System, please just shut up

Kael stared at whatever the hell was sitting close to him for a while in silence, then shrugged and replied, "Yes, it is."

Then quiet returned as no one spoke again, the tranquil silence of the golden realm washing over him.

Kael definitely had a lot of questions and was confused about some of the situation, but he was too absorbed in the feeling he was currently experiencing.

So he closed his eyes to get a better sense of it.

But it seemed whatever the water thing was, it wasn't planning on letting him enjoy the feeling.

"You're too slow," it suddenly said.

It was difficult to pinpoint the gender from its voice, if it had one at all.

The sound of it's voice was heavy and authoritative, almost like listening to a drum speak words.

Kael opened his eyes, annoyed, and turned to look at it again. "What?"

"You're too slow," it repeated, its golden form rippling gently. Then it continued immediately after, "I guess I need to encourage you a bit."

But Kael looked completely lost and confused. "What are you talking about?"

It didn't reply.

It just slowly and quietly seeped back into the pond, dissolving back into the liquid gold.

And immediately after, Kael began feeling strange.

Like his mind or soul was trying to wake up from something deep, a profound slumber.

He began slowly fading away, the golden light around him dimming.

Just before he fully departed, he heard the voice again, this time directly in his mind, clear as a bell:

"We'll talk more the next time we meet."

And with that, his mind was thrown into a state of dizzying disorientation, as though he was traversing through pure space.

And the next thing he knew, he was shooting up from bed, panting heavily.

Sweat clung to his body, seeping into the sheets, soaking them.

Looking around, he realized he was in a room, but not the small, institutional room from the fake academy.

It looked more like an actual quarters

The room was a stark contrast to anything he'd known.

It was generously sized, with high ceilings and a large window overlooking what looked like vast, manicured gardens, partially obscured by privacy runes glowing faintly in the glass.

The walls were a tasteful, deep charcoal grey, providing a sophisticated backdrop for the rich, dark wood furniture that filled the space.

A plush, emerald green rug covered most of the floor, inviting bare feet.

The bed was a sturdy, four-poster frame with heavy, midnight blue drapes pulled back, revealing a thick mattress piled with soft, white linens.

A sleek, black study desk with integrated glowing panels for light and information stood against one wall, accompanied by an ergonomic chair.

A compact, magically cooled mini-fridge was tucked into a corner, next to a small, comfortable sofa upholstered in dark leather.

Even the closet, built seamlessly into the wall, looked spacious enough to hold a knight's full gear, not just student robes.

It spoke of comfort and practicality, a subtle touch of luxury without being ostentatious.

This wasn't just a room; it was a personal sanctuary.

Kael fell back onto the bed, letting out a long, ragged breath as he thought about the dream he just had.

He remembered everything: from the void to the endless steps, to the serene golden dome and the weird water entity.

But the thing that truly stuck with him was the feeling of tranquility he'd experienced. It had felt like he was actually complete, for the first time in his life. That empty feeling that usually made him indifferent to everything was finally quenched, and he was at peace. Even though it was only for a while.

He closed his eyes, trying to recall the profound sensation, but no matter how much he tried, he felt nothing but the residual ache in his still-sore body.

Ding.

A familiar sound resonated in his mind, pulling him abruptly from his concentration.

Opening his eyes, the familiar interface popped up, glowing softly in the air before him.

...

[Congratulations! You have completed Sub-World Task -- Gain Admission into Obsidian Fang Academy]

[Reward -- 1 Archive Credit]

...

Kael stared at the message in silence. 'So I passed, huh?'

He still remembered everything clearly, what had happened on the battlefield, what he had experienced, the pain, the anger, the promise he made to himself.

The Archive continued, its text shifting.

...

[World Task updated]

[Task Outline:]

- Gain admission into Obsidian Fang Academy -- Complete

- Advance to Master Sigil in six months: Penalty for failure -- Death

- Increase proficiency in sword Mystery by 15% and any other weapon by 5%: Penalty for failure -- Death

...

"..."

Kael stared at the new tasks, not knowing how to feel.

He had no idea how hard any of them truly were, but the penalties… Death? Like, seriously?

The Archive wasn't done.

...

[Records updated]

[Status Window]

Name: Kael Darven

Race: Human

Age: 17

Level: 1

Archive Credits: 2

Class: Knight

Rank : Novice Sigil

Attributes:

Intelligence: 40

Strength: 47

Agility: 39

Stamina: 17

Health: 41

Mana: 0

Luck: 10 (Max)

Traits: Unknown

Skills: Wrath of a Dying God (New):

-First Activation (Near death experience):

All stats increase by 210%

Pain reception reduced by 40%

Rationality reduced by 10%

-Second Activation(Loss of a loved one)

???

???

???

-Third Activation(???)

???

???

???

Titles: None

...