The First Step to Power
A translucent screen flickered before Azul's eyes, its faint glow illuminating the darkness of her room.
[Maximizer System]
Host: Azul Valtieri
Rank: Unawakened
Points: 10,000,000
Skills: [None]
Equipment: [None]
System Store: [Available] (Click to open)
Azul's hands clenched into fists, her excitement bubbling over. This was real. The points were real. The system was real. And more importantly—
She wasn't powerless anymore.
Her mind raced through the possibilities. Ten million points. That was a ridiculous sum. If the system worked anything like the ones she had read about in novels, then she could buy skills, weapons, and abilities that would put her leagues ahead of anyone else when the apocalypse hit.
"System, open the store."
[Ding! Opening System Store…]
The translucent panel shifted, expanding into an endless catalog of options. Weapons, skills, cultivation techniques, body enhancements—the list went on. Azul's eyes gleamed as she scrolled through the categories, trying to find what she needed the most.
First priority: Power.
She couldn't afford to waste time. In three months, the world would descend into chaos. By then, she had to be strong enough to protect herself and ensure her survival.
She tapped on the Skills section, eager to see what was available.
[Skills Store]
[Advanced Combat Mastery – 100,000 points] [Enhanced Agility – 150,000 points] [Iron Body Tempering – 1,000,000 points] [Advanced Weapon Proficiency – 3,000,000 points] [Space Lord Ability Awakening – 8,000,000 points] [Click to see more................]
Azul carefully considered her choices. Combat mastery, agility, and a stronger body. These would be necessary even with her newfound space abilities. Raw strength and skill were just as important as special abilities.
"System, purchase Advanced Combat Mastery, Enhanced Agility, and Iron Body Tempering."
[Ding! 100,000 points deducted.] [Ding! 150,000 points deducted.] [Ding! 1,000,000 points deducted.]
A sharp sensation ran through her body. Her muscles tensed as information flooded her brain. Her movements felt sharper, cleaner, as if she had spent years training in battle. Her limbs grew lighter, her reactions quicker, and a new awareness of combat techniques embedded itself into her instincts.
Then, her bones ached, and her muscles burned. A deep, powerful energy coursed through her, strengthening her flesh, and reinforcing her body.
Her once soft frame became firm and resilient, yet not bulky. Instead of exaggerated muscle mass, her form refined itself into a lean, well-defined physique. Her muscles were compact, carrying a hidden strength beneath their smooth contours.
She ran a hand over her arms—her skin was no longer just soft but carried an underlying steel-like resilience. Every movement felt smoother, and more controlled, as though her body had been perfectly calibrated for both speed and endurance.
A deep, powerful energy coursed through her, strengthening her flesh, and reinforcing her body. Iron Body Tempering was taking effect. She clenched her fists, marveling at the sensation. Her body felt denser, yet more agile than ever before.
"This… this is incredible!"
She flexed her fingers, feeling the latent power in her new enhancements. With these foundations in place, she was finally ready for the next step.
Her eyes locked onto one option:
[Space Lord Ability Awakening – 8,000,000 points]
Her pulse quickened. Space abilities were incredibly rare. In her previous life, only one person had ever awakened a B-rank space-related power, and even with such a modest classification, he had risen to global fame. His control over spatial rifts made him nearly untouchable, turning him into a crucial figure in humanity's battle for survival. Even those with S-rank abilities had shown him immense respect.
But this—Space Lord—wasn't a mere B-rank ability.
She tapped on the description.
[Space Lord Ability Awakening]
Tier: SSS+ (Upgradeable)
Cost: 8,000,000 points
Details: Unlocks supreme control over space, granting the ability to create portals, manipulate spatial rifts, and distort reality itself. Future upgrades will require double the previous cost but will exponentially enhance control, efficiency, and power.
Azul's hands trembled. SSS+ tier. The highest known ability ranks in her past life had been SS-rank, and even those were considered the pinnacle of human potential. If SSS+ existed, it meant she had truly stepped beyond the realm of normal limits.
And it was upgradable.
That meant if she ever wanted to push it further—16 million points. Then 32 million. Then 64 million…
An ability with infinite growth.
Her lips curled into a determined smirk.
"If a mere B-rank awakened could become a global legend, then what will I become?"
She didn't hesitate.
"System, purchase Space Lord Awakening."
[Ding! 8,000,000 points deducted. Beginning Awakening…]
A sudden force slammed into her. Azul gasped as an invisible weight pressed down on every cell in her body. The world blurred, her vision filled with swirling distortions of light and shadow. It was as if the very fabric of reality was stretching, folding, warping around her.
She fell to her knees. A crushing sense of infinity flooded her mind—space was not an empty void but an endless ocean, boundless and overwhelming.
For a brief moment, she saw it all.
The tears in reality, the cracks between dimensions, the unseen forces constantly shifting, stretching, pulling at the world.
Then—a pull.
Like a black hole devouring light, something in the abyss reached for her. Azul clenched her fists, forcing herself to endure.
The pressure peaked—then vanished.
[Ding! Space Lord Awakening Complete.]
Azul's eyes snapped open, her body drenched in sweat, but her mind was clearer than ever. The air around her felt different as if the very laws of physics now bent at her command.
She raised a trembling hand—
The space before her rippled.
With a flick of her wrist—
A small tear split open in midair.
A portal.
It was unstable, flickering slightly, but it was real.
A shiver ran down her spine. This was just the initial awakening. If this was what she could do at the base level… then with future upgrades…
Her grip tightened.
A chuckle escaped Azul's lips. "Oh… this is going to be fun."
She turned toward her desk and focused. A second later, space warped—her chair vanished, reappearing two meters to the right. Her smile widened.
"I can move objects too…" she mused. The implications were staggering. Teleportation, object displacement, battlefield control—
The possibilities were limitless.
Her eyes gleamed with determination. This power, combined with the Maximizer System, meant she wouldn't just survive the apocalypse. She would rule it.
For the first time since her return, she felt invincible.
Taking a deep breath, she whispered, "System, show my status."
[Ding! Displaying Updated Status…]
[Maximizer System]
Host: Azul Valtieri
Rank: Awakened (SSS+ Tier)
Points: 750,000
Skills:
[Advanced Combat Mastery] (Active) – Grants instinctual battle awareness, precise strikes, and tactical foresight.
[Enhanced Agility] (Active) – Increases speed, reaction time, and evasive capabilities.
[Iron Body Tempering] (Active) – Strengthens muscles, bones, and skin while maintaining lean flexibility.
[Space Lord Ability – Level 1] (Upgradeable) – Grants control over space-based phenomena, including teleportation and rift creation.
Equipment: [None]
Abilities Unlocked:
[Basic Spatial Rift Control] – Allows the creation of small, controlled portals.
[Enhanced Reflexes] – Improves reaction speed beyond human limits.
[Reinforced Physique] – Increases endurance and physical resilience while maintaining a balanced body structure.
[Instant Maneuver] – Enables rapid bursts of movement in any direction.
[Impact Absorption] – Reduces damage from physical blows by distributing force evenly.
[Dimensional Awareness] – Passively senses spatial distortions and rift anomalies.
Azul's smirk deepened as she reviewed her new status. With these abilities, she had the foundation to dominate the apocalypse. This was just the beginning.