A series of notifications scrolled before his eyes:
//
Congratulations!
You have been granted The Passive System.
Initializing... Complete.
Running protocols...
Granting one free Skill Roll...
Rolling for Skill...
Congratulations!
You have received the Rare Skill: [Amplifying Strike].
Skill Granted.
Granting one free Skill Point.
Quest Module... Online.
System operational.
//
Nathan could only stare, bewildered by the rapid scroll of text.
When the notifications ceased, the interface settled into a static, deceptively simple display—nothing like the game-like stats Jessica had described. There was only his basic information and a section for skills.
Nathan Reed (24 years old -- male)
Spirit Cultivation Level: Tier 1 (Initial), Phase 2.5.
Skill Point Available: 1.
Skills Possessed:
[Amplifying Strike]
He focused on the skill, and its description materialized before him.
[Amplifying Strike - Rare]
Description: attacks have a 17% chance to amplify, increasing damage by 100% (2× damage). Effects are tied to consecutive strikes of the same type.
Coup de Grace, Nathan mused, a flicker of recognition in his thoughts. He knew the term well: a critical strike.
A new window overlaid the skill description.
//
Quest: A New Journey
Objective: Pass today's Outer Disciple Exam.
Rewards: [Welcome Package], 100 System Credits, Shop Module.
Failure Condition: Not passing the exam.
Penalty: None.
//
Nathan blinked. After two years of silence, the system had appeared on the last possible day to give him an impossible task. It felt less like a quest and more like a cosmic joke at his expense.
But looking back at the description of the skill he had just received, it seemed that the system was actually paving the way for him.
Increasing damage by 100%, Nathan couldn't stop thinking about this number.
The outer disciple exam was a simple test of power. A disciple would strike a pillar of green stone, and it would light up to register their force. The passing mark was a score of five. Some prodigies could punch above their weight, and some cultivators with high-level energy had poor output, but for most, their score directly mirrored their Phase.
That meant his best strike would register a paltry 2.5.
But a 100% damage increase changed everything. A 2.5 could become a 5. He would pass. He would complete the quest. He would get the rewards. A giddy, frantic energy seized him. He punched the air, a wild grin splitting his face, thankful he was alone.
A new prompt appeared, stark and simple.
Accept this System? (Y/N)
Nathan froze. Could he spin the wheel again? Choose something else?
Negative. The selection is a one-time event.
If this System is rejected, a standard System will be granted.
Accept this System? (Y/N)
He forced himself to take a deep breath, his mind racing. A standard system. The safe choice. With his 'Above Average' potential, a normal system would give him a clear, predictable path of advancement—far better than Jessica's fate. But would predictable be enough to get him home? This strange, Passive System, however... its first skill was a miracle. It represented a gamble, an unknown path that might lead far higher than the safe route ever could.
But the choice wasn't really about the long-term gamble. It was about now. Without [Amplifying Strike], he would be expelled this afternoon. His path would end before it could even begin. There was no real choice at all.
He selected 'Yes'.
User choice registered.
And with that simple confirmation, he had locked himself to the Passive System. The finality of it sent a shiver down his spine.
With no new notifications, Nathan focused on the skill point he'd been granted. As he mentally selected the plus icon next to [Amplifying Strike], the interface expanded, presenting two distinct upgrade paths.
Growth Path 1: Pure Chance
Effect: Increases activation chance to 25%.
Growth Path 2: Methodical
Effect: Reworks the skill. The fourth strike of the same type is now a guaranteed amplification.
Warning: This choice is permanent and will lock the other path.
His mind started racing again. The Sect's doctrine was unforgiving: you got one strike. One chance. His retake this year was a rare act of mercy. The Methodical Path offered exactly what he needed for that single chance—a guaranteed result. He just had to land the fourth blow, and he would pass. It was the safe, logical choice.
And yet, the gamer in him was drawn to the Pure Chance path. The allure of RNG was potent. He couldn't see the higher-level upgrades, but his experience told him they would likely involve more than just increased chances—perhaps amplified damage as well. A guaranteed proc every four strikes was good, but a lucky streak of four consecutive procs with the Pure Chance path—a 1-in-256 long shot—could be a battle-ender.
But long-term potential meant nothing if he failed today. A glance at his watch confirmed he had four hours until his exam slot. Speculation could wait. He needed to test this. He dashed from Orin's garden, heading for the nearest training ground.
___
The training ground was more crowded than usual, a hive of nervous energy as disciples hammered away at training dummies. For most, it was a final cram session before the exam; for others, just another day's routine.
Nathan got a nod of approval from the instructor and made his way to an empty area. A stone snowman—three stacked spheres with articulated, bar-like arms—emerged from the ground. It clenched its stony fists in a formal greeting, then settled into a defensive stance.
He adjusted some parameters from a transparent tablet right at the edge of his area. Lowering all other stats, he set the stone dummy to only perform defense, receiving strikes. When everything was ready, Nathan advanced to attack with a punch. The dummy crossed its arms in an X shape to defend.
A blue 1.2 appeared over the dummy's head. He threw another punch, then another, trying to dial in his mana control. On the fifth strike, it happened. A surge of power, far greater than his own, erupted from his fist on impact. The number that flashed above the dummy's head was 2.4.
He stopped, pulled his legs back, his eyes widened, his lips unable to hold back a smile.
It works, he shouted internally.
In his peripheral vision, he saw a notification pop up.
Triggered [Amplifying Strike]. One credit given.
So, activating the skill would earn points. Excited, he turned back to attack the dummy. His manic grin earned him scornful looks from nearby disciples. Some smirked, others just shook their heads, their expressions all seeming to say the same thing: the failure is finally cracking under the pressure.
The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Fourth strike, 2.3.
Triggered [Amplifying Strike]. One credit given.
Ninth strike, 2.4.
Triggered [Amplifying Strike]. One credit given.
Fifteenth strike, 2.5.
Triggered [Amplifying Strike]. One credit given.
Twenty-second strike, 3.0.
Triggered [Amplifying Strike]. One credit given.
Twenty-fifth strike, 3.5.
A new notification cut him off.
//
Abuse detected. Credit farming from this kind of scenario is temporarily disabled.
Cooldown: 24 hours.
//
He startled, stopping his attack stance when he saw the new notification. Panting heavily, he saw that it was only natural. If he continued, he was ready to do this to farm credit all day. He wasn't sure what the system's shop feature was, but surely it used credit to buy. The system couldn't possibly let such a big bug slip through.
Wiping the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, he looked back at the number board above the dummy still showing 3.5. He couldn't hold back his smile again. He raised his fist in the air, whooping loudly. That startled some people, curiously looking back to see what he was doing. When they saw the number 3.5, they just frowned and got angry.
A chorus of jeers rose from the surrounding disciples.
"Keep it down, lunatic!"
"If you're done, get out of the way! Stop wasting sect resources!"
"Hah, look at him! Cheering for a 3.5 like he just broke through to Tier 2."
Nathan ignored all the scolding around him. After celebrating, it was time to think seriously.
A sobering thought cut through his satisfaction. Spamming full-power attacks was impossible; fatigue and minor lapses in focus would inevitably weaken his strikes. He immediately put it to the test, focusing his mana for another series of punches. The results were just as he feared: three of his next six blows fell short of the 2.5 mark. Worse, one of the weaker 2.2 hits was the one that triggered the amplification, resulting in a pathetic 4.4. A failing grade.
He turned back to press on the tablet. A stone chair also emerged as a resting place. Attacking continuously like that really drained his energy.
As he caught his breath, he stared at the two upgrade paths. His recent test had made the choice painfully clear. The Methodical Path was consistency. The Pure Chance path, for all its potential, was a 75% chance of being expelled that very afternoon. The risk was too great.
His gamer instincts still argued that over a long battle—a large enough sample size—a 25% chance would average out to the same as the Methodical Path, but with a much higher ceiling for burst damage. A streak of four amplified hits in a row was a 1-in-256 chance, but over a thousand strikes, it was almost a statistical certainty. Such a streak could end a fight against a superior opponent.
He gave a short, bitter laugh. He was theory-crafting about thousand-strike battles when twenty-four punches had left him winded. Future Nathan could worry about that. Today's Nathan had to survive the afternoon.
He banished the temptation of pure chance from his mind and focused his intent on the second option.
Path confirmed: Methodical.
On the interface, the 'Pure Chance' branch dimmed and receded, becoming a grayed-out ghost of a path not taken.
After a short rest, Nathan returned to the dummy.
His first test was a success. Three light warm-up punches in the air, followed by a fourth, full-power strike against the dummy. The familiar surge of energy erupted from his fist. The damage number flashed: a perfect 5.0. A ragged breath escaped him, the weight of a mountain lifted from his chest. He was going to pass.
But his joy was quickly overshadowed by a dawning thought. He pulled up the skill description again, his eyes locking onto a single, crucial phrase: consecutive strikes of the same type. Not just 'consecutive strikes.' Of the same type. His heart began to pound with the implications.
His hands trembled slightly as he set up the experiment. First, he threw three light Force Fists, priming the skill. Then, three light Force Palms, priming it again separately. He took a deep, steadying breath. "Moment of truth," he whispered.
He unleashed a full-power Force Fist, followed immediately by a full-power Force Palm.
4.8!
4.6!
Two amplified strikes, back-to-back. He stared, utterly astonished. It wasn't a loophole. It was an intended, hidden mechanic.
A giddy, almost manic laugh escaped him. The implications were staggering. He could prime a Force Fist, a Force Palm, and a Force Kick with three light, energy-saving taps each, and then unleash a devastating three-hit amplified combination.
Survival had given way to ambition. His path forward was now one of mastery: to forge this strange, elaborate combat style into second nature and leave opponents baffled by unpredictable bursts of power. Hope hadn't just returned; it had come back armed to the teeth.
Feeling there was nothing left to tinker with, he left the training ground. Better to go eat and save energy for the afternoon.
___
In the afternoon, the southern gathering ground was a sea of over two thousand anxious outer disciples. A thousand waited in the main field, while the rest crowded the outer ring as observers. At the far end, five three-meter-tall testing pillars pulsed with a soft green light. Beside them stood the examiners in their formal, gold-trimmed robes, and half-hidden in the cliff's shadow behind them, an unseen figure watched over the proceedings.
Nathan arrived and immediately felt the pressure. His eyes looked towards the trail behind the high platform, beside the mountain. That was the entrance to the inner sect, the dream of all outer disciples. Some other disciples, like Nathan, had their inner hearts filled with burning fire and passion, staring intently at that path.
He spotted Elen's clique laughing confidently in the distance. Elen could have waited another year, but for someone like him, today's exam was a mere formality. Nathan knew that passing this test was just the first step. It opened the door to better missions with higher rewards and secured a spot in the outer disciple tournament next month—a showcase for the truly talented to catch an elder's eye. For him, however, the goal wasn't the tournament. It was simply surviving to see his third year.
"SILENCE!" the call of an examiner rang like thunder when the time came.
Everyone stopped their conversations and looked towards the man in the robe.
"You all know the drill, so I'll keep it brief." The examiner's voice boomed. "When your name is called, step up, strike the pillar, and await your result. The manual covers the rest. Any questions?"
After a moment with no response, the examiner turned to both sides, nodding to his colleagues.
"Then let's begin."
Nathan gathered at pillar number four according to his pre-issued test registration card. Elen stood in front of him.
While waiting, he spent time watching other disciples called up before him. In the group to his left, the first disciple had already scored 8.0. The remaining disciples in the same group looked up in admiration at the Phase 8 guy smiling radiantly in front. To his right, a girl unleashed a vicious finger-spear technique against her pillar. A 9.5 lit up the stone.
"Zahra Kinyara," the examiner announced, a flicker of surprise on his face. "Tier 1, Phase 8.0. Score: 9.5. Pass."
A wave of applause rippled through the crowd. Punching 1.5 Phases above your weight was a clear sign of a future expert.
The procession continued to move forward. Rarely did anyone have disappointing results. First of all, to enter Verdant Spire Sect, an individual must have at least 'Average Potential'. That means they will easily level up without encountering any significant obstacles. The real difficulty is at higher Tiers. With a rating like Nathan's, 'Above Average', it would only take about two years to reach Tier 2, even up to Phase 2 or Phase 3. As for higher ratings, Nathan wasn't clear. The information he gathered only said that such innate geniuses usually had very different cultivation methods.
"Elen Solis!" the examiner at the fourth group called loudly.
Nathan looked back at the younger boy who had once followed him, now stepping up with a calm demeanor, steady steps, and eyes full of confidence. Lowering his stance, taking a few seconds to gather strength, Elen kicked towards the testing pillar.
"Elen Solis, Tier 1, Phase 6.5, Score 6.5. Pass."
He's already halfway to Phase 7, Nathan thought.
When turning back to smile at his friends, Elen caught Nathan's gaze and his expression hardened. Nathan quickly shifted his gaze to other candidates.
The first group furthest away was getting noisy with the result that had just appeared. He squinted to read more carefully and startled. 10.2.
"Xander Caldoran, Tier 1, Phase 8.1, Score 10.2. Pass!"
This year's batch was full of monsters. He remembered last year, only one student had managed to score a full point above their Phase. Now he'd already seen Zahra beat hers by 1.5, and Xander by more than 2. The gap between the talented and the rest felt wider than ever.
After Xander, the second group also started shouting, but it seemed not because of the result but more like screaming for an idol. When looking towards the high platform, Nathan understood. Although not very clear, the girl with smooth golden hair was exuding a charm incomparable to anyone else.
"Keira Valaine, Peak Tier 1, Phase 9.9, Score 8.0. Pass!"
Although the score was lower than her Phase, it couldn't stop the calls of "goddess" from the boys below. As Keira walked down, she was immediately surrounded by other female disciples. Her eyes were only looking at someone in the first group. Nathan guessed it must be Xander.
Returning to Nathan's group, it was almost his turn. The person in front of him passed the test with a result of 6.1, and finally, it was Nathan's turn according to the order.
The examiner's gaze fell on him. The woman's stern expression softened into one of pity, a faint, dismissive smile touching her lips. He could practically hear her thought: Here comes the first failure of the day. To her, he was just another weakling who didn't know when to quit.
Without saying anything, she signaled Nathan to proceed with the test.
He took a deep breath and threw three light, almost invisible Force Fists into the air, priming the charge. A small, grim smile touched his lips. It was time to reload his fate.
With determination, Nathan closed his eyes, exerted all his strength, and launched the fourth strike on the testing pillar.
Triggered [Amplifying Strike]. One credit given.
He kept his eyes squeezed shut, not daring to look, waiting for the verdict. But no announcement came. Only a strange, spreading silence. He risked a peek. The examiner wasn't looking at him or the pillar. Her brow was furrowed, her eyes distant—a sure sign she was communicating via PsiLink. A low murmur began to ripple through the crowd behind him.
Elen's group near the testing platform also turned their eyes back.
Nathan began to feel his stomach twisting, his heart beating faster, his mind being occupied by fear.
"Nathan Reed," the examiner finally announced, her voice tight with disbelief. She re-read the data from her terminal. "Tier 1, Phase 2.5... Score: 5.1. Pass."
A wave of confused muttering swept through the onlookers. A score more than double the user's Phase was almost unheard of. What was special was that the Phase had never been this low. Low Phase meant that the mana adaptation intensity was still poor. This led to learning special techniques being impossible. Mana circulation would encounter blockages, leading to more bad consequences than good. So, when hearing Nathan's Phase and clearly that he had surpassed the average point, it made everyone buzz.
The fourth group never expected that the one who would attract attention from the group would be a low Phase 2.5 like that.
The world seemed to go quiet. The whispers, the stares, Elen's sneer—it all faded away. A single, triumphant thought echoed in the sudden stillness of his mind: I did it. A grin, wide and uncontrolled, stretched across his face. The glory of this moment was his, and his alone. That was enough.
A final, beautiful notification bloomed in his vision.
//
Quest Completed!
Rewards Granted:
- 1 x Welcome Package
- 100 System Credits
- Shop Module Unlocked
Opening Welcome Package...
Package contains: 1 Ultra Rare Skill Roll, 2 Free Skill Rolls.
You may proceed as you wish.
//
