Samuel selected "Summary" from the menu. The words swam before his eyes as he skimmed the report, his head throbbing with a dull ache. He glanced at the date displayed at the top of the screen: January 1st, 2057.
"Are you kidding me?" he muttered, his voice laced with disbelief. Not only had he been yanked into some time cop gig, but he'd also been fast-forwarded eight years into the future. Apparently, time travel came with a complimentary dose of temporal displacement as an extra reward.
The face – “Zordonot,” as Samuel had mentally dubbed it – had mentioned something about him being "missing for twelve years." But he'd only started working at Experimental Zone 6 when he was eighteen. And last time he checked, twelve years didn't equal four.
He scrolled through the menu, his eyes catching on a list of achievements.
[Solved a level 3 time incident (Time Tear) +2500 EP]
[Solved your first job, being a rank 0 uninitiated. +500 EP]
[Down to the wire detraction -90 EP]
[Seconds Remaining detraction (6 seconds) -56 EP]
Samuel stared at the list, a mixture of confusion and annoyance swirling within him. What were these "EP" things anyway? Were they like frequent flier miles for time travelers? Could he trade them in for a decent cup of coffee and a nap that wouldn't get interrupted by reality imploding?
He rubbed his temples, trying to stave off the impending headache. This whole situation was beyond absurd. He just wanted to go home, to his crappy apartment, his instant ramen dinners, his boring, predictable life. But it seemed that time, and fate, had other plans for him.
A few moments later, a new screen materialized before Samuel, replacing the mission summary with a list of available identities. He blinked, trying to make sense of the overwhelming amount of information.
The "0 EP" options were… well, depressing. He could be a reported junkie, a convicted felon, or a high school dropout who had spent the last four years accomplishing absolutely nothing. The only upside was that he could choose WHEN he was “freely” up until the year 2013 and after. Trying to scroll to a year before that resulted in a flashing red warning: “Time Tearing Likely. Forbidden.”
Yeah, no thanks. He wasn’t interested in another, even shittier life.
He scrolled up, hoping for something a little less bleak. The 250-point category offered a similar life to the one he’d just lost, except starting on January 1st, 2013. Slower internet, crap computers without holo-displays, and the same soul-crushing poverty? Hard pass.
He definitely wanted to live in the past, though. It was a chance to start over, to make different choices, to maybe even build a better life for himself. Plus, being stuck without modern-day distractions like video games might actually be a good thing. It would force him to focus on strengthening himself, both physically and mentally. After all, it was pretty clear he was now living in a shounen action series, and as the protagonist with the gosh darn empowerment points, he was going to make it count.
The 300 EP category offered a middle-class life as an orphan with a decent apartment. It was tempting, but not quite luxurious enough for his taste.
Finally, he reached the 400-point category. His eyes lit up as he scanned the options. There it was: an orphan named Samuel Grain (obviously him), whose extremely well-off parents (who never existed) had left him their somehow not non-existent flat with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a nice kitchen, and a bunch of other cool stuff. It even came with some investment portfolio that paid him a monthly income of 25k.
Totally sold. He tapped the "Select" button, a grin spreading across his face. Time travel might be a pain in the ass, but at least it came with some sweet perks.
In a blink, the white void vanished, replaced by the spacious interior of his new apartment. Samuel stood in the middle of the living room, surrounded by sleek, modern furniture and floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a breathtaking view of the city skyline. Memories of a life he had never lived, a childhood he had never experienced, flooded his mind, a carefully crafted narrative woven into his very being.
He was now Samuel Grain, a twenty-two-year-old orphan whose wealthy (and conveniently non-existent) parents had left him a luxurious flat and a sizable trust fund. He had no family, no close friends, just a spacious apartment, a hefty bank account, and a whole lot of questions about the nature of reality.
Before he could delve into the existential crisis that was his newfound existence, a new holographic screen materialized before him, its blue light bathing the room in an eerie glow.
[Select from the basic categories. You may purchase an additional CP for 1000 EP. This price will increase as more categories are added and advanced. Select wisely. Most recommended options for your personality and physical type are at the top of each category.]
[Top Recommendation overall: Mirage (Body)]
[Secondary Recommendation overall: Body (Overall)]
[Body (Overall)]
[Body (Speed)]
[Body (Regeneration)]
[Skill (Combat)]
[Skill (Life)]
[Finesse (Social)]
[Finesse (Movement)]
[Craft (Mundane)]
[Craft (Mirage)]
[Mirage (Body)]
[Mirage (Enhance)]
[Mirage (Attack)]
[Mi...]
The list of categories seemed to stretch on forever. Samuel decided to focus on the top recommendations, figuring that the system probably knew what it was talking about. Apparently, he was destined to be a brute, a punch-wizard barbarian, a human wrecking ball. It wasn’t exactly the path he would have chosen for himself, but he wasn’t in a position to be picky.
He selected the "Mirage (Body)" category, figuring that if he was going to be punching his way through time anomalies, he might as well be good at it.
Another screen popped up, this one filled with something that looked like a first page preview for eBooks, except each first page had intricate diagrams, arcane symbols, and detailed instructions for various body-enhancing rituals that had the important parts blurred. Every one of the later ones were a blueprint for turning himself into a superhuman fighting machine that could smash into a mountain from a mile away and walk it off!
BUT WHY WERE THEY SO DAMN EXPENSIVE?!
[Basic Ritual Knowledge (Unattuned): 500 EP]
[Basic Magic Theory (Unattuned): 200 EP]
[Full Anatomy Compendium (All): 100 EP]
[Basic Ritual Theory (Body): 500 EP]
[Basic Applied Ritual Crafting (Circle of the Body): 900 EP]
[Ritual Components (Basic, Refreshing Daily): 10 Sets Free upon Mission Completion. More sets per day: 100 EP per set.]
There were even options for learning supernatural martial arts. Samuel’s mind reeled at the possibilities. But even the bare minimum was going to cost him a fortune in EP!
He stared at the screen, his jaw slack with disbelief. "Are you serious?" he muttered, his voice laced with frustration. “This is highway robbery! I save the world from a temporal apocalypse, and you want to charge me an arm and a leg to learn how to punch things really hard?”
He rubbed his temples, trying to massage away the burgeoning headache. This whole time-enforcer gig was turning out to be a lot more complicated—and a lot more expensive—than he’d anticipated.
Grimacing, Samuel accepted the harsh reality: he had to spend EP to make EP. He couldn’t just punch his way through every temporal anomaly, especially not if the price for basic combat skills was this ridiculous. He had to become more efficient, more specialized.
He scanned the "Mirage (Body)" menu again, this time applying filters to narrow down the options. He decided to focus on enhancing his reaction time and speed, figuring that agility and quick reflexes would be more valuable than brute strength, at least in the initial stages of his time-enforcing career.
The system, apparently designed by some sadistic game developer who loved grinding, had a tiered pricing system. Instead of broad, unattuned knowledge that applied to overall body modification and enhancement, focusing on specific aspects of enhancement drastically reduced the cost.
The more specialized the knowledge, the cheaper it was.
After some careful browsing, he found exactly what he was looking for:
Normal Apprentice Ritual Knowledge (Nervous System Enhancement: Fast Twitch and Mirage Muscle (Speed): 200 EP
He added it to his shopping cart, a sense of satisfaction washing over him as the price tag was significantly lower than the general-purpose ritual knowledge.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
He then browsed for the supporting knowledge required to actually use the ritual knowledge, and after adding everything to his shopping cart, he was pleased to see he had plenty of points left over.
Shopping Cart:
* Normal Apprentice Ritual Knowledge (Nervous System Enhancement: Fast Twitch and Mirage Muscle (Speed): 200 EP
* Normal Apprentice Magic Theory (Body Enhancement: Speed): 200 EP
* Full Anatomy Compendium (All): 100 EP
* Normal Apprentice Ritual Theory (Body Speed and Movement): 300 EP
* Normal Apprentice Applied Ritual Crafting (Body Speed Enhancement and Reaction, Combat Movement and Travel): 600 EP
1400 EP. It was enough to buy a CP and still have 400 points left over for some combat skills. The temptation to just brute-force his way into a new category was strong, but the idea of sacrificing so much EP for just one additional skill set category, and losing out on potentially more useful options later on, gave him pause.
He had to be smarter about this.
Samuel navigated through the menus, his fingers flying across the holographic displays. He experimented with different filters and keywords, searching for more cost-effective alternatives. He was determined to find a way to enhance his combat skills without breaking the EP bank.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity of scrolling and tweaking, he stumbled upon a solution.
The system, it seemed, had a soft spot for hyperspecialization and customization. By focusing on narrow, very specific applications of Mirage, he could significantly reduce the EP cost.
He assembled a new set of options:
* Weak Basic Ritual Knowledge (Physical Body Adaptation): 700 EP
* Weak Apprentice Ritual Knowledge (Observed Physical Skill Copying): 400 EP
* Weak Apprentice Applied Ritual Theory (Observational Copying for Specifically Mundane Physical Skills with a Focus on Combat (Custom)): 200 EP
* Lesser Basic Applied Ritual Theory (Hyperspecialization: Bone and Muscle Only Adaptation Framework, Lesser (Custom)): 144 EP
Samuel stared at the screen, a grin spreading across his face. It wasn’t the most powerful or flashy set of skills, but it was smart. He could adapt his body on a fundamental level, analyze and copy fighting techniques just by observing them, and then permanently integrate those skills into his muscle memory through ritual.
Hopefully.
It was the perfect foundation for a self-taught martial arts master.
He definitely needed this to work
He took a deep breath and hit the "Purchase" button on all nine of the items in his cart.
Satisfied with his selections, he navigated to the "Select purchases to apply" section of the menu. A list of his chosen knowledge sets appeared, along with a large, glowing "Apply" button.
He took a deep breath and steeled himself. He had come too far to back down now. He pressed the "Apply" button.
A moment passed and he frowned. where were the books he just bou-
The world around him dissolved into a blinding white light of pain as his mind struggled to keep up. A torrent of information flooded his mind, overwhelming his senses. He felt a searing pain behind his eyes, a sensation of his brain being stretched to its limits. He gasped, his body convulsing as the knowledge surged through his overloaded neurons as they fired over and over.
He heard a flopping sound beside him.
Then, everything went black.
----------------------------------------
When Samuel regained consciousness, he was lying on the floor of his apartment, his body aching, his mind still reeling from the information overload. A small, sleek tablet lay beside him, displaying the number 10 and the words "Select Ingredients." It was the only physical manifestation of his purchases, a tool for managing the bonus ritual components he had received.
He sat up, his head throbbing, and stared at the tablet. He had taken his first step on the path to becoming a decent Time Enforcer.
"Why does this job hurt so god fucking damn much?" He muttered aloud.
Samuel stood, his legs wobbly beneath him. Sunlight streamed through the windows, painting the spacious living room in a warm, golden glow. It was morning again, but the world felt different, sharper, somehow more real. His mind, though still buzzing with the aftershocks of the knowledge download, felt incredibly clear, the information settling into place like pieces of a complex puzzle.
He was surprised by how much the different knowledge sets synergized. There were rituals for everything. He could enhance his senses, boost his reflexes, even manipulate his internal organs to increase his adaptation to losing stamina and gain resilience by taking damage. The real heroes, however, were the unexpected connections between the different categories. Items from one section filled in the blanks of knowledge from another, creating a web of understanding that was far greater than if he had bought an expensive generalized load of knowledge.
The absolute best purchase, he realized, was actually the cheapest: the Full Anatomy Compendium. When applied to his Mirage knowledge, it unlocked a whole new level of possibilities. He could do things that were probably never intended by the system at this early point in his journey, especially when combined with the adaptation and copying rituals.
The adaptation ritual, combined with the copying ritual, would allow him to learn new skills in a way that was both terrifying and exhilarating. If he had just bought the copying knowledge, he could observe a technique, and the ritual would imprint a rudimentary understanding of that skill directly onto his brain, bypassing the need for conscious practice. But with the modification, his muscle memory would simply adapt to the knowledge and then adapt again by allowing him to go about refining the skill through repetition until it became second nature.
He would become a combat sponge, capable of absorbing knowledge and abilities at an accelerated rate that was actually at a scary level.
He picked up the tablet that had materialized beside him during the knowledge download. It displayed a list of available ritual ingredient sets, categorized by complexity and application. He had ten free sets to use, a welcome bonus that would allow him to experiment with his newfound knowledge.
But apparently, due to his needs, the sets he could get were not as numerous as he hoped.
selected three sets:
* Basic Grand Ritual Set (Twitch Muscle and Reaction Speed Enhancement): 3 Ingredient Points
* Apprentice Grand Ritual Set (Learning Boost:Copying and Multi-skill Physical Skill Observational Adaptation): 4 Ingredient Points
* Basic Grand Ritual Set (Speed Enhancement Adapting Physical Regeneration): 3 Ingredient Points
The speed boost would be pretty badass, and the regeneration ritual would make him faster to heal and more resilient. Allowing him to push his body to its limits without fear of injury was also pretty nuts. The learning boost and adaptation ritual would accelerate his ability to master new skills, both combat-related and otherwise. He was particularly intrigued by the latter, as it seemed to imply that he could learn anything.
Anything from playing the piano, at least the physical movements- to mastering any martial art he sees the moves to.
Any physical movement could be gained at mastery at an accelerated rate.
Then he paused.
The number of different point systems – EP, CP, Ingredient Points – reminded him of pay-to-win MMOs from back in the 2040s. He was actually glad he had gone back in time. At least in this era, he could focus on honing his skills the old-fashioned way, through hard work and dedication, rather than relying on micro-transactions and loot boxes.
Here it was real, too.
He had a lot of work to do, but he was ready for the challenge. He had a new job as a time enforcer.
Since that had serious benefits, he was determined to make the most of his newfound abilities so he could keep his job and not die.
Samuel surveyed the chaotic array of ingredients spread across his living room floor. Candles of varying sizes and colors, bundles of dried herbs that filled the air with a pungent aroma, an assortment of pots and pans, sticks of incense that released plumes of fragrant smoke, chunks of metal that gleamed dully in the afternoon light, and even a few liters of cow blood and a carton of chicken eggs. It looked more like a scene from a horror movie than a scientific experiment.
And then, to top it all off, two more sets of strange ingredients materialized, each arranged in a specific pattern on the floor. One set included a vial of shimmering, silver liquid, a handful of what looked like dried insects, and a small, pulsating crystal. The other set consisted of a bowl of viscous, black goo, a bundle of thorny vines, and a piece of bone that hummed faintly with an unseen energy.
Samuel shook his head, a wry smile tugging at his lips. This was definitely not how he envisioned his first foray into Mirage. He had expected something a little more… well, magical. Instead, he was surrounded by what looked like the contents of a witch’s pantry and a butcher’s back room.
Due to the knowledge he bought, he knew exactly what to do with all this strange nonsense.
He spent the next few hours meticulously arranging the ingredients, following the instructions to the letter. Three ritual circles, each composed of different materials and symbols, took shape on the living room floor. The air grew thick with the scent of incense and the metallic tang of blood.
The clock on the wall ticked past noon. It was 12:33 PM. Time was of the essence.
Samuel lit the candles in the first circle, their flames flickering to life, casting dancing shadows across the walls. He held a bowl of cow blood, his hand trembling slightly with anticipation. The implanted knowledge indicated that the activation sequence had to be initiated at precisely 12:34 PM.
He watched the clock, his heart pounding in his chest. The second hand swept past the eleven. He took a deep breath and steeled himself.
12:34.
He poured the cow blood into the designated space within the circle, the thick, crimson liquid spreading across the intricate symbols etched into the floor. He then quickly extinguished a candle, its smoke mingling with the incense, and tipped a vial of black ink into the center of the circle.
The room vibrated, a low hum resonating through the air. The candles flickered wildly, their flames stretching and contorting as if caught in an unseen wind. The air crackled with energy, a tangible force that pressed against Samuel’s skin.
Then things got weird.
----------------------------------------
Samuel awoke to the feeling of blood rushing to his head. He blinked, his vision blurry, and realized he was upside down, his body suspended in a perfect handstand. He had no memory of initiating the pose, no recollection of the moment his world had flipped on its axis.
“What the…” he muttered, his voice muffled by the rush of blood to his head.
He glanced around the room, his eyes widening in surprise. The three ritual circles were gone, replaced by blackened patches on the hardwood floor, the remnants of the candles and incense still smoldering, releasing thin tendrils of smoke into the air. The other ingredients had vanished, leaving behind only a faint, lingering scent of herbs and something metallic.
He felt different. Lighter, faster, more alive. But there was also a strange emptiness in his mind, as if a chunk of his memory had been wiped clean. He vaguely recalled a conversation, a voice speaking to him from beyond the veil of consciousness, but the words were lost, like whispers on the wind.
He tried to lower himself from the handstand, to regain his footing, but his body moved with a speed and agility that startled him.
Apparently, however, bodily dexterity wasn't quite part of the package yet.
He overcompensated, his legs whipping out from under him, sending him crashing into the nearby wall with a bone-jarring thud.
“Ow,” he groaned, rubbing his shoulder. He had definitely underestimated his newfound speed. He was going to have to get used to this.
He pushed himself to his feet, his movements fluid and effortless. He felt a surge of energy coursing through his veins, a tingling sensation that spread from his fingertips to his toes. He was stronger, faster, more aware than he had ever been before.
The rituals had worked. But who was that voice he had heard in the darkness of the back of his mind?