My name is David.
I was just a high school student.
Yesterday, I died.
Yeah, you heard that right. I died—on Earth. Hit by a truck, as cliché as that sounds. One minute I was walking home with a bubble tea in hand, earphones in, minding my own business. The next, screeching tires, a blaring horn, and then… darkness.
When I opened my eyes again, I wasn't in a hospital. I wasn't surrounded by weeping relatives or beeping machines.
I was lying on the cold, grassy floor of a strange forest, under a violet sky with twin moons hanging overhead like watchful eyes.
That was the first sign something was off.
The second?
A flying beast—no, a dragon—swooped overhead, trailing violet flames across the horizon.
I had been reborn.
The name of this planet? Astis.
Here, people don't play sports or chase scholarships. They cultivate. They awaken spirit roots and wield mystical arts. They command fire, wind, and lightning. They fly through the air and tear mountains apart with a swing of their swords.
They're called Spirit Masters.
Not everyone is one, but if you're not, you're as good as invisible. At best, a cobbler. At worst, a corpse.
I learned all this in the span of a few days, thanks to my uncle—my new guardian—who took me in. He runs a modest noodle stall and drinks too much, but he's one of the few people who didn't look at me like I was a mistake.
Because to everyone else… I am.
Let me explain.
I was born into one of the great clans of Astis—The Red Heaven Clan. They practice the Eternal Flame Art, an ancient cultivation method said to descend from a Phoenix Spirit. Pretty cool, right?
Not for me.
When I turned twelve, my Spirit Awakening revealed no signs of talent. No flame affinity. No elemental body. Nothing. I was labeled a "spiritless waste."
For a while, my family still held out hope. "Late bloomer," they said. "Unawakened potential," they insisted.
But three months later, while my siblings soared through their cultivation paths, I still couldn't even feel the ambient energy in the air.
So they kicked me out.
Not exiled. Just... forgotten. Moved to a minor house on the outskirts of the city. A polite way of throwing me away.
The only reason I wasn't killed for "tarnishing the bloodline" was because of my mother.
Elena Loveless.
She's a name whispered with reverence—and fear.
She's one of the strongest Spirit Masters in the world. Some say she single-handedly stopped a demon invasion by sealing ten thousand devils beneath a black sun. Others say she killed a Demon King in single combat while pregnant with me.
I've never met her. Only heard the stories.
But apparently, her wrath is enough to keep the clan from laying a finger on me.
That brings me to yesterday.
I saw something I still can't explain.
A meteorite—no, a falling mountain of fire—descended from the sky. It roared through the clouds, blazing with such fury it painted the entire sky in molten red. I could feel the heat radiating from it even though it hadn't landed yet.
At first, I thought it was a weapon.
People screamed. One guy dropped his spirit communicator and ran. Others stared in awe and terror.
Me? I stood there frozen. My feet wouldn't move.
The massive object approached the city like divine judgment. Then—
Someone appeared.
A man. Floating. Suspended in midair like gravity forgot him.
He wore no armor. No glowing aura. Just a simple black robe and a silver sword.
He didn't chant a spell or summon a beast. He just raised his blade... and swung.
Silently, effortlessly, the meteorite disintegrated. Not shattered—erased.
The ash floated down like snow.
And then the man disappeared, as if he had never been there.
That was when I truly understood: this world isn't just dangerous. It's a place of monsters—monsters that wear human faces.
That night, I returned home. Our house is humble: a cracked clay roof, a single glowing orb for light, and a temperamental stove. Still, it's home.
After dinner, I reviewed my school materials. We were due for our annual assessment. Everyone was hoping to awaken a spirit ability or attract a clan scout. Me? I just hoped I wouldn't get laughed out of the building.
I went to bed early.
That's when it happened.
---
[SYSTEM INITIALIZING…]
[3…2…1…0]
[Welcome, Reincarnator No. 30,012.]
---
I jolted upright in bed.
A screen—floating in midair—glowed in front of my eyes. It looked like a digital interface, complete with golden borders and shifting glyphs. I rubbed my eyes, but it didn't go away.
"Am I dreaming?" I whispered.
---
You may now select one of the following gifts:
1. Dragon Bloodline (Note: You will no longer be Human.)
2. Artifact with an Ancient Celestial
3. Phoenix Bloodline
4. Mind Control
5. Random Job Change (Note: You will gain max talent in whatever job is assigned.)
---
"Is this real?" I muttered.
A voice boomed from the next room.
"Why are you yelling again?" my uncle growled.
"Ah—sorry, Uncle! Just practicing my speech!" I lied.
"Practice being quiet!"
"Yes, sir!"
I turned back to the screen, heart pounding.
This world is full of dangers. I've seen monsters that walk like men. Dragons sleeping beneath lakes. Even clans that can erase entire cities.
My dream was simple: open a bathhouse. Maybe start a clothing brand. Make money, live quietly, and avoid getting dragged into a war.
But if I picked something flashy—like a dragon bloodline—I'd have a giant target on my back. And if anyone found out I'm the son of Elena Loveless?
Game over.
So I picked the safest-sounding option.
Random Job Change.
---
[Randomizing…]
[Calculating Probability Threads…]
[Compatibility Detected…]
[Congratulations. You have become a Mythical Rank Celestial Cultivator.]
---
My jaw dropped.
"What the hell is that?"
---
Celestial Cultivator:
Cultivators are rare across the multiverse. Celestial Cultivators are rarer still. These are beings who walk the line between spirit and god, mastering both body and soul.
Divine Spiritual Root: Converts any form of energy—light, fire, chaos—into pure spiritual essence.
Divine Soul: Capable of soul manipulation, astral projection, and resisting fate itself.
Divine Body: Can evolve beyond mortal limitations. Immune to disease, fatigue, and decay.
---
I blinked.
So much for a quiet life.
But the more I read, the more I realized… this wasn't just some cheat code.
This was destiny.
---
From this day on, my path is set. Whether I like it or not, I've stepped onto a road that could shake the heavens.
I can already hear the gears of fate turning.
And at the center of it all… is me.