Journey to Become the Zenith

The System That Chose Him

After that, a metallic sound spoke within his head.

Beep. Person found. Conditions satisfied. Engagement starting... one percent... seven... twenty-five... fifty-two... seventy... eighty-eight... ninety-seven... complete.

Victor’s eyes narrowed.

So... it begins.

Motionless he stayed, deep inside the quiet woods, where the shapes of the fallen Red Bears faded slowly into drifting mana fog. Close by, Videl rested without awareness. Sleep held Leon tight, his breath calm and even. Stillness ruled every corner of the clearing.

Inside his mind -

A presence.

(Ding. Welcome, Host.)

A flicker of surprise lifted one of Victor’s brows.

”...System?”

Got it. Name tag: Dominate Heart System

His brow twitched.

”Dominate... Heart?”

(Yes, Host.)

”What does that mean?”

A woman smiles. Her trust builds slowly. Each moment matters more than the last. Success comes through patience, not force. Small gestures open doors. A shared laugh becomes a connection. Kindness earns what money cannot buy. The journey shapes you as much as the outcome

Stillness held his gaze toward the woods. Trees stood without motion under his stare.

”...What.”

That is right, you did hear it properly

Time stretched out, heavy and still.

Fingers crept toward his head as Victor leaned into the pressure. The touch arrived like a quiet echo, deliberate, measured. Each movement stretched thin across the stillness. His hands settled at last where thought begins. Tension pooled under skin, waiting.

”So after conquering continents and killing gods... I finally get a system...”

He exhaled.

”And it’s this kind of system.”

A harem-style helper is what I happen to be

Victor almost laughed.

Of all things.

Even stars laugh sometimes.

”I finally receive a system after two lifetimes of struggle - and it’s a romance system?”

(System: Affirmative.)

His eye twitched.

”Hey, System. Can we change modes?”

(Processing...)

”Give me a battle-type system. A slaughter system. A god-killing system. Anything but this.”

(System: Request denied.)

Teeth pressed together hard. A quiet tension built behind his eyes.

”Not negotiable?”

(System: Not negotiable.)

A small sound came from his mouth as he moved his tongue against his teeth.

”Tch.”

(System: Host appears dissatisfied.)

”Obviously.”

The system explains that winning deep affection from a woman leads to gains in battle strength too. Rewards tied to fighting appear once emotional control is secured. Heartfelt influence brings measurable power ups. Strong attachment unlocks physical advantages. Influence over emotions results in tangible combat perks. Deep connection triggers hidden bonuses in conflict. A bond shaped by dominance feeds back into battlefield capability

Victor paused.

”...You mean this ridiculous system can still make me stronger?”

(System: Correct.)

A small quiet settled over his frustration.

”Why didn’t you say that first?”

Wrong way the host asked it

He sighed.

”Annoying.”

After that, the machine made another sound.

(System: Host, one more function is available.)

Victor’s eyes sharpened.

”What is it?”

Should you want to break the fate tied to this child, help could come from me

Victor stiffened.

”You can interfere with fate?”

(System: Partially.)

His pulse quickened.

”Do it. Now.”

System cannot follow through on request

Victor frowned deeply.

”Why not?”

(System: System is only partially awakened.)

His patience thinned.

”Then why did you even appear now?”

A signal wakes the system. Power flows after checks finish. The host now clears step one. Readiness confirms through internal logs. Activation moves forward without delay

”What criteria?”

(System: Restricted information.)

Into the empty space Victor looked. A stillness held his eyes there.

”...You’re useless.”

(System: Host is advised to maintain emotional stability.)

He laughed dryly.

”Give me one reason not to uninstall you.”

(System: Full awakening will occur on Host’s sixteenth birthday.)

”...Four years from now?”

(System: Correct.)

Victor exhaled sharply.

”Then why tease me now?”

A twist might need early hints to shift where things go. What comes next could depend on small changes made now. Starting differently may lead somewhere else entirely. Paths adjust when tiny updates happen at first

His eyelids dropped shut.

”Meaning?”

A voice inside says it will help when I wake up all the way. Its task is clear - untangle the girl from what gods decided. The moment consciousness fully returns, support begins. Not before. This bond was written long ago by higher hands. Now there’s a chance to break it. Help arrives only once awareness is complete. Freedom hinges on that timing. Not sooner

Victor slowly looked at Videl’s unconscious face.

”...So you really can help her.”

(System: Yes.)

A brief flicker of calm crossed his face.

After that, things kept moving forward.

Still, the Host has to meet daily operational demands

Victor tensed.

”What requirements?”

Start by meeting lots of women. One way is joining groups where people talk often. Some enjoy coffee events. Others find chances at book fairs. A few connect through art shows. Talking helps build closeness over time. Confidence matters but so does listening. Smiles open doors more than words sometimes. Patience wins trust slowly. Each person responds differently. Success comes from trying without force

He nearly choked.

”So I need to build emotional connections as a prerequisite to breaking destiny?”

(System: Correct.)

Fingers scraped slowly over Victor’s skin, tracing downward. A tired sigh followed the motion across his cheek.

”This is troublesome beyond words.”

The host gets a safeguarding gift too

His hand paused.

”What kind?”

A sudden shield appears - total defense set once. It holds firm until broken, then gone forever

A flicker of surprise crossed Victor’s face, his pupils dilating just a touch.

(System: It can block a single fatal attack.)

A flash of gold swept over Victor without warning. His skin lit up like dawn breaking early.

A flash lit across his skin, suddenly gleaming as if dipped in liquid sun. Then it was gone.

A thick warmth pressed close to his spirit, like weight without edges.

(System: Protection granted.)

He felt it.

A shape appears, formed not by hands but by force alone.

”...That’s actually useful.”

(System: We will meet again when conditions are fulfilled.)

”Wait - System - ”

(Silence.)

”Hey.”

Nothing.

”System?”

Wind moves through branches. Leaves tremble without touch. A hush follows each gust. Stillness returns slow.

”...Appears like rain. Disappears like smoke.”

Empty space held Victor’s gaze.

Back then, he kept several wives and partners - yet none came from love, only from impulse, status, the pull of wanting more. A quiet heart wasn’t part of it.

Not once did love enter the picture.

Fate had shifted its mind without warning.

Real bonds.

Real attachment.

He frowned.

”This is going to be complicated.”

His head moved side to side.

”For now, survival comes first.”

Turning his gaze, Victor faced Leon alongside Videl. Then he stood still, eyes locking onto both.

Falling deep in sleep, both remained unaware of anything around them.

A silence came between them as he moved to stand next to Videl. Her eyes stayed forward while his gaze lowered toward her.

A small grin appeared on his mouth.

”...Looks like I didn’t lose you after all.”

Firmness settled into his eyes, a quiet strength taking hold.

”When this system fully awakens, I’ll tear apart the chains the gods placed on you.”

His legs folded beneath him as mana flowed back into his body, filling the empty spaces left by earlier use.

Footsteps faded between the trees. Stillness crept back through the underbrush. Birds held their breath. Shadows stretched without sound.

Beyond the sky’s watch -

Fate took a stumble that morning, something new tugging at its edges.