I decided to check the other features, but quickly realized
my level was too low to access most of them. Disappointed but determined, I
turned my attention to the Newbie Pack—it had a chance of giving me:
• One item (rarity: Common – Rare)
• One skill (rarity: Common – Mystic)
• Points: Between 100 – 10
I folded my hands together, hoping the system would be
merciful. After what felt like a twenty-minute-long prayer session, I finally
clicked open.
Ding!
Congratulations!
🎁 You've received a Level 1 Epic Weapon:
Vial of Red Liquid.
Vial Master's Weapon:
A writer needs a pen.
A musician, an instrument.
A driver, a car.
But a master... must have a weapon that reflects their soul.
This weapon changes form according to the user's preferences
and grows alongside them.
Bound to user.
Will be automatically stored in the user's World Inventory.
Okay, WHAT?! Epic already? My eyes sparkled. Before I could
get over the excitement, another notification popped up.
Congratulations!
🎯 You've acquired the skill: Berserk (Level
2) – Common
Used by mutants.
Temporarily increases Strength, Agility, and Speed by 0.5x.
Time limit depends on user's stamina.
⚠️ May cause temporary insanity.
Side effects: -10% HP & -5% Mana on activation.
Auto-activates when HP falls below 20.
I swallowed. This skill was dangerous... but also kind of
badass.
Then came the final reward:
+10 Points!
📈 (Note: 100 XP = 1 Point)
Would the Host like to use their points now?
Thinking for a moment,
I decided to see where I could allocate the points.
Strength – 2
Agility – 1
IQ – 1
I tried to add to Skill—
but a system notification popped up instead:
SYSi: "Master, skill points are for increasing skill
proficiency only."
I gave a weak, awkward smile at that.
No time to waste.
I stood from the bed, feeling raw strength surge through me.
Grabbing an apple, I took a bite.
Ding! You have gained +0.14 HP, 0 Mana, and 0 Mutant Blood
I opened my status window:
⸻
🧬 SYSi MENU — HOLOGRAPHIC SYSTEM INTERFACE 🧬
👤 Name: Nyx
🏋🏽♂️ Strength: 3
✨ Mana: None
🎯 Skill: Berserk
🏃🏽♂️ Agility: 3
🧠 IQ: 3
❤️ HP: 200 / 350
📈 Level: 1
🗡️ Weapon: Master's Weapon (Current State:
Slime)
🧬 Race: Human (No new branches unlocked)
🧟 Mutations: Present
⚠️ Current Condition: Sick
🎁 Available Rewards:
• 1x Lucky Draw
💵 Current Bank Balance: $1.8 million
💰 Net Worth: $15.1 million
👾 Companion: SYSi
💎 System Level: 2 (Systematic Helper)
📊 Host XP: 650
⚙️ Companion CP: 16
⸻
I smiled to myself...
Then paused.
Wait.
Doing the math, I should've had 700 XP...
So where the hell did the missing 50 go?
SYSi (chuckling):
"That went to me—for maintenance. I am your
responsibility, after all. I need XP too to level up~ 🥰"
I facepalmed in pure disbelief.
"Master, don't be mad—it's bad for your health 🤣"
I walked off, pretending I didn't hear her,
while SYSi kept laughing in the air like an unbothered
little gremlin.
I had just stepped out of my hospital room when a really
loud BOOM shook the whole building. The floor under my feet trembled like an
angry giant was stomping around. My ears started ringing, and before I could
even think about what was going on, people started screaming and running
everywhere like scared chickens.
Somebody grabbed my arm and started dragging me toward the
exit, and since I didn't want to get squished by the crazy crowd, I just went
along. My chest felt tight, and there was this weird burning smell in the air.
When we finally pushed through the doors, the bright light outside made me
squint.
I saw a big, thick cloud of black smoke curling up into the
sky from somewhere nearby. Just one look and I could guess what had happened,
to be honest, I didn't really want to guess.
I didn't have time to waste. I grabbed the nearest fire
extinguisher from the wall and ran in the opposite direction from where
everyone else was going. Don't get me wrong, I am not brave or anything I just
knew that place was going to turn into zombie land real fast and the last thing
I needed was to be stuck in a zombie buffet when I hadn't even figured out how
to fight in this body yet.
Luckily, the people around me weren't completely brainless.
They were actually running away instead of doing that dumb thing people do in
movies where they go check out the scary sound.
Soon, firefighters arrived, spraying foamy white clouds at
the flames. The police started putting up yellow tape and shouting at everyone
to stay back. Before I knew it, we civilians were herded into a "safe
zone" like a bunch of cows in a pen.
That's when I remembered something important Madam Li and
Sysi.
I quickly called Madam Li, Thankfully, she was safe and had
already been taken to another safe spot, That was one less thing to worry
about. But Sysi I had no clue where she was.
"System"
I called out, hoping maybe she'd appear like magic and
weirdly enough, it actually worked a floating see through square popped up in
front of me, showing my info. But Sysi herself wasn't there.
I sighed and started walking away, thinking I'd just prepare
myself for what was coming. That's when I felt something cling to my leg.
I looked down it was
a small, wobbly slime, and I knew that slime.
It was Sysi's original form.
"lSysi? When did you get here? I asked, but before I
could even get another word out, her voice started ringing inside my head.
"Master, don't leave me!" she wailed.
Her whining was like someone scratching a chalkboard. I
forced a smile that probably looked like I'd just eaten something sour and bent
down to pick her up. "I would never leave you, you're too important,"
I said. Yeah, that was a lie. But I really didn't have time to deal with her
drama right now.
"Master is a liar!" Sysi sniffled. "Master
wanted to leave Sysi! Is Sysi not good enough? Is it because Sysi laughed at
Master? Master is so cruel! After all Sysi has done for Master, Master is
ungrateful…"
She just kept going and going. My brain started feeling like
it was melting. I decided the best move was to quietly sneak away before I went
insane.
But I forgot something important my strength and agility
weren't normal anymore. The moment I moved, I ended up shooting forward like a
launched rocket. I didn't stop until I crashed right into a group of people.
Hard.
…
Passersby No. 1's POV
Today was supposed to be my day off. A nice, lazy Saturday
But no I got woken up, kicked out of my house "for my safety" because
of all the strange explosions lately.
When I reached the safe zone, I saw a bunch of people
gathering and figured something bad must have happened again. I decided to just
stay in the back and mind my business but then I saw him.
My boss the man who owed me two months of unpaid salary.
Just looking at his greasy face made me want to vomit.
Still, I plastered on a fake smile and greeted him politely and what did that
slimeball say? He told me to come to work on a Saturday. When there had
literally been an explosion.
But the gods must love me, because right at that moment, a
white haired woman fell out of the sky and crashed right into him.
He hit the ground like a sack of potatoes.
She was beautiful, though her clothes looked strange like
hospital clothes. I figured she must have been a patient.
She bowed and apologized, but I was too busy dragging my
unconscious boss away. I hoped I'd meet her again someday.
…
Back to me
"Sigh… that guy's probably not waking up anytime
soon," I muttered. Hopefully his friend takes him to the hospital. But
what if they ask me for compensation? Ugh!
I glared at Sysi. Why didn't you tell me I was that strong?!
Sysi's voice piped up in my head again. "Master, I'm
sorry! I forgot humans are normally so weak even a little strength boost is
dangerous!" She made her slime body wiggle like she was bowing. "I'll
hide now. I'll turn into a small accessory so people won't suspect anything.
There are probably people here who can see me."
I froze. Wait… what do you mean 'people who can see you?
That's impossible.
In that moment, I forgot all about why I was angry, my head
started spinning with a million questions.
There was only one that really mattered.
Sysi those people in the white room, The place we met. D-do
you mean those people?
"Master….."
That was hesitation I could see it but why was she
hesitating, was it something I wasn't supposed to know.
"What
did Sysi mean by 'those people'… and why do I feel like everything's about to
get even worse