From further discussion during their training, Xander discovered that the others seemed to have unlocked a system similar to his, though far less developed. They could view their own stats and abilities, but unlike his, there were blank spaces in certain parts, almost as if the system itself was incomplete. However, each of them was provided with an overall rating, alongside a brief system-generated introduction.
The realization had been both surprising and expected—after all, their transformations over the past week had been undeniable. What unsettled Xander was the idea that something had been watching, categorizing them just as it had him.
One by one, they showed him their "status" screens.
They had all shown Xander their "status" as the 'system' called it.
~Greg Wallace~
Strength : 25
Constitution : 15
Intelligence : 8
Agility : 8
~Traits~
The Dominator (???) : A volatile force that bends conductive materials to the user's will, amplifying destruction and asserting dominion over unseen horrors.
~Estimated Power Rating~
[High-Tier Combatant] – Devastating in direct confrontation, but unpredictable and difficult to control.
Greg had scoffed at the description but didn't argue with it. He was still getting used to the way his abilities worked, but there was no denying the sheer destructive potential they carried.
Jared was next. He hesitated before pulling up his status, eyes dark with contemplation.
~Jared hale~
Strength: 6
Constitution: 25
Intelligence: 12
Agility: 7
~Traits~
The Undying (???) – A body that resists death but feels its embrace more deeply than most. Capable of rapid regeneration and anomalous biological phenomena. Possesses a crude understanding of souls, allowing for interactions beyond the physical realm.
~Estimated Power Rating~
[High-Tier Combatant] – Un-killable in most circumstances, but limited by pain tolerance and emotional resilience.
Jared let out a dry chuckle as he read over the description. "Guess I really am impossible to kill," he murmured.
Mike stepped forward next, his status appearing with a flick of his fingers.
~Mike Travers~
Strength: 10
Constitution: 8
Intelligence: 10
Agility: 28
~Traits~
The Accelerator (???) – A body built for speed, capable of breaking past human limitations. Movement is amplified exponentially, but energy expenditure is extreme. Limited control can lead to catastrophic collisions.
~Estimated Power Rating~
[High-Tier Combatant] – Blindingly fast, but fragile.
Mike grinned as he read it over. "Sounds about right," he said, flexing his fingers. "I'm not that fragile though"
~Laura Mercer~
Strength: 6
Constitution: 6
Intelligence: 24
Agility: 12
~Traits~
The Tactician (???) – Perception honed to an unnatural degree, allowing for heightened tactical awareness and rapid adaptability. Capable of observing that which cannot be seen.
~Estimated Power Rating~
[Strategic Support] – Excels in analysis and adaptability. Limited direct combat potential, but irreplaceable in coordination and planning.
Laura read over her status panel, her eyes lingering on the words longer than necessary. A quiet breath hitched in her throat, and for just a moment, her vision blurred.
"I'm not useless." The words slipped out in a whisper, barely audible, but Xander caught them. He didn't say anything. Didn't acknowledge it. Instead, he smirked.
"More than that—you're probably the only reason we haven't gotten ourselves killed yet."
Laura let out a short laugh, sniffing as she quickly wiped her eyes. "Damn right."
"Actually," Laura began, a hint of curiosity in her voice, "my trait seems a bit unique. I can see other people's status panels."
The room fell into an awkward silence. Greg was the first to speak, his tone serious. "Never tell anyone else that. Understand?"
Before Laura could respond, Xander added, "Yeah, who knows what's out there beyond these walls. There are plenty of people who wouldn't want their secrets exposed."
The awkwardness still lingered, but Mike, seeming none the wiser, blurted, "What about you, Xander?"
Everyone turned to look at him, and for a moment, Xander froze. He hadn't really thought about his own status in a while. With a small sigh, he pushed the thought aside.
"Laura," Xander said, glancing at her with a raised brow, "why don't you have a look? Seeing as we're a team, there's no point hiding anything."
Laura hesitated, then nodded. She reached out, her fingers brushing lightly against the air in front of her as if navigating through an unseen interface. The others watched, waiting for the inevitable.
After a few moments, Laura's brow furrowed slightly. "Huh... there's... a lot more blank spaces here than I expected."
Mike chimed in, looking curious. "What else does it say? Can you see his... power level or whatever?"
Laura scrolled through the interface, her eyes narrowing as she examined the details.
Laura performed a subtle motion with her hands, and almost instantly, a shimmering projection of the room's window materialized in mid-air.
~Xander Knox~
Strength: 16
Constitution: 20
Intelligence: 15
Agility: 15
~Traits~
The Eternal [???] : What does it mean to never end.
[Redacted] [???] :
[Redacted] [???] :
~Estimated Power Rating~
[Redacted]
Silence filled the room.
Laura's lips parted slightly as she stared at the screen, her fingers twitching like she wanted to scroll further—but there was nothing else to see. Just countless blank spaces.
She glanced at him. "it's... different."
Xander sighed. "interesting..."
Greg scoffed, folding his arms. "Redacted? What the hell does that mean?"
"Means someone doesn't want us to know," Jared muttered, rubbing his temples. "Or something."
Mike leaned in, squinting at the projection as if trying to force more answers to appear. "Wait, so... is he stronger than us? Or weaker? Or...?"
Laura shook her head. "Just based stats , we all should be roughly equal."
For a long moment, Xander just stared at the floating screen. Something about it didn't sit right. He had always known his system was different—more advanced, more deeply integrated—but to what extent?
The others seemed more basic , almost like comparing bespoke against mass produced. Was it an earlier version of what he had? A derivative? Or something entirely separate—something trying to mimic what he possessed but falling short?
His thoughts were interrupted by a flicker in his vision.
[Warning: Foreign Interference Detected]
A cold sensation ran down his spine as faint, glitching distortions spread across the projected panel Laura had summoned. His system—the real system—had noticed the intrusion.
Then, without warning—
[Forceful Override Initiated]
The projection flickered violently before shattering like glass, vanishing in an instant. Laura jerked her hand back in shock.
"What the hell?!" she exclaimed, staring at the now-empty air where the screen had just been.
Xander didn't respond immediately. His mind was still racing. His system had acted on its own. It had registered the other as an intrusion.
And that meant, somewhere beneath the surface, his system was aware. It had its own will. Its own priorities.
And it didn't like to be compared.
Laura began again ,"Xander..."
Xander exhaled, shaking his head. "I don't know."
Laura frowned but didn't press. Mike let out a low whistle. "Damn. Even your status is too cool for us."
Greg, however, hadn't taken his eyes off Xander. He wasn't laughing. Wasn't making jokes.
"We're a team now," he said, voice steady, unreadable. "Whatever that was—whatever you are—it affects us too."
Xander met his gaze. Something passed between them. A silent challenge.
Greg didn't blink. "Just don't keep too many secrets. We need to trust each other if we're gonna make it out of this."
For a moment, Xander said nothing. Then, with a lazy shrug, he let out a short chuckle. "Yeah, yeah. No secrets."
Greg didn't look convinced, but he let it drop.
The conversation moved on, but the weight of it lingered. Xander had brushed it off, played it cool—but deep down, he knew.
His system had drawn a line.
And the others?
They were on the outside of it.