Chapter 2 : System

*** 5 Years Later ***

*** Thousand Lotus Sect, Instructor's Building ***

Step.

Step.

"Hey, look, it's the orphan."

"What's he doing here? I thought he was too ashamed to come back here since last month's competition."

"I guess Liu Jie didn't hit him hard enough."

"Ahahah."

While the young members of the sect enjoyed humiliating Akeno, he didn't even bother looking at them. Over the past five years, he had continued to train.

Although he was less talented compared to the sect's geniuses, he was by no means weak. Today, Akeno could easily rank in the top 10 among students his age. The only reason others still humiliated him was because of Liu Jie and his orphan status.

In addition to his cultivation level progressing from the second stage to the fourth stage, Bone Reinforcement, there was one thing that had radically changed about him. The Akeno who used to complain about his weakness had completely disappeared, replaced by a confident and determined Akeno.

This sudden change had been due to something Akeno had hoped for since his arrival in this world: a golden finger.

*** 5 Years Ago ***

Ding!

"What the f**"

[Qi Condensation stage advancement detected]

[Congratulations to the host for successfully activating the system]

[Synchronization with the host's body]

[45%]

[99%]

[Congratulations, host, you can now fully utilize the system]

...

On the floor of his house, covered in his foul-smelling clothes and blood, Akeno was stoic, taken aback by the turn of events.

"Hahahahaha, INCREDIBLE!" unable to contain his excitement, Akeno burst out laughing loudly.

"At last, my golden finger! Power and freedom are mine!"

In a world where the law of the jungle prevailed, having a certain level of strength to defend oneself was indeed necessary.

"System, show me what you're capable of," Akeno said in his mind.

[Welcome to the Primal Clans System]

[You can now view the host's status and use the system's ability to recruit members for your clans]

[Caution, the system advises against acting rashly when recruiting clan members]

"So, the system allows me to create a clan?"

Similar to sects, there were clans in existence whose power rivaled some sects. Just in the city, six clans fought for resources and ruled their respective territories. Even the authorities couldn't do much about it, except in cases of extreme public disorder.

"System, open my status!"

[Name: Akeno

Level: Flesh Transformation

Clans: None]

"System, how can I create my clan?"

[The system allows you to travel to the world of your choice and save the members you wish to recruit]

[Caution, the system can only help with saving and traveling to other worlds. It cannot assist in recruiting members.]

"So, I'll have to persuade those I save to follow me." Thinking about the countless possibilities and new prospects for his future, Akeno couldn't help but wear a wide smile on his usually gloomy face.

*** End of Flashback ***

"Instructor, I want to be sent to Hope City!" Saluting the instructor, Akeno quickly declared his intentions.

The instructor, sitting behind his desk, abruptly changed his expression, his gaze becoming sharp as he tried to discern Akeno's hidden intentions. Although the name "Hope City" might be imagined as a place full of energy and hope, it was quite the opposite.

Hope City, located at the edge of the sect's territory and the Holy Spirit Empire, was a dangerous and extremely poor place. Anyone coming from Glory City was well aware of the city's situation. So why would Akeno, who was already struggling, want to go to a place like that?

"Akeno, I know that some may treat you poorly in the sect, but that's not a reason to leave," the instructor said.

Akeno, while less talented than some like Liu Jie, was still a member nurtured by the sect. He was about to break through to the fifth cultivation stage at the age of 15, which was quite remarkable in itself. Most sect children could only reach that level at the age of 20, and that was for those who were recruited at a young age and trained under optimal conditions.

"Instructor, I believe I don't belong here. I've heard that Hope City lacks manpower and has many orphans like me. I would like to help them and assist the sect in establishing a stronger presence there," Akeno stated without wavering.

He knew very well that there was nothing there except a dangerous territory due to its proximity to the Chaos Empire. But for him, "nothing" meant something else. "Nothing" meant the freedom to act as he pleased.

"I'm soon to progress to the next realm. I've come to ask for permission to leave after that," he added.

"Another reason not to go. You're a promising disciple of the sect. If you stay here, you're likely to reach the Rebirth stage. Don't act rashly," the instructor replied with a somber tone.

The sect simply couldn't let a promising disciple leave like this. Though powerful, they still needed more members to maintain dominance over smaller sects under their authority and preserve their territory's resources from other sects. They had no intention of volunteering by training a child and then letting them go without asking for something in return.

"Instructor, I feel my place is there. I need to see the outside world to advance on the path of Dao. Didn't you say so yourself? One must face obstacles to improve. It's only through struggle and continuous advancement that we could reach the Dao," Akeno retorted.

"Indeed, but I still think venturing there is not a good idea. Here's what I propose: I'll allow you to go there for a year. After that, you must come back and show what you've achieved. If you return without accomplishing anything, you'll have to join the sect guards," the instructor proposed with a stern tone.

"I accept!" Akeno decisively saluted.

Being a sect guard would enslave anyone who took on that role. Their goal was to guard important buildings and halls against any breaches for 25 years. But even if the consequences could be disastrous for Akeno, he wasn't afraid. One year was more than enough.

"Alright, once you break through, come see me and I'll provide you with the necessary documents to settle in Hope City. There, you'll likely find sect members, but I warn you, they might not be very friendly toward someone coming from a city like ours," the instructor warned.

"Thank you, instructor. I won't disappoint you," Akeno thanked before leaving as swiftly as he had entered.

"Weird, he's never done anything but train or spend time in the library. Why such a radical change? Maybe I should keep an eye on him," the instructor thought, looking thoughtful.