The immediate threat of the Gloomfang was gone, but a new, insidious enemy settled in: the creeping dread of the coming night. Adam knew he couldn't afford to rest without a secure location. The thought of sleeping, vulnerable, with mana constantly threatening to overwhelm him, was terrifying. He needed shelter, and he needed it fast.
"Lyra," Adam said, scanning the mana-rich, treacherous landscape with his newfound vision, "I can't just lie down out here. I need to find somewhere safe before sundown. Can we reach that item location you mentioned earlier? The one with potential survival gear?"
"Affirmative, Adam," Lyra replied, her voice crisp and efficient. "My sensors indicate the nearest scattered item is approximately 1 kilometers northwest. It shows a faint energy signature consistent with a survival pack or similar utility item. However, the path to it traverses areas with dense creature activity. We must proceed with extreme caution."
The Peculiar System Glitch
As Lyra spoke, a soft, chime-like sound echoed, not from the external world, but directly in Adam's mind. It was subtle, easily missed amidst the symphony of his exhaustion and the hum of ambient mana.
"Adam," Lyra interjected, "a notification has been registered. Place your palm forward and focus on the concept of 'status.'"
Hesitantly, Adam extended his hand, palm up. A translucent, blue-hued screen flickered into existence before him, displaying simple text:
NAME: Adam Levi
LEVEL: 0
EXPERIENCE: 1,000,000
SKILLS: None
STATUS: Mana Stabilized (Temporary)
Adam stared. "Level 0? But... I just defeated a Gloomfang. That thing was terrifying. And a million experience points? What do I do with it if I can't level up or get skills?"
"A pertinent observation, Adam," Lyra acknowledged. "Your current status indicates you have not yet received the 'Blessing from Above,' which is typically required to fully integrate with this world's system, granting access to skill trees and level progression. It appears your transmigration was indeed highly irregular."
Lyra paused, a subtle shift in her mental presence. "However, given the circumstances, I will attempt to establish a more stable connection with the system on your behalf. This may cause temporary system instability."
A brief, jarring surge of energy coursed through Adam, like a momentary electrical shock. The status window flickered violently, then settled.
NAME: Adam Levi
LEVEL: 1
EXPERIENCE: 1,000,000
SKILLS: None
STATUS: Mana Stabilized (Temporary)
"It appears I have managed to force a rudimentary level upgrade," Lyra announced, "bypassing the initial 'Blessing' requirement. However, your accumulated experience points still cannot be directly applied to further levels or skill acquisition without deeper system integration, which is impossible in this high-mana environment."
"So, the experience points are useless?" Adam felt a wave of frustration.
"Not entirely," Lyra replied, her voice now tinged with a digital hum that suggested intense processing. "I've detected a peculiar subroutine within the system's core. It appears to be a 'developer function' or a 'failsafe protocol' for unprecedented energy surges. I believe I can convert your raw experience points into a form of internal currency. Let's call them System Coins."
Another flicker, less jarring this time. The status window shimmered, displaying a new line:
SYSTEM COINS: 7,000,000
"Given the typical conversion rates, Adam, your 1,000,000 experience points are equivalent to a staggering 7 million System Coins,"
Lyra explained. "This amount of experience would normally propel an individual to approximately Level 70."
"Seven million coins?" Adam's jaw almost dropped. That was an insane amount. "Can I buy things? Gear? Food?"
"Regrettably, direct access to the system's 'Shop' feature is currently unavailable due to the severe mana interference," Lyra stated.
"However, I have located another peculiar section. It appears to be a 'Random Box' function. For 100 System Coins per box, it will spawn a random item. The nature of these items is entirely unpredictable."
Adam considered it. 7 million coins. 100 coins per box. That meant 70,000 random boxes. It sounded like a gambling addiction waiting to happen, but what other choice did he have? He needed something to survive.
"What kind of items come out of these boxes, Lyra?" he asked, a mixture of hope and trepidation in his voice.
"My predictive models indicate a vast spectrum," Lyra explained, "ranging from common refuse to extremely rare artifacts. However, statistically, the majority of items are 'thrash' – items of little to no practical value, or simply useless in your current context."
The sun was already dipping below the horizon, painting the sky in fiery oranges and purples, casting long, unsettling shadows. The thought of the unseen creatures of the Red Zone emerging for the night sent a shiver down Adam's spine. He had millions of coins, but a very real need for immediate survival.