Cassian awoke with a start, his senses sharper than they had any right to be. The old shopfront was eerily quiet, the faint light of dawn filtering through the boarded-up window and casting jagged shadows across the floor. For a brief moment, he let himself savor the stillness, the calm before the chaos that always seemed to follow him now. But his body quickly reminded him of the night before—the vicious battle, the System Integration, and the raw, unfamiliar power thrumming through his veins.

He sat up slowly, grimacing as his muscles protested. The pain was a constant companion, a dull throb in his bones and a sting in his skin. But it wasn’t unwelcome. Pain grounded him, tied him to the present, and reminded him of the progress he had made. It was a price he willingly paid for the strength it gave him.

And now, there was the System—the strange force that had fused with his very being. He could feel it humming faintly, like a barely audible melody, waiting for him to tap into it again.

Cassian leaned back against the counter and closed his eyes. He needed to understand what had changed, what this “System” truly was. The flashes of information he’d seen after the battle were only a sliver of its potential, and he could feel its complexity waiting to be unraveled.

System Interface: Active.

The words appeared in his mind, crisp and clear, as if they had always been there. Cassian focused, willing the System to respond. A new window materialized in his mind, and this time, it was more detailed.

New General Skills Unlocked:

* Inspect: Allows the user to analyze and gather detailed information about objects, beings, and statuses. The more focused the inspection, the greater the detail revealed.

Rating: 1/25 (Common)

* Meditation: Enables the user to delve deeper into the System, enhancing mental clarity and control. Can be used to recover mental and physical energy and to interact more directly with the System.

Rating: 1/25 (Common)

Cassian’s brow furrowed as he studied the information. The word (Common) next to the skill levels stood out like a new piece of punctuation. He didn’t remember seeing that before.

"Common, huh?" he muttered, leaning back against the wall. "What does that mean?"

As if in response to his curiosity, a faint pulse from the System urged him to focus on the Inspect skill itself. Cassian obliged, letting his thoughts zero in on the new skill.

Inspect: Activated.

Information flowed into his mind, but this time, it wasn’t about his surroundings. It was about the System itself.

Skill Rarities:

* Common: The most basic form of a skill. Accessible to most users with minimal development.

* Adept: A more advanced iteration of a skill, developed through practice and experience. Offers additional functionality.

* Master: A highly refined skill, accessible to only the most skilled users. Provides unique advantages and applications.

* Ascendant: The pinnacle of skill development. Unique abilities tailored to the user, often tied to significant breakthroughs or rare traits.

Cassian’s eyes widened as he absorbed the information. The System wasn’t just a passive interface—it had tiers, levels of rarity that hinted at the depth and complexity waiting to be unlocked.

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"So that’s how it works," he muttered, his smirk returning. "Common now, but it looks like I can level these up. Probably means there are ways to push everything further."

Holding his hand infront of his face Cassian shifted his focus.

A stream of information flowed into his mind, more than just the superficial details he could see with his eyes.

Status:

Blood (Dry)

Skin: Abrasions, Minor Cuts, No Severe Damage

Muscle Fatigue: High

Hydration Level: Low

Hunger Level: High

The details were startlingly precise, offering a clear picture of his physical state. Cassian realized that Inspect was more than just a way to analyze objects—it could be used to monitor his own condition, to understand his limits and needs. It was a tool for survival.

Next, he turned his attention to Meditation. The skill promised deeper access to the System, and Cassian was eager to explore what it could reveal. He closed his eyes, focusing inward, letting his breathing slow and his mind quiet.

Meditation: Activated.

The world around him seemed to fade, the sounds and sensations dulling until all that remained was the hum of the System. Cassian felt himself sinking deeper into his own consciousness, the barriers between his mind and the System dissolving. It was like plunging into a vast, endless ocean, where thoughts and information flowed freely, unbound by the constraints of the physical world.

As he delved deeper, the System responded, offering up more information, more connections. Cassian could sense the intricate web of interactions between his body, mind, and the System—how each skill, each attribute, was interconnected, influencing and enhancing the others.

He could feel his Pain Tolerance like a shield, a barrier that allowed him to endure what others could not. His Unarmed Combat skill was there too, a latent knowledge that had grown sharper, more refined with each strike and counter during the battle. Even Inspect had its place, woven into the way he observed the world.

But it was the System itself that fascinated him the most. Cassian realized that the System was not just a passive mechanism; it was adaptive, responsive to his thoughts and actions. It could grow with him, evolve as he did, offering new paths and opportunities based on his choices and experiences.

As he meditated, Cassian felt the System’s potential unfolding before him. It wasn’t just about gaining power—it was about understanding, about mastering the connection between his body, mind, and the System. The more he understood, the more he could control, and the more powerful he would become.

He emerged from the meditation feeling more centered, more in tune with the System. His body still ached, his muscles still screamed for rest, but his mind was clear, focused. He had gained a deeper understanding of what he was capable of, and of what the System could offer him.

Inspect +1

Meditation +1

Well, that was handy. Looks like everything can be raised through practice. Looks like im going back to the Gym!

Cassian opened his eyes, the world around him snapping back into focus. The room was just as it had been before, but now, he saw it with new clarity. He could inspect every detail, understand every nuance, and the System was there, ready to assist him.

The clarity didn’t last long. Hunger and thirst gnawed at him, a sharp reminder that no matter how much power he gained, he still had basic needs to meet. His body was running on fumes, and even his tolerance for discomfort couldn’t drown out the pangs in his stomach or the dryness in his throat.

“Alright,” he muttered, pushing himself to his feet. “Time to find breakfast.”

He wrapped his tattered clothes tighter around himself, steadying his balance. The meditation had helped, but his muscles still ached, and the energy that carried him through the battle was long gone.

As he stepped out of the shop, the city felt different. The silence was no longer oppressive; it was watchful. Somewhere in the shadows of this hollowed-out world, there had to be something—food, water, supplies. And probably danger too.

But Cassian wasn’t afraid. The System hummed faintly at the edge of his mind, ready to assist him. Every step he took would make him stronger. Every challenge he faced would push him further along his path.

He had survived the battle. Now, he needed to survive the day.