Alex stood before the floating interface, a transparent display of softly glowing text suspended in the air like a divine scripture.
His silver eyes scanned the four options again, though he'd already made his choice long before now.
[Mathematics]
[Biology]
[Chemistry]
[Physics]
Each one was a doorway to unimaginable knowledge. Each a stepping stone to godhood—or at least, to power that felt close enough.
But only one would be unlocked today.
He reached out, finger trembling slightly—not from fear, but from the weight of the moment—and tapped [Mathematics].
The system chimed.
[You have selected: Mathematics. Deducting 1,000 System Points.]
His phone vibrated violently on the nightstand.
Alex's gaze darted to the device and saw the notification pop up.
Debit Alert – $10,000,000 withdrawn from primary account. New Balance: $283,830.00
His throat tightened. "Jesus Christ…"
He nearly dropped to his knees. It wasn't just a number—it was ten million dollars. Gone. In a flash.
That kind of money could buy penthouses, private jets, full-blown political campaigns. But it went just like that.
Even though he knew it was coming, even though he had prepared for it mentally… seeing it vanish still felt like a truck slammed into his chest.
His palms were sweaty. His heart hammered in his ribs like a frantic prisoner. His stomach twisted in knots.
Still, he forced a breath and smiled grimly.
"This… is the price," he muttered. "For my freedom."
He shook off the tremors and turned back to the System screen. The glowing [Mathematics] icon was no longer an option—it had expanded, unfolding like a golden lotus to reveal what lay beneath.
And what lay beneath? Was vast.
A list of primary branches appeared, scrolling smoothly in midair.
[Pure Mathematics]
[Applied Mathematics]
[Computational Mathematics]
[Financial Mathematics]
[Statistical Mathematics]
[Discrete Mathematics]
[Mathematical Physics]
[Geometric Mathematics]
[Theoretical Computer Mathematics]
[Artificial Intelligence Mathematics]
[Chaos Theory & Nonlinear Dynamics]
[Mathematics of Information]
[Advanced Predictive Mathematics]
[Futuristic Theoretical Mathematics]
Alex's eyes widened with awe. Each branch sounded like an entire universe. An empire of logic, structure, and predictive force.
He tapped on [Pure Mathematics] out of curiosity, and the system instantly expanded the node.
[This branch covers fundamental mathematical theories—algebra, number theory, topology, real and complex analysis, group theory, and more. It is the foundation of all logic, proof systems, and advanced computation.]
The system then gave him a message:
[To view a description for any knowledge tier, simply tap. This will be your method for exploring all future knowledge hierarchies.]
Alex nodded, already digesting that mentally.
"Tap to expand. Got it."
He spent the next few minutes scrolling through and reviewing the summaries of each primary branch.
Some were fascinating, others were beyond him, and a few were clearly meant for long-term use.
But when he reached [Financial Mathematics], his instincts stopped him cold.
He tapped.
[This branch focuses on mathematical techniques and predictive frameworks used in financial markets, algorithmic trading, derivatives modeling, quantitative forecasting, risk mitigation, and digital asset management. With sufficient understanding, the user can design predictive models that outperform traditional AI trading bots and operate passively across global markets in real time.]
Alex's eyes lit up.
That was it. That was the key.
"AFK money farming... in real life," he muttered with a grin.
He imagined it: a model that made money while he slept, traded stocks with better instincts than Wall Street analysts, navigated risk in real time.
It wouldn't just support him—it would scale. He could grow it into a hedge fund, license the technology, or build a new financial empire—without ever needing a family name again.
"I don't need investors. I don't need allies. I need leverage," he whispered.
He didn't hesitate.
[You have chosen to use your Starter Pack on the primary branch: Financial Mathematics.]
[All specialized knowledge under this branch is now freely available.]
The screen shimmered again as new entries unfolded beneath [Financial Mathematics].
Alex nearly gasped at the scope:
[Quantitative Trading Strategies]
[Derivatives Pricing and Hedging]
[Stochastic Calculus for Finance]
[Portfolio Optimization Techniques]
[Risk Management and VaR Modeling]
[Financial Forecasting Models]
[Monte Carlo Simulation Methods]
[Options and Futures Analytics]
[Interest Rate Modeling]
[Asset Pricing Theory]
[Black-Scholes and Beyond]
[Financial Time Series Analysis]
[Behavioral Finance Mathematics]
[Market Microstructure Analysis]
[Algorithmic Trading Systems Design]
[High-Frequency Trading Models]
[Game Theory in Financial Markets]
[Credit Risk Modeling]
[Insurance Mathematics]
[Cryptocurrency and Digital Asset Modeling]
Alex's jaw dropped. The list felt endless, even though it wasn't. And each term was more complex and advanced than the last, yet oddly familiar.
These were the fields that hedge funds like Renaissance Technologies, Citadel, and Two Sigma used to dominate global markets. And now he has these knowledge in these fields and beyond in his possession.
He asked the system a simple question:
"How do I absorb them?"
[Think of the knowledge you desire, and it will be transferred directly into your brain.]
Alex blinked. "Seriously? That simple?"
[However, be advised: absorbing multiple specialized knowledge fields at once will result in severe neurological stress and you will fall unconscious.]
[Pain levels will be high. Risk of unconsciousness: 98.4%.]
He asked another question:
"Which is faster—one at a time or all at once?"
[All at once is 84.3% faster.]
Alex smiled grimly.
"Pain or not… we're going all in."
He moved to the bed, laid down flat on his back, and pulled the blankets over his chest. He took a deep breath, bracing himself.
[Confirm transfer of all specialized knowledge under: Financial Mathematics?]
[Y/N]
He tapped Yes.
The moment his finger hit the virtual button, the world changed.
A blast of raw data slammed into his skull.
It was like someone had torn open the doors of reality and forced every financial equation, theory, and model ever created into his mind—compressed into a stream of pure burning light.
He arched off the bed as his body seized. His eyes rolled back. His lips parted in a silent scream.
It felt like his brain was melting and expanding at the same time. Like needles of lightning dancing across every neuron.
The world blurred. His consciousness slipped and everything went black.