Rover waited, sweating buckets while the System stayed completely silent. He swallowed hard and said softly, "Oy... don't back out on me now, okay? It's just 65,536. You're a System---you can definitely handle that, right?"
Still silence.
Rover felt like he was sitting on hot coals. "H-Hey, we can negotiate! You said I could arrange the numbers however I wanted, so why are you quiet now?!"
Finally, the System spoke:
[Ding! The System has requested confirmation from the Gods. Because the number you proposed is too large, the highest Rebate Multiplier the System can offer is 10,000.]
"That..." Rover froze-then lit up like fireworks.
10,000! Not the supernumber he wanted, but way better than nothing. He could totally live with that!
But before he could even react properly, the System interrupted:
[Of course, the System will not let you suffer a loss. The Gods have offered 3 benefits and 2 conditions. If you accept, the System will bind with you. If not, the System will disappear, and you will remain unaffected.]
Rover felt a chill in his chest. But he forced himself to stay composed.
"Tell me the conditions and benefits first."
The System continued:
[Condition 1: Each day, you may only use the "Rebate" function 3 times.]
[Condition 2: Items obtained through "Rebate" cannot be traded.]
Rover frowned lightly. "The first condition is fine. Condition two... if I can't trade them, can I still use them on myself or my Pact creatures?"
[Of course. You may use them on yourself or your Pact creatures-just not trade, gift, or transfer them to anyone else.]
Rover nodded immediately. "Fine! I accept both conditions. Now... tell me the three benefits."
The System spoke again:
[Benefit 1: Fusion Function. Whenever you receive multiple rebated items of the same type, the System will allow you to choose: Receive the full quantity, or -Fuse them into a higher-quality item.]
[Benefit 2: Each time you level up, the System will grant you a Level-Up Reward Pack.]
[Benefit 3: The System grants you a Storage Space with a starting size of 5×5×5 meters. Time within this space is frozen. You may store anything except living beings.]
[What do you think? Do you accept?]
Rover's jaw dropped. He slapped his own ears, wondering if he misheard.
"You... you're giving me those three benefits? Seriously?"
[Correct. If you feel the multiplier reduction was unfair, this is the only compensation the Gods can grant. If you do not accept, then-]
"I accept! I ACCEPT!" Rover shouted instantly. "Bind with me! Now! Quickly!"
The System: [...]
[Very well. Please wait a moment.]
A strange sensation filled Rover's mind. Suddenly, a vast 5×5×5-meter space appeared in his consciousness.
He could pull anything within five meters into the space without touching it. Time inside was frozen---everything stored would remain exactly as it was.
[Ding! You have received the Newbie Gift Pack from the System. Would you like to open it?]
"Huh?! Another Newbie Gift Pack?" Rover blinked in surprise.
But within a heartbeat, he shouted, "Open it!"
[Ding! Opening Newbie Gift Pack. You have obtained:
- Potion: Spring's Breath ×5 (Effect: Even if you are one breath away from death, consuming one pill will fully restore your body to peak condition.)
- "Rebate Application Ticket": Allows you to apply the Rebate function once to a Pact creature.
All rewards have been placed into your Storage Space. Please check.]
Rover quickly inspected his Storage Space. Sure enough---inside was a small bottle containing pills and a glowing card.
He was about to speak to the System again when--- A new notification window abruptly appeared in front of him.
[Ding! Your first mission is about to begin.]
...
Mission: Survive in the Gloomy Forest. Duration: 7 days. Reward: ???
...
[Ding! You have received 7 days of lifespan. The mission will begin in 1 minute.]
Rover stared at the notification and let out a long breath. Even though he now had multiple Systems and a pile of advantages... when it came time to face an actual mission, a sliver of fear still crept into his heart.
After all, he was someone born and raised in modern society-a place with police, laws, and a functioning justice system.
Throwing him straight into a savage, chaotic world... If he didn't feel scared, then he'd either be insane or a serial killer.
He glanced at the countdown ticking away, and then-
Krit!
The door creaked open.
Rover inhaled deeply, frowned, and muttered, "I have Systems. I shouldn't be afraid. As long as I clear this mission, a bright future awaits."
"I still need to go back for revenge. I can't die here." He clenched his fists. "I've been given a second chance at life. I won't stay a coward."
He grabbed the doorknob- But before he could pull-
The door and the entire room dissolved into nothing.
"What the hell?!"
He spun around--- and realized he was now standing in the middle of a dark, chilling forest. Towering trees blocked out the sky overhead, and dense mist clung to everything, making the place look even more eerie.
Rover shivered. "This place... is this the Gloomy Forest?"
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Cleng! Cleng!
While he was still confused, sounds of snapping branches echoed through the fog--- Followed by the metallic clatter of something scraping against steel.
Rover's body tensed. Out of the fog, several dark figures approached---shrouded in eerie green flames.
"That's..."
He squinted. One of the tall shadows ahead resembled a human shape, but its movements were stiff and unnatural---like a puppet being yanked by invisible strings.
"That's..." Rover whispered.
He tried to focus on its silhouette- But then--
Whoosh!
The sound of slicing wind. Rover instinctively ducked--
BAM!
"ACK!" A huge spiked mace swung past his head, smashing into the tree behind him.
The impact was monstrous.
Crack! Crack!
The thick tree trunk shattered, and the upper half toppled slowly to the ground.
But Rover didn't spare the falling tree a second glance.
His eyes were locked on the shadowy figure in the distance.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
His heart pounded so violently it felt like it would burst out of his chest.
Rover inhaled sharply, forcing himself to calm down. In his hand, he clenched the glowing scroll tightly.
'I can't run. It'll definitely catch me. So... I have to gamble everything on this.'
The shadow moved closer and closer, finally emerging from the fog.
It was nearly two meters tall. A heavily rusted suit of armor clung to its frame. In one hand, it held a giant greatsword--though only half the blade remained.
Its body was almost entirely decayed... But from the remaining bits of flesh and muscle, Rover could tell--
It was a woman.
A muscle girl, even in undeath-- with more muscle mass than most men.
And she was marching straight toward him.
The flesh on the creature's face had completely rotted away, revealing a bare skull. Its hollow eye sockets held no eyeballs--only two eerie green flames burning violently within. A few strands of hair still clung stubbornly to its head.
Floating in the air, about 10 cm above the monster's skull, was a glowing status window:
[Boss - Undead Fighter | Rank D]
The red text was sharp and threatening, but Rover's eyes locked onto one thing---
Rank D.
'Rank D! That means... the scroll works on it!'
Rover felt a faint glimmer of hope flare inside him.
'Please... please... It's a 100% chance. Don't fail me now.'
The Undead Fighter was now only 10 meters away. Yet the crushing pressure radiating from it made Rover's legs shake uncontrollably.
He was a modern man---someone who had never even watched horror movies or ghost films. Now he was staring at a real undead monstrosity.
Terror gnawed at his spine.
Rover gritted his teeth, tightened his grip on the scroll, and roared in his mind:
'Use Forced Contract Scroll!'
[Ding! Successfully used!]
The scroll burst into a bright streak of light, shooting directly toward the Undead Fighter.
But this wasn't some slow zombie from the movies--
The Undead Fighter suddenly shifted its body to the side- effortlessly dodging the beam.
Whoosh!
The beam whizzed past the Undead Fighter and vanished into the fog.
"What?!" Rover's voice cracked. His eyes widened, disbelief twisting into raw panic.
"It-it dodged my Forced Contract?!"
Gru... Gru...
A feral, beast-like growl echoed from the exposed skull, making Rover's spine freeze solid, as if he were standing in a freezer.
BAM!
The Undead Fighter stomped on the ground---mud exploding everywhere as its massive body lunged toward him like a freight train.
Rover's heart lurched.
He spun around and sprinted for his life.
GRUU!!!
"Shit!" Rover screamed as the savage roar erupted right behind him.
He risked a glance back- only to see the half-broken greatsword already raised high, swinging down at him.
'Too fast!' Rover thought in horror. The monster had crossed the 10-meter gap in less than two seconds.
Time slowed.
The broken, rusted, cracked blade descended toward his head. Even though the weapon was damaged, Rover knew-
With the Undead Fighter's monstrous strength, it could cleave his skull clean in half.
'Damn it! Don't tell me... I die here?!'
The blade reached less than 10 cm from his head-
And then-
A sudden flash of light shot straight into the Undead Fighter's skull.
[Ding! Forced Contract established. Congratulations-Undead Fighter has become your Pact creature.]
[Ding! Would you like to use the Rebate Application Ticket on your Pact creature?]