Tom spent a long time studying the system that had finally decided to show up fashionably late.
The Strongest Learning System.
The name was painfully straightforward. It was a system designed to help him study, to turn him into an unstoppable academic monster.
Anything related to learning, as long as it produced results, could earn him Credits. That was the system's core mechanism, the engine that made everything run.
Credits had several uses, but the main functions were:
1- Spending Credits to hire a private tutor for lessons. The first hour each day was free. After that, every additional hour cost six Credits as tuition.
2- Spending Credits to enter an Extraordinary State. In that state, learning efficiency increased, thinking speed increased, and he could push beyond his normal limits. It was basically a weaker version of enlightenment, like a "mini epiphany" without the whole spiritual firework show.
Each entry into the Extraordinary State cost one hundred Credits and lasted ten minutes. After that, he could extend it by paying ten Credits per minute.
On top of Credits, the system also had another major currency.
Achievement Points.
Whenever Tom accomplished something in life, academics, or other areas, or completed system tasks, he would earn Achievement Points.
At the moment, Tom could only see one use for Achievement Points.
Summoning teachers.
Depending on the teacher's rank, the amount of Achievement Points required varied wildly.
A mid-level ordinary adult wizard (B) required 1 point.
An excellent wizard (A) required 10 points.
A once-in-a-generation genius (S) required 100 points.
A Century King (SS) required 1,000 points.
An Immortal Legend (SSS) required 5,000 points.
Just looking at the numbers made the gap obvious.
Thirty years counted as a generation, so "once-in-a-generation" meant the handful of standout talents in that era.
A century was a hundred years, and only the strongest wizard of that century deserved the absurdly arrogant title of Century King.
Dumbledore definitely qualified.
As for an Immortal Legend, that wasn't even something you measured by years anymore. Across the entire history of the wizarding world, there were only a few of those, and "few" was being generous.
Tom returned to the main system panel.
A gift box sat right in the center.
Newbie Gift Pack.
He opened it.
The system rewarded him with one hundred Credits, and one free teacher summon, with the minimum guaranteed rank being once-in-a-generation genius.
So… how exactly did this system's "private tutor" work?
With curiosity tugging at him, Tom claimed all the rewards using nothing but intent.
A brilliant golden light flooded his vision. It felt like that dizzy moment when you shake your head too hard, the world tilting briefly out of alignment. When his focus returned, his consciousness was no longer in his bedroom.
He was standing in a world of mist.
A foggy, pale space where distance and direction felt strangely undefined.
It felt so real that Tom had an instant of panic, wondering if he'd been physically transported. But at the same time, he could clearly sense his body still lying on the bed.
His mind was here.
His body was there.
At the same moment, the system delivered information as if reading from a manual.
This space was called the Learning Space.
Time flowed at the same rate as the outside world. However, the mental and physical effort he spent studying here would not affect his real body.
Meaning Tom could study here all night, then wake up in the morning feeling fresh, alert, and annoyingly well-rested.
On top of that, the space could manifest teaching tools and any books he owned. It was essentially a hyper-realistic virtual world designed for learning.
There was a catch, of course.
Entering this space cost Credits. It was equivalent to activating the "famous teacher tutoring" feature. The system's gifted one hundred Credits would be burned through quickly.
After understanding the rules, Tom glanced around, searching for his first teacher.
Then a laugh rolled through the heavy mist.
It wasn't just laughter. It was bold, bright, and loud enough to feel like it pushed the fog away by force.
"Ha ha ha ha ha!"
The mist in front of Tom parted, thinning dramatically. His visible range doubled.
And deeper ahead, in the newly opened distance, a tall figure emerged, striding toward him with long, confident steps.
A man walked out of the fog and into Tom's line of sight.
He wore a toga-like robe draped over one shoulder, the style of ancient Athens. A large portion of his upper body was exposed, and his physique was… frankly ridiculous. Solid muscle, carved definition, the kind of build that made you understand why ancient people invented statues.
He wore a laurel wreath on his head.
His facial features were sharp and solid, the kind of stern handsomeness that looked like it belonged on a marble monument. He radiated an intense masculine presence, like sunlight given human form.
The man looked around the Learning Space with obvious curiosity, then his gaze settled on Tom. His smile widened, bright and open.
"You are the young wizard who summoned me, yes?"
He stepped closer, still grinning.
"Truly impressive talent. To awaken a soul that has been silent for so many years, and to form such a stable contract…" He shook his head like he couldn't believe it. "Child, your luck makes even me jealous."
There was unmistakable envy in his tone, but Tom wasn't worried in the slightest.
The system's description had been clear. In this space, no one could harm him. Any teacher summoned here would teach everything they knew without holding back. No academic scams. No tricks. No backstabbing.
And even without that rule…
Tom didn't believe this man would do anything malicious.
The man's aura was too upright, too clean. He felt like justice with a pulse. Compared to him, even Dumbledore could be accused of being a cunning schemer.
Tom raised an eyebrow.
"Sir," he said calmly, "shouldn't you introduce yourself before asking questions?"
The system was clearly enjoying itself. It still hadn't told Tom who this teacher was.
The man laughed again, even louder this time, genuinely amused.
"Ha ha ha! You are right. It is my mistake."
He placed a hand over his chest in a very theatrical, very Greek way.
"My name is Andros. I am an ordinary wizard from Greece. I have some experience with wandless magic and the Patronus Charm. As your introductory teacher, I should be more than sufficient."
Tom's mind snapped through information instantly.
Andros.
He'd seen that name before.
In Diagon Alley, Dumbledore had given him two Chocolate Frogs to fill his stomach. Every Chocolate Frog came with a famous witch or wizard card. One of those cards had featured this man.
Not just Andros.
Invincible Andros.
That wasn't Andros boasting or using some corny nickname.
"Invincible" was a title other wizards had given him. Because Andros had never lost a single battle in his life.
And just like he said, he was especially skilled in wandless magic and the Patronus Charm. He could even cast a giant-sized Patronus without a wand.
Even in the modern era, Tom had never heard of anyone else achieving that. It was a historical peak.
A true Century King.
No wonder Tom's first impression had been so positive.
To cast a Patronus, you needed strong positive emotions and happy memories. It was often used as a rough standard to judge whether someone was sliding into dark wizard territory.
Andros's positive energy was basically overflowing.
This man had "righteous" written all over him from head to toe.
Tom smiled, genuinely this time.
"Mr. Andros, I'm Tom Riddle."
He gave a formal introduction, then continued with an almost cheerful sincerity.
"From now on, I'm your student. If I do anything wrong, please point it out. I'll correct it."
Even with the system's forced contract, Tom maintained basic respect for anyone who could help him. Being polite and humble cost him nothing and bought him everything.
Andros's expression softened with approval.
He slapped his chest with a loud thump, thump, thump, as if promising something on his life.
"Well said. I will do everything I can to help you become an excellent wizard."
Then his face shifted into a professional, teacher-like seriousness, the kind that said he was about to start a lesson whether Tom was ready or not.
"And using this talent of yours probably comes with a cost, yes? Then we shouldn't waste time. Let's begin immediately."
Tom didn't hesitate. He thought about Hogwarts's teaching structure and decided to start clean and practical.
"Mr. Andros," Tom said, "I haven't actually entered magic school yet, so let's begin with the basics. The Wand-Lighting Charm and the Levitation Charm."
Andros stared at him.
Confusion spread across his face, slow and obvious, like someone being asked what Wi-Fi was in the year 400 BC.
"The Levitation Charm? The Wand-Lighting Charm?"
He tilted his head slightly.
"What are those?"
Tom's smile froze.
His mind went blank for half a second.
Then a single thought screamed through his head.
Wait.
Tom stared back at him, suddenly very aware that his once-in-a-generation tutor might not be from the same curriculum.
"…"
Tom's brain supplied the only possible response.
"???"