Where am I? It's really cold… What is this place…?
A scrawny man was starting to get his consciousness back in a life capsule.
"Ah… I feel tired." His memory was hazy but slowly coming back.
There were many tubes and wires connected to his vertebrae; he could feel them. He realized they were keeping him alive somehow.
"Ugh, my head… Now I remember, I was left to die. Our mission, it would've changed the fate of Earth forever.
The excavation of Norcerium, we were attacked, and they left me…" He slowly blinked and recollected the broken parts of his memory.
"But who were they? Augh!!" A sharp pain pierced his skull.
"I can't remember! I can't remember anything else! Why? And where am I? Am I alive?" He looked around.
He was in an abandoned laboratory with broken lab equipment and a large computer screen with a large hole in it.
"Was I saved? But who saved me?"
"Don't worry, I won't let you die; you're the last hope of the universe—"
*BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!*
*PROTOCOL 00 ACTIVATED*
Suddenly the alarm went off, and a high-voltage electricity shock ran into his heart, or whatever was left in his chest.
His breath started running amok, and a flash appeared before his eyes.
—————
[...System Booting]
[System Online]
[System Nam-l]
[Error]
[Assigning functional primary command]
[System ID - Sirius]
[ERROR 003:: Core Integrity—07% functional]
[User Detected]
— Accessing cognitive signature...
— Matching neural patterns...
[User ID: UNKNOWN]
[Override: ID "assigned—"Subject 0"]
[Welcome...Subject 0]
Accessing Subject Profile...]
[Scan Integrity: 84%]
[Biometric Report—Partial Reconstruction]
SUBJECT: "0"
— PHYSICAL PARAMETERS —
Vital Capacity: LOW (lung efficiency decreased; contamination suspected)
Muscle Density: 34% below optimal
Reflex Index: 2.1 (Delayed Response)
Pain Threshold: Adaptive (fluctuates under stress)
Vision: Monochromatic—Augmented Layer Interference
Cardiovascular Output: Stable (barely)
Neural Response Speed: 7.6 ms (substandard)
[ERROR: DNA signature partially overwritten]
[Unknown sequences integrated—origin: UNVERIFIED]
— CYBERNETIC INTEGRATIONS —
• Limb Mod: Right arm—ERROR
— Integration rejected
[Only Basic Functions Available]
[WARNING: Body condition unsuitable for high-stress environments]
[WARNING: System override possible through external link]
Recommendation: Avoid direct combat.
Recommendation: Locate a med-bay or functional repair pod.
——
[Stat Compilation Complete... with 61.4% accuracy]
[Updates pending—contingent on survival]
[For safety measures, 98% of memories are locked.]
[Memories can be downloaded after acquiring a suitable level.]
[System Synchronization: PARTIAL]
[Core Functions: Damaged]
[Auto-Recovery: IN PROGRESS]
— Initializing Protocol-9...
TASK UPLOADED
Objective: Survive the anomaly breach.
— Estimated Success Rate: 4.2%
— Reward: [DATA CORRUPTED]
Side Task: Secure a power source before the cycle ends.
— Time Remaining: 03:59:59 — Remaining Power: 40%
STATUS:
Neural Integrity: 81%
Bio-Shell: Unstable
Memory Blocks: Fragmented
[WARNING: System monitoring compromised. External force detected.]
[WARNING: You are not alone.]
Personal Note: Sender Anonymous
"You were not the first.
You won't be the last.
But you might be the only one left."
[System online—minimal functionality]
[Further assistance... pending]
[Level - 1]
[End of Transmission]
"What is this? An Integrated Neural System? When did I get it?" Zero walked out for the capsule, walking out the wire in his cybernetic spine.
He took a good look at his body; most of his body was still flesh and blood, except there was a metal enclosure in his chest, a cyberspine, and his right arm was replaced with a cybernetic arm.
"I can't recall anything, except I know how to survive."
——
[System Alert]
Attention!]
[Unidentified biological lifeform detected]
[Locate med-bay now!]
——
"Med-bay! I need to find the med bay!" He started trotting; the system was slowly recovering his muscle memories, helping him to move around.
He opened the door and looked around; the red light from the alert filled the space, making the air more tense.
"Where is med-bay!" he yelled and moved around.
Now he was able to run and retained most of his basic physical abilities.
He wandered around and finally saw a blinking name screen.
[ Med-Bay ]
"Finally!" He let out a sigh of relief and pushed the enter button; the gate opened, and his feet came to a halt.
——
[!! ALERT—THREAT DETECTED]
[Proximity Warning—Hostile Lifeform Approaching]
— Initiating Emergency Scan...
[Biological Signature: CLASS-10 ANOMALY]
Designation: [Uncatalogued Species]
Alias: Goblin Ape
Threat Level: Moderate-Low
(Solo Encounter Not Recommended)
[ PHYSIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS ]
Height: ~0.4 meters
Mass: ~40 kg
Limb Count: 4 (Prehensile Upper Limbs)
Skin: Hardened fungal armor (semi-organic shell)
Visual Organ: Split-spectrum compound eyes (infrared vision enabled)
Muscle Output: Above baseline human by 162%
Reflex Response: Rapid
Locomotion: Quadrupedal & Bipedal Interchangeable
[Adaptation Trait Detected]:
Vestigial nodes in the spine emit pheromone-based distress calls to attract swarm packs.
[ BEHAVIORAL PROFILE ]
• Primitive intelligence; coordinated in packs
• Extremely territorial
• Vocal mimicry potential—do not respond to human-like calls.
[ABILITIES]
▸ Wall-Cling Movement—can adhere to vertical structures
▸ Short-Burst Leap—~7 m in 0.5 sec
▸ Sonic Shriek—disorients targets, affects auditory implants
[ IDENTIFIED WEAKNESSES ]
▸ Overexposure to UV light—dermal layers rupture
▸ Auditory Sensitivity—vulnerable to ultrasonic feedback
▸ Pack Reliance—isolated individuals become erratic and predictable.
[CAUTION: More signatures detected.]
[Recommend Evasion or Long-Range Engagement]
Initiating bio-suppression field…
[FAILURE: Required Level not reached]
[Acquire required level for bio-suppression field]
[SYSTEM ALERT: Survival probability drops below 28% if engaged directly.]
——
A small monkey-like creature with red skin and long canines was jumping around in the med bay.
It didn't notice him, then Zero Vision found an emergency Adrenaline Rapid Healing compound.
He slowly moved towards the injection, but then his feet crushed a piece of glass.
*Crunch*
The goblin ape turned around and shrieked. Zero immediately jumped towards the injection, but the ape jumped and kicked Zero in the chest.
Zero was sent flying and crashed into a wall.
The ape jumped on the table and shrieked again, calling for his pack.
——
[System Alert]
Attention!]
[Several unidentified biological lifeforms detected.]
[Escape from the med-bay now!]
——
But before he could do anything, many apes entered the med-bay and surrounded him.
"What should I do now?" He could feel the fear, the fear that was crying to run away for survival.
He again looked at the injection and swallowed his spit.
It was now or never.
He jumped back on his feet and leaped towards the injection again; the ape tried to stop him but missed.
He grabbed the injection and stabbed himself.
——
[System Alert]
Detecting Rising Adrenaline Levels!]
[Physical Boost Activated]
[Temporarily Enhancing Physical Abilities]
[Raising all stats by 10]
[Ability unlocked—Enhanced Agility]
[Survival chance increased by 50%.]
——
"Agility? Are you asking me to run away? I'm done running away!"
He picked a metal pipe and readied himself for his first battle.