Rayan opened his eyes.
The first thing he felt was... air. It was clean. It tasted of wet earth, wildflowers, and something else—a pure, sharp coolness that his city lungs had never known. He took a deep, slow breath, and it felt like washing his soul from the inside.
He was lying on a simple cot, a rough wool blanket covering him. He sat up and looked around. He was in a single, small room made of weathered wood. A simple table. A single chair. A cold fireplace. A humble hut.
Sunlight streamed through a single window, and it was this light that drew him. He stood, his body feeling strangely light and strong, and walked to the window.
The view made him stop. Truly stop.
The hut was on a small hill, looking over a vast, green forest that rolled out like a carpet to giant, snow-capped mountains in the distance. The sky was a brilliant, impossible blue. A river, shining like a silver ribbon, cut through the trees. Birds circled high above, their calls faint and peaceful.
It was… perfect. Like a painting.
"Wow", he thought, the simple word escaping his busy mind. "So this is it .My new.....World? Well, it's awesome!."
For a long moment, Rayan Adhiraj, the man who always had a sharp word, was silent. He just watched. He saw the way the light touched the tops of the trees. He heard the gentle whisper of the wind. It was a peace he had never known, and for a heartbeat, his constant, buzzing arrogance was quiet.
But only for a heartbeat.
"Okay, it's pretty.But being pretty doesn't win game. Lord Vishnu didn't send me here on vacation. I need information. I need to know what I am working with."
He remembered the god's words. "A system,A tool."
He focused his mind, thinking a single, clear word.
"Status."
A transparent, blue screen shimmered into existence before his eyes. It was simple, with clean lines, almost like a high-tech display from his old world.
He read it, his eyes moving from line to line, his mind already analyzing.
STATUS
Name:Rayan Adhiraj
Race:Human
Title:The Balanced Soul
Spirituality:10
Main Weapon:None
Positive Karma:0
Negative Karma:0
Shop Points:0
Stats(+)
"The Balanced Soul," he thought, a smirk touching his lips. "Still with the boring title. And look at all those zeros. I'm a total beginner."
His eyes went to the last line. Stats(+). It was glowing slightly.
"Let's see the details."
He focused on it, and a new list appeared underneath.
Strength: 9
Speed:10
Dexterity:11
Vitality:8
Potential:? ? ?
Spiritual Energy:10
"Hmph. Below average in strength and health. A little faster, a little more agile. Nothing special." He felt a flicker of annoyance. This body was weak.
Then he saw it. Potential: ? ? ?
"Question marks?" His curiosity was sparked. "What does that mean? Is it broken? Or is it... unlimited?" The mystery appealed to him. It was a challenge.
He closed the Status screen and looked back out at the beautiful, peaceful forest.
The view was no longer just beautiful. It was a game board. And he was now a player.
"Okay," Rayan thought, his confidence returning fully. "Step one is done. I know my starting point. Zero. Now... for step two. It's time to go outside and find out how to stop being a zero."
Ding!
A new, shimmering screen, glowing with a gentle golden light, appeared in front of his vision. At the top, it read:
A Message from Lord Vishnu