The adrenaline from successfully not dying in a tutorial area faded, leaving Zaro with the kind of hunger that would make a Final Fantasy protagonist jealous. Even in this hyper realistic fantasy world, basic needs still applied. Figures the system would include survival mechanics.

System notification. Hunger detected. Status effects imminent.

Warning. Death by starvation is not an achievement worth unlocking.

Hey system, Zaro thought, any food around here that wont aggro my hit points?

Basic analysis recommended. Use Void Sense to identify safe consumables.

Warning. Unknown substances may have unexpected status effects.

Void Sense icon pulsed in his vision like a quest marker. Zaro focused on the ability, feeling energy ripple outward. The world shifted into something between detective vision and a survival horror filter. Various plants and fungi lit up with colored auras, green for safe, red for things that would probably respawn him the hard way.

Achievement unlocked. First Void Sense activation.

Reward. Plus 1 stat point.

A cluster of green-tinged shrubs caught his attention. The berries glowed with the kind of inviting luminescence that usually meant either a health potion or instant death. They looked like oversized blueberries rendered in Unreal Engine 5, complete with an iridescent sheen.

Analyze activated.

Item. Cave Berries

Quality. Common

Effects. Minor health regeneration. Slight mana restoration.

Toxicity. None detected.

Warning. Tastes like blue.

Zaro popped one into his mouth. The flavor hit like someone had crossbred a blueberry with pure magic and a hint of something definitely not from Earth. The hunger meter in his peripheral vision ticked up slightly.

Status effect. Hunger reduced.

Achievement unlocked. Resource Gatherer.

Reward. Basic foraging skill unlocked.

With his stomach somewhat settled, Zaro surveyed his surroundings. The cave opened into a narrow passage lined with veins of pulsing blue crystal. Aetherium, according to the system. The same stuff that had kick started this whole adventure.

Hey system, how about some mining tutorials?

Analyzing request.

Aetherium extraction requires specialized tools and skills.

Current equipment tier. Literally nothing.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

Recommended action. Git gud.

Great. A system with sass. Zaro spent the next half hour testing his new abilities, treating them like a game tutorial he couldn't skip.

Void Bolt seemed to cost 20 mana per shot. The energy formed naturally in his palm, like charging a hadoken made of pure shadow.

Achievement unlocked. First Void Ability Use.

Void Step had a 5 second cooldown and burned 20 mana. Range seemed limited by his stamina and agility stats. Nothing like having mobility skills gated by poor character building.

As he practiced, Zaro moved deeper into the cave. The air grew colder, carrying a metallic tang. The sound of rushing water echoed from somewhere ahead. His Void Sense pinged like a radar picking up hostile signatures.

The passage opened into a massive cavern that would have made Skyrim level designers quit their jobs. A waterfall cascaded down one wall, feeding a crystal-clear pool that seemed to glow from within. The air practically buzzed with Aetherium energy, the blue crystals so concentrated they lit the whole chamber.

Movement caught his eye. A group of humanoid figures worked near the largest crystal formation. Their skin shimmered like polished obsidian, hands glowing with blue energy as they extracted Aetherium with tools that looked far more effective than bare hands.

Stealth mechanics activated.

Enemy analysis initiated.

Threat level. Moderate to high.

Recommended action. Avoid detection.

Alternative action. Git gud faster.

Zaro ducked behind a rock, observing their movements. The creatures worked with fluid grace, channeling Aetherium into small, glowing orbs. Those tools and orbs were exactly what he needed. Now he just had to figure out how to acquire them without triggering a boss fight.

Achievement unlocked. First Stealth Approach.

Reward. Enhanced detection avoidance.

A plan started forming in his mind. It was probably suicidal, but he had just enough mana for something crazy. Classic speed runner strategy it is.

He activated Shadow Step, teleporting to a dark alcove closer to the workers. They hadn't noticed him yet. His mana bar showed 80/100.

Focusing on Void Bolt, he accidentally overcharged it, channeling triple the normal mana. The sphere of darkness grew to the size of a basketball, humming with barely contained power.

Achievement unlocked. First Ability Enhancement.

Reward. 1 stat point.

Here goes nothing. He launched the bolt at the largest crystal formation. The impact shook the cavern like someone had just sequence broken reality. Dust and crystal shards rained down, creating perfect cover.

The obsidian miners cried out in alarm, their attention drawn to the explosion. Zaro moved. Another Shadow Step put him right next to their abandoned tools. Mana down to 40. Good thing it recovers decently fast.

He grabbed a mining pick that felt perfectly weighted in his hand. After all those hours in the Mithril mines, he could practically speed run with these things.

Analyze activated.

Item. Void Infused Mining Pick

Quality. Rare

Effect. Enhanced Aetherium extraction.

Note. Finally, some decent loot.

A noticed a bucket that gleamed in his void sense, there were Aetherium orbs on it. He quickly pocketed several, the system automatically storing them in his inventory. Why bother with the pickaxe if they did the work for me.

Achievement unlocked. First Resource Theft.

Warning. Karma effects pending.

Reward. Basic inventory management unlocked.

The miners were regrouping. Time to exit stage right. One last Shadow Step threw him back into the shadows, mana now at 30 with how it recovers. Just enough for an emergency teleport if needed.

He sprinted through the tunnels, heart pounding like a speed runner attempting a world record. He had done it. He had actually pulled off his first heist in this new world. He was a thief, a scoundrel, and somehow still alive.

Emerging from the cave, Zaro blinked in the bright sunlight. The world outside was a riot of color and sound, a stark contrast to the dark, silent depths he'd left behind. Trees swayed in the breeze, birds sang in the branches, and the air carried the scent of wildflowers.

It was beautiful, terrifying, and absolutely nothing like the mining town he'd left behind. He had no idea where he was or what to do next. But one thing was certain - his life of mindless grinding was over. He was a Voidwalker now, a user of the Akashic System, and this was just the tutorial.

Achievement unlocked. Tutorial Complete.

Warning. Main quest difficulty increasing.

Reward. Enhanced system access.

Note. Try not to die. Permadeath enabled.