PATH OF THE SYSTEM AWAKENED

Chapter 8: Core of the Cosmos

Riley remained hopeful, thinking, "I've progressed halfway through stage 1 in a few days. This is crazy... I might really break into stage 2 and qualify for the Imperial Academy." Despite his astonishment, he credited his rapid improvement to combat and the system.

Although talent was believed to be innate and determined one's progression in Immortality, Riley knew there were exceptions. Stories of individuals advancing rapidly, like those who consumed strange fruits in the Deva Ruins, inspired many.

Curious about his talents, Riley asked the system, "What did you do to my talents?"

"Host, before you question about talents. You need to understand how the Immortality work. Let this system show you the truth"

The mechanical voice of the system echoed, and Riley felt his consciousness being pulled away until everything went blank.

When his awareness returned, Riley found himself in a dark space, devoid of sensation except for his presence. Unable to move his body, he realized he was here solely with his mind.

Surveying the space, Riley noticed a distant glow shifting between red, blue, and yellow hues. Focusing on the glow, his perspective zoomed in, revealing a luminous structure resembling three connected prism surfaces.

It felt like watching an immersive movie, though Riley knew he didn't physically exist in this space. He could manipulate his view without interacting with it.

"Where am I?" he wondered aloud, observing the prism's surfaces as they rotated without his command. The red surface, resembling an endless smooth incline, captivated him with its beauty.

"This is… Immortal," Riley murmured in awe, though he lacked a physical form to eExpress it.

The system's voice interrupted his thoughts, shocking Riley with its revelation about the true nature of the Immortality.

"Isn't it just a figurative name for the existing power system? Do real Immortality actually exist?" he questioned, trying to comprehend the system's eExplanation.

"What is real? What isn't?" the system replied cryptically, eExplaining the paradoxical nature of the space they were in.

Baffled yet intrigued, Riley continued to observe the Scar-Red Lane, noticing its division into three lanes. In the leftmost lane, a small white sphere marked the midpoint between the road's start and a distant black line.

Suddenly, everything clicked for Riley.

"So, the lane in the Scar-Red Lane is the Body Path? And that white sphere represents my progress in the Body Path? I'm halfway through stage 1," he realized, recalling that his Body Path stage 1 progress was at 50/100, exactly half.

"You're right," confirmed the system. "The lane where the white sphere resides represents the Body Path, covering half of stage 1. The black line marks the peak of stage 1, and crossing it leads to stage 2."

Riley nodded mentally, carefully observing the three lanes on the Scar-Red Lane. However, when he attempted to move forward towards stage 2, he found his view limited to the stage 1 section of the lanes. He understood that he couldn't access the stages he hadn't reached yet.

Zooming out, Riley refocused on the prism, this time on the Blue surface, eExpecting it to zoom in. To his disappointment, nothing happened. Switching his focus to the Red surface, he found himself back on the Scar-Red Lane, leading to the same conclusion.

"I see now," he said, examining the three lanes of the Scar-Red Lane. "The Scar-Red Lane represents the Unique Group, while the Yellow and Blue represent the Elementals and Dimensionals."

"Continue," prompted the system.

"These lanes represent the different Immortality of the Unique Group," Riley continued mentally, pointing to each lane of the Scar-Red Lane. "So, the other two lanes must be the Mind Path and the Morpher Path."

The system provided further insight. "Humans have a basic understanding of the Immortality, but it is limited. What you call a Group is essentially an Core of Immortality. All Paths of an Core ultimately converge, which is why they belong to a single Core. Thus, the Scar-Red Lane is the Sage Core, or as you call it, Unique Core. The lanes represent the Immortality, and the white sphere symbolizes Origin — the ultimate representation of 'you' in vital, dimensional, and Ether qualities, like your unique cosmic identity."

'Riley was puzzled by the sudden turn of events but remained open to learning more.

"What does this have to do with my original question?" he asked, seeking clarification from the system regarding his talents and the rapid progress he'd eExperienced.

"Concentrate on the Origin," the System responded, suggesting it held the key.

Riley sighed mentally and followed the instruction, focusing on the Origin. As he did, his view zoomed in, revealing that the white sphere was comprised of three colored fluids: red, blue, and yellow, mirroring the colors of the Avenues.

Fascinated by the sight, Riley realized that these fluids represented the fundamental building blocks of his being.

"If 'Origin' represents me at the most fundamental stage, then these three must be its building blocks—my building blocks," he thought, recalling the System's Explanation of Origin as the ultimate representation of oneself, embodying Vital, Dimensional, and Ether qualities.

Riley felt like he had solved a puzzle, mentally snapping his fingers in realization.

"So, these three Aspects—Vital, Dimensional, and Ether—are the fundamentals of everything. They make up me, the universe, and the Immortality. Each Core represents one Aspect, offering Awakeners the means to pursue the powers of these fundamental aspects. The three Avenues allow Awakeners to progress in each of these aspects," he concluded, piecing together the significance of the Immortality and their relationship to the fundamental aspects.

Riley was puzzled by the sudden turn of events but remained open to learning more.

"What does this have to do with my original question?" he asked, seeking clarification from the system regarding his talents and the rapid progress he'd eExperienced.

"Concentrate on the Origin," the System responded, suggesting it held the key.

Riley sighed mentally and followed the instruction, focusing on the Origin. As he did, his view zoomed in, revealing that the white sphere was comprised of three colored fluids: red, blue, and yellow, mirroring the colors of the Avenues.

Fascinated by the sight, Riley realized that these fluids represented the fundamental building blocks of his being.

"If 'Origin' represents me at the most fundamental stage, then these three must be its building blocks—my building blocks," he thought, recalling the System's eExplanation of Origin as the ultimate representation of oneself, embodying Vital, Dimensional, and Ether qualities.