Luke opened his panel. If he says that he's not curious, then he would be lying. At this moment, he felt "high" and an intense pleasure as if he was floating. However, his focus was abnormally sharp.
Luke began to realize why there are families and countless people that were ruined by drugs. It's a quick-acting pleasure that would mind fuck anyone. The feeling of being high and in control, an escape to reality, a pleasurable sensation that overwhelmed the sensory senses.
He understood that even with his willpower. It would take months for him to eliminate this feeling of addiction. Or even years, it's just like masturbation; you can be clean for 2 years and live a life filled with good habits, yet, with just one mistake, you'll relapse and fall into the vicious cycle and be a junkie again. Drugs are really vicious.
Status!
Luke called out in his mind. Time to see the changes and investigate how the system really works.
...
Name: Luke
Race: Human
State of Being: Mortal Stage
Negative States:
Broken Ribs. Addiction. Weakness.
Temporary Buffs:
Hyper Focus. Calm Spirit.
Permanent Buffs:
Remark: A mortal unfit to survive in the World of Zeno. Weak enough to lose against three teenagers.
...
Luke stared at the two first buffs that he got and got completely excited!
He began to click the description of each of them. First, the two new negative states.
Addiction (+-): You aren't sane now. You had a taste of a substance that releases 10x of dopamine that natural sources give. This dopamine makes you feel rewarded and high. You would do anything to constantly take this substance for instant gratification. Duration: 1 year can be extended with every consumption of drugs.
Scary!!
As he read the description, Luke's blood froze. It was quite terrifying, to say the least, as he understood the full effect of the drug on him through text. After all, he couldn't feel that he was addicted at all. It's a subtle addiction that was hard to notice. He didn't feel he wanted to consume another. This means it was a slow-acting addiction that was hard to detect. Not to mention, the duration was fucking 1 year and can be extended!?
Luke wanted no more with this. He tapped the minus sign and held it for 5 seconds.
Just like that, Luke knew that it took effect. It was a feeling that his mind escaped a tight shackle that bounded it firmly, but secretly.
Luke breathed a sigh of relief and couldn't help but feel horrified. Then, he looked at the two men beside him who had consumed those tablets given by Klay. Now, they still look fine, just a little high, but he knows that beneath the surface hides a terrifying addiction that is hard to detect or identify.
He began to feel sympathy for them and hoped that if they ever survived they somehow overcame the addiction.
Fortunately, becoming Beyonder elevates one's mind, making it easier to resist. And it might reduce the duration of addiction to a few months. Who knows, right?
At the same time, he doesn't blame Klay for this as it's really effective due to "Hyper Focus" and "Calm Spirit".
...
Name: Luke
Race: Human
State of Being: Mortal Stage
Negative States:
Broken Ribs. Weakness.
Temporary Buffs:
Hyper Focus. Calm Spirit.
Permanent Buffs:
Remark: A mortal unfit to survive in the World of Zeno. Weak enough to lose against three teenagers.
...
Next...
Weakness: In exchange for a boost in spirit, it greatly consumes physical energy. Everything in this world needs energy, a thing can't come out of nothing. An equivalent exchange for mental capacity is a weak body. Duration: 3 days.
Hmmm... What to say? This negative state was a lot milder and safer than addiction. Of course, there's no reason for him to not remove it. He clicked the minus sign and held it for 5 seconds, causing it to disappear.
Luke began to sense carefully his current state of being. With the removal of the weakness nerfs, he felt his body was much lighter than that of a newborn baby. His eyes are as sharp as a hawk. The energy in his body returned and he could move a lot more comfortably now.
Status!
...
Name: Luke
Race: Human
State of Being: Mortal Stage
Negative States:
Broken Ribs.
Temporary Buffs:
Hyper Focus. Calm Spirit.
Permanent Buffs:
Remark: A mortal unfit to survive in the World of Zeno. Weak enough to lose against three teenagers.
...
This time, he compared his state to the other two participants like him. They looked exhausted and their eyes were sunken. However, their eyes had a spirited look due to the effect of the two buffs.
"Hmm... Strange, why do I feel you look more vigorous than them?" With a look of scrutiny, Klay began to circle Luke, looking at him up and down, much to the prince and the priest's curiosity.
Klay's eyebrows frowned. He saw Luke smile at him with a spirited look. "You don't look high. Are you not affected? Maybe you're not a hyper-responder like them... And methamphetamine usually drains and takes a toll on the body due to its consumption of stamina. Yet you look fine. No, even strangely more energetic."
"I don't know. It's my first time taking this. I just know that people are always different from each other and how our bodies work. A thing might work for others but won't work for another." Of course, Luke didn't have the slightest bit of intention of explaining his system to them.
"That's right. I think it's more on genetic predisposition. You're ancestor might developed specific genetic expression that makes you a good responder to the stimuli of the drug."
The prince has an easygoing smile as he added.
Then, the prince looked at the two beside Luke, who looked high on drugs. His mouth twitched. There's really disparity between people.
On the other hand, Luke focused on his panel as he began to read the description of the other two buffs.
Hyper Focus (+-): A laser-sharp capability to concentrate anytime. Significantly increase attention to detail and the clarity of thoughts for 10 minutes.
Calm Spirit (+-) An increased strength in the soul that indirectly calms one's mental state significantly. Boost a person's ability to stay clear-headed and collected in desperate situations for 3 days.
Luke clicked the plus sign of the two buffs, trying his best to contain his excitement.
After five seconds, the + sign turned to a sign of a snake devouring its tale, signifying infinity!
Exhilarated, Luke tapped them again to see what had changed.
Hyper Focus (∞): A laser-sharp capability to concentrate anytime. Significantly increase attention to detail and the clarity of thoughts permanently.
Calm Spirit (∞) An increase in strength in the ul that indirectly affects one's mental state significantly. Boost a person's ability to stay clear-headed and collected in desperate situations permanently.
...
Name: Luke
Race: Human
State of Being: Mortal Stage
Negative States:
Broken Ribs.
Temporary Buffs:
Permanent Buffs:
Hyper Focus (∞). Calm Spirit (∞).
...
Now, Luke understood why it was called the "Ouroboros System!"