Everyone Has A System But Me!

I squinted at the strange characters on the page, a cold realization sinking into my stomach.

"I can't read this…"

The letters—or symbols, whatever they were—looked like a chaotic mess of swirls and sharp angles.

A sigh came from Thea. She straightened her back, puffed out her chest, and pointed to herself with exaggerated pride.

"Lucky for you, I can!"

Her smile was so bright I thought it might rival the torches on the wall.

I grumbled softly. "I can read, just… not this."

Her eyebrow arched slightly. "Oh? And what can you read then?"

I froze for a second. Does English exist here? Or is this one of those 'everyone magically speaks the same language' situations? I decided to skip the mental rabbit hole.

"Well, cultivating sounds fun. Can you just… read it to me?"

Thea hesitated. "I mean, sure, but it's just the basics. Most people know this already."

I gave her a sheepish smile. "Well, I don't. So… does that mean everyone cultivates?"

She snorted softly, her face scrunching up in mild disbelief.

"What? Why would you cultivate when you could just use the system? Cultivating can be useful, especially at the beginning to strengthen the body, but it's boring, takes resources later on, and obviously, there are no quests associated with it. So increasing stats is much more difficult."

Her voice carried a certain passion, her explanation flowing without hesitation. Is she some kind of cultivation nerd? Not that I was complaining—I needed information, and she was handing it out for free.

"On top of that—"

I raised a hand, cutting her off gently. "Thea, really, thanks. I know I asked, but can we just start from the beginning?"

I swear I heard her tongue click softly, but she flipped open the book anyway, holding it like it was some sacred artifact.

"Alright. The first steps are pretty simple… deceptively simple, actually. But they're hard to get right in practice. First, you need to sense your inner strength."

She paused, giving me a quick once-over, her lips twitching slightly like she was holding back a comment.

"Usually, someone assists with this the first time. It's easier that way."

She continued, her voice calm and measured, not even glancing down at the book as she spoke. It was clear she already knew the basics by heart.

"After that comes meditation—clearing your mind through rhythmic breathing. Honestly, this is the hardest part, especially…" She gestured to the chaotic mess of other recruits clanging weights and stomping around the gym. "When you have zero privacy."

I nodded slowly, absorbing her words.

"Once you can sense and control your inner strength, you pick a location in your body to store it. The most common spot is right above your stomach—it's where you'd form something called a core eventually. But I don't know much about that part yet."

She paused, clutching the book slightly tighter. "Right now, we're still in the refining stage. We use the energy we sense to make our bodies stronger temporarily—preparing for the system or… whatever else might come next. That's what I've been focusing on."

Her voice had softened slightly at the end, like she was revealing a little more than she intended.

"Alright. I'll try it." I hesitated for a moment before adding, "Uh, you couldn't… help me sense my inner strength, could you?"

Thea blinked at me, then let out a small groan.

"Fine. Sit down. Close your eyes."

I plopped down cross-legged on the stone floor. Thea knelt behind me, her movements careful but deliberate.

A warm, gentle hand pressed lightly against my upper back. It wasn't forceful, more like a guiding touch.

"Why are your clothes so dirty?" she asked flatly.

"Rude," I muttered. Now realizing she wasn't being gentle out of care—she was avoiding touching my grimy rags any more than necessary. Honestly, I couldn't blame her.

"Alright, focus."

And then… I felt it.

It was like a faint ember sparking to life deep within me. A warm sensation, spreading slowly from where her hand rested on my back. It grew stronger, swelling into a steady current that raced through my limbs—arms, legs, fingertips—all the way to the top of my head.

My breath hitched. It felt… incredible. Like something had woken up inside me—something that had been dormant for as long as I'd been alive. Maybe existing inside me even back home.

And then, just as quickly as it appeared, it vanished.

"Wow. That was… amazing! That power was incredible. I must have some kind of talent for this."

Thea rolled her eyes so hard I thought she might sprain something.

"That was my power, genius."

My jaw dropped. "Wait, seriously? All of that was you? That's… insane. You're telling me everyone's like this? Everyone's carrying around that much energy?"

She sighed, her face softening slightly.

"I told you, most people only do the basics. I've been training even without my system, so I've advanced further than most."

Her cheeks had the faintest pink hue, and it wasn't from exertion.

"Well, thanks. I'll… try it myself now."

I closed my eyes again, focusing on the memory of that sensation—like tracing the outline of a shadow after the light had faded.

Slowly, faintly, I felt it.

It wasn't like Thea's torrent of power—it was more like a faint trickle, a slow-moving stream barely noticeable against the hum of my pulse. But it was there.

It started at my fingertips, flowed down my arms, into my chest, then spread out again—like blood carrying warmth throughout my body.

My lips twitched into a faint smile.

I can feel it. It's faint, but… it's there.

Without Thea's help, I realized, I never would've noticed it.

This… is going to take a while, isn't it?

"Oh great master Thea, um, I feel it, so what now, how do I move it, do I get energy from the outside?"

Hopefully, my flattery would yield answers only and not a mix of snark and vague advice.

"The next part is clearing your mind, then focusing on the flow and trying to guide it. Then yes, just like how you sensed your own inner power, you can sense the particles in the world. But be careful—if you absorb too much, you'll pop."

I chuckled at her joke, but she didn't.

Wait… was she joking? Or worse—was she not joking?

Maybe she's just someone who doesn't laugh at her own jokes. Oh god, what if I'm not funny? I laugh at my jokes. A crushing thought hit me like a bag of bricks.

No, no—focus! Of course, I'm funny. I'm hilarious.

Alright, focus, Peter. No noise, no thoughts. Just… energy flow.

Easy.

CLANG!

I winced as someone across the room slammed a weight onto the floor. Seriously? That's just bad gym etiquette.

Okay, deep breath. In. Out. No distractions.

Wait… was there supposed to be something special about breathing?

"Thea?"

Her head snapped toward me, her brow creased, her voice carrying that distinct I'm-trying-to-focus-so-don't-annoy-me tone.

"What?"

"About breathing…" I hesitated, feeling incredibly stupid. "Is there, like… anything special I should be doing? Like a pattern or… I don't know, special breathing magic?"

Thea froze. She stared at me, unblinking, for a few excruciatingly long seconds.

Then, her lips twitched. Her shoulders started shaking. And before I knew it, she was bent over, clutching her sides and laughing so hard tears welled up in her eyes.

"Did you just—" she wheezed between gasps, "Did you just ask me… how to breathe?!"

Her laughter echoed in the stone gym, cutting through the background noise of clanking weights and distant chatter.

See? I knew it. I am funny.

"No!" I sputtered, my face practically glowing red. "You said meditation with breathing patterns. Patterns! Is there anything special about it, or do I just… do normal breathing?"

She wiped at her eyes, still chuckling.

"Just… just find something relaxing and keep it consistent. Slow breaths in, slow breaths out. Don't hold it too long, and don't gasp like you're trying to win an award in hyperventilation."

"Oh. Okay. That makes sense."

Thea sighed, shaking her head with a faint smile still tugging at the corner of her lips.

"I swear, you're going to be the death of me, Peter."

"Glad I could brighten your day."

With that, I closed my eyes again and focused.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Slow and steady.

The sound of Thea's lingering giggles gradually faded away, and for the first time since arriving in this bizarre world, I felt… still.

The warmth of that faint energy trickled through me again, like a thin stream flowing gently through my body.

It wasn't strong. It wasn't dramatic. But it was there, it had always been there.

And for now, that was enough.

There were faint sensations tickling the surface of my skin—like soft pinpricks of warmth, buzzing and shifting just at the edge of my awareness.

Is this the outside world's energy?

Its warmth felt eerily similar to the faint trickle of energy I'd felt inside me earlier.

But one thing at a time.

I chose to focus on my inner energy first. Moving it felt… unnatural, like trying to redirect a slow-moving stream with nothing but sheer willpower. It resisted at first, stubborn and unyielding, but eventually, it shifted—just slightly.

A small victory.

Time blurred as I focused, breathing steadily and imagining the faint trickle gathering in the spot just above my stomach, like Thea had explained. It pooled there briefly, but no matter how hard I concentrated, it wouldn't condense or solidify.

When my focus wavered, it simply dispersed, trickling back into its usual sluggish flow, around the point I focused on.

Well, that tracks.

Even Thea's torrent of energy—the overwhelming force I'd felt earlier—wasn't enough to form a core yet. And she'd been at this for a while.

My attention drifted to the prickling sensation on my skin—the external energy.

Could I… pull it in? Like how I'd gathered my own energy?

I hesitated. Thea had warned me to be careful, but asking her now would mean breaking my concentration. Besides, it felt right.

Tentatively, I focused on the warmth outside me, imagining it sinking into my skin, drawn inward like water soaking into a sponge.

To my surprise—and relief—it worked. The external energy flowed inward, merging with my inner strength.

But it wasn't seamless. The two energies mixed awkwardly, swirling together like oil and water.

I kept at it, breathing steadily, drawing more energy in, trying to coax it to blend with my own.

For a while, it felt like I was making progress.

Then nausea hit me.

A heavy, queasy sensation settled in my stomach, like I'd eaten five cafeteria burgers dipped in cement. My head swam, and sweat beaded on my forehead.

"What's… happening…?"

"Peter!"

Thea's voice cut through the haze, sharp and panicked.

"What?" I croaked, my voice weak.

She was kneeling beside me now, her face scrunched in alarm.

"I told you to be careful or you'd pop! Look at you—you're turning red! Just how much energy did you absorb for your first time?!"

I paused, glancing down at my arms.

She was right. My skin wasn't flushed—it was red. Like boiled-lobster red.

My eyes darted back to Thea. "You were serious about that popping thing?"

She pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Why would I lie about that? You asked me to teach you!"

"Oh. Right. Yeah. Sorry."

I sat back, still feeling queasy but slowly starting to recover. Honestly, if Thea hadn't snapped me out of it, I might have ended up as a Peter-flavored energy smoothie.

"Thanks, Thea. Seriously. So… now that I've done all that… am I, like, stronger now?"

Thea let out an exasperated sigh, her eyes rolling so far I thought they would get stuck in the back of her head.

"The energy you gather isn't just magic power that sits in your belly and turns you into a legendary hero. You need to work it—like dough in a baker's hands. First, you gather the ingredients. Then, you hammer it into your muscles, your bones, your everything. Think of it like trying to force molten metal into the shape of a sword. And trust me, it burns."

I scratched my head, trying to process her metaphor.

"Okay, so let me get this straight. Breathe. Feel energy. Do squats until my legs are jelly. Then… breathe again. Got it."

She snorted softly, crossing her arms.

"When you put it that way, it sounds stupidly simple. But try holding a proper stance for two hours while energy feels like lava pooling in your gut."

"That… sounds awful."

"And working out is fine, but the best way to refine energy is through techniques and real fights. Which hurt even more, by the way."

I groaned, letting my head fall back as I stared up at the stone ceiling.

"Great. So it's not just breathing and sitting cross-legged. It's breathing, fighting, and burning."

Thea smirked.

"Welcome to cultivation, Peter. You signed up for this."

"Signed up? I don't remember signing anything…"

She chuckled softly, and despite the lingering nausea and the weird sensation of energy still buzzing through my body, I felt… okay.

No, more than okay.

I felt alive.

This was going to be hard. Like, really hard. But for the first time since arriving here, I felt like I had a direction—a path forward.

And if that path involved lava gut and collapsing in stances until my legs turned to noodles… well, I'd figure it out.

One step—and one breath—at a time.

"Well, since we're both up, how about we spar?" Thea asked with way too much joy on her face.

"No. How about some weight training?" I countered weakly.

"Nope. I haven't had a good practice partner in, well, ever. Let's go."

Thea grabbed a few thick cloth mats, dirtied with dust—and what I hope was just dirt—and laid them on the stone floor.

Well, at least I won't slam into the ground. Last thing I need now is a concussion from this girl.

"Alright, try to focus on your energy again. It's more difficult than when you meditate, so you won't be able to use it as efficiently, but bend it to your will—to your legs, your arms. It can increase your strength and agility stats."

I nodded, not telling her that I would never be able to see a physical increase in my stats.

"Alright," I responded. "I feel it."

And it began.

Several grueling minutes of being thrown into—not nearly soft enough—grimy cushions.

But on the bright side, although I felt much of the world's energy leaving me, some of that 'oil and water' mixture began to feel… smoother.

More like water.

I could actually feel myself getting better at this too. But Thea was just so much faster than me—honestly, much stronger too.

The world of numbers was truly unfair.

Although she couldn't see her screen yet, so we were in the same boat. At least for now.

"I think that's enough," I groaned out.

"Yeah," she gasped, somehow still looking much more energetic than me as she sat down beside me.

"I was curious about another thing," I began. She looked back at me. "What kind of techniques can I train? How do I get them?"

She kept looking at me.

"What do you mean? The techniques and skills we get come from completing quests from our system. I can't wait to get mine and fuse them with cultivation."

She kept explaining other details as my mind went blank with the realization that I would never receive techniques from a system.

I looked at her, deciding to let her continue her excited rant about cultivation and system fusion—information that, honestly, I did not need.

It was the first time I actually really looked at Thea.

She had an athletic yet lean build that hinted at a life spent in disciplined training. She wasn't overly muscular, but her posture carried an air of confidence and control that made her presence hard to ignore. Her skin was lightly tanned, the kind of tone earned from long hours spent outdoors.

Her hair was a deep chestnut brown, cascading just past her shoulders in loose, slightly uneven waves—as if she trimmed it herself with a small blade. A few rebellious strands always seemed to fall over her forehead, no matter how often she pushed them back.

But it was her eyes that stood out the most. Sharp, almond-shaped, and an intense shade of stormy gray. They carried an observant stare that seemed to peer straight into people's intentions, as if she could strip away any façade with just a glance.

I was about to make some snarky comment—probably about her looking like she'd walked straight out of a fantasy hero poster—when heavy footsteps echoed behind us.

"Sparring, are we? How about we join?"

The voice wasn't friendly, and the way the words were delivered—half challenge, half sneer—set off every internal alarm I had.

I glanced over my shoulder at the approaching group: three recruits, all broader and taller than me, with smug looks plastered across their faces.

Oh great, I thought. Here comes the medieval gym bro squad.

But to my surprise, Thea didn't rise to meet the challenge. In fact, she seemed to shrink back slightly, her confident aura dimming.

"No," she said curtly, her voice clipped. "We're done. You can use the mats yourself."

One of the recruits scoffed, his lips curling into a smirk. "Go away then. We'll be taking them."

Thea didn't say another word. She just turned, grabbed my arm, and led me toward another section of the room—a quieter corner, more secluded from the bustling crowd.

Once we were out of earshot, I broke the silence.

"Not that I mind avoiding a beating, but… why didn't you fight them?"

She sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly.

"I told you—cultivation is slow. They've probably already completed a few missions. Their stats are higher than mine. It wouldn't help either of us to get involved."

Her words hung in the air, heavy with an unspoken truth.

If they were too strong for Thea, where did that leave me?

Even if I cultivated relentlessly, if Thea—who was so much more skilled and disciplined than me—couldn't keep up with system users, how fast could they progress?

And how slow would I be?

A gnawing sense of dread settled in my stomach, but at the same time, a stubborn ember of determination flickered to life.

I wasn't about to quit now.

"Alright," I said finally. "Then we train harder, not smarter, right?"

Thea gave me a sideways glance, her lips twitching faintly into a smirk.

"Exactly."

We sat in that quiet corner for a few moments, letting the noise of the gym fade into the background.