Whiskey-Jack blinked as his vision returned to the familiar walls of Midok's home.
He was lying in a bed, his bed, back in Midok's house. His mind was still reeling from the encounter with the Creator, and his body felt heavy, as though something had changed within him.
Suddenly, a glowing sheet materialized before his eyes, hovering in mid-air. He stared at it in confusion, watching as text and symbols scrolled across the page.
"Syndicate System has been successfully installed."
"What!?!" Whiskey-Jack shouted, his voice echoing throughout the house, as he scrambled to sit up, he winced from the sudden headache that followed.
Midk burst into the room, his voice in a panic.
"What's happening?Are you okay? What's wrong?"
Whiskey-Jack rubbing his temples tried to subdue the pain.
"Sorry... just a headache after... coming back." His eyes focusing on the strange sheet floating in front of him. "I'll be fine."
Midok raised an eyebrow but seemed satisfied with the response. "Good to hear. How did everything go? Are you ready to talk about it?"
Whiskey-Jack hesitated, unsure how to explain everything. He needed time to process what had happened with the Creator, and how he was now involved in something far bigger than he had ever imagined.
"Let's talk later... My head's killing me right now."
Midok gave him a reassuring smile. "Sure, kid. Just let me know when you're ready."
Once Midok left, Whiskey-Jack stared at the sheet again. The options overwhelming him. He instinctively hovered over a section that seemed to intrigue him the most.
"Stats"
"It must have read my mind," he thought to himself, as it immediately opened the option.
He scanned the information on the sheet:
Name: Whiskey-Jack
Level: 1 (0/100 XP)
God Type: None
Strength: 7
Speed: 4
Stamina: 9
Toughness: 3
"God Type?" He blinked. "Dad did say the Creator made the gods. Does that mean... am I a god now too?"
A red progress bar appeared at the corner of his eyes, filled to 100%. It seemed to signify something important, but Whiskey-Jack had no idea what.
"When I see the Creator again, I'll need him to explain all the options."
Closing the sheet, he decided he need to speak with Midok. There were questions that couldn't wait, but for now, he had to hold back.
Midok was sitting at the table, already preparing to leave.
"I was just getting ready to go hunting..are you feeling better?" Midok asked.
"Yeah, just need some time to rest." Whiskey-Jack smiled weakly, though his mind was still focused on the system.
"Good, good. Ready to tell me what happened?" Midok pressed again, his eyes full of concern.
Whiskey-Jack took a deep breath, deciding what to reveal. "We... agreed to work together. The Creator and I. We're going to get rid of these dangerous creatures."
Midok nodded solemnly. "Okay, but we've both seen how dangerous these creatures are. The skinwalker was only the beginning. How do we get strong enough to face them?"
Before Whiskey-Jack could answer, another message appeared in front of him.
[Quest: Reach Level 10]
[Reward: Pick a God Type]
He blinked, a smile tugging at his lips. "Picking a God Type will give me more options for strength," he thought, but he kept his excitement hidden from Midok.
The next message appeared almost instantly.
[Quest: You need to eat! Have a successful hunt.]
[Reward: New Skill]
The Creator had said that growth required adversity, and this quest was the first of many challenges to come.
"Can I come hunting with you?...I think it would be a good start," he said, he was anxious to grow stronger, and he couldn't afford to waste any time.