~Mid night
Alister was in deep sleep while holding astra in his arm, but his consciousness wasn't here.
His dream came not as a series of images, but as an endless, vast expanse of blinding white. There was no sky, no ground, no horizon—just a pure, limitless void. Alistair was alone, yet he felt a presence, ancient and immense, humming through the very air around him. But this presence felt different now, fragile and fading, like a whisper in a storm.
A voice, not of words but of thought, echoed directly in his mind. It was a soundless whisper that was barely a breath, a plea from an entity. "I am... the spirit of this world. And I am dying."
Alister's warrior's mind, so used to cold, hard logic and the brutal truth of the battlefield, was utterly baffled. A world spirit? A voice in my head? He was a man who had lived by the sword, a pragmatist who believed only in what he could see and touch.
This was beyond his comprehension. Magic? The concept was as foreign to him as the idea of flight without wings. He had assumed his rebirth was a fluke of fate, a bizarre second chance. He never once considered it was an intentional act.
The voice, weak and trembling, continued, explaining its plight. The world's magic was fading, slowly but surely. It was a spreading sickness that was killing the very lifeblood of the planet. As the magic waned, so did the world's spirit. It had little time left.
"It was I who brought you here," the voice revealed, its words filled with the profound sorrow of a final act. "The last of my strength was used to pluck a soul worthy of a second chance, a soul forged in battle and loss. I chose you, a warrior without a world, to be my vessel. I am about to dissipate. But in my final moments, I have bound what remains of my essence to you. The last of my power will manifest for you as a system."
Alister's mind reeled. A system? What did that mean? The voice answered his unasked question, its thoughts growing weaker with each word. "This system will be your link to me, to this world. As you help me grow, as you restore the flow of magic, your power will rise. Your strength will depend entirely on the strength of this world. As my magic strengthens, so will you. As you help the world grow, it will in turn make you stronger than any wizard who has ever lived."
The voice grew fainter, a final, desperate plea before it faded into nothingness."You are my last hope. My strength is your strength. Rise, warrior, and save me. Save yourself. Save the world."
The immense presence vanished, leaving behind a profound emptiness. Alister's dream began to fade, the brilliant white giving way to a familiar darkness
Alister's eyes snapped open, the familiar stale air of the cupboard filling his lungs. He lay motionless for a moment, the images of the vast white void and the fading voice replaying in his mind. Magic. A system. A world spirit.
The words felt surreal, like something pulled from a child's fairy tale, yet the memory was as vivid and real as the cold floor beneath him. It was a bizarre truth that defied all his past understanding.
The silence of the cupboard, a silence he had come to accept as his constant companion, was suddenly shattered. A voice, similar in its resonance to the world spirit but entirely devoid of emotion, echoed not in his mind, but in the air around him. It was a cold, mechanical sound, like a piece of iron scraping against stone.
[Ascension System, now online.]
A faint, ethereal light shimmered in the cramped space, coalescing into a transparent blue screen that hung in the air just inches from his face. The screen was covered in lines of text and symbols he couldn't comprehend, a bewildering display of information that pulsed with a faint, steady glow.
The sudden appearance of the blue screen was not a trick of the light, but an undeniable reality. Alister's eyes widened, a flicker of surprise breaking through his composure. He reached out a trembling hand and his fingers passed through the glowing blue text as if it were a ghost.
[User authenticated: Alister Potter. Soul signature confirmed.]
The voice of the system was just as mechanical as before, utterly devoid of inflection or emotion.
[Welcome, host. The Ascension System is now online and fully integrated.]
System? Host? Alister's mind, which had just grappled with the idea of magic and a world spirit, felt as though it was being pushed to its limits.
"What… what are you?" Alister's voice was a rough whisper, his throat dry.
[I am the link between you and the World's Core. My purpose is to facilitate your growth and ascension of this world as you restore this world's magical flow. I will provide help based on your progress and the world's needs.]
[To begin, please call 'Status' to view your current standing]
Alister stared at the screen, a mix of apprehension and awe building in his chest. He was a man who had faced down armies without flinching, but this was something else entirely. This was magic. He took a deep breath.
"Status," he commanded, the word feeling strange and foreign on his tongue.
The transparent blue screen flickered, replaced by a new display that pulsed with a faint, steady light. Alister stared at the words, the information laid bare before him. It was a strange and unsettling portrait of his own existence.
_____________________________________________
[Status]
Name: Alister Potter
Age: 10
Race: Human
Tier: 0 (Ordinary Folk)
Magical Attributes:
Magic Power: 0.01 (Latent)
Control: 0.01 (Untrained)
Abilities:
Warrior's Instinct (Passive): Retains instincts and muscle memory from previous life as a swordsman. Grants heightened situational awareness and an innate understanding of combat.
Ascension System (Unique): Binds host to the world's core. Allows for the acquisition of magic power and is capable of processing large amount of information making it a powerful research tool but it's effectiveness is based on the world's magical strength.
Magic learned: None
World's Current Status:
World Magic Level: (Critical)
World tier: TIER 3 (capable of housing tier 3 people)
_____________________________________________
Alister's eyes scanned the information, a mix of old shame and new understanding welling up within him. His past life, the one of cold steel and brutal strength, was reduced to a single line: "Warrior's Instinct".
The rest was a bleak assessment of his current existence—a "Low-Class" human with nearly zero magical power. He was a non-entity, a weak child. The system had confirmed what he already knew, a truth made even more humiliating by its cold, mechanical presentation.
"World tier... Tier 3?" Alister's voice was low, his mind racing. "You said the world is dying. What happened?"
The system's voice, devoid of any warmth, responded instantly.
[The world's Tier represents its magical potential. It was once a Tier 4, capable of housing and sustaining beings of that power level. However, its current magical energy is at a critical state. It has fallen to Tier 3 and is not currently capable of sustaining a true Tier 4 existence.]
Alister's brow furrowed. The numbers and tiers were new to him, but the core concept was simple. The world was like a rusted sword that once held a powerful enchantment. It still looked strong, but its power was gone.
"How do I fix it?" Alister asked, a flicker of his warrior's pragmatism returning. He had a problem, and he needed a solution.
[The World's Core is being drained. Its magical energy comes from wizards when they practice magic furthermore world core grows when wizards research and find new knowledge. powerful and useful magical knowledge is disappearing in history causing decline of powerful and capable wizards. To restore the world, you must solve this problem.]
Alister's gaze drifted to the line that read "Abilities." He focused on the Ascension System's description: "capable of processing a large amount of information, making it a powerful research tool."
"So, you can help me with this?" he asked. "You're a research tool?"
"Correct. As the host, you can ask me to process information you wish. My ability to process that information is linked to the world's current magical strength. The more magical energy is restored, the more effective I become. Currently, my research capabilities are limited."
Alister took a deep breath, the implications of their conversation settling in. "I understand," Alister said, a quiet resolve hardening his voice.
[System will now transmit the magic power from world's code to host's body]
the system's voice asked, its tone still cold and detached, but with a new, almost expectant quality.
"Will it have any side effects in future?" Alister asked nervously
[No, as world's core and host are single entity now, there would be no conflict. Are you ready to begin?]
Alister took a deep breath. "Yes."
The moment the word left his lips, a powerful, unseen force surged through the cramped cupboard. It wasn't a wind or a sound, but a pure, raw energy that crackled in the stale air. A brilliant, ethereal light, the same shade of blue as the system screen, flowed from the screen and enveloped Alister.
He gasped as the energy poured into his body. It didn't hurt, but it was an intense, overwhelming sensation, like a river of liquid fire rushing through his veins. He felt the energy course through his blood, his muscles, and every nerve ending. It was a potent, foreign power that was now a part of him.
But as the energy settled, he realized something strange. It didn't make him feel stronger. His small, frail body remained unchanged. His muscles didn't bulge, his bones didn't feel denser. The magic power was not a physical force, but a form of energy that resided within him, dormant, waiting to be used.
The blue light faded, and the screen flickered. A new notification appeared.
[Magical Energy Transferred. Your Magic Power has been updated.]
______________________________________________
[Status]
Name: Alister Potter
Age: 10
Race: Human
Tier: 1
Magical Attributes:
MagicPower: Tier 3
Control: 100%
________________________________________________
"System, why is my magic control 100%!?" Alister asked, a note of surprise in his voice. He had been a swordsman, a master of his own body and blade. The idea of effortless control over a new, foreign energy was beyond his comprehension. He expected a number, a percentage to be earned through endless practice and grueling effort.
[This is a basic function of the System's processing power. As your conduit to the World's Core, I can perfectly control the flow of magical energy. My capabilities are an extension of your own.]
Alister's mind, instantly grasped the implication. The System wasn't just a guide or a tool; it was a crutch. It was an entity that would do the hard work for him, allowing him to bypass the years of practice and grueling effort that real wizards would need to master their craft.
He would still need to learn the spells, the knowledge, and the art of magic, but the basic, fundamental difficulty of controlling raw power had been effortlessly bypassed. He wouldn't have to spend years learning to cast a simple charm; he could focus on the theory, the application, and the purpose.
Alister's gaze drifted back to the status screen. The line for "Magic Power" now read "Tier 3" It was no longer Latent. The raw, untapped energy was now a part of him.
The ethereal blue screen flickered and faded, its light receding into the air until it was gone. The cold, musty air of the cupboard once again settled over them. But this time, the darkness was not a prison; it was a sanctuary. Alister lay back on the thin mattress, the faint, tingling energy of his new power a constant presence in his veins.
Alister turned onto his side, his arm gently curling around Astra's small, sleeping form. The gentle warmth of her body was a profound comfort. With a sense of peace he hadn't known in this life or the last, he drifted back to sleep.