Lucian had always considered himself a man grounded in reality — or at least, he used to be.
Now, "reality" felt more like a very persistent fever dream.
After arriving at the Midnight Inn, the sheer absurdity of what had happened finally caught up to him. Between being shot, gaining a multiversal travel system, and waking up in a webnovel universe, his brain simply tapped out.
So, like any rational man facing cosmic-level nonsense, Lucian lay down on his new bed and went to sleep.
---
When he awoke, the sunlight streaming through his window was warm and golden, not the artificial glow of his Earthly apartment. Birds — or something like birds — sang a soft, harmonic tune outside, and the air carried a faint sweetness, like a blend of incense and morning dew.
For a brief moment, Lucian hoped it had all been a dream. But as his eyes landed on the wooden furniture that shifted subtly as if alive and the faint shimmer of protective runes on the walls, that hope evaporated.
The Midnight Inn was still there.
And so was his new reality.
"Right," he muttered, rubbing his eyes. "Still in the Innkeeper Verse. Still got shot. Still… missing a very important part of myself."
The memory made him wince. He sat up, running a hand through his hair. "Okay, priorities. Step one: get my manhood back. Step two: don't get shot again. Step three… maybe figure out how to live with being an interdimensional traveler."
Standing, he called out to the air. "Uh… System? Waiter? Bellboy? Whatever works here?"
Almost immediately, a tall woman in a black-and-gold uniform appeared outside his room door with a courteous smile. Her posture was perfect — not human-perfect, but Innkeeper-perfect. "How may I assist you, honored guest?"
Lucian hesitated for a second before clearing his throat. "Yeah, uh, could you take me to the recovery room?"
The attendant didn't blink. "Of course. Follow me."
---
As he walked through the Inn's corridors, Lucian marveled at how the architecture subtly shifted depending on his perspective. One moment the walls looked like marble, the next they seemed to flow like liquid glass. Through wide arched windows, he saw distant worlds spinning in the void — floating fragments of realities tethered by invisible threads of light.
For a man used to fluorescent apartments and second-hand furniture, it was breathtaking.
When they arrived at the recovery room, the door opened with a soft sigh. The air inside was cool, luminous, and thick with ambient mana. The walls pulsed faintly like the heartbeat of some great organism, and the central platform radiated soothing energy.
Lucian stepped inside uncertainly. "So… this thing can fix me? Like, everything?"
The attendant smiled serenely. "The recovery room heals all that can be healed."
That was good enough for him.
He took a deep breath, lay down in the white capsule, and whispered, "Alright, please… work your magic."
Light enveloped him.
And the world went dark.
---
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Inn, Lex — the Innkeeper himself — had received a rather curious update from his system.
He frowned at the glowing screen. "The Sovereign is using the recovery room?"
That alone made no sense. A true Sovereign's existence operated beyond injury and restoration. So what, exactly, could harm a being like that enough to make them seek recovery?
Lex rubbed his chin. "Mary," he called out, summoning his ever-reliable assistant.
Moments later, Mary's translucent form flickered into being beside him, her eyes glowing faintly with wisdom born of ages.
"Mary, you must have met a lot of Sovereigns before, right? Any idea if he can even recover in the recovery room?"
Her spectral brows rose slightly. "First of all, I haven't met many. Meeting two Sovereigns in a single lifetime is already an achievement few can claim. As for your question…" She smiled faintly. "If a Sovereign believes they can recover in the recovery room, then they can. The universe itself would bend to make it possible."
Lex sighed. "That's… comforting. In a terrifying way."
Mary chuckled softly. "That's the nature of Sovereigns. When they decide something is true, reality tends to agree."
Neither of them knew, of course, that their so-called "Sovereign" was, in fact, just a mildly traumatized human with a freshly granted cheat system.
---
Inside the recovery room, Lucian was blissfully unaware of the chaos his existence was already causing.
He remained unconscious for twelve full hours, during which the healing light worked tirelessly. His body glowed faintly, bones and tissues knitting themselves together under the care of cosmic-level healing arrays.
When he awoke, the light had dimmed, and he sat up groggily. His body felt light — better than it ever had before.
He looked down, blinked, and then whispered a heartfelt, "Thank God."
His… missing part had returned. Perfectly.
The relief that flooded him was almost euphoric. He laughed, a wild, unrestrained sound that startled even the automated recovery drones hovering nearby.
"Okay," he said to no one in particular. "That's one trauma down. Now I just need food."
---
The Inn's dining hall was an architectural wonder. The ceiling shimmered with constellations that slowly shifted, the tables were carved from luminous crystal, and every dish that appeared shimmered with spiritual energy.
Lucian devoured his meal with the enthusiasm of a man who hadn't tasted real food in years. The flavors were impossible — savory, sweet, and somehow spiritual. Every bite seemed to fill him with warmth and vigor. Even the air itself was rich, vibrant, and fresh, as if every breath nourished his soul.
"This place is unreal," he muttered between bites. "Even the oxygen tastes expensive."
As he finished eating, a subtle chime echoed in his mind. His System interface appeared, its glowing letters crisp and sharp.
{Timer: 0. Essence Gacha available.}
Lucian grinned. "Alright, what've you got for me this time?"
{Rolling Gacha…}
{You've obtained: Essence of Protection.
By drinking this rainbow-colored, shield-shaped essence, you gain the following benefits:
You gain an unbreakable, unshakable will. Even the greatest unspeakable horrors will not make you flinch.
You can endure any hardship without bending.
You are protected from all forms of time manipulation, allowing free movement even inside a time stop.
Your timeline cannot be altered, nor can you be erased, aged, or de-aged.
You are protected from all life, power, mana, and soul-draining effects.
Your Essences and Powers cannot be stolen or sealed away.
You are immune to reality manipulation; your existence cannot be erased.
You are protected from instant death effects — if they want you dead, they'll have to work for it.
You are immune to all forms of mental manipulation, telepathic reading, or possession unless you consent.
You are now Fateless — beyond the chains of destiny. None can predict or control your path.
You are immune to all diseases, poisons, and toxins.
}
—
The world seemed to shift again as the Essence sank into him. It wasn't a physical sensation — not pain or warmth — but an existential reconfiguration.
Lucian felt his mind expand, his thoughts sharpening to diamond clarity. Fear, anxiety, even despair — all of it quieted. A profound calm settled over him, as if no force in the multiverse could shake his resolve.
It was almost intoxicating.
He exhaled slowly, testing the strange new stillness inside him. "So that's what unshakable will feels like," he murmured. "Guess depression doesn't stand a chance now."
Still, the Essence of Protection had its limits. Lucian couldn't help but notice how… defensive it was.
"Great. I can't be erased, possessed, or aged to death. But if someone shoots me again, I still die normally. Wonderful."
He sighed, leaning back in his chair. "I need some offense. Something flashy. Maybe fireballs, lightning spears… or sword beams. Yeah, sword beams sound cool."
That's when a thought struck him. He was currently in the Innkeeper universe — a place that connected to countless worlds, including cultivation ones…. Or well the whole verse was a Cultivation world.
"Wait," he said aloud, a slow grin spreading across his face. "Cultivation. I'm literally sitting in a nexus of worlds where people can become gods by breathing properly. Why not try it?"
---
Lucian made his way to the trading hall, a massive domed structure filled with floating stalls, glowing signs, and beings of every conceivable shape and species. Some looked human. Others… less so.
Everywhere he looked, treasures were being exchanged — herbs that glowed like miniature suns, artifacts humming with power, manuals written in tongues that burned the eyes.
Lucian's excitement dimmed slightly when he checked his funds.
Apparently, "always enough money to get by" didn't include shopping sprees.
He scratched his head. "Well… that's unfortunate."
Still, the Inn had its fair share of generous patrons. After asking around, Lucian found an elderly merchant who took pity on him and handed over a thin jade slip.
"This is a Body Tempering Manual," the merchant said kindly. "A basic foundation for any cultivator. It may not be much, but it's a start."
Lucian bowed gratefully. "Thank you, sir. I owe you one."
He didn't realize that, far above, Lex had seen the entire exchange.
The Innkeeper's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "He's asking about cultivation manuals now? A Sovereign who wants to cultivate? Maybe unlike the Sovereign Turtle his race needs to cultivate?"
Still, to ensure the "Sovereign's" satisfaction, Lex had discreetly arranged for the manual to find its way to Lucian.
---
Lucian, blissfully unaware of the divine meddling surrounding him, decided to find a quiet place to begin training.
The Inn's gardens were vast — a sprawling paradise of glowing trees, flowing streams, and gentle cosmic light. He wandered until he found a serene clearing beside a small pond. Floating lazily in the water was a massive turtle, its shell gleaming like a starry sky.
Lucian grinned. "Well, if this place doesn't scream cultivation montage, I don't know what does."
He sat cross-legged near the pond, opened the jade slip, and began to follow the breathing techniques described within. The energy in the air seemed to thrum in response, flowing into him with surprising ease.
"Not bad," he murmured, feeling warmth spread through his limbs. "Maybe I'll be shooting ki blasts by dinner."
He didn't notice that the "small pond turtle" he was cultivating beside was none other than the Galactic Sovereign Turtle — one of the Inn's most ancient and powerful workers.
---
To Lex, however, it was nothing short of panic-inducing.
Two Sovereigns, according to his system, were now sitting right next to each other.
Lex stared at the notification feed in horror. "He's cultivating beside the Galactic Sovereign Turtle? Are you kidding me!?"
Mary appeared again, clearly trying not to laugh. "Perhaps you should prepare for… localized law distortion."
Lex groaned. "Localized!? If those two sneeze at the same time, half the Inn could fold in on itself!"
Mary tilted her head, amused. "Or… perhaps nothing will happen at all."
Lex sighed. "With my luck? Yeah. Right."
---
And so, as Lucian meditated peacefully beside a being whose mere dreams could reshape galaxies, the Midnight Inn held its collective breath.
One fake Sovereign, one real Sovereign, and one very stressed Innkeeper — the beginning of a cosmic misunderstanding that would echo through universes.