After eating, Zero's parents waved goodbye, briefcases in hand, as they headed off to their respective jobs. Glancing at the calendar, Zero's eyes widened. Monday, June 2003. He had gone back twenty years in the past.
'20 years huh?' he thought, still trying to grasp the reality of his situation.
Once alone, Zero hurried to his room, eager to interact with the mysterious system he had encountered.
"Status," he commanded.
Nothing appeared.
'Maybe "system"?' Zero thought, growing increasingly confused.
Again, nothing.
"Huh... this is confusing," Zero muttered, scratching his head. 'Usually, in novels and fantasy movies, they do it like that.'
Frustration mounting, he tried different callouts, various commands, and even thoughts. Nothing seemed to work.
An idea struck him, and he dashed to his father's library to fetch some books, hoping it might hold some clues. As he left his room, he noticed a black, thin ring lying on the floor.
'Where did this come from?' he wondered, feeling drawn to the object.
On impulse, he picked it up and slid it onto his finger. The moment he did, a screen appeared before his eyes:
============================================
Name: Zero Elsher
Age: 8 years old
Power: 2
Intelligence: 14
Stamina: 3
Balance: 0 Zen
Skills: Future Sight -
=============================================
Zero examined the stats, his expression remained calm and collected, despite the surge of excitement within him. "A power level of 2, huh? I suppose there's room for improvement," he mused, a hint of a confident smile playing on his lips. "And my stamina at 3 also needs some work. But my intelligence at 14 is hardly surprising, considering my knowledge from the future."
He considered the puzzling entry of "Balance: 0 Zen" with a thoughtful gaze. "Curious, I thought the balance of Zen before was meant to be 200. Nevertheless, this system seems intriguing."
Zero's eyes widened, looking at the skill labeled 'Future Sight'?
It was real. The system was real.
'Future Sight?' he mused, his eyes fixed on the skill listed on the screen. 'What does that mean?'
He tried to access more information, focusing on the words and willing the system to explain.
Nothing happened.
"Frustrating," he muttered, his brow furrowing in concentration.
Zero spent hours exploring the system, trying different commands and thoughts, but it seemed unresponsive to most of his attempts. He could see his stats, but he couldn't change them, couldn't access any further information. It was like a locked door with a window; he could see inside but couldn't enter.
The ring seemed to be the key, but how did it work? And where had it come from?
He examined the ring closely, noticing intricate patterns etched into the black metal. It was unlike anything he'd seen before, both in his past and current life.
The more he looked at it, the more he felt a connection, a pull towards it. It was as if the ring was calling to him, resonating with something deep inside him.
The day wore on, and Zero's frustration grew. He felt like he was on the brink of understanding, but the answers remained just out of reach.
He decided to take a break, as he was heading downstairs to grab a snack,.
the ring suddenly pulsed, and a new message appeared on the screen:
=========================================
Mission: Discover the Origin of the Black Ring.
Reward: 300 Zen & 200$
Failure: ???
Time Limit: None
==========================================
Zero's heart skipped a beat. A mission? This was something new, something tangible. This was a way forward.
Zero's stomach gave an audible grumble, and he glanced at the clock. It was already 4 PM. With his parents not due back until around 6 PM, he realized he had the house to himself for a couple more hours.
Perhaps he could go to the shop and get something tasty to eat.
As soon as the thought of the shop entered his mind, the system reacted, displaying a whole new interface:
===========================================
Welcome to the Zen Shop! Browse our selection of items, upgrades, and abilities.
Balance: 0 Zen
Categories:
armory
Potions
Skills
Miscellaneous
Upgrades
Daily Specials:
Mystery Box: 500 Zen
Power Boost Potion: 150 Zen
Intelligence Scroll: 300 Zen
Purchased history
==========================================
Zero's eyes widened as he took in the shop's offerings. It was like something straight out of a video game, complete with categories, items, and even daily specials.
But his balance read 0 Zen, leaving him unable to purchase anything. A feeling of excitement mixed with frustration coursed through him.
"How do I earn Zen?" he wondered aloud, touching the ring and feeling its hum of energy.
The system didn't respond, leaving him to puzzle it out on his own.
With the mystery of the shop and the newly discovered mission still fresh in his mind, Zero grabbed his jacket and headed out to the local shop. His thoughts raced with the possibilities of what the system might hold, what missions might await him, and how he could unlock more of its secrets.
As he stepped outside, he couldn't shake the feeling that his life had taken a turn into the extraordinary, that he was on the brink of an adventure filled with danger, excitement, and discovery.
He felt a newfound purpose and determination, fueled by the ring, the system, and the unknown path that lay ahead. The ordinary life of an eight-year-old boy had transformed into something entirely different, something magical.
And as Zero made his way down the familiar streets of his neighborhood, the ring on his finger pulsed with a life of its own, a promise of the untold adventures to come.
Zero stared at the system's interface, his eyes fixated on the purchase history option. There was the black ring, bought for 200 Zen. That's why his previous balance had gone missing.
He scratched his head, confused. Why had the system purchased the ring on its own? What was the point of the ring? Why did it have anything to do with him?
Then a notification appeared on the system's screen:
===========================================
Quest: Discover the Origin of the Black Ring - Completed
Reward: 300 Zen & 200$
New Balance: 300 Zen
===========================================
Zero looked at the notification, pleased with the unexpected reward. It seemed that by finding the ring and learning of its purchase, he'd completed a quest.
He tapped on the system's shop interface again, looking through the options. With some Zen to spend, he could actually buy something if he wanted to. There were weapons, armor, potions, and skills, all listed with prices.
It was odd, but also kind of fun. He felt like he was playing a game, except it was real. The black ring on his finger was proof of that.
He glanced out the window, lost in thought. What was all this about? What was the system? What did it want from him?
He shook his head, dismissing the questions for now. It was all too strange to make sense of. But one thing was clear: something unusual was happening, and he was part of it.
His stomach grumbled, reminding him of his original plan to get a snack. He chuckled to himself, amused by how easily he'd been distracted.
With one last glance at the system, he headed outside, since he got real money from the system, Zero thought of something nice to eat.
The quest to discover the origin of the black ring was done, but it was clear that there were more questions to answer, and more puzzles to solve. And as confusing as it was, Zero couldn't deny that he was curious to see what would come next.
He was just an eight-year-old boy with a ring and a strange system. What could possibly happen next?