"It seems I wasn't that unlucky after all," I thought to myself as I lay in the quiet of the old sect. "I have a master who calls himself a Golden Dragon. This is the perfect shortcut to power!"
I wanted to laugh, but my baby lungs could only make a small gurgling sound. Still, my mind was racing. I had a powerful mother and a legendary teacher.
The next day, as the morning sun hit my face, a cold, clear sound rang inside my head.
Ding!
"The host has survived his tribulation by overcoming death on his 29,999th attempt."
"The system has fully awakened. Good luck, host."
I froze. "What? What do you mean by 29,999 attempts?" I asked in my mind. "I just got here!"
The voice in my head was calm and emotionless. "The host was predestined to die on the very day of reincarnation. The heavens are against your existence anywhere in the universe. You are a soul that should not be."
My heart hammered against my ribs. "How did I attempt it? Why don't I remember dying that many times?"
"Every time the host tried to reincarnate, he died before gaining consciousness," the System explained. "It happened in many different worlds. I searched until I found the world with the best survival rate. In this world, you finally succeeded."
I felt a chill go down my spine. I had died nearly thirty thousand times before I even took a breath in this world. This universe really wanted me gone.
"Show me my status," I commanded. "I need to know what I'm working with."
[HOST STATUS]
Name: Jin Wang Cheon
Age: 1 Day Old
Spiritual Root: None
Physique: None
Techniques: None
Cultivation Level: None
[NEW SPECIAL SKILL ACQUIRED]
Instant Understanding & Logic Deduction: Host can instantly understand the core of any technique or object and break it down into simple, perfect parts for learning.
I stared at the screen. It was empty of power, but that new skill... that was my ticket out of being a "none."
Outside the room, I heard the heavy footsteps of Master Tao. He was speaking to my mother, his voice booming but steady.
"Miss Seol," Master Tao said, "I have made my choice. I will take your son as my disciple. He will inherit the legacy of this old man. It is the only way he will survive what is coming."
He stepped closer, and I heard the sound of a heavy box being placed on the floor. "Take these. This is True Dragon Essence and a Supreme Dragon Bone. Use them to refine your body. It will help your cultivation and heal the last of your hidden wounds."
My mother sounded hesitant. "Master Tao, you have done so much..."
"Do not thank me yet," Tao interrupted. "Now, give Jin to me. I have work to do with him. And do not be afraid—I am actually a dragon. If you see a massive golden light or a beast in the sky later, just know that it is me."
I felt myself being lifted from the hay. I looked up into Master Tao's ancient eyes. He wasn't just a teacher; he was a monster.
"Come, little one," Tao whispered, his voice vibrating in my chest. "Let's see if we can turn you to something.