The hub stretched out, vast and imposing, its space dominated by towering buildings. These structures, resembling blank rectangles, stood like unfinished monoliths, devoid of doors or windows.
In the hub's heart, where once the teleportation circle buzzed with activity, now floated screens. These screens responded to the touch of people who navigated them, locking to their fingertips, and giving them their information.
Encircling this central area were various shops, each bearing a straightforward name – ‘Pill Shop’, ‘Relic Shop’, ‘Natural Treasures Shop’. The names were a study in simplicity: a product or resource followed by the word 'shop'.
Standing in stark contrast to this orderly arrangement was a large structure to the west, assuming the sun here mimicked Earth's rules. From the outside, it bore a striking resemblance to a stadium, a resemblance that only grew stronger upon entry.
Inside, a screen welcomed visitors to the recreational area. For a nominal fee of five Survivor Points, one could indulge in a variety of activities, from simple exercise routines to games like volleyball or football, without any restriction on time.
The stands, open to any observer, hinted at a secondary function. Every seven days, the stadium morphed into an auction house. Here, individuals were free to list items for sale, transacting exclusively in Survivor Points. With the inaugural auction scheduled for the following day, the air brimmed with a sense of anticipation and anxiety.
Anyone curious enough to engage with the peculiar constructs of the shops could easily gather this wealth of information. The shop entities were surprisingly forthcoming, readily answering queries about the hub.
Giuliano found himself in the stands, his attention drawn to a volleyball game below. The players, a diverse group of men and women, played on a makeshift court, where the dirt had transformed into sand and a net had seemingly sprung up from nowhere.
His companions were nearby, each engaged in their own way. Myst seemed content merely to sit on the stadium seats, soaking in the atmosphere. Pounce, ever curious, had wandered off some time ago, likely scouring under the seats in hopes of scavenging dropped snacks. As for Whisker, Giuliano lost track of him shortly after they arrived in the hub. The cat's exploratory nature meant he could be just about anywhere.
Giuliano’s suspicion about their spectral nature had been quickly confirmed – most people couldn't see or sense them. They moved unnoticed, their ghostly forms invisible and undetectable to nearly everyone. There were rare exceptions like the man currently making futile attempts to pet Myst. Each time his hand passed right through her, causing a ripple in her spectral form and ending up on the seat instead.
The man's persistent attempts to interact with the ghostly cats continued, his fascination undiminished despite the repeated, unsuccessful efforts.
Does he know the definition of insanity?
“How did you touch them?” Zac asked yet again, for what must have been the fifth time in ten minutes.
Giuliano's response was curt. “Don’t know.” His mood was far from conversational. His gaze drifted to his right hand, where scars from bites marred his skin. The constant sting was a harsh reminder of the damage he did during his bonding with the cats.
Zac's attention drifted to Giuliano's hand, noticing its condition. "Why didn’t you get those restoration pills?" he asked, a hint of concern in his voice. "They’re only ten points. Sure, it might deplete your stash, but it’s better than dealing with a crippled hand."
Giuliano responded, his voice tinged with exasperation. "Sure, just lend me five more points, and I’d gladly buy them," he retorted. The irritation was clear in his tone as he called up his status screen, revealing the scant number of points he had at his disposal.
Modular System
Name
Giuliano Mello
Title(s)
Manual
Soulbound Menagerie
Mastery
15%
Realm
Mortal Realm
Step
Body
Progress
19%
Abilities
Etheric Blood, Spirit Harmony
Survivor Points
5
The number five glared back at him, a mocking reminder of his limited resources. He had scoured each shop, only to find that five points were nearly worthless. The only affordable item was a basic ‘Ether Pill’ for faster cultivation, but anything of real value remained frustratingly out of reach.
Zac paused his futile attempts at petting Myst, his tone tinged with resignation. “Why would I help? You've been nothing but rude since I tried being friendly with you.”
Giuliano geared up for a sarcastic comeback, soon letting the impulse fade. “Sorry if I’m not in the mood for friendliness,” he replied, a hint of bitterness in his voice. “Seeing the end of the world, being tossed into a dark forest, and having to maim my own hand doesn’t exactly put me in high spirits.” He wanted to lash out further, to unleash his pent-up frustration on Zac, but he recognized that everyone here had been dealt a harsh hand by The System.
Zac’s response was quiet, almost envious. “You at least got out with cool ghost cats,” He stood up, his voice tinged with a hint of sadness. “I’m going to check out those screens in the center of the hub. Maybe I can still make some new friends here.” With that, he began descending the stairs, leaving Giuliano to his thoughts.
Giuliano watched Zac's departure. To Giuliano, most people blended into one another, their faces and bodies indistinct. Yet, he could see the Ether within them, a skill bestowed by his [Etheric Blood]. This unique vision revealed hints of colors and movements in the Ether, making each person stand out in their own way.
Zac's Ether, for instance, moved slowly, a thick, sluggish flow that appeared almost cold to Giuliano’s enhanced senses. Whether this indicated a propensity for ice or cold-related abilities, Giuliano couldn't tell. And it certainly shed no light on why he could see his ghostly cats.
"Congratulations, Giuliano, this is just exactly like high school all over again," he muttered under his breath, a tinge of bitterness in his voice.
He remembered the times in high school when people approached him, inviting him to join their activities. Yet, his awkwardness and lack of social awareness often came across as rudeness.
I would say it's not exactly. There were times you accepted some, only to make it incredibly awkward until they never invited you again.
"Thank you for the correction," Giuliano angrily muttered.
Happy to help.
Looking to tear his focus away from his nemesis, Giuliano's attention shifted to the volleyball players. While their faces were a blur, their Ether painted a vivid picture. One person's Ether burned with the intensity of a raging wildfire, another's fluttered erratically like a whimsical breeze lost in an open field.
Giuliano was far from a poet, and these metaphorical insights he now possessed were more frustrating than enlightening. What am I supposed to understand from the feeling of a whimsical breeze? he thought, annoyed at the ambiguity of these sensations.
"You know what you did wrong. Just go after him and apologize." Giuliano tried to compel himself to stand, to follow Zac. Yet, despite his best efforts, his body refused to budge, stubbornly rooted to the stadium seat.
As he sat there, unable to move, his frustration began to meld into a deeper sadness. The thought 'I’m going to die alone,' which had often haunted him during his darker moments, now felt more real than ever. A sense of regret washed over him. Why did I even leave that forest? he wondered, feeling more isolated than he had in the wilderness.
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Because you don't have the courage to take the final step. Never had, His inner voice chided, sounding strangely solemn.
"You weren't this sad when you faced death; chase that high," Giuliano silently coached himself. This grim yet motivating thought infused him with a strange, morbid energy, spurring his body into action as he rose from his seat.
That's called adrenaline, you know very well why you never chased it.
Activating his [Spirit Harmony] ability, he signaled to Myst and Pounce to follow him out of the stadium. Myst promptly materialized beside him, her spectral form gliding smoothly. Pounce, however, was still lost among the stadium's seats, engrossed in her own exploration. Giuliano didn't bother to call for Whisker, knowing the cat's independent nature all too well.
As he navigated through the stadium, he noticed how the space seemed to adapt to its occupants, expanding and contracting to accommodate the fluctuating crowd. It was a curious feature, one that subtly added to the surreal atmosphere of the hub.
A constant stream of people moving in and out of the stadium, forcing Giuliano to navigate carefully, squeezing through the crowd as he re-entered the bustling hub. Each person he passed radiated a unique Ether signature; similar in some ways, yet distinctly individual.
The hub was alive with sounds: the steady rhythm of footsteps on stone, the continuous hum of conversation, and the occasional burst of a shouting match while the air was heavy with the scents of sweat and grime. Giuliano noticed, with some discomfort, the apparent lack of facilities for personal hygiene. Despite his day-long stay in the hub, he had yet to come across any showers or means of cleaning himself.
As evening approached, Giuliano recalled his experience from the previous night. While conversing with one of the constructs, he had been abruptly relocated to a spartan room, plain and empty.
The room was saturated with Ether, reminiscent of the dense atmosphere of the forest. It lacked basic amenities, offering only the barest essentials: a cup of water and a handful of brown pills for sustenance. No bed, no restroom — just the essentials for survival. Looking up at the sky, he estimated about six hours remaining before he would be forced into that room.
Approaching the teleportation circle, Giuliano soon spotted Zac. His Ether stood out, distinctly unique even among others who seemed to have affinities for elements like ice or cold.
Zac was deeply engrossed in interacting with the floating screens. He flitted from one to another, touching them briefly before flicking them away with a gesture akin to discarding a piece of paper. Each screen responded to his touch, detaching from his finger to resume its aimless floating.
Giuliano closed the distance between them without making any deliberate effort to conceal his approach or announce his presence. Zac, absorbed in the digital windows, remained oblivious even as Giuliano drew near, close enough to reach out and touch him. The distance shortened to mere inches, yet Zac showed no sign of awareness, his attention fully captured by the screens.
Zac finally noticed Giuliano when he reached out to touch another screen and instead collided face-first into him. "The fuck!? Why?" Zac exclaimed, his voice muffled as he cradled his nose with his hands.
"I came to apologize," Giuliano began, somewhat awkwardly. "I was rude earlier. But you should understand why — you must have gone through something similar." As he spoke, he realized he was veering away from a simple apology, delving into explanations he hadn’t intended to give.
Zac, recovering from the initial shock, nodded in understanding. "I get it. Being isolated like that messes with you," he said, his tone sympathetic. Then, with a slight nudge, he added, "So... I'm waiting for the apology."
The apology lingered on the edge of Giuliano's lips, stubborn and reluctant, until finally coming out, brief but sincere. "I'm sorry."
"Good enough," Zac responded, a quick smile brightening his face as his mood visibly lifted.
Giuliano searched for what to say next, his eyes briefly flicking to the floating screens. "So... what are those?" he asked, gesturing towards them. He already knew, but he wanted to evade any chance for awkward silence to form.
Zac's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm, taking on a hue in Giuliano’s vision reminiscent of moist, rich earth. "These are quests, just like in video games!" His voice was tinged with excitement, mirrored by the lively movement of his Ether. Eagerly, he grabbed one of the screens and tossed it towards Giuliano.
Collect 18 Frozen Lillies (Locked)
Difficulty
Easy
Time Limit
4 days
Ambient
Frozen Lake
Rewards
5 Survivor Points
The quests did in fact mirror the mechanics of a video game: a defined difficulty, a specific time frame, and apparently various locations within the hub to explore. But Giuliano had not seen this quest, as his eyes locked on the reward of this quest. The effort of saving the lives of his cats and preserving his sanity held the same value as gathering a handful of plants in the eyes of the system.
“Doesn’t this sound cool? Check this one out!” Zac, oblivious to Giuliano’s internal conflict, enthusiastically flung another floating screen his way.
Defeat and collect the bodies of 3 Shadowfang Lynxes (Locked)
Difficulty
Hard
Time Limit
20 days
Ambient
Damp Forest
Rewards
50 Survivor Points and Minor Vitality Enhancement Pill
Giuliano consciously pushed aside his discomfort over the system’s evaluation of their lives, redirecting his attention to the information on the new screen. His years of experience navigating the internet and various online games offered him a familiar reference point. He already reasoned that this hub operated much like a main city in an MMORPG – a central location from which one could access a variety of exotic and unique environments, returning after each adventure to claim rewards.
Giuliano eyed the 'locked' status on the quests with curiosity. As he turned towards Zac, he found his question preempted by Zac’s knowing look. Really did a great job gathering information. Ignored the big, Locked. His inner voice said, its voice dripping with sarcasm.
“I chatted with a few of those oddballs running the shops,” Zac began, his tone casual. “Turns out, we're not allowed to take on any quests until after the first auction. They mentioned it's to give those who started with more points a chance to establish a foundation or something along those lines.”
Zac's explanation led Giuliano to ponder his own meager point total. With only the most basic pills within his budget, he wondered about the wealth of points others might possess, especially those who braved higher difficulties.
With curiosity getting the better of him, Giuliano asked bluntly, “How many points do you have?”
Zac seemed to swell with pride at the question. “I’ve got 36!” he exclaimed. “Chose the advanced difficulty. Had to fight through some seriously roided-up dogs, foaming at the mouth and everything!”
Zac launched into his tales with theatrical flair, his hands gesticulating wildly as he recounted his adventures. “And then, this dog, right? It had its jaws practically around my neck!” He mimed a noose tightening around his throat, his eyes wide with feigned terror.
“I thought I was done for,” he continued, his voice taking on a dramatic tone. “But in that moment, I swear, it was like my ancestors were speaking to me.” He paused for dramatic effect, then demonstrated how he held the dog’s mouth open, his fingers dramatically splayed. “My fingers were totally mangled,” he said, though his hands were, in fact, perfectly intact.
He shifted into a pose, mimicking a struggle. “I managed to wriggle free, then got the last dog in a choke-hold with my legs, while my arms were just flailing, pounding its face.” He threw a few mock punches into the air. “I kept at it until the system notification popped up and healed me on the spot.”
“And now, I’ve got this epic manual, [Cryogenic Titanica]. The first ability I unlocked was [Trickster’s Eye], which lets me see all kinds of crazy stuff,” Zac declared, his excitement palpable.
Giuliano raised an eyebrow, a touch of amusement in his tone. “You really don't hold back, do you?” he remarked. Before he could even ask, Zac had freely divulged his newly acquired powers, seemingly unconcerned about who might overhear.
Zac shrugged, unfazed. “Why should I hide it? I earned this. I shared mine, now it's your turn,” he said, a playful yet challenging edge to his voice.
Giuliano hesitated for a moment, weighing his options. Friends and foes are very close, the difference is just when. His inner voice said.
"You're correct on that," Giuliano muttered, getting a raised eyebrow from Zac. In the end, he decided that revealing the name of his manual was harmless enough, Giuliano responded with a flourish, mimicking Zac’s theatrical style. “Behold, the proud acolyte of the [Soulbound Menagerie]!” he announced, trying to match Zac’s grandeur.
Zac's expression turned expectant, his hands gesturing for Giuliano to continue. "And...?" he prompted, clearly eager for more details.
"I'm not saying more," Giuliano replied with a firm resolve before that resolve grew soft. He paused, contemplating whether to leave it at that before elaborating further, "Look, one way to earn Survivor Points is by ‘defeating’ other cultivators. That’s all it said – 'defeat.' It’s incredibly vague and, frankly, unsettling. I wouldn’t put it past this system to pit us against each other, like gladiators in some twisted arena."
“You’re just being paranoid,” Zac countered, brushing off Giuliano's concerns.
Giuliano shot back, “Am I? You were forced to fight off crazed dogs. The system clearly isn’t above valuing lives in terms of points and challenges.”
Zac hesitated, then conceded a bit. “Well, the system did let us choose the difficulty level for the tutorial. Maybe it’ll offer some sort of choice in the future too. Hopefully.”
Giuliano let the silence hang for a few seconds, allowing Zac to ponder his own words.
When the mood started getting too heavy, Giuliano tried to lighten the mood by shifting the topic. "What did you like to do before the apocalypse? I liked to hear Jazz," They spent the next while exploring more quests and sharing snippets of their lives before their abrupt abduction by the system.
Zac, it turned out, was barely into his early twenties, still brimming with the youthful naivety of someone who hadn't yet started college. His parents owned a small arcade, and he was busy cleaning machines the morning of the apocalypse. His last memory before being taken by the system was the sight of the arcade's roof collapsing, cutting him off from his parents.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, a silent understanding passed between Giuliano and Zac — their time in the open was running out. They spent their remaining moments of freedom perusing quests, trying to make the most of these last few minutes.
"This one's interesting," Zac started, "We just need—"
Without warning, both were abruptly transported to their individual rooms, the environment unchanged from before. The rooms were spartan and utilitarian, devoid of any comforts. Each contained only the bare essentials: a handful of nutrient pills and a cup of water.
Their options were limited to mindless cultivation or staring blankly at the white walls. Giuliano found out during the first night, that if he gazed long enough at the wall, it ceased to be just a blank canvas. Patterns and shapes began to emerge from the nothingness, offering a brief respite from the tedium