The storm hit without warning. Thunder rolled across the mountains, scattering the last of the morning hikers like startled birds. James Nother, the youngest of the Nother family, clutched the straps of his backpack and squinted through the sheets of rain. Beside him, his elder sister, Jane, shouted for him to stay close, her voice almost lost to the wind. Behind them, his older brother, David, struggled with the family umbrella, while their parents—Robert and Mary—tried to shepherd everyone along the treacherous path.
James had never been fond of nature hikes. The crisp air, the damp soil underfoot, and the towering pines were all mildly unpleasant to him. Yet here he was, trudging up a mountain with the sky threatening to crack open with every lightning strike.
"James, watch your step!" Jane's voice cut through the roar of the wind. "Don't—"
But it was too late. A jagged bolt of lightning struck a tree just meters from him, causing the entire mountain path to tremble. The thunderous crack startled James so violently that he slipped on the slick edge of the path.
"Whoa—"
The world flipped.
Darkness, or perhaps something beyond darkness, enveloped him. And then… a presence.
"Ah, about time someone showed up," a voice echoed, neither close nor distant. It was amused, casual, almost bored.
James opened his eyes—or at least, he thought he did. He was no longer on the mountain. The rain, the mud, and the terrified screams of his family… all gone.
"I see you fell rather dramatically. Classic," the voice continued. A figure materialized, floating lazily, indistinct but impossibly omnipotent. "I'm Rob," he introduced himself, in a tone like someone stating the obvious.
"You're—what? A god? A ghost? A glitch in the universe?" James asked. He felt no fear or confusion—just mild curiosity.
"I'm all that, yes. And more. But mostly, I'm here to let you make three wishes. Because, well… I like it when things are chaotic." Rob gestured lazily with an unseen hand, as if shrugging the cosmos into existence.
James blinked. "Three wishes. Huh. Fine. Let's do this logically."
Rob raised a brow—or would have if he had brows. "Logical. I like that. Proceed."
James thought for a moment, his mind already racing through possibilities. "First," he said, "I want an innate curse technique. One that gives me control over universal forces—gravity, energy, matter, soul… the works. And make it mine, naturally."
Rob clapped, or something resembling clapping. "Bold. I like it. Granted. And the name?"
"Tengen no Riron," James said without hesitation. "Theory of the Celestial Origin. Sounds nerdy enough to make people respect me."
Rob tilted his metaphysical head. "Nerdy. Respectable. Noted. First wish granted."
"Second wish," James continued. "I want the highest curse energy and output in existence—maximum efficiency, minimal loss."
Rob grinned—cosmically. "Ah, going full-on overpowered, I see. Granted. You'll be… impressive, to put it lightly."
"And third," James said, smirking faintly, "I want an AI assistant. Like… a metaphysical-level one, linked to my eyes and brain. Think Nano Machine Manhua style, but philosophical. It needs to stabilize my powers and help me calculate things. Bond it to me only, no one else."
Rob chuckled. "Eye tech, check. Bonded to you at a metaphysical level. Visual manifestation optional?"
"Yeah. Make my eyes look like a dark galaxy. Subtle for humans, flashy for me."
"Granted." Rob snapped his fingers, and James felt a new consciousness attach itself to him, an infinite computational entity weaving into his optic nerves and soul. He blinked—and saw stars swirl within a black void at the center of his irises. The galaxy was alive.
James stretched, amused. "Alright, now for the fun part."
Rob's invisible grin widened. "Slot machine time. Random system. Who knows what you'll get?"
"Sure," James said, unfazed. He rolled the slot machine—or maybe it rolled itself. Numbers, symbols, arcane sigils, and tiny mandalas spun in impossible dimensions. When the motion stopped, he read the result: Abyss Ledger—a metaphysical shop system where he could purchase cursed techniques, domains, martial skills, and even mundane human skills using curse energy as currency.
"Perfect," James said, nodding. "All the toys, all the brains, all the math. I like it."
Rob raised a hand, gesturing as if to ask if James was done.
"I'm done. Thanks for letting me die dramatically," James added casually. "Honestly, death's fine. Once it's done, it's done. No point crying over spilled atoms, right?"
Rob laughed—a sound like the clinking of stars. "I like you. You're… oddly pragmatic. Not terrified. Not greedy. Just… you."
"Yeah, well," James said, smirking, "I've got bigger things to calculate. And by bigger things, I mean the universe."
Meanwhile, back on the mountain, chaos reigned.
Jane's wails tore through the storm. "James! James!" She dropped to her knees at the edge of the path, staring into the void where he had fallen.
David cursed, throwing stones in a futile attempt to reach him. "We… we couldn't stop him!"
Mary clutched Robert's arm, tears mixing with the rain. "Robert, what do we do?"