"Where am I?"
Neo's eyelids, tired from long slumber, finally began to flutter open.
When they did, Neo saw a white ceiling. The kind of white that made his head dizzy.
Upon closer look, he saw himself lying in a hospital bed.
By the bedside, a holographic monitor beeped continuously, showing his vital stats.
His body felt heavy.
Only then did he notice them: thin needles and injection lines were embedded across his arms, chest, and even along his temples.
For a while, he struggled to process everything.
"What happened to me? Wasn't I supposed to be dead, buried by that ancient monk's statue?"
"So how am I still breathing?"
While he was confused, a sudden anomaly caught his eye.
At the very right corner of the vision, several lines of glowing text appeared.
"What are these?"
Curious, he tried to focus. Soon, the text zoomed in, following his wish.
[ Congratulations! You have qualified to become a Beyonder ]
[ Use the word "Status" to summon your status Window ]
"Ba-dump, ba-dum,"
Neo's heart beat faster. So much so, he could feel it in his ears.
"I have become a Beyonder? But how?"
For a moment, he couldn't even believe his own eyes.
He had to bite his tongue to confirm the truth.
After all, to anyone living in the Interstellar Era, becoming a Beyonder isn't just a dream.
It's like grasping the heavens in your hand.
Only one in a million people gains the chance. And no amount of wealth, power, or influence helps in this process.
The Omnipotent System chooses them based on their hidden potential and aptitude.
But once they became one, their rise was guaranteed.
They gain incredible power that breaks any regular understanding of science and reality.
It was almost like they become superhumans in the world of mortals.
Neo had only heard this knowledge from rumors. Like most people, he also dreamt of becoming one.
Not to flaunt his power or boast his status, but to provide a sturdy roof above their heads and never to be worried about eating those dull-grade neutrino tablets.
For once, he wanted to provide them with real food.
And today, defying all common sense, he was chosen as a Beyonder.
To quickly confirm this fact, he hurriedly summoned the Status Window.
"Status."
Almost instantly, a full window appeared in his eyes.
Basic Index:
[ Name: Neo Godson ]
[ Age: 20 ]
[ Lifespan: 36 ]
[ Affiliation: Fontex Labour Company, Sol-III ]
[ Biological Modifications: None ]
[ Wealth: $200 FD (Federal Dollars - Local Currency) | 0.00 UD (Universal Dollars) ]
Physical Index: (Average for all: 5)
[ Strength: 5.2 (Reduced) ]
[ Agility: 4.7 (Reduced) ]
[ Vitality: 3.1 (Severe Genetic Dysfunctionality) ]
[ Endurance: 4.8 (Can be better) ]
[ Reaction Speed: 3.5 (Not good)]
[ Recovery Rate: 2.9 (Very Bad) ]
Magical Index:
[ Cosmic Force: 2.2 (Very Low) ]
[ Unique Talent: Universal Synthesis (Supreme) ]
Among all this mountain of information, the thing that caught his attention most was: Universal Synthesis.
He became greatly interested in what this Talent was about.
From the pitiful knowledge he possessed, he had no clue what it could do.
To find more information on the talent, he focused.
The moment he did, a mountain of information flooded his mind, followed by a swift prompt:
All things can be combined. All limits can be broken.
Neo also saw a vision.
In that vision, he saw genes.
Countless strands of DNA drifted through an endless void, twisting and merging by an invisible force.
All the imperfections were discarded into oblivion, leaving behind a flawless blueprint of life.
Next: Cells.
Trillions of them moved like light in a boundless ocean, drawn together as their boundaries vanished.
They fused together and formed a perfect lifeform, without any flaw.
The vision wasn't limited to this. It expanded to the Cosmos.
Neo saw stellar dust gathering in the void, pulled together by gravity.
A fusion occurred, and a star was born.
Then, these stars themselves began to merge.
Their massive celestial bodies collided, bending light and distorting space.
From their fusion, greater stars emerged.
Again and again, it continued.
From genes to stars, everything followed the same truth:
To combine. To refine. To transcend.
[ Universal Synthesis (Supreme) ]
This supreme authority allows you to combine anything into something greater. Matter, energy, genes, concepts, and even laws of reality can be fused without restriction or failure. All incompatibilities are erased, all outcomes optimized, allowing infinite evolution and the creation of perfection itself.
"Synthesis is the source of all creation."
After learning through the process of synthesis and reading through the description of his talent, Neo's eyes went wide as saucers.
It wasn't too hard to understand that he had stumbled into something heaven-defying.
Using this power, he can literally combine or fuse anything into an evolved form. Be it two opposing elements, energies, concepts, and much more.
Quickly calming his excitement down, Neo decided to test that out.
After removing the injection lines, he reached with his hand to the nearby two water bottles.
The system quickly, identified their properties for him.
[ Item: Water Bottle x2 ]
[ Grade: F ]
[ Condition: Undamaged ]
[ Durability: 10 (Good) ]
[ Estimated Worth: $0.50 / piece ]
"Hmm, now let's see what happens when I merge these two..."
"But before that..." He paused as his gaze turned to the holographic monitor onto the wall.
Fortunately, he was a very cautious person.
This holographic monitor, besides showing his vitals, was clearly projecting his live video at one corner and most probably recording it into the hospital's system.
Showcasing his power in front of the camera would do nothing else but inviting dangers at his own doorstep.
As such, he quickly blocked the camera with tissue paper.
Now, everything was perfect.
Holding the two bottles, Neo quickly called the power of Universal Synthesis through two palms.
Instantly, a brilliant green glow burst forth from his palms and enveloped the bottles.
Soon, those two bottles began to spin in a spiral, creating a stunning view of two forces merging within his palm.
Neo's feeling was hard to describe. It felt as though he was some kind of god.
The sensation was worthy of remembering for a lifetime.
By the time he was finished savoring it, the process was complete.
[ Water Bottle (F) + Water Bottle (F) ]
[ Synthesis Complete! ]
[ Items evolved to: Aqua Core Flask ]
[ Grade: E ]
[ Type: Self-Sustaining Utility Artifact ]
[ Condition: Perfect ]
[ Durability: 50 (Enhanced) ]
[ Estimated Price: ~ $4,000 ]
[ Capacity: Adaptive (Scales with user's Vitality) ]
Passive Effects:
• Endless Refill: Generates pure, drinkable water continuously. Never runs empty.
•Purification Field: Any liquid stored inside is automatically cleansed of toxins, bacteria, and impurities.
• Hydration Amplification: Restores stamina and slightly accelerates cellular recovery upon consumption.
• Thermal Adaptation: Water adjusts to optimal temperature based on the user's condition (cool when overheated, warm when fatigued).
• Minor Essence Infusion
Prolonged use silently strengthens the body's endurance over time.
After seeing all this, a single sentence echoed in his mind:
"WHAT THE FU*CK!"