Kin stood still, ignoring the notification for a moment. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. The air in Greed Island was different—vibrant, charged with a strange energy that made the hairs on his arms stand up. Nen. Even though he couldn't use it yet, he could feel it.
"System," he muttered. "Show me the map."
[SYSTEM ERROR: MAP NOT PURCHASED.]
[OVERRIDE INITIATED... "EYE OF THE ARCHIVE" ACTIVATED.]
Suddenly, Kin's vision shifted. The world turned into a semi-transparent wireframe. Above a bush fifty yards away, a glowing green icon appeared.
[ITEM DETECTED: MEDICINAL HERB (RANK H)]
[DROP RATE: 100% (GLITCHED)]
Kin walked over and plucked the leaf. Instantly, it transformed into a card in his hand. Card No. 592: Medicinal Herb.
"Too easy," Kin smirked. "In the original game, players spend hours grinding for basic Rank H cards. I can see exactly where they hide."
But his celebration was cut short. A low, guttural growl echoed from the shadows of the giant trees. A Galapagos Boar, a low-level monster but deadly for a Level 1 player, stepped into the light. Its tusks were sharp, and its eyes red with rage.
Most players would run. But Kin stood his ground. He focused his "Eye" on the beast.
[MONSTER: GALAPAGOS BOAR]
[HP: 150/150]
[WEAK POINT DETECTED: LEFT REAR JOINT (CRITICAL GLITCH ZONE)]
The boar charged, a blur of fur and muscle. Kin didn't dodge to the side; he waited until the last micro-second, then slid underneath the beast, striking the exact spot the system had highlighted with his bare fist.
CRACK.
The boar let out a squeal of agony as its leg buckled. It didn't just take damage; the "Glitch Zone" strike caused a status effect it wasn't supposed to have at this level: [PARALYSIS].
Kin stood up, dusting off his jacket as the beast transformed into a cloud of light particles, leaving behind a single card on the grass.
"Strategy beats power every time," Kin said, picking up the card. "Especially when you have the cheat codes."
He looked toward the horizon, where the city of Antokiba lay. That's where the real players were. And that's where he would find his first Rare card.