Divine Path System Chapter 3 - Truth

Varian roused from the bizarre nightmare, the haunting words echoing vividly in his mind.

"Save Sia"

"What was that? Was it even real?" Varian mumbled, attempting to process the strange occurrence.

'Is any of this real? Perhaps I am just losing my mind.' He paced anxiously around his small, modest bedroom, which contained only a bed, a modest closet, and a desk holding a palm-sized black box alongside a pair of polished gauntlets.

Varian felt emotionally torn. A part of him desperately craved for it to be a mere hallucination.

Yet, another part questioned if it were genuine. If true, he would need to locate this girl, Sia. His singular source of information regarding her—those cryptic dreams—identified her as a student at the Earth Imperial Defense Academy, or the Defense Academy for short.

That meant making a connection or gathering intel online was impossible. Ever since the Pluto War, the military has enforced strict protocols; no cadet files exist on the meta net. Access is restricted exclusively to military officers within that academy.

To reach her, he would be forced to enlist in the Defense Academy.

However, the baseline requirements for admission are being a Level 2 Awakened individual under 19 years old, plus achieving top-tier scores in the entrance exams.

The test was scheduled for the 45th of the month. Today was the 36th. He had a mere ten days.

'It is completely impossible. Level 0 to Level 2 in ten days? I am not a Young Master from a prominent family. This pursuit is futile. But, if that were her dying request…'

Varian's logic and emotions collided violently.

Trying to suppress his rising frustration, he reached for the black box. It was an antiquated safe intended to store prized possessions, designed to open only for pre-authorized individuals, or else its contents would self-destruct.

He had recovered it from the ruins of his former home following the tragedy. He had no memory of it, yet he was somehow registered as an authorized user—except he could never actually open it. Nonetheless, fiddling with it had become his coping mechanism whenever he felt defeated.

"Damn it!" Varian strained with all his might to pry it open, yet he failed again. This was his hundredth attempt over the past year, but he ignored the repetition. His irritation only continued to mount.

'Next year I turn 19, disqualifying me from the entrance exam. This is my absolute last chance. If I miss this, I will never honor what my mother hoped for. I failed to make her proud while she lived. I must fulfill her last wish. But I remain completely unawakened. How can I possibly... ?'

Varian covered his face with a sigh before noticing something caught his eye. His dragon bracelet, which typically held a dull sheen, pulsed with intense, brilliant light.

Varian knew very little about the item, despite it being a family heirloom. His great-great-grandfather had discovered it shortly after the cataclysm known as the Blink.

After passing through many hands, the heirloom ended up with his mother before finally coming to him.

In an era where accessories were either high-tech gadgets or Star Treasures designed to bolster one's Cultivation and power, it was rare to own something so plain and unremarkable.

He wore it solely to keep her memory alive.

Varian tapped the dragon's eyes, half-expecting some reaction.

'Could this accessory actually be a 9 Star Treasure? Joviality aside, it must be something of value, right?'

His eyes widened as the bracelet blazed with neon light, and a mechanical voice vibrated directly within his mind.

[Divine Path System initialized. Kindly fulfill the requirements to trigger activation.]

"Who is that?" Varian instinctively dropped into a combat stance, locking his gaze onto the bracelet.

"Divine Path System… are you the bracelet, or are you residing inside it?" He prepared to rip the ornament from his wrist at the first sign of danger.

[The bracelet serves merely as a vessel for the System. Regardless, the materials composing this item possess more worth than everything your civilization can offer.]

Varian’s face twitched at the system's haughty tone. This had to be an elaborate prank.

"Is this a Telepath's cruel joke?" Varian scanned the room but dared not make a sudden move.

Telepaths were masters of telepathy and profound hypnosis. Brainwashing a human, a monster, or even an Abyssal were routine tasks for them. While many worked as esteemed mental health experts, they were also considered some of the worst enemies to face.

Varian refused to be killed by a telepath, especially now that his mother’s dying words were finally providing a sense of purpose.

'Save Sia'

He had to navigate this situation without provoking the individual.

Mind (Level 1-3) —> Telepaths (Level 4-6) specialized in Telekinesis (Level 4-6)

[This System surpasses your current comprehension. Know only that the System has compensated you for your 18 years of stifled awakening.]

Varian was still reeling from the confusion, but hearing the System's words ignited a sudden surge of fury.

"Stifled my awakening? Why? Who in the hell are you?" Varian struggled to suppress the urge to rip the bracelet off and destroy it. He clawed at his hair, feeling the sheer insanity of the situation pressing in on him.

'For your 17th birthday gift, I saved my wages to hire adventurers. You will awaken. I truly believe in you.'

'If I had awakened like everyone else, maybe she would still be alive today.'

[It was a test. You are the Chosen, and you are currently eligible to activate the System.] The cold, detached voice showed no remorse for his agony or loss.

"Screw your test. My mother is gone!" Varian tore off the bracelet and lunged for his gauntlets. The gear was pitch black, tipped with sharp spikes at the knuckles.

Without a second thought, he smashed the bracelet against the floor and unleashed his rampage.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

The room’s high-density metallic walls creaked as the floor trembled beneath his blows.

Varian pounded the damned thing repeatedly while screaming epithets. It was meant to be a precious heirloom, a gift, yet it had become a curse.

'What if I lost you, too?' her voice from the past haunted his ringing ears.

His black gauntlets, crafted from a powerful metal alloy embedded with a beast core for stability, were the best Star Treasures he could manage. They had survived every battle over the past year, but finally, they began to spiderweb with fractures.

The spikes shattered first, followed by the panels on the fingers, and eventually the palms where the beast core was housed.

"Crack!" The gauntlets crumbled into scrap. The beast core disintegrated into fine dust upon the bracelet.

Varian calmed down, glancing at the bracelet with tear-filled, red eyes. It remained as pristine as ever, without a single mark.

[Ventilation is healthy. Now, let us converse.]

The bracelet shimmered again, and as if by some divine miracle, the twisted metal shards of his gauntlets and the cracks in the floor rearranged themselves.

Before Varian’s astounded eyes, his gauntlet restored itself to perfection. The cracks on the floor tiled over as if they had never existed.

"This…" Varian gasped. He reached out and touched the gauntlet, discovering the crushed beast core back in place, whole and functional.

To say he was shocked would be an understatement.

Telekinetics could manipulate objects, but they could not repair a destroyed gauntlet by binding the atoms back together. Time Awakeners could warp the temporal flow, yet reversing time for specific objects was unheard of.

Neither could restore a pulverized beast core.

It wasn't that the Federation lacked powerful entities; Sovereigns existed who could wipe out millions with a flick of their wrists. But this display shattered Varian's entire understanding of reality. It was like witnessing someone jump from a skyscraper and choose to fly instead of falling.

Varian sat on the floor, finally prepared to listen. He hadn't forgiven or forgotten, but since destroying it was clearly impossible, listening to its explanation was his only logical path.

[Truthfully, even without my interference, your origin grade would have destined you to awaken around 16 in the Body Path. Despite your diligence, the lack of resources and proper training meant you would have remained stuck at Level 1 when your mother fell under attack. You would have been unable to save her, regardless.]

"Nonsense! If I were Level 1, I could have stalled long enough for her to flee or for help to arrive. You might possess strange abilities, but I'm not buying your garbage." Varian rose to his feet, ready to walk away.

[In fact, it would not have mattered even at Level 2. She still would have died. You would have survived regardless.] the System countered.

Varian seized the bracelet in a fit of anguish and hissed, "What does that mean? Why would she die anyway? Why am I the one who gets to live? Why!?"

[Find that out yourself.]

"You…" Varian almost crushed the bracelet again, but stopped himself. "You sent that strange message earlier, didn't you? During her final moments?"

[Indeed. The System adheres to the concept of equivalent exchange. The equivalence is valued based on our perception. To you, 18 years without awakening is immense agony. But what is bestowed upon you is the Truth you could never uncover otherwise. You do not grasp it yet. Only when the full truth is revealed will you understand its significance and fairness.]

Varian wanted to argue, but concluded it would be futile.

He was ignorant of the truth behind her death. He didn't know why she was doomed to perish, nor why the System hindered his awakening. He didn't know who Sia was, nor why his mother begged him to save her.

But he knew one thing—where to begin.

He just needed confirmation.

"Hey System, I'm already 18. Can I still awaken if I enter a Dungeon and battle magic beasts?" He steeled his nerves, awaiting the answer that would determine his destiny.

[A pleasant surprise awaits you.]

'Save Sia', Varian remembered her final words, and prepared to attempt the one thing he had avoided for a year.

Awakening.

He clutched the bracelet and slid it onto his left wrist. The metal merged seamlessly into his flesh.

Varian steeled his resolve and activated his comms device. A 3D holographic interface flickered to life, and he located the contact information for the Adventure Team that Hall Master Gareth had recommended.

He reached out to finalize the time and meeting venue.

Tomorrow, he would Awaken!