For ten years, Aerin believed his life was ordinary.
He had been born in a small settlement near the forest's edge. Not talented. Not special. Just another weak child in a world where strength decided everything.
His body was fragile.
His progress—slow.
While other children learned to gather energy and strengthen themselves, Aerin struggled to keep up. No matter how hard he tried, his body refused to respond.
People called it a lack of talent.
He accepted it.
Until the day everything changed.
It happened quietly.
No thunder.
No pain.
Just a sudden, crushing clarity.
Aerin staggered as memories flooded his mind—memories that did not belong to this world.
Another life.
Another body.
Another ending.
He gasped for air, his vision blurring as fragments stitched themselves together.
He remembered dying.
Not dramatically.
Not heroically.
Just… ending.
And then being born again.
Ten years ago.
"...So that's it," he whispered.
This wasn't sudden reincarnation.
This was delayed awakening.
His hands trembled—not from fear, but realization. He had lived ten full years unaware, growing naturally, suffering limitations that were never meant to be temporary.
And then—
[World Resonance System detected.]
A translucent screen appeared before his eyes.
[Host consciousness synchronized.]
[Awakening age confirmed: 10 years.]
Aerin stared at the floating text, strangely calm.
"A system…" he muttered.
[Existence Rank: F]
[Physical aptitude: Low]
[Cultivation compatibility: Below average]
He let out a dry laugh.
"So even after awakening… I'm weak."
The system did not deny it.
[Notice: Host does not grow through conventional cultivation.]
His expression sharpened.
[World Resonance System activates through influence, interaction, and change.]
[The greater the impact upon the world, the greater the growth of the host.]
Aerin slowly clenched his fist.
He finally understood.
Others in this world grew stronger by forcing power into their bodies—meditating, training, breaking limits through pain.
But his path…
Was different.
"So instead of changing myself," he said quietly,
"I change the world."
The air around him shifted.
Not violently.
Not visibly.
But something responded.
[Minor resonance achieved.]
[Synchronization: 0.01%]
His rank did not rise.
Yet instinct told him—
This was the first step of a path no one else walked.
Far beyond his small settlement, beyond forests and continents yet unknown—
The world had acknowledged his existence.
And Aerin's true journey had finally begun.