Three days later…
The skies darkened. Thunder rolled across the heavens like the roar of a divine beast, shaking the lands of the Central Planet to its core. The winds howled, the clouds churned, and even the spiritual energy in the air trembled as if it sensed the arrival of something—someone—great.
A storm like this only appeared when a major figure was about to be born. The world knew it.
System Notification:
Ding! Host, wake up.
Within the warm, glowing womb, Jin's consciousness flickered awake. He blinked mentally, his soul still floating between sleep and awareness.
"Was that all a dream?"No… It's time to make it real."
System: Host, it is time for your birth. Please select one of the following destinations:
1: Main Character
2: Villain
3: Side Character
Jin stared at the options in his mind. He didn't answer immediately.
He reflected deeply.
"The life of a protagonist… It's full of suffering, endless enemies, and constant pressure. No freedom. The villain's life is even worse—no happy ending, always crushed in the end. But the side character? They get to grow silently, survive, and sometimes surpass both."
Without hesitation, he made his choice.
Jin: "Number three. I choose to be a side character."
System Notification: Side Character Route selected.Note: No protagonist aura granted. Fate path will remain hidden from the world.
Meanwhile, outside the womb, Jin's mother screamed in labor. The healers rushed to her side. Glowing runes circled the birthing altar, and magical energy surged with every contraction.
System Notification: Initiating birth sequence...
Quote of the Day: "Even a side character can become the strongest, if given the right tools."
System Reward: Granted upon Birth:
Auto-Cultivate (Passive)
Circle Cultivation (Active)
A Random Earth System (Merged)
Jin: "System, show me the reward descriptions."
System.
1: Auto-Cultivate (Passive): You gain cultivation experience with every breath. No need to manually meditate.
2. Circle Cultivation (Active): Creates a 10-meter cultivation field. Allies within the circle gain 5x cultivation speed. You gain 10x speed.
3. Earth System Memory Merge: A system from your past life will return. Its abilities will fuse with the All-Rounder System.
Jin smiled.
"Now we're talking."
The moment arrived.
Jin's mother let out one final cry, and then—silence.
He was born.
But something strange happened.
There was no light show. No explosion. No divine signs.
Nothing.
Jin (confused): "System… why didn't anything happen? Where's the dramatic entry?"
System: Host, you are a side character. Not the main protagonist or the destined villain. Therefore, no world-changing event was triggered by your birth.
Jin blinked.
"Oh… right."
Outside, the healers were stunned. The child wasn't crying. He just looked around, calm and alert.
His mother stared at him, breathless. "Why… isn't he crying?"
Suddenly—
System Notification: Birth Reward Activated.
Auto-Cultivate: Installed
Circle Cultivate: Installed
Earth Memory System: Merging…
Cultivation Level: Qi Gathering Max → Foundation Establishment Stage 1
The healers gasped.
"What?!"
"He's… he's broken through to Foundation Establishment?!"
"That's impossible! It takes at least fifteen years!"
A faint glow surrounded Jin's body. The spiritual pressure released from him made even veteran cultivators flinch. He had advanced realms just seconds after being born.
System Update: All-Rounder System + Earth Level-Up System: Merging...Version: 1.0 → 2.0... 40%... 80%... 100% Complete
New Function Unlocked: You can now level up and increase stats directly. (Note: This feature does not affect progression in the cultivation realm.)
System Panel – Status
Name: Jin Level: 10
Cultivation: Foundation Establishment – Level 1
Strenth(STR): 5 Agility (AGI): 1
Vital Energy (HP): 10 Magic (MP): 1
Charisma (CHA): 20 Luck (LUK): 6
Intelligence (INT): 10
Unallocated Attribute Points: 50
Jin examined the panel and smirked.
"Looks like this side character is going to cheat the system anyway."
Suddenly, thunder cracked again—louder, fiercer.
The sky split, and golden clouds appeared. Beams of heavenly light shot down upon the Central Continent.
Jin: "Ah, there it is. Finally, something dramatic!"
System: Host… this event is not for you.
Jin: "...what?"
System: Today, another child has been born. One with the Protagonist Fate. That world-shaking storm is for him.
Jin (deadpan): "...Wow. Rude."
Far away, in a poor district near the border of the Central Kingdom, in a broken-down wooden house, a woman screamed in pain. Moments later, she gave birth to a child bathed in light. The heavens themselves blessed him. A divine dragon circled above. A phoenix cried in the sky.
All signs pointed to this newborn as the Chosen One.
The True Protagonist.
Back in the Mage Tower, Jin's parents stared out the window at the divine storm and smiled proudly.
"They're celebrating our son," his mother whispered, exhausted but joyful.
His father, Binas, smirked. "Of course. Who else could stir the heavens?"
Jin internally sighed.
"They think the sky is for me. But it's not. That spotlight belongs to someone else."
"I'm just the side character."
"But maybe… that's not such a bad thing."
System Prompt:
New Quests Available:
1. Rise with Glory :- Objective: Become a prodigy admired by everyone around you. Enjoy the life of recognition, fame, and admiration as you showcase your extraordinary talents.Reward: +10 Charisma, Unlock "Prodigy Aura" (A passive skill that attracts attention and admiration).
2. Watch the Protagonist (Observation Quest)Duration: Ongoing Objective: Track the rise of the one born with Fate. Learn from their steps. Reward: Knowledge Points + Possible Fate Steal Event
3. Cultivate Your Own Path (Mainline Quest)Duration: Lifelong Objective: Blaze your own path without relying on protagonist aura or the villain's arc. Reward: True Autonomy + Unique Ascension Method
Jin's eyes gleamed.
"Perfect. While he shines under the spotlight… I'll build a kingdom in the shadows."
"He'll be a legend."
"I'll be the myth."
5 Years later