Conrad opened his eyes in his room, still lying on the bed. For a moment, it felt like he had been beaten to death.
The sensation slowly faded, leaving behind only the memory of that overwhelming pain.
He gulped, then glanced around his room. His eyes shifted to his hand.
"I never realized... I was a blind man before," he muttered with a smirk of surprise.
His senses, his body—everything felt different.
It wasn't like he'd gained physical strength, but something deeper had changed.
This was the effect of a Conceptual Awakening.
It had opened his soul. His body now radiated a subtle, powerful energy.
He felt more receptive—like a highly elevated human standing on the threshold of something vast.
As he tried to adjust to this new state of being, the Admin's voice returned, and a glowing panel manifested in front of him.
"Trial-Taker Conrad Arilt, you will now receive information about the Concept System."
"Please listen carefully. This information will not be repeated. It includes essential rules."
— Concepts —
"Concepts," as the name suggests, are thoughts, ideas, or principles that any thinking lifeform can generate. They are infinite in number and cover every form of existence and non-existence imaginable.
Conrad nodded, focusing. He had questions, but he didn't want to miss anything by asking prematurely.
"Trial-takers become Conceptors once they fully awaken and choose their first Concept."
"A Conceptor may choose any word, idea, or thought as their Concept. When their understanding of that Concept reaches a certain threshold, they receive a Title associated with it."
"Each Title grants two passive and two active abilities. These abilities align with the chosen Concept and its Title, and determine the individual's current Life Level. Most Titles start at Level 1."
Example A
Concept: Fire
Title: Arsonist (Level 1)
Passive Abilities:
Fire Resistance: 30%
Fire Sensing: 300-meter radius
Active Abilities:
Fireman – Conjures a cloak of flame around the user that burns everything within a five-meter radius. Lasts ten minutes. Can be used three times per 24 Earth hours.
Firemark – By touching a solid surface or a living being and whispering "Firemark," the user causes fire to ignite and damage the marked area.
"Any questions?"
Conrad returned to full awareness. He was impressed with what he'd heard so far.
"Can an individual have more than one Concept? And how is Concept progression measured for multiple Concepts?"
The Admin paused for three seconds before answering.
Conrad caught the delay—it wasn't just processing time.
It suggested the Admin wasn't a mere AI or emotionless entity.
He made a mental note of that.
"All individuals possess access to infinite Concepts. However, a person may hold only one active Title per Concept. Attempting to manage more than one or two Concepts is highly risky—each chosen Concept splits the soul further."
"Most Conceptors choose only one Concept. Only one percent of all Conceptors have ever chosen two. None in recorded history have chosen three."
"The rate of Concept progression depends on how powerful, vague, or broad the Concept is."
Example B
Conceptor V: Chose "Sword" as a Concept
Conceptor X: Chose "Time" as a Concept
"At first glance, most people would agree that 'Time' is a broader and more powerful Concept than 'Sword.' Therefore, 0.001% progress in 'Time' would be equal to 10% progress in 'Sword.'"
Conrad took a deep breath, touching his chin thoughtfully before asking his next question.
"So, I assume Conceptor V would be stronger than Conceptor X—even though X chose the more powerful concept?"
The Admin responded without hesitation.
"Yes."
"Titles are earned through Concept progress. Every Concept requires a different percentage for the first Title. 'Sword,' being a popular and grounded Concept, awards a Title at 1%."
"However, the Concept of 'Time'—a vast, rare, and abstract Concept tied to the laws of reality and the universe—also requires 1% for a Title, but that 1% is exponentially harder to reach."
Conrad smirked and nodded. He already understood the difference, but the Admin explained anyway.
"Reaching 1% in the Concept of 'Time' and earning a Title would be a billion times harder than reaching 1% in something like 'Sword.'"
"However, the rewards are equally extreme. A Conceptor with the Concept 'Time' and a Level 1 Title like 'Time Student' could overpower 10,000 'Sword' Conceptors with Level 1 Titles."
Conrad closed his eyes for a moment, then stood up from his bed and began pacing slowly.
"High risk, high return."
Choosing a massive, abstract Concept could potentially cut down one's early growth—but the long-term gains would be nearly godlike.
He sat back down on the ground, hands resting on his knees.
"What a fucking system," he muttered with awe.