“Can I be honest with you?” Noah asks.

The Interviewer doesn’t respond. Not that he expected it to. He’d have a lot bigger problems than he already does if the Interviewer were talking to him.

“I’ve always dreamed of having power. Of being special.” He laughs dismissively at his own words. “Yeah, I know how it sounds. But it’s the truth. I would fantasize about what it would be like to just go into some secret government office and seize the truth for myself. About no one being able to stop me.

So, yes, this was insane. And risky. And frightening. And I didn’t even realize how little of a clue I had about what was really going on. But I had a real chance at power.

So I seized it.

As much as I wanted to get home, I wasn’t going to pass up a chance like this. A chance at becoming something beyond human. Superhuman. A superhero, I daresay, if I can be so bold.

So I worked on pushing mana through my body until lunch, Olivia guiding me, and Torath occasionally guiding me, but mostly throwing in a comment every few minutes that boiled down to how great of a choice Fodder as a hobby was. Which, it has to be said, Olivia agreed with.

But I still wasn’t convinced.

Also, I was more preoccupied with the changes to my body, which became more evident the longer I worked, even just sitting there.

Though I hadn’t come to the tower of my own volition, and though I didn’t want to be there, I had to admit my budding power was intoxicating.

As we walked from the townhall to the apartment building, what the townsfolk called the Hearth, I felt lighter. Stronger. Like I could run a marathon.

Or at least a mile without getting winded.

I was no superhero yet, but it was encouraging progress nonetheless.

After talking to Meredith and a few others during lunch, and them all agreeing that Fodder was an excellent choice of hobby—and with Torath’s repeated insistence—I considered my choices for a hobby. Torath of course hadn’t mentioned the other choices after finding out I had Fodder as one, but there were others:

Fragment Master

You are the lifeblood of the economy, and don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise. Sure, you weren’t committed enough to make this your profession, but there’s still a chance to make it your vocation.

• Gain ability to interpret card circuits.

• Gain ability to temporarily connect fragments with mana.

• Gain ability to fuse fragments together.

Accountant

The most important profession in all the Corporate Civilizations can still be a noble hobby.

• Gain proficiency with numbers.

• Gain access to system audit network (requires hobby rank of Novice).

Paranoia Agent

They move in shadows and work in mysterious ways. They control everything, yet are nowhere to be found. They’re behind the worst atrocities and the greatest innovations. Who are they? That is what you aim to find out.

• Gain information-linking ability.

• Gain increased proficiency with divination affinity abilities.

Conspiracy Theorist

A hobby that fits you like a glove. So go on, trade out your old glove, as well-worn and disgusting as it is, for a fresh new fit. Discover the secrets of the universe, all while avoiding invasion, coercion, and control of those nefarious actors who seek to do you harm to benefit their own ignoble deeds.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

• Gain resistance to subjugation effects.

• Gain increased proficiency with subjugation affinity abilities.

Despite the name, Conspiracy Theorist seemed like it could be useful, and the one card I did have was subjugation affinity. Then again, Fragment Master seemed useful as well, and it was the one Torath had at first recommended. Though that could be simply because it was the hobby everyone had access to, whereas the others were specialized to me. Apparently people usually got more than the five choices I had, but there was nothing to be done about that.

I did ask about the novice rank bit.

It turned out that like your own body, you could improve your hobbies and gain new or enhanced abilities by ranking them up. Unlike with your own rank, which you improved by enhancing your body with mana, hobbies increased in rank as you grew more proficient at them, which you did with use.

At least there was no risk of blowing yourself up.

After lunch, too exhausted to continue pushing mana through my body for the moment and my Contract card not yet charged to be able to test out, I decided to take another look at the portal ring to see if I could figure out a way home that didn’t involve waiting on an errant keymaster’s return or on an unreliable system run by a shadowy corporation to replace him at some indeterminate date.

I wonder how differently things would have turned out if I hadn’t. If I had just gone back to the townhall instead, or taken Olivia up on her invitation.

For one thing, I wouldn’t have died. Not that day.

‌

∎ ∎ ∎

I walked a circle around the portal ring, examining it from all sides.

I was alone this time, and I always thought best when I was alone. Just the presence of another person was a distraction that seemed to slow my thoughts to molasses and drop my IQ by twenty points.

Now that I knew how to consciously inspect people, I thought to inspect the portal ring in a similar manner. Surprisingly, it worked.

Portal Tunnel

Status: Disabled

Authorized Users: Jevoa Wesovia [Whitehall Tower Keymaster]

“Whitehall Tower? Is that a coincidence, or do I own it?”

I realized it was attached to my shop, and I owned the shop, even in this system thing.

In response to my thoughts, a message appeared floating in front of me, similar in appearance to the system deed to my shop.

Deed to Whitehall Tower

(unclassified, grace period)

Owner: Noah Whitehall

Entry Fee: None

Entry Fee Type: Flat payment

Betting: Enabled

Earnings Split: 0% Owner, 100% Prospector

“I own the tower,” I murmured in surprise. I didn’t know what to make of that.

Thoughts racing, I looked over the deed again, taking it in hand.

As I did, my thumb brushed the Earnings Split and the number changed.

“Wow. It’s like a primitive, highly-advanced tablet.”

I’d later learn I could control it with my thoughts, like pretty much everything else about the system. But for now, I slid my thumb over the number, changing the split to 100% owner.

I realized this could make me rich, if earnings split was what I thought it was. Getting a split of whatever anyone looted here could be a lot.

Though I wondered who would pay to enter the place. Were the rewards that good that people would risk death?

Deciding not to be greedy, I changed it to 50-50. Then considered that I wouldn’t be the one doing any work or risking my life and changed it to 20-80 in the prospectors’ favor.

I tried changing the entry fee. I could do it, and I could switch between accepting fragments and other types of currencies, or any combination. I could also change the fee type to bids.

For now, I kept it with no fee. It seemed like I’d make more taking a portion of earnings than charging an upfront fee.

As I looked at the deed, I got the impression I had a message waiting for me. There was no visual indication, only a feeling almost like déjà vu.

I tried focusing on the feeling, and another message appeared.

As owner of [Whitehall Tower], you have one complimentary [Whitehall Tower Resurrection Token].

The token was the same as the one I would get from the Fodder hobby. Which made me glad I hadn’t picked a hobby yet.

I wondered when I’d gotten the token, and where it was.

The system—being a mindreading tyrant—answered.

Upon creation of a tower, all owners are granted a single resurrection token for use inside that tower.

Resurrection Token (Zone: Whitehall Tower)

Status: Active

A token that is redeemed upon death, reviving you.

This token is bound to you and cannot be given away.

(Profession note: This item may be sold or traded via your store.)

“Huh. Well if I own the tower, does that mean…”

I focused on the portal ring, on activating it. Using it to get back home.

The portal suddenly sparked to life and I let out a shout of triumph.

Which turned to a cry of concern as I began being sucked toward it.

“Whoa whoa whoa!” I cried out, trying to get away, my desire to use it shifting quickly now that I was being forced.

But even my newly enhanced strength wasn’t enough to prevent me from being sucked into the spinning blue vortex.

Unauthorized portal usage detected.

Owner-override accepted. Stairwell access denied. Exit access denied.

Execution defense activated.

You have been executed.

You have died.

[Whitehall Tower Resurrection Token] consumed.

Your standing on the [Hero Board] has greatly improved.

Transporting to nearest revival point.