After putting out the burning wood chips in his hand and doing a few simple strength tests, Xi Shenlian started to feel a bit curious.
"I wonder what my rank is among the Awakened..."
Even though the general public already knew about the existence of Awakened beings, the detailed information was still tightly controlled and hidden from ordinary folks. Most people only knew the surface-level stuff that was widely spread.
For instance, Awakened individuals were split into several clear tiers of power, so obviously, their talent levels varied too.
At the bottom were the newly awakened, the so-called [Initial Awakening Stage]—basically, newborns just opening their eyes to the world of power.
Above that was the [Mature Stage], meaning the body had fully awakened and developed, kind of like a fully grown adult.
Now, Xi Shenlian hadn't gotten around to doing a proper power check yet, so without a good frame of reference or comparison, he couldn't help but wonder where he stood among the Awakened.
He also found himself curious about what high-level Awakened were really like.
That said, based on the fact that low-level Awakened could still be taken out by modern weapons...
And considering he'd just awakened...
Once his powers stabilized and matured, he figured he'd be a totally different beast.
By then, unless someone brought out high-level military-grade weapons, he'd probably be able to tank or dodge most attacks just fine.
With that in mind...
If he really had decent potential, then this life of his? Definitely a genius script!
He could completely let loose in the future—maybe even build a faction of his own and become some kind of king. After all, many powerful people before him had already caused several world wars.
So with excellent talent, climbing to the top and ruling from above wouldn't be far-fetched. And if he turned a little evil? So what? No one could stop him.
But if his talent turned out to be average or just plain trash...
Then yeah, becoming a king might be out of reach. Maybe he could find some backwater place and become a local warlord instead. But... eh. Too much effort.
Why struggle on your own when you could just use your Awakened identity, a decent family background, and good looks to land yourself in a big organization—and enjoy a life of luxury?
Better yet, how about marrying into a rich and powerful family?
People seriously underestimated the value of being an Awakened.
Just registering with the Japanese government after awakening meant monthly subsidies thirty times the national average income.
Join a big organization? High salary. Fat perks. Cars, houses—delivered to your door.
Right now, even if Xi Shenlian chose to be a brick mover—the dumbest option—he'd still be able to outwork dozens of normal people.
Based on Japan's average monthly salary of 250,000 yen, he'd be pocketing tens of millions a month!
And those ancient aristocratic families?
Many of them actively recruited Awakened individuals to strengthen their bloodlines. As an orphan, Xi Shenlian was basically a perfect candidate!
No background. No strings attached. Totally clean!
"Recruit him now—he's one of us!"
He was the total package—just a bit short of those who'd been groomed since birth.
Any big family would fall over themselves to have him. Even if his talent wasn't top-tier, they'd still say things like: "We really need rare talents like you! We'll treat you like family!"
No exaggeration—Xi Shenlian was a hot commodity on the son-in-law market!
Only one question remained:
Would Xi Shenlian be willing to marry into someone else's family?
Answer: Hell yes!
He wasn't some prideful idiot who'd refuse to eat if he didn't make the meal himself.
Even if the child had to take the woman's last name?
No problem. He picked his name at random anyway—it had no special meaning.
Totally chill!
As for the usual fear of "losing status" after marrying into a rich family?
Please. He's an Awakened.
Whichever organization he joins, there will be Awakened folks backing him.
Even if he joins a government agency, he could get promoted to a comfy desk job right away. Sit around and play games all day, still get paid.
What's there to be afraid of?
Even if he did marry into a powerful family, he'd at least be considered a stakeholder. His voice might not carry all the weight, but it'd definitely carry some.
No one would dare look down on him. His life would be secure and stress-free!
At this point, Xi Shenlian started thinking about more... interesting possibilities.
"Hmm... I'm not that concerned about 'improving bloodlines' and all, but I wonder how many beautiful single women those rich families have... Probably a lot, right? Big families and all... And if I do marry into one, would it be weird if I also marry a few of their attractive relatives...? I mean, helping improve the bloodline is a responsibility..."
As he munched on a peach and thought about the heavy burden he might have to bear in the future...
He stood up straighter.
This man saw a future filled with promise.
No matter how you looked at it—he was destined for success!
As long as he wore the title of "Awakened," whether he was a genius, a normie, or even a loser, the future would still treat him kindly!
There were countless life paths he could take—and all of them led to Rome.
As long as your mindset stays sharp, there are always more solutions than problems!
As for hiding his identity, suppressing his power, and living like an average Joe?
Nah. Xi Shenlian had never considered that nonsense.
He wasn't some self-loathing fool who, after gaining power, would cry out: "No, I just want a normal life!"
Power was for enjoying life.
He could endure hardship—but only if it made sense.
Suffering for no reason? That's just stupid.
It was at that moment—
Just as Xi Shenlian was thinking about what kind of "life script" he had received and what kind of story he should be acting out—
He suddenly heard a sound.
[Ding～]
"Huh?"
A crystal-clear chime echoed in his mind.
And right then, an ominous premonition crept up his spine.
He had a feeling he already knew what this was about.
[Winner in Life System activated: Thank you for using our service!]
In that instant—
Faced with the sudden pop-up and notification ringing in his head—
Xi Shenlian froze in surprise.
Then it hit him:
His life script wasn't "genius" or "trash."
It was a system script.
"Damn, this is actually kind of awesome~"