For what felt like the millionth time, I was somewhere else.
I was getting used to the transition, so I was not surprised to see Hydrox or the weirdness of the store. Hydrox greeted me with a wave.
"Greetings, Luke Human. How may I help you today?"
"Hey, Hydrox, Luke is fine, I’m here for the AI. Is it ready?"
"Indeed, it is Luke, or should I address you as Primus Luke?
"No" what the hell? I was 20 and not ready for that responsibility. "Luke is good. Look, I am in a bit of a hurry. Will this take long?"
"Not at all. It will take some time to calibrate for you. Remember how you treat the AI will reflect on its personality and how it treats you. I suggest being kind and friendly. That always works well. Some people like colder, more standoffish AI, but each to their own. Ready? Installing an AI is normally done at a much younger age. You get to set some basic parameters and think carefully. The younger the AI, the better; they grow with you and become more useful. A good point is to remember that you are mainly responsible for the AI and its personality development. It is tough to remove or change. They are sentient beings and need to be nurtured, and there are some strong Karmic Penalties for AI Abuse. Here. Anywhere is fine."
I got handed another injector, which was slimline and had weird glyphs on the side.
I used it on my arm.
AI installation
...
...
...
...
Installation complete.
Recompile required.
The required time to recompile is four days.
Crap. I should have guessed.
I also went over all the other implants and upgrades. Hydrox was not impressed, but it or she didn’t stop me.
"Oh well, thanks – four days! I had better get going. I’ll see you when I get back."
Was that four days here or four days out? Crap, no wonder Tasar was half-batshit crazy.
"You too, Luke. Be well"
I exited the store, returning to the room I was living in now.
"Ready"
"Good, activating collar", he said as he pressed something on his tablet.
Incarceration Collar Tier 1. All stats are set to 5.
All skills are set to Tier 1.
All non-implant skills are disabled.
All nearby System-sanctioned law enforcement officers were notified of your presence.
The punishment pain threshold is set to 1 (Moderate).
Humble Divine Paranoid:
LOG: Modified Incarceration Collar detected.
LOG: Rebooting subsystems. All skills reset to the original Tier.
LOG: All skills re-enabled.
LOG: Warning: Cannot override core stat settings
LOG: Stats set to 5. Health, Mana, and Energy are capped at 100.
LOG: Sending log file for analysis. Fix pending update.
LOG: All skills will report locked to system probes.
LOG: Do you wish to enact extraction protocols? Y/N
My god. I felt sluggish and slower.
No. No!
LOG: Do you wish to remove the failsafe and overclock your nanites?
LOG: It is not recommended unless in a life-and-death situation. Y/N?
As cool as that sounded
No. No!
LOG: Do you wish to attempt to hack the collar? Y/N?
I thought about that one. But I ultimately decided against it. I’d see this out without cheating the already cheating.
No.
Stats Summary
Stats
Luke Hammond EARTH HUMAN Tier 5 Level 1 No Class. Body: 5 Mind: 5 Spirit: 5 Karma: 5 HP: 100 MP: 100 EP: 100
I could see why Tiers were essential. Even now with low stats, well, at 5, they were lower than my Tier 2 stats, I assumed they were low. I felt that my health and mana were relatively high for my level. I wondered what my stats were like compared to Earth's Human average. I could not comment as I had no idea what average stats were, and I had gamed the system so far. I didn’t mind. If I were playing this as a game, I’d love to be OP.
"Excellent. Turn your notifications off, and let’s go."
"How?"
"Hmm, I keep forgetting. You are new to this. "
"And only 20."
"Yes, so you keep saying. Age is irrelevant. You are already temporally and biologically older than your straight chronological time. Just think of notifications, and the options will come up. Just select Urgent, level and quest notifications."
I followed his instructions, which was much easier than it sounded, or I was getting better at using the unintuitive HUD.
Tasar led me out the door and outside.
We went from a nice, upmarket, bright room into a fenced clearing in a cool, dimly lit forest.
This was the first time I had been outside the room. And crap. Of course, we were in a forest. I really hated woods. I grew up in towns and cities and have never been fond of nature. I had been camping a few times but didn’t like being dirty. You got dirty in forests. You would think that growing up in North Queensland would be a bit more of an outdoors person, but I wasn’t.
Tasar shoved me in the back and pushed me off the porch, "Off you go! See you in a week."
Looking back, I saw that we had been inside an old cottage. It was similar to what I expected from my first arrival. The outside was crude and looked a perfect fit in this forest, well, any forest.
Tutorial Quest Received: Investigate the forest.
Difficulty: Easy Time Frame: None
The reward for success: 10 XP.
Follow the path and discover what lives in the forest.
I smiled. It was something pretty easy and basic to do. I noticed the path that led into the forest. Looking at Tasar, he smiled, "Hurry up and get going. See you in a week, ten days max, at level 9", as he entered the cottage, where I could still see the luxury.
He shut the door.
A small gate was at the end of a path leading into the forest. I opened the gate, which creaked and then walked down the path towards the forest.
This was exciting - I would soon get my first experience points and start levelling. It would be neat to get stuff I had earned rather than lucked into, not that I would ever complain about handouts and free stuff.
Within moments, I remembered why I'm not too fond of forests. Bugs. Animals, Spiders. Animals, Bugs. Crashing noise. Dirt. Roots that trip you. Trees. Dirt. Bugs.
Yep, I hated forests.
I had walked less than one hundred meters when the collar started beeping.
BEEP
The Incarceration Collar has exceeded the maximum range from the base unit. All nearby System-sanctioned law enforcement officers were notified of an escaped fugitive. Auto Bounty set. Return to your place of Incarceration to remove the bounty. Bounty increases with delay. Potentially lethal responses to tampering enabled. Tracking module deployed.
BEEP.
Every ten minutes.
BEEP.
Return to your place of Incarceration to reduce and or remove bounty. System-sanctioned law enforcement officers have been notified.
I started following the forest path. Other than the stupid collar, it was remarkable for the first twenty minutes. As much as I hated forests, I was not immune to the peace and tranquillity of nature, broken only by the collar.
I was going to kill Tasar when I got back.
I was walking through a forest, which I would never do by choice, trying to make the most of it, and the collar kept beeping. It would be too bad if I wanted to sneak or spy on something. Everything within 100 meters of me knew I was nearby. Even so, it was peaceful, and l did enjoy the experience. Everything was new. It was full of things I had not seen before and many bugs.
I stopped to look at mushrooms now and then until one exploded in a puff of whatever mushrooms had – spores or something. I choked through the spore cloud.
Sporebane Toxin: -2 hp per minute for 5 minutes. Induces Mild Hallucinations.
I stopped and waited that out.
Mushrooms were added to my list of things to learn about so I could avoid them in the future. Maybe I will ask a professor when I am back to uni. Perhaps I'd talk to Mike about them, he was a fungi. I smirked.
That, at least, made me laugh a little. Yeah, uni. No more uni for me. That was positive and almost made up for the bugs. Not that I minded Uni, just that there was no end plan or goal, so I had been killing time learning interesting things.
Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.
My first creek crossing was pleasant. The path led down a shallow incline and through an equally shallow creek, which I could quickly jump over. I decided to have a rest, so I sat and watched some fish for a bit. Small ones. My hunter-gathering instincts kicked in, and I thought about catching one but realised they were too small to eat. What would I do with a fish anyway?
Could I keep a fish in my inventory? I wasn’t hungry and didn’t want to experiment with live animals, even if they were small fish. The forest had bought out my primal survival instincts, and I was going full hunting and gathering. Still, I overcame my baser animal instincts and decided to let the small fish live.
The second creek was not so lovely. I had to get my shoes wet, and walking in wet shoes was not cool. Then, I remembered that I was still wearing my, I guess you would call them earth clothes, the stuff I had put on after shopping with Sarah. I had never really changed since I got to the tutorial or wherever I was. It felt gross, but I didn’t smell it, so I guess it was ok. Except for the wet shoes. And what seemed like three-day-old underwear.
I decided to deal with that later. I was not in a good head space with the boring forest path and the continual beeping.
I wandered along the path. I didn’t really know what I was doing.
The Quest was vague:
Follow the path and discover what lives in the forest.
Walking in a forest, in some simulation, to train some skills and complete some random quest to follow a path. I followed the trail, and all I discovered that lived in the forest were fish, bugs and mushrooms that attacked you.
Where was my 10 XP?
I had grabbed a stick from beside the path and was using that to poke things as I walked along, trying to avoid further clouds of mushroom spores.
Soon, though, I was really bored; it took another half an hour and three more beeps before I was ready to call it quits.
BEEP.
Return to your place of Incarceration to reduce and or remove bounty. System-sanctioned law enforcement officers have been notified.
It was not like I could not be alone, but it was quiet, peaceful and dull. Where were the things to kill? Where were the epic quests? I was supposed to be training, but this was walking in a boring, annoying forest. I was bored and annoyed, and the stupid collar was starting to really piss me off.
I couldn’t check my stats or other quests. I had turned off all notifications and non-essential HUD modules with that foolish promise to Tasar. For some reason, I felt strongly that I would not cheat, ironically, when I was already cheating.
I was happy that the paranoid app, skill or whatever seemed to bypass some of the worse restrictions of the collar. Maybe I could use that to investigate things.
I found a shaded spot with a log, so I sat on the nice log in the shade and pulled up my diminished HUD.
Luke Hammond Earth Human (Beta) Tier: 5 Level: 1 None.
That was all I could see. Everything else was disabled. My race would become Earth Human when they got out of Beta testing and upgraded my interface. The fact that the system was using me for beta testing - worried me a bit. I would expect things to be a bit more polished. I didn’t mind beta testing software, but this was more wetware, playing with my biology. Eventually, I found another setting for the paranoid app, which was indeed paranoid. A manual would be handy. I had no idea if there was a help file, as I could not access it at the moment.
If I had been raised in the Empire, I would know most of this stuff, and I didn’t have access to standard sales reps. Hydrox seemed nice, but I could not see her being a rep for a billion different organisations and companies, or maybe she could be. If only I could read the manual – RTFM, that was what one of my programming professors kept saying. Read the Fuckin Manual. I must have been bored. I made a note to ensure I get instruction books with all future skills. It would help if I had a trainer who was not half insane.
I eventually found the link, and I liked how the Paranoid skill information was hidden and linked to a tiny section of my name that I had to focus on, the section just before my race indicator. It popped a new window in my HUD.
I had to laugh. I don’t think I would have read the book anyway. I was more of a jump right in and see how it goes, work it out and try not to make mistakes. It has worked for me so far. Right? I vowed to become more of a planner and take time to learn. Who was I kidding? I sighed. I probably would not have listened too much to Tasar, as half of what he said was self-serving and crazy talk. I had ignored Julie's history tablet, too, so I could not complain too much. Despite my misgivings about him, some of what Tasar said sounded legit.
Still, I concentrated on the Paranoid link.
Humble Divine Stealth Package: Paranoid.
This package ultimately protects your privacy, security, and well-being. Useful for bypassing blocks, locks, and obstacles. Prerequisite of at least 2 Humble Divine Skills or packages at Tier 4 or higher to be fully paid and active. Once active, it logs all incoming, outgoing, and internal system, Empire and other interactions with the system, agents of the system, endorsed programs or other entities. You may pause, block, or enable connections. At many stages, there are options to investigate and modify hidden or different system settings, which are adaptive. A complete list of available options can be found at our sales office.**
This module has an introductory and complimentary I’m in serious trouble extraction package. You can be extracted from anywhere by our professional on-call extraction team. No questions asked, and you will be delivered to a destination of your choice, with a default safe destination chosen if you are incapacitated. No situation is too dangerous. Other uses after first use are billed at market rates, subject to credit checks and legal counsel.
Failsafe override
Overclock your nanites for an instant burst of superpower. You are guaranteed 10-20 seconds of intense extra super zing in a moment of distress. If you are still going at the end of that, be careful - you will drop and need to rejuvenate. This is not recommended unless it is a life-and-death situation. It may have side effects.
LOG: Do you wish to see the current available hidden settings? Make sure you have read the appropriate warnings and disclaimers before proceeding. Y/N?
I was bored alone in a forest on a stupid path, with wet shoes and some hidden settings. Of course, I looked at them.
Yes.
The intense pain was more of a pressure build-up behind my eyes rather than severe pain. I could almost feel things coming loose and rattling around in my HUD and in my brain. I am sure I would have been better informed if I had not turned off notifications. As it was, I just managed to comprehend several warnings and errors from the Paranoid App.
SYSTEM: WARNING: Editing Core Nanite Code Violation.
LOG: Unable to override Class.
LOG: Unable to override Quest Received: ?????? Save me soon.
LOG: Unable to override skills
LOG: Upgrade to override. LOG: Upgrade unavailable
LOG: Auto Contact support office for a consultation.
LOG: Warning: The system is attempting to shut down the module.
LOG: Sending logs to Humble Divine.
LOG: Remote Restart initiated.
SYSTEM: Karma Penalty approved.
That was all the warning I got before I was knocked forward off my feet by something smashing into me from behind.
I would love to think that some of my expensive freaking skills kicked in, and I rolled and landed nicely using Leet Parkour, shooting lasers with Eyes of Fury at whatever knocked me over as I sailed through the air.
It was pretty sad, as the reality was different to my dreams.
I smashed forward and had my face bashed into the dirt, pulverising my nose into the ground as something heavy ripped into my back. Whatever was on my back felt like it was shredding into me with razor-sharp claws. I could feel the wetness of what I assumed was my blood. I may have peed myself, too. Not my proudest moment. Whatever it was, it was making an awful racket.
Struggling up, I realised that the noise was me screaming.
Fuck. I needed to work on my outer tough guy to match up with my inner tough guy. I’d have to look for a manly scream skill. But how do you practice having your back mauled by something in a surprise sneak attack and not screaming like a girl?
For once, I was glad I was alone in the woods. I was having a panic attack alone in the woods. Something was trying to eat me. I was a 20-year-old young man trying to work out how to survive in a strange new world that seemed like some game. The last few days had been super exciting and cool, but something bit my ear off.
Fuck Amy and her stupid CEO Noah Elias-Willingham the fucking third.
Crap, Crap, Crap. Shit.
I had never really been a fighter, I would much rather talk my way out of a situation or as a last resort run away. I was not afraid of the pain of being hit, I was not naturally aggressive, and although I could be competitive, I did not need to dominate others. As a result, I was not a large, well-built 20-year-old. I was reasonably fit and had broad shoulders and a longish, trim body. Whatever was shredding me had to have over twenty kilos of weight on me. I was thrashing around, trying to get it off me and not to keep bashing my smashed nose back into the ground. I was breathing in through my mouth and trying not to get blood in it.
Whatever it was, it was just clawing and biting me. After what seemed an eternity, and I am sure it was less than five seconds, I did manage to roll over and get it off me.
Big mistake!
Now I could see it. And now my shredded back was being smashed into the ground, and the creature proceeded to rip into my stomach and already damaged face. All I saw were fangs, claws, and evil red eyes. Everything else was just a jumble of snarling black fur, teeth and claws slashing, snapping, and biting at me. The breath was dog-eating cat-shit mixed with fish breath. Trying hard not to gag, my hazy recollection of the beast was a cross between a cat and an even bigger giant devil cat. The beast latched onto my left forearm. It was shaking its head from side to side, and my forearm was nearly ripped off. I screamed. I watched it shred my stomach with its powerful hind legs. My less-than-manly whimpers echoed in my ears.
Tears of pain blurred my vision as the hell beast savaged my prone body.
Even the bullies from school had never hurt me this badly.
Finally, in my panic, I realised I had spent nearly 40 million credits on skills. I had little idea how to use them, but it seemed the best time to learn on the fly while your face and arms were being chewed and clawed off. With blind panic, I remembered Hydrox saying that you didn’t need to speak to use the skill, but it helped focus your thoughts.
I didn’t speak the words, and I screamed them, "EYES OF FURY!" I screamed loudly and stared at the cat creature before it could pop my eyeballs with its claws. Just as I was starting to panic more, if that was even possible at this stage, and thinking nothing was going to happen, my vision went white for a split second. The creature’s head exploded all over me.
Some text floated across my HUD.
DEFEATED: Minor Fickle Grimclaw (Chaos, Tier 2)
Experience Awarded: 40 x 100% contribution bonus: 40 experience.
System Credits Awarded: 10 credits x 100% contribution bonus.
SYSTEM: 10 Cr. Credits returned due to fugitive nature.
Karma is Awarded for defeating the agent of chaos.
What was a minor fickle Grimclaw? Did they come in major or non-fickle? Not sure I wanted to find out.
Title Awarded: Monster Slayer.
First in the realm to defeat an agent of chaos singlehandedly.
+1 to all stats.
Nice. I only had to die to get a title. I prefer to have everything handed to me without almost breaking myself. However, it was nice actually to earn one.
Quest Updated
Quest Completed: Investigate the forest.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Frame: None
The reward for success: 10 XP.
Follow the path and discover what lives in the forest.
Minor Fickle Grimclaw live in the forest.
Awarded: 10 experience
Loot defeated foe.
Hidden Tutorial Quest Complete: Engage in Combat.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Frame: None
The reward for success: Common Dagger.
Tutorial Quest Received: Collect a Chaos Bounty (1)
Difficulty: Easy
Time Frame: None
The reward for success: credits, experience, and renown.
Collect a Tier 1 or higher Chaos trophy.
Redeem for bounty reward at any Outpost System Store.
LEVEL UP Deferred. See System Store Admin.
I ignored the notifications for now as my foggy thoughts became more coherent.
I saw the prompt, which had obviously been flashing for some time.
LOOT! I was in a game! This was the kind of dream I had. Maybe I could be a hero and help people. Perhaps I could be a supervillain. That would be cool until heroes came and hunted you. Perhaps I could hunt supervillains. I could be a fantastic hero with fans and bards singing songs about me. Ha. Maybe I’d get rich and live in luxury. Things were looking up.
I passed out from shock and blood loss as the adrenaline wore off.
The prompt was still there.
Do you wish to loot this defeated foe, Y/N?
Yes! God Yes! Loot.
We have designated personal inventory as the default looting target.
1 Tier 2 Chaos Trophy added to your inventory.
3 Common Minor Fickle Grimclaw claws were added to your inventory.
1 Common Minor Fickle Grimclaw pelt added to your inventory.
3 Common Minor Fickle Grimclaw steaks were added to your inventory.
LOG: Do you wish to save the battle recording to your personal storage Y/N?
Yes. Wait No! I don’t want anyone to see that fight ever!