The System's voice, repeating "survive, find water and food," finally cut through Kai's lingering shock. He took a deep breath, trying to inhale the strange air without coughing. He glanced at his System status window again. His abysmal RES score, a single digit, felt like a mockery of his ability to truly understand this new world. But his decent INT, courtesy of his 21st-century knowledge of physics and engineering, might just be a lifeline.
"Alright, System. Water first," Kai muttered to himself, his voice sounding peculiar amidst the alien hum of the city. He tried to listen. His Resonance Sense was still faint, like a radio picking up a distant, crackling station. But he could feel something flowing... something dynamic, like an underwater current.
He started moving cautiously, navigating the narrow alley where he'd awakened. The blue creature was gone. Good. Kai wasn't ready for interspecies diplomacy on his first day. He opted for a direction that seemed brighter, more open.
As he stepped out of the alley, the sight before him made him gasp. This wasn't just a city. It was a colossal, living ecosystem. The bio-organic structures interconnected via bridges that looked like ancient tree roots reaching for the sky. In places, the walls of buildings pulsed with a gentle light, emitting a warm glow. And among the gaps in these structures, grew strange, colorful plants that cast a soft luminescence. Small waterfalls cascaded from higher openings, not from pipes, but seemingly from the very pores of the stone, and the water itself shimmered.
"Okay, so... clean water is apparently a thing," Kai mumbled, a sense of relief beginning to push back the fear. He cautiously approached one of the small waterfalls, trying to get a closer look. The water looked clear, but it had a faint shimmer, like it was laced with microscopic light particles. Beautiful, but safe?
Suddenly, a smooth yet firm voice spoke, not inside his head this time, but from behind him. "Don't drink that yet, Traveler."
Kai jumped, spinning around quickly. There stood a young woman with pale silver hair flowing in gentle waves, her emerald green eyes bright with curiosity. She wore clothing made of a shimmering, organic material, and as she moved, faint golden bio-luminescent patterns danced on her skin. She looked utterly unlike any human Kai knew, yet somehow, her presence felt strangely calming. This was Emberly.
"You... you can talk?" Kai stammered, still a bit wide-eyed. "And how did you know I was... a traveler?"
Emberly offered a soft, genuine smile. "I'm Emberly. And yes, I talk. Most of us in the Architect City can. Identifying you as a 'traveler' wasn't difficult. Your jacket... is very old. And I sensed an 'unfamiliar' energy wave when you appeared. It wasn't this planet's Resonance." She gestured towards Kai. "You're clearly different."
"I'm... Kai," he managed, trying to return the smile, though his nerves were still on edge. "And I honestly have no idea how I got here. It seems there was a... technical malfunction."
Emberly chuckled softly. "A technical malfunction that sent you across time, it seems. But don't worry, Kai. You're not alone here. Judging by your state, you need a guide. I can teach you the basics of surviving in this Living City. Including why that water is more than just water."
She then walked towards the shimmering waterfall and picked something from a crevice in the stone nearby. It was a fruit-like or capsule-like organic object, emitting a soft golden glow. "Here, eat this. It's Bio-Nutrient Paste, the 'natural' version of this era. It'll give you basic energy." She offered it to Kai.
Kai hesitated for a moment, looking at the glowing object, then at his System window.
`[QUEST ALERT: Survival 101 - Find safe drinking water and food.]`
`[STATUS UPDATE: Consuming Bio-Nutrient Paste may provide Resonance Essence.]`
Kai swallowed. "Alright," he said, and carefully took the glowing object. It smelled sweet, like a mix of exotic fruits and something more... mineral. He took a bite. It tasted like paradise, a blend of unfamiliar tropical fruits and invigorating energy, leaving a pleasant warmth in his stomach.
As he swallowed the last bite, the System window in front of him flickered.
`[XP GAINED: 50]`
`[RESONANCE ESSENCE GAINED: 10]`
`[STATUS UPDATE: RES + 1 (Total: 2). Basic Resonance Sense is now partially active.]`
Kai felt a strange tingling sensation spread through his body, then in his mind – a new sensation he'd never experienced. It was like a faint, intricate network unfurling around him, carrying information about his surroundings. He could sense the flow of energy in this Living City, not just a hum, but a complex pattern. He could even feel a hint of the foreign energy emanating from the blue creature he'd seen earlier, now a bit further away.
"It tastes... good," Kai said, more to himself. "And it feels like... I can sense something now."
Emberly smiled again, her eyes sparkling. "That's good. It means you're starting to connect. That's the key to living here. You're starting to resonate." She extended a hand, its patterns of bio-luminescence glowing softly. "Come, Kai. Let's begin your adventure on this new Earth."