"Hey, system. We've been talking for a long time, and I haven't asked you what you can do," Astra said after realizing they had been talking for several minutes.
At this point, the excitement of meeting his cheat was quite intense. A cheat was something he had only seen in novels, and something he had secretly dreamed of without any hope.
Astra wasn't going to stay in doubt for long, because the system responded immediately:
[The Host must understand that this is the Origin System, an absolute entity born from the primordial core of the cosmos. There are no limits to its reach: any thought, desire, or fantasy can be materialized instantly. From creating entire universes to erasing fundamental laws, everything can be accomplished with a simple intention.]
[However, to achieve all of this, the system uses its own currency: Origin Points (OP). Through them, the Host can access, shape, and manifest any possibility he can imagine. If the host wishes to become the most powerful being in all existence, the system can make it a reality in a single moment, of course, as long as the OP price is paid.
"The most powerful man in the cosmos?... It's something very tempting."
"Tell me, system. How do I get Origin Points?" Astra asked with a hint of excitement.
[Origin Points are a manifestation of universal value, and the host can obtain them through the following means:
- Daily log.
- Completing quests.
- Activating hidden achievements.]
When Astra learned there were quests, he grimaced inwardly. He remembered that although he and the system had been talking for quite some time and he had mentioned something about quests at the beginning, it still hadn't given him an answer.
While the system offered him a world full of infinite possibilities, he felt a little disappointed. But to his delight, this disappointment didn't last long, because as if the system had noticed his thoughts, it said:
[The host shouldn't worry; the system has adapted to his preferences to determine how it works and how to acquire OP.]
[Then he should understand that none of the above options will displease him.]
"So, what about the missions? Do I have to complete some kind of mandatory tasks?"
[Negative. This system won't impose anything on the host. Missions are completely voluntary.
In addition, missions can be created by you. If the host has a goal, an objective, or just something crazy they want to try, they can declare it as a mission, and the system will calculate the corresponding reward.]
"So simple? I say what I want to do, and you reward me for it?"
Astra was truly surprised. He would never have imagined something like this.
[Affirmative. The system will analyze the level of difficulty, the risk involved, and the originality of the objective. Based on those factors, I assign a fair reward.]
"And if I fail?"
[There is no penalty for failure. The host is free to try or not.]
A childlike, satisfied smile spread across Astra's face.
He was truly happy with his system; after all, it suited his tastes and didn't force him to do things he didn't want to.
As for whether he needed to pay anything in return for having the system. Or if the Origin had some conspiracy against him?
Sorry, that didn't occur to him. Before the system, he was at best just a wealthy little fellow. Now he had nothing and is facing the unknown. There really is nothing of value in him. Even considering his most glorious moment in life, there is nothing that could attract an omnipotent system to conspire.
Just recalling those novels where the system had a hidden agenda annoyed him with the authors who wrote them.
Those protagonists were, at best, just a bunch of nobodies before they transmigrated, and they reached the pinnacle of life thanks to their systems. Why give the story such a silly twist by adding a stupid system conspiracy, like taking over the body or something?
"What about the login reward and the hidden achievements?" Although he had something in mind, Astra still wanted to be sure.
[The host can understand what he's thinking.]
[With the diary log function, the host will receive a random amount of origin points; this amount has no limit. It can be 1 point or 1B points. It all depends on luck.]
[On the other hand, the achievement function is activated by reaching important milestones in the host's life. The number of points is linked to the significance of the achievement.]
"I see, I see, just as I thought… Wait a moment." After seeing that his thoughts were correct, he realized something.
"System, you… can read my mind?"
[Affirmative. The system comes with this feature by default to provide you with the best possible service. If you want, you can disable it, and we'll only communicate when you want.]
"Ah… that's how it is," Astra breathed a sigh of relief. Then he added,
"System, if you can differentiate between the times, I want you to read my thoughts and the times I don't, then do so. Otherwise, no."
[It's entirely possible. I'll adapt to your needs.]
"By the way, System. I'm almost sure there's no conspiracy behind all this, but... why did you choose me?" he asked curiously.
[Just as the host thought, there's no conspiracy surrounding you. As for why you were chosen, it's because the Origin saw you as the only singularity throughout existence, so the host is deemed interesting and special.]
"Interesting and special? Hmm, I suppose that should be a compliment."
Having ruled out the existence of a conspiracy, Astra thought of something most systems had. He then asked the system:
"System, is there a beginner's gift pack?" At this point, there was a hint of expectation in his words.
[Of course there is.]
[Does the host wish to open the package?] [Yes - No]
A golden screen with purple highlights appeared in Astra's mind.
"Yes."
Then a series of notifications flooded him.
[Automatically integrating the rest of the Origin Body. Hiding visions.]
[The remaining items will be included in the system backpack, awaiting the host's use.]