Hayden’s head throbbed as consciousness returned. His body was stiff and sore, and the taste of blood lingered in his mouth. He opened his eyes to find himself lying on cracked, barren earth. The wastelands stretched endlessly in every direction, a desolate expanse of jagged rocks and gray skies.

He tried to sit up but quickly realized his hands were bound behind his back and his legs tied at the ankles.

“Damn it,” he muttered, his voice hoarse.

The betrayal replayed in his mind. Kyra’s cold expression. Her words cutting like a blade. He had trusted her, and she had sold him out for credits.

He wriggled against the ropes, but they held tight. The wind howled around him, carrying the scent of decay and dust. Far off, scavenger drones hovered like vultures, waiting for him to succumb to the elements.

“Do you seek power, Hayden?”

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The voice was sudden, soft yet commanding, and it echoed directly in his mind. He froze, his heart racing.

“Who’s there?” he croaked, his voice barely audible over the wind.

“I am Astra, the Pleasure Codex,” the voice replied. “You are broken, betrayed, and abandoned. But I can give you the strength to rise above it all.”

Hayden laughed bitterly. “Strength? What kind of strength? I’m tied up in the middle of nowhere, about to die.”

“Strength to take what is yours. To claim power, status, and vengeance. I can save you, but only if you accept my gift.”

Hayden hesitated, doubt gnawing at him. This had to be a hallucination—a cruel trick of his dying mind. But as the cold seeped deeper into his bones, he realized he had no other options.

“Alright,” he said, his voice steady despite the fear coursing through him. “I accept.”

A sudden warmth spread through his chest, radiating outward until it filled his entire body. The ropes binding his hands and feet dissolved, falling away like ash. He gasped, flexing his fingers in disbelief.

Before him, a golden interface materialized, floating in the air.

•Welcome to the Pleasure Codex.

•Host Compatibility: 98% - Success.

•System Initialization Complete.

•First Ability Unlocked: Charisma Boost.

Hayden stared at the glowing text, his mind reeling. The warmth in his chest pulsed again, and he felt a surge of energy unlike anything he’d ever experienced. His exhaustion faded, replaced by a sharp clarity.

The Codex spoke once more, its tone calm and assured. “Rise, Hayden. Your journey begins now.”

With newfound strength, Hayden climbed to his feet. The wasteland stretched before him, but for the first time, he felt ready to face it.