A week passed since the conversation at the cemetery. Liam kept the system turned off, living what felt like his first genuine days in this new life. He went to school, completed the biology project with Hayley (they got an A), had two awkward but progressive dinners with his mother, and a call with his father that didn't end in an argument.
But the absence of the system made itself felt. Not like an addiction, but like a part of himself he had suppressed. Like learning to walk without looking at your feet: liberating at first, then disorienting.
On the seventh day, while trying (and failing) to make pancakes for breakfast, the system reactivated on its own:
Critical update available: "Authenticity Cultivation System"
Cost: 50,000 points
This update CANNOT be rejected indefinitely
Time remaining for decision: 24 hours
Liam dropped the spatula. Couldn't be rejected? That was new. And threatening.
During the school day, intermittent notifications appeared at the edge of his vision:
Reminder: Update pending
Benefits include:
- Reduction of meta-knowledge fatigue
- Skills based on genuine personal development
- Mission system aligned with authentic growth
- Option to specialize in Artistic, Scientific, or Athletic Path
The last part caught his attention. Specialization Paths. Like cultivation systems in the xianxia novels he'd read in his previous life, but applied to modern life.
After school, instead of going straight home, he went to the library. He needed to research, but not on the internet. He needed to think.
At an isolated table, he momentarily activated the system to see the full details:
AUTHENTICITY CULTIVATION SYSTEM - DETAILS
Concept: Instead of manipulating the plot for entertainment, cultivate your own potential while interacting organically with the world.
Three Available Paths (choose one):
1. ARTISTIC PATH
Focus: Creative expression, emotional, interpreting the world through art
Example skills: Advanced creative writing, musical understanding, aesthetic appreciation, dramatic interpretation
Initial requirement: Create a significant artwork
Compatible characters: Manny (poetry), Cameron (drama), Phil (creativity)
Maximum potential: Artistic master, cultural influencer
2. SCIENTIFIC PATH
Focus: Logical analysis, systematic understanding, problem-solving
Example skills: Advanced critical thinking, data analysis, complex problem-solving, innovation
Initial requirement: Solve a significant scientific problem
Compatible characters: Alex (logic), Claire (organization), Mitchell (legal analysis)
Maximum potential: Scientific innovator, revolutionary thinker
3. ATHLETIC PATH
Focus: Physical development, bodily discipline, athletic excellence
Example skills: Advanced physical conditioning, coordination, mental endurance, teamwork
Initial requirement: Achieve a significant physical feat
Compatible characters: Jay (traditional sports), Gloria (physical passion), Luke (energy)
Maximum potential: Elite athlete, master coach
Note: Path choice will permanently affect your interactions, future missions, and character development. Cannot be changed later.
Update cost: 50,000 points
Current points: 97,023
Points post-update: 47,023
Liam turned off the system again, overwhelmed. This wasn't just a system update; it was a life choice. Who did he want to be? Who was he, really?
In his previous life as Leo, he had been a web designer: part art, part science. He had been decent at sports but not passionate. Should he choose based on that? Or based on who he was now?
He walked home slowly, passing the park where a group of teenagers played basketball. He watched their movements: fluid, coordinated, sweaty. The Athletic Path.
He passed by the community art gallery. Inside, a local art exhibition. Colors, emotions, ideas expressed visually. The Artistic Path.
He passed by the science library, seeing students studying complex formulas in the windows. The Scientific Path.
They all appealed to him. They all frightened him.
At home, he found his mother cooking for the first time in weeks. "Liam, just in time. I'm trying that lasagna recipe you liked."
"Thanks, Mom."
As they ate (the lasagna was salty but edible), his mother spoke:
"You've been different lately. More... present."
"In a good way?"
"Yes. Like you're finally living here, not just... passing time."
That decided something for Liam. If he was going to live here, truly live, he needed to choose a path that reflected who he was, not who he had been.
After dinner, he went to his room and turned on the system for the last time before the decision.
"Show my current profile, unenhanced," he requested mentally.
USER PROFILE: Liam Parker (Leo Martínez)
Age: 17
Natural skills (without system):
Adaptability: 8/10
Empathy: 7/10
Creativity: 6/10
Logic: 7/10
Physical coordination: 5/10
Authentic interests detected:
Observing human dynamics
Resolving interpersonal conflicts
Connecting with multiple personality types
Finding meaning in interactions
Unconscious goals detected:
Finding a place in family structure
Helping others connect
Creating harmony in complex systems
Understanding layers of meaning in communication
Liam read the profile once, twice, three times. It didn't fit perfectly into any path. Or it fit into all of them. He was a generalist, not a specialist.
Then he remembered something from his days as a Modern Family fanatic: what he loved about the show wasn't a specific character, but how they all fit together. The comedy came from the clashes between different personalities, but also from how, despite everything, they formed a family.
He didn't want to specialize in one path. He wanted... to connect the paths.
He wrote mentally to the system: "Is there a fourth option? An integration path?"
The system processed the question. For the first time, there was a significant pause before responding.
Non-standard query detected. Analyzing...
RESPONSE: The Authenticity Cultivation System is designed for specialization. However, an undocumented option exists:
INTEGRATION PATH (HIDDEN ROUTE)
Cost: 75,000 points (25,000 additional)
Requirement: Generalist profile with balanced scores
Focus: Synthesize multiple disciplines, act as bridge between specialists
Example skills: Interdisciplinary communication, translation between conceptual frameworks, creating synergies
Maximum potential: Systemic change catalyst, master integrator
Risk: No clear specialization, slower progress, less external recognition
Confirm choice of Integration Path?
Yes / No