Len followed the dirt path out of Willowreach, heading toward the distant shimmer of the river. The forest around him was alive—birds chirping, leaves rustling in the wind—but the path was straightforward.
Still, his attention wandered. He spotted a glint of sunlight reflecting off something in the distance. A small lake, hidden behind a cluster of trees, its surface sparkling like glass.
"Why not?" Len muttered, shrugging. "I've got time."
He stepped off the path and jogged toward the water. Without thinking too much, he stripped off his boots and jumped in. The water was cool, refreshing, and oddly solid in a way that still reminded him he was in VR. He paddled a bit, letting the current lazily carry him toward the far edge.
That's when he noticed it: a waterfall tucked into a hidden alcove behind some rocks. The water fell in a silvery curtain, and behind it, a faint glow pulsed from the cave.
Len grinned. "Usually waterfalls have treasures in them, right? Let's check it out."
He swam toward the back, pushing through the cascade, the sound of rushing water deafening. When he emerged into the small cave behind the waterfall, the space was empty—except for a strange floating panel hovering in midair.
It wasn't like the usual system interface. No translucent borders, no glowing icons. Just a single word:
[AI]
Len stared at it. "Uh… okay?"
Before he could react further, the panel shot toward him like a streak of light. It wrapped around him, warm and weightless, almost liquid. His vision blurred for a moment, then cleared. A new voice spoke in his mind—not loud, not invasive, but clear:
[AI System Initialized]
[Compatibility: 99.999…%]
[Connection Secured]
[Greetings, Host.]
[I am an AI assistant. I will provide support for all operational, exploratory, and system-related tasks.]
[Access the Guidebook in the top-right corner of your interface for further information.]
Len stumbled back slightly, his heart hammering in his chest. The floating panel had merged with him so quickly that he hadn't had time to react. His vision shimmered with new lines of text and data, perfectly aligned and perfectly still.
He blinked, trying to make sense of it. "Okay… uh… did I just… get an AI in me?"
A calm, mechanical voice echoed in his mind:
[Greetings, Host.]
Len flinched. "Yeah, I got that part…"
The rest of the messages scrolled silently above his field of vision: compatibility, connection, Guidebook instructions. Every bit of it precise, no emotion, no inflection, nothing human about it.
He exhaled, running a hand over his face. "Alright… that's… actually kind of… convenient, I guess. Kinda weird, but…"
He lifted a hand and flexed his fingers experimentally, watching the new interface respond instantly. Small icons blinked as he moved, data appearing in real time:
[Prediction(deffence)] [Quest route]
[Prediction[attack)] [Probability calculator]
[Counter] [Trainer]
[Fusion] [Strengthening]
[Path finding] [Dungeon detection]
—---------------------------------
"Okay… okay," he muttered, more to himself than anything else. "I've got an AI. Integrated directly. No idea how this is gonna work, but… I guess I can figure it out."
A small chime indicated the system was fully operational:
[All AI Skills Ready for Use]
Len stared at the interface, blinking rapidly. "Okay… wow. This is… a lot."
—---
Len squinted at the panel, trying to figure out where to start. The icons blinked faintly, ready to respond, perfectly mechanical. He tapped the [Path Finding] skill first, curious if it could help him reach the river faster.
Immediately, a translucent trail appeared on the ground, a faint golden line stretching through the trees and hills. It moved dynamically, avoiding obstacles as he walked.
"Okay… that's actually helpful," he muttered, adjusting his pace to follow it. The path curved naturally, showing where to go without any flashy effects—just precise guidance.
Next, he tested [Prediction (Defense)], thinking it might give him an edge in case of random encounters. A small overlay appeared in the corner of his vision, showing probabilities for different attack types in the immediate area.
"Hmm… so if a wolf jumps out, it'll probably swipe from the left at medium speed… got it."
He shook his head, half-amused,
half-impressed. "This is… actually insane."
Len glanced at the AI panel and activated Strengthening.
Immediately, the interface overlaid his Spirit Energy stats and the flow within his five elemental roots.
Instructions scrolled across his vision, entirely mechanical: monitor energy levels, optimize absorption paths, maintain perfect synchronization across all roots.
[Strengthening Activated]
[Optimizing Spirit Energy absorption… Calculating optimal cultivation path…]
[AI-Integrated Cultivation Method Engaged: Cultivation continues automatically during movement]
Len blinked. "Wait… I don't even have to do anything?"
[Correct. All cultivation processes are automated. Movement alone is sufficient. Efficiency maximized.]
He started walking down the forest path toward the river. Every step he took, every breath he drew, contributed to refining his Spirit Energy—without him consciously directing a single action. The warmth and flow of his five elemental roots adjusted automatically, perfectly balanced and continuously optimized by the AI.
—----
Len walked along the forest path, the AI automatically managing his cultivation. He barely needed to think—his Spirit Energy flowed smoothly, optimized, perfectly synchronized.
After a few minutes, curiosity got the better of him. I wonder how much this AI is actually improving me…
He reached up and pressed a subtle icon that appeared in the corner of his vision—the system panel button for Saline // Online.
Immediately, a clean, mechanical interface unfolded before him, separate from the AI readouts.
—----
[SELINE // ONLINE – SYSTEM PANEL]
Player: Len
Class: Cultivator
Spirit Roots: Quintuple Spirit Root
Level: 1 | Experience: 0 / 100
[Stats]
Health: 100 / 100 — Determines how much damage the player can endure.
Spirit Energy: 15 / 100 — Used for cultivation and spiritual abilities.
Mana: 150 / 150 — Derived from Spirit Energy at 1:10 ratio; powers techniques and abilities.
Strength: 5 — Physical power, affects damage output and carrying capacity.
Defense: 5 — Reduces damage taken fr
om attacks.
Agility: 5 — Movement speed, dodge chance, and reaction speed.
[Inventory]
Healing Pill ×1 — Restores Health.
Strength Enhancement Pill ×1 — Temporarily increases Strength.
Defense Enhancement Pill ×1 — Temporarily increases Defense.
[Quest Log]
Whispers of the River: Speak to Elder Wren
—---
The panel was purely mechanical—clean, precise, and static. Len leaned forward slightly, examining the numbers. Even without him doing anything, the AI's cultivation method had already improved the flow of his Spirit Energy, visible in the system panel.
Len followed the forest path, the sound of the river growing louder with every step. Ahead, a small wooden building perched near the bank came into view—simple, sturdy, with smoke curling from the chimney.
Inside, an older man with a calm but sharp gaze was tending to a small herb garden. Elder Wren.
Len approached cautiously. "Excuse me… Elder Wren? I was told to find you."
The man looked up, nodding once. "Ah, a new face. You must be the one traveling the forest path. What brings you here young friend?
Len hesitated for a moment before speaking. "The village chief said I should come to you… to assist you with something."
Wren's eyes flicked over him, assessing, before a small smile formed.
"Very well. I have a task suitable for your level. There is a swarm of Crabions troubling the riverbank nearby. Defeat twenty of them. Return when it is done."
Len nodded, trying to mask his excitement. "Twenty… got it."
Wren reached into a small pouch and handed him several small, round pills. "These will aid your cultivation. Use them wisely. They are suitable for someone at your current level."
Len pocketed the pills, grateful. Just as he turned to leave, a faint chime sounded, and a translucent panel appeared before him, completely mechanical and game-like:
[Ding!]
Quest Accepted: Defeat 20 Crabions
Rewards: Level-Appropriate Cultivation Pills ×3
Objective Updated: Track and eliminate 20 Crabions near the riverbank
Notes: Cultivation Pills increase your spirit Energy absorption speed.(Note:being over reliant on pills may cause a weak foundation)
Len blinked at the panel. "Wow… okay. So it really is just like a game."
He tucked the system message away with a flick of his wrist, the panel vanishing instantly, and headed toward the riverbank. The AI continued its silent, automatic cultivation work, leaving him free to focus on the task at hand.