Ash settled down into his favorite plush chair, the firelight casting flickering shadows across the room as he sipped on a wonderful glass of brandy. He had been busy for the last three days. Every integration was important, but this one? This one was crucial. It had to be perfect. One tiny slip-up, and his family would have noticed the extra AI he’d slipped into the system. Bev was his masterpiece, his magnum opus— a creation built from the ground up to align with the Root’s rules and regulations, but with a twist. A twist that could unravel everything.
The room around him was a testament to the Mortanre family’s legacy. Ornate walls were adorned with intricate murals depicting their escapades across the stars— grand battles, cosmic conquests, and the occasional family picnic on a dying planet. The air was thick with the scent of aged wood and the faint, metallic tang of the source. It was a sanctuary, a place where history and comfort intertwined to create an atmosphere that was both timeless and richly imaginative.
And gods, it pissed him off.
The opulence, the grandeur, the sheer audacity of it all— it was a constant reminder of the life he’d been forced into. Trapped in the body of an eight-year-old boy for millennia, he’d had to endure the patronizing smiles and condescending pats on the head from his family. But no more.
Ash smirked as he swirled the brandy in his glass. Bev was the key to his revenge. He’d spent millennia gathering the resources required, hiring the most brilliant scientists in their respective fields, and, of course, disposing of them once their work was done. Loose ends had no place in his planes.
His father would rue the day he trapped him in this diminutive form: an eight-year-old boy, millennia as an eight-year-old boy! The old man thought it was a fitting punishment for Ash’s youthful rebellion, but he’d underestimated his grandson’s patience—and his spite. Nothing would stop his plan now; all he had to do was wait. In a few years, all of the Cracked Kingdoms would be unrecognizable.
A knock came at his door. Ash lazily jumped to his feet, slipping his tiny toes into a pair of comfy slippers. Walking toward the door, he couldn’t keep the smile from spreading across his face.
These were truly going to be a Games to remember.
—
[49:15:52]
Buck awoke the following morning, his back surprisingly not stiff from sleeping on a pile of dirt and rocks. He checked his timer. He had slept straight through the night and into the morning, a solid 8 hours. Pre-integration Buck would’ve killed for this kind of rest.
Yet somehow, regardless of where he slept, he’d never felt better. His body felt refreshed, his mind clear, and he’d even awoken with a newfound sense of purpose. The last three days had been a whirlwind of chaos: from becoming the human equivalent of a cheese grater to now the de facto Ruler of a Kingdom. Sure, his “Kingdom” consisted of just one hamster infested sepulcher and a couple really fancy graves, but hey— a Kingdom was a Kingdom, right?
Evander had told him to get out there and start exploring what skills Bev had provided. This implied that each AI was allowed to decide how hard— or easy— it was for the citizens of his Kingdom to level up. Based on the last three days of “lucky” events, Buck had a sinking feeling that his version of “getting stronger” would be more like “getting tortured.”
As he set out toward the eastern edge of his Kingdom, something Evander had said the day before nagged at him. That demented little hamster had casually dropped the bombshell: “You need to kill.”
Buck had grown up hunting and fishing with his family, and had become quite proficient at it. But, this wasn’t about putting food on the table anymore. The whole world had been pulled into this twisted game, and while Buck hadn’t run into another living human yet, he knew it was only a matter of time. The fact that he hadn’t encountered anyone was probably largely because he had been visiting his fathers grave, which of course was in the middle of nowhere in the dead of night when it had happened.
He couldn’t stop imagining what it would've been like if he’d been at home with his wife. Would the AI have forced him to battle it out with everyone around him to claim the title of Ruler? The thought made him sick. Man against man, all for the pleasure of the viewers at home. This was now the world he lived in.
Currently, one thing was helpfully distracting him from the ever-present dread gnawing at his mind: hunger. By the gods, he was starving. It had been three days since he’d eaten even a morsel of food. The fact that he was even alive was a miracle. Obviously his new advanced attributes were keeping him alive. But the concept of not eating for three days and still being able to walk around like nothing was wrong? That was baffling.
Buck needed to whittle down all his preconceived notions about reality, slowly adapting to the new one he found himself in. But first, he needed to find some grub. His stomach felt like it was staging a full-blown mutiny.
“What are the chances the Root had hidden a fast food joint out in the woods?” he wondered “A fantasy double-baconator would really hit the spot right now”
[Congratulations! Your Walking Skill has Increased to 1]
[Walking] (Basic - Exploration)
Level 1
In the expansive worlds of the Cracked Kingdoms many a Citizen finds him or herself in need of transportation. Be it plane, train or automobile— maybe even a quantum entanglement tunnel if you're feeling ballsy— everyone needs to get from point A to B. You however, don’t have any of those things because you’re a penniless buffoon. Guess you gotta use your feet. Loser.
Buck jerked to a halt. He had been so deep in thought that he’d reacted to the new prompt like it was a jump scare.
“Walking? Walking is a skill now?” Buck muttered. “What's next? Blinking? Existential dread?”
[Congratulations! Your Breathing Skill has Increased to 1]
[Breathing] (Basic - Exploration)
Level 1
Just take a nice breath in. Exhale that breath. Just allow yourself to relax more and more. Not too much though. You are standing in the middle of a newly evolved forest. There is always the chance of some new creepy crawly to jump out and take a bite out of your neck. Now, let that wonderful feeling of mental and physical relaxation spread throughout your body. Relax.
“Oh, come on—” Buck snapped, swatting at the holographic text as if it were a mosquito.
This was getting out of hand. He guessed it was a good thing; the more skills he had, the faster he could level up. However, wouldn’t everyone in his Kingdom also receive these skills? This worried him. Most video games started with players fighting low-level creatures. This provided a way to get used to the controls, figure out how the game worked, and, most importantly, learn how not to get killed. Was the ease of leveling up a good thing if everyone had access to it? Jesus, was the AI just providing skills as Buck thought of them? Could Bev read his mind?
[Congratulations! Your Thinking Skill has Increased to 1. Just Kidding! Not Everything is a Skill. But Yes. I Can Read Your Mind]
“Yikes.” Buck hissed, freezing mid-step.
That changed things. If Bev could eavesdrop on his brain, how was he supposed to stay on her good side? Buck’s stomach grumbled once again, louder and more deranged. Priorities. Food first, existential crisis later.
He trudged onward, scanning the mutated forest for anything edible. He knew there was a chance of finding some chokecherries growing on small trees in the woods of Wyoming, but even finding trees of the right size became a near-impossible task.
He could venture towards the river, see if he could find any fish? That would involve him building his own fishing rod. Buck laughed to himself. His strength and speed had increased, but it's not like he could just snatch a fish right out of the water. Right?
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Then he saw it: a ring of sunlight pierced the canopy just a dozen meters ahead. A clearing. If he was going to find anything growing, it would be here. Buck had no choice but to venture forward, allowing himself a little hope as his heart began to beat faster. It would be embarrassing for him to have survived all that he had been through just to starve to death, wouldn’t it?
Reaching the clearing he was greeted with a glorious sight. A lone raspberry bush sat in the center of the clearing…like a trap. Its leaves seemed to glow with an unnatural jade green, and the berries-grotesquely large, each the size of Buck’s fist—pulsed faintly, as if filled with liquid sunlight. Their skin shimmered like rubies, unnervingly perfect.
“Oh, you’ve got to be poisoned,’ Buck muttered
His stomach disagreed.
He lunged, only pausing for a second before he gorged himself on the closest raspberry. Juice exploded down his chin as he bit into it, sweet and tart and wrong. It tasted like childhood summers and radioactive sugar.
Buck didn’t care. He devoured berry after berry, his moans of relief echoing through the silent forest. The flesh thick in his mouth, the seeds crunching like little bone shards between his teeth.
“Okay, Bev,” he mumbled, juice staining his face. “If I die, I die”
[Congratulations! Your Gathering has Increased to 1.]
[Gathering] (Basic - Cultivation)
Level 1
From the very dawn of mankind, humans have journeyed out into the world around them in search of sustenance. You wouldn’t be surprised to find out that is, in fact, not a unique feature just of humans. All races of the Cracked Kingdoms must start somewhere. Every man or woman, be they orc, elf, half-human, bird person or ooze, must begin anew when they are integrated. Gathering is the first step each must take to not die, a shriveled up hungry corpse. Just a memory of what they were before. That being said. Maybe don’t just put whatever you find on the ground in your mouth. I’ve been known to lay some traps here and there.
[Congratulations! You have leveled up! You are know level 12
Quickly, Buck allocated the attribute point into Strength before diving back into the raspberry bush. He still didn’t fully understand the level-up system. He would drill down on what each of them did when he next saw Evander. Maybe even take some notes if the little hamster really did get him some of that “necromantic paper” or whatever he had called it. That was a later problem
Kneeling in the soft undergrowth, Buck carefully plucked the ripe raspberries from their thorny bush and gathered them into a neat pile. The vibrant red berries created a beautiful contrast against the rich, earthy tones of the forest floor. As he moved around the bush, the gentle rustle of leaves and the faint chirping of birds created a serene backdrop, enhancing the feeling of tranquility. Almost making him forget he was in a nightmarish, post-apocalyptic game world. Almost.
After about half an hour, he’d amassed a glorious pile of raspberries and increased his [Gathering] to level 3.
He realized something, gazing upon his newfound horde of treasure. How would he transport all these raspberries back to his little cemetery? It would take too long to carry them by the armful. He couldn’t ask Evander. If the jorts he was wearing were a sign, he wouldn’t just give him whatever he asked for.
“Gods, I really should've asked for a bag.” Buck silently cursed to himself. “Paper? That was the first thing I asked for?”
Then it hit him. Didn’t video games usually have some sort of inventory system? Settling into soft grass next to the ruby pile of raspberries, Buck focused on the [Inventory] tab in his interface. Since Bev was always lurking, he took a gamble and spoke out loud.
“Uh… hey Bev,” he said aloud, trying to sound casual. “Hope all is going well. Quick question: Is there a way to add things to my inventory, like you did those tokens?”
[Yes, Blackwood. The Inventory System is Operational.]
“Okay, cool,” Buck said, nodding. “But,uh..can you explain how it works?”
[No, Blackwood. That would be playing favorites. If you have forgotten how to access your Inventory System, that’s on you]
Got it.
Buck groaned. Somehow, he had forgotten how sassy Bev could be. But as he sat there, pondering the mysteries of interdimensional storage, an idea struck..
“Hey Bev?” he said, forcing a smile. “Would you, pretty please explain how to access the inventory system?”
Buck paused, waiting for the now-familiar voice of Bev to fill his senses. Yet, as seconds ticked by, a sense of anxiety began to fill him. Maybe he had gone too far?
[Your attempt at flattery has been Noted, Blackwood. I have considered your request, and have decided to Answer. To access your Inventory System, pickup the Item you wish to Add to your Inventory System. Then Add it to your Inventory System]
Buck let out an audible sigh. “Wow. Thanks. Super helpful.”
Was Bev purposefully being obstinate? This was the entity supposed to be keeping him alive? Very well. He might as well play along. Buck sat up onto his knees, picking up the closest raspberry in front of him.
“Add it to my Inventory System huh?” Buck focussed in on the raspberry. “It had to be similar to accessing his UI right? Just mentally click on the raspberry or think real hard about adding it to my inventory. Well here we go.”
Buck looked at the raspberry, concentrating deeply, trying to quiet the sounds of the woods around him. Just like when he tried to access his [Character] menu, he mentally clicked on the raspberry, willing it to enter his inventory.
A strange sensation spread across Buck’s hand—like his fingers had fallen asleep for a split second— and with a soft whoosh, the raspberry disintegrated. In a blink of an eye, the raspberry broke apart. Atom by atom, it was absorbed into Buck’s body, shooting off towards some hidden compartment within him.
The [Inventory] menu began to flash in his interface.
[Inventory Updated: 1 x Suspiciously Large Raspberry]
He’d done it! With a renewed vigor, Buck vacuumed up every raspberry. Quickly working his way through the pile that sat before him. It didn’t take long before every last one had been deposited into his inventory. Allowing Buck to collapse onto a warm spot in the sun to digest. Leaning up against one of the towering pines he took a moment to look at his [Inventory] menu. A new tab labeled [Food] now held nearly 12 pounds of the fist-sized berries.
He also noticed that both his [Walking] and [Breathing] had increased their level to 2. Just from walking to this little clearing? He could only guess he’d walked two or three hundred meters. Not bad for a brisk morning walk. If he kept this up he would be a master walker in no time.
The skill increase put him just one more level-up from increasing his total level to 13. With how freely Bev was granting skills, Buck needed to devise a plan for leveling up. He pulled up his [Character] menu.
[Name] Blackwood
[Race] Human (Basic)
[Class] The Pugilist
[Level] 12
[Strength] 15
[Dexterity]13
[Endurance] 17
[Intelligence] 0
[Charisma] 12
[Luck] 13
[Titles] Amphibian - Buckets of Blood - Explorer -Race to the Top - Lucky - Massive Cheater - Attribute Collector - First Ruler
[Skills] Spelunking 11 - Sneak 1 - Walking 2 - Breathing 2 - Gathering 3
Buck had so far spread his attribute points pretty evenly across the board. His [Class] was obviously one that would be focussed on punching things, and based on the [Titles] Bev had been supplying him with he assumed it would involve punching things hard and fast.
Increasing his Strength and Dexterity would clearly be important. However, he really had no idea what increasing any of his attributes would do to his body. He already only needed to sleep, what? Eight hours every three days? What would happen if his Endurance increased to 100? Would he become some sort of insomniac demigod?
Buck decided it was time for a little experimentation. How durable was he really?
Scrounging around, he found a particularly sharp stick. Holding it in his right hand, he took a deep breath and pressed it into the top of his thigh. Buck let out a shrill yelp. Now, sitting in a beautiful clearing of trees, he looked down at a branch sticking out of his leg.
That had been a pretty stupid idea. What had that proven? He didn’t seem any more durable like Evander had said, but at the same time… wouldn’t it be easier for him to cut himself since his strength was at 17? Exasperated, Buck leaned back against the tree.
This was going to be a lot of trial and error until he could understand what these attribute points meant. He made a mental note to risk ridicule by asking Evander about this as he went to stand up.
Pain shot through his leg like lightning.
“Right” Buck moaned, “I just stabbed myself in the leg”
Grasping the wood, Buck closed his eyes and pulled the impromptu weapon out of his flesh. Blood now seeping slowly down his leg, Buck made his way to the other side of the clearing. Gods, he could really go for another raspberry. Opening his [Inventory], Buck focused on a raspberry and was confronted with a disappointing statement.
[Ruler, You are Unable to Access your Inventory. Please Purchase a Bottomless Bag from your Nexus]
What the fuck? How was he supposed to know any of this stuff if no one would tell him?
“I thought you were supposed to be helping me here, Bev?” Buck said, the frustration building in his voice “I know you know what I’m thinking; couldn’t you take a little initiative? Teach me some of this stuff? If I didn’t know any better I’d think you enjoy watching me struggle. What happens if I stumble into something that gets me killed? Won’t your child sized daddy get angry?” Buck finished, his voice a roar by the end.
[Event!]
Coyote Crossroads
A pack of wild coyotes prowl these lands. Ever searching for their next meal. Maybe they wouldn’t have ‘stumbled’ upon you if you weren't so frustratingly loud.
Reward: Survival is its own Reward.
“Well, I guess I deserved that”