I lay on the bed, contemplating the surreal events that had just unfolded. Suddenly, a beep resonated, prompting me to scan the surroundings. The source of the sound became apparent – it echoed directly into my mind. That's right, I remembered, I have a system. In a hushed tone, I uttered 'System.'
A blue virtual screen materialized, reminiscent of sci-fi movies, displaying a loading sequence.
"Loading…. 10%"
"Loading…. 45%"
"Loading…. 75%"
"Loading…. 95%"
"Loading…. 100%"
"Welcome Host Please say system to activate"
'System.'
"System Activated Generating host's profile Activating Infinite shop Activating Novice Gift pack
Congratulations host for getting Akshaya Patra
Congratulations host for getting 1 trillion spirit stones
Congratulations host for getting a world seed
Congratulations host for getting two unlimited shop tokens"
"Showing host's profile
Name: Arthur Ceilo
Age: 10(22)
Physics: 1 Agility: 1 Strength: 1.2 Intelligence: 2 Luck: 10
Skills: none
Abilities: None
Cultivation techniques: None
Bloodline: None (Basic Human)"
After absorbing all the notifications, I muttered 'Damn' to myself, overwhelmed by the rewards. After regaining composure, I inquired about the system's functions in my mind, unveiling a light blue window with futuristic details.
"Sell: You can sell anything to the system and earn system points to buy whatever you want. Purchase: As the name implies, system points can be used to buy anything. Lottery: Spin to win prizes, plus a free spin every day.
Observing the rewards in the system space, I requested, 'Show the introduction of these items.' Another futuristic window materialized, providing insights into the items.
Akshaya Patra: A divine item that never depletes. Whatever you drop in it will persist endlessly; if you put water drops, it will never be empty; drop other things, and water vanishes, replaced by the new items, ensuring it never empties. World Seed: A divine seed produced by merging sap from 100 holy trees that birthed over 100 million elves. It opens a new universe in your soul consciousness, gradually expanding as you grow stronger. After opening a full universe, your soul becomes immortal. Spirit Stones: Universal currency working everywhere except some universes lacking extraordinary energy (e.g., your current universe)."
Understanding the system's capabilities, I exclaimed 'System shop,' and another futuristic window appeared, complete with a search function, scroll button, and item thumbnails with prices and introductions. The excitement of gazing at cool items quickly waned as I realized their astronomical prices. However, remembering Akshaya Patra, I gloated like a child receiving a desirable toy.
Calming down, I searched for something I craved and found it, filling me with extreme excitement. After a swift review of the item's introduction and price, I proceeded to purchase it. A golden-black, ancient-looking crucible materialized before me, adorned with a dragon and phoenix on each side of the handle, and millions of races praying to the mythical creatures.
"Crucible of Mixture: Mix the bloodline of different creatures, creating a new bloodline. Requires a new bloodline with no gene sequence or memories from predecessors. After completion, the crucible gains "Devouring," "Merging," and "Optimization" abilities, aiding in devouring new bloodlines. The crucible grows with the host's strength, reinforcing acquired abilities through devouring new bloodlines."
Satisfied, I searched for a new bloodline and purchased it, only to be interrupted by a system notification.
"Detected host trying to fuse with a new bloodline. It is suggested for the host to find a quiet place, as the new bloodline integration will result in a large amount of blood exiting from the body."
Acknowledging the warning, I paused and stored the new blood in the system space. Glancing around my room – with two bunk beds, a table between them, and a wardrobe – a sense of nostalgia washed over me. This would be my new home for eight years, until the age of 18, when we had to leave the orphanage.
In my previous life, I earned a bachelor's degree in computer science and worked for a reputable company. Following a scandal involving the boss and secretary, the company shut down. Losing motivation to find a new home, I rented a room near the orphanage and took up a job at a convenience store.
"Arthur! Come down for breakfast," a voice echoed, breaking the reverie.