind for what was coming. The mana flowing through his meridians became clearer in his perception. He could feel each pulse as energy circulated from his core outward and back, a perpetual cycle sustaining his enhanced existence.
He followed the flow backward, tracing it to its source, sinking his awareness deeper into his own center. The external world faded. The room, the sunlight, the physical sensations, all of it receded until only his inner landscape remained.
The core appeared in his mind's eye as a sphere of brilliant blue light, pulsing with steady rhythm, radiating power in all directions. It was beautiful, hypnotic, alive in a way that transcended mere energy. This was the seat of his power, the foundation of everything he would become.
He dove deeper into the light, allowing his consciousness to merge with it completely. The boundaries between self and core dissolved. He was the core. The core was him. There was no separation, no distinction, only unified existence.
Images flashed through his mind. Memories. Experiences. Defining moments that had shaped who he was at the deepest level.
The orphanage. Cold nights and empty stomachs. Learning that no one would save him, that survival meant relying only on himself. Realizing that the world was cruel and indifferent, that fairness was a fairy tale, that strength was the only currency that mattered.
The foster homes. Cruelty disguised as charity. Indifference wrapped in obligation. Understanding that people would use you and discard you without hesitation or remorse. Discovering that trust was a luxury he couldn't afford, that opening yourself to others only invited pain.
The jobs. The exploitation. Working for scraps while others profited from his labor. Being treated as disposable, replaceable, worthless. The endless cycle of effort and disappointment, of hoping for something better and being reminded that hope was just another way to torture yourself.
The alley. The knife. The blood. Death at seventeen with nothing to show for a lifetime of suffering. The final confirmation that his existence had meant nothing, that he would die alone and unmourned, that the universe had marked him as expendable from birth.
But also new memories, from this body, from Ariel Crowcrest of Eryndor.
Training in the courtyard despite lacking an awakened core. Refusing to quit even when everyone said he was wasted effort. Maintaining discipline and dedication in the face of universal disappointment. The quiet defiance of continuing when all logic said to surrender.
Standing alone at family gatherings, bearing the weight of pity and judgment without breaking. Enduring the whispers, the comparisons to more talented siblings, the careful distance others maintained. The isolation of being part of a prestigious family while simultaneously being its greatest embarrassment.
The determination beneath the shame. The refusal to give up despite having every reason to. The ember of stubborn will that insisted he was worth more than his circumstances suggested, even when all evidence said otherwise.
And finally, the temple. The gods. The offer to become something more, to transcend the limitations that had defined both lives. The choice to accept despite the pain, to endure the impossible, to claim power and purpose through sheer force of will.
All of it swirled together, Earth Ariel and Eryndor Ariel, two lives lived by the same soul, two sets of experiences forging a single identity.
Suffering. Endurance. Defiance. Independence. Will. Precision. The refusal to yield. The determination to carve meaning from a universe that offered none.
Those were his defining traits. Those were his essence.
And from that essence, something began to take shape.
In the depths of his core, in the space where consciousness and energy merged, a form crystallized. It started as pure light, formless potential, but gradually took on definition, structure, purpose.
A weapon was being born from the truth of who he was.
The process felt natural, inevitable, like watching a seed sprout or a star ignite. This weapon was always going to be his. Nothing else would have been appropriate. Nothing else could represent the sum total of his existence.
The form solidified gradually. A handle, long and wrapped in material that felt perfect against his palm. A guard, simple but elegant, protecting without adding unnecessary weight. A blade, extending to proper length, single edged, curved with precise geometry.
The weapon completed its formation, and Ariel understood what he was seeing even before opening his eyes.
A katana. Of course it was a katana.
Elegant yet lethal. Requiring discipline and precision. Capable of devastating strikes from a defensive posture. Beautiful in its simplicity, deadly in its purpose. A weapon that rewarded skill and punished carelessness. A blade that reflected both the refinement of a noble family and the savage will to survive.
Perfect.
Energy exploded from his core, channeling outward through his right arm. Ariel's eyes snapped open as blue light coalesced in his hand, twisting and shaping, solidifying into physical form.
The manifestation took several seconds, each moment visible as the weapon transitioned from ethereal energy to solid matter. The handle formed first, wrapping around his fingers with perfect fit. The guard emerged next, circular and elegant. The blade extended smoothly, reaching its full length of roughly three feet.
The light faded, revealing his Soul Regalia in its complete form.
The katana was breathtaking. The blade gleamed silver, polished to mirror brightness, reflecting light with almost liquid smoothness. But threaded through the silver were veins of pure white that pulsed faintly with inner light, creating patterns like lightning frozen in metal or cracks in reality itself. The edge was impossibly sharp, the kind of edge that looked like it could cut through concepts rather than just matter.
The guard was simple but beautiful, a circle of silver with white accents that matched the blade's coloration. The handle was wrapped in white material that felt like silk but gripped like leather, comfortable and secure. At the pommel, a small crystal glowed with soft blue light, pulsing in time with his heartbeat.
The entire weapon hummed with latent power. He could feel it resonating with his core, an extension of himself rather than a separate object. When he moved it experimentally, it responded with perfect balance, the weight distributed flawlessly, the length ideal for his reach and fighting style even though he'd never formally trained with a blade.
'This is mine. Forged from my soul. My weapon. My power made manifest.'
He stood there in the center of the room, sunlight streaming through the windows illuminating the silver and white blade. For the first time since arriving in this world, since dying in that alley, since accepting the gods' offer, Ariel felt complete.
He had power now. Real, tangible, deadly power. The Celestial Wills humming in his core. The abilities ready to be called upon. The katana that was literally part of his soul. He was no longer helpless. No longer at the mercy of forces beyond his control.
The translucent screen appeared beside him.
[Soul Regalia Successfully Forged]
[Weapon Type: Katana]
[Material Composition: Mana Forged Steel infused with Celestial Energy]
[Bond Status: Permanent]
[Current Enhancement Level: Base]
[Special Properties: Self Repair, Dimensional Storage, Soul Bound, Growth Potential]
[Congratulations. You have completed all initial awakening processes. Your transformation from ordinary human to cultivator and avatar is now complete. You possess everything necessary to begin your journey.]
Ariel smiled, a genuine expression of satisfaction and determination. He gave the katana an experimental swing, the blade cutting through air with a sound like tearing silk. SHHHHINK. Perfect. Absolutely perfect.
[Advisory: Your mana reserves are now at 500 units. While not critically low, you should avoid intensive ability usage until you recover to at least 750 units. Your enhanced regeneration rate means full recovery will occur in approximately ten minutes.]
[Final step of awakening process: You must name your Soul Regalia. All Crowcrest weapons carry names chosen by their wielders. The name becomes part of the weapon's identity, inscribed into its essence. Choose carefully, as the name cannot be changed once established.]
Ariel looked at the katana, at the silver blade with its white veins of light, at the weapon that represented everything he was and everything he would become. The name came to him immediately, as if it had been waiting for this moment.
"Your name is..." he paused, letting the weight of the moment settle, then spoke with absolute certainty. "Your name will be decided when the time is right. For now, you're simply mine."
[Acknowledged. Soul Regalia registered as unnamed. Name can be established at any future time when you determine the appropriate designation.]
The screen pulsed once more.
[Analysis complete. Soul Regalia forging has been completed successfully. System records have been updated to reflect accurate status. You are now fully equipped to begin your journey as an avatar and a cultivator.]
[Current Status: All initial awakening processes complete. Celestial Wills integrated. Mana core awakened. Soul Regalia forged. You possess all fundamental tools necessary for survival and advancement.]
[Final recommendation: Familiarize yourself with your abilities through controlled practice. Test your weapon's balance and handling. Allow your mana to regenerate fully. Then consider your next steps carefully. The world of Eryndor is dangerous, and while you now have power, you remain inexperienced. Caution is advised.]
Ariel nodded, accepting the advice. He focused on the katana, on the connection he could feel between it and his core. Instinctively, without conscious thought, he willed the weapon to dismiss.
The katana dissolved into blue light and flowed back into his hand, returning to the dimensional space inside his core where it would wait until summoned again. The sensation was strange but not unpleasant, like releasing a held breath or relaxing a clenched muscle.
He flexed his now empty hand, then focused on the same connection and willed the weapon to return. The katana materialized instantly, light coalescing into solid form in less than a second. He dismissed it again, then summoned it again, practicing the action until it felt natural.
'Instant access to a weapon anywhere, anytime. That alone is a massive advantage.'
He left the katana summoned and moved to the window, looking out over the Crowcrest estate. Gardens, training yards, ornate buildings. This was his home now. His family. His life. A life he needed to protect and advance through power.
But he also needed information. He'd been in this world for mere hours and had spent all of it unconscious or undergoing transformations. He knew virtually nothing about his supposed family, the political situation, what was expected of him, or what dangers he might face.
'First things first. Figure out where I actually am in this family structure. Learn about this world. Understand what I'm dealing with before I make any moves.'
The translucent screen pulsed gently, drawing his attention.
[Advisory: It is now time to proceed with your development. Your awakening is complete. Your next actions will determine your trajectory. Choose wisely.]