Arin stared at the screen, his brows furrowing in frustration. "You really are a system, huh? Fine. But are you the robotic gaming type or the interactive, helpful one?"
The silence that followed only stoked the irritation simmering beneath his skin. The stillness felt deliberate, mocking even.
"Oh, forget it then!" Arin grumbled, tossing his hands into the air. The weight of his predicament pressed down on him like an invisible hand, but he wasn't about to let his irritation get the best of him—at least, not yet.
"Alright, if you're so advanced, then tell me this—what kind of idiotic system sends someone to an unknown region without so much as a reason or a hint? How am I supposed to figure this out without a clue?"
A sharp ding interrupted his rant, the tone colder, more menacing.
-[Host has broken the 2nd System Amendment.]-
-[Enacting First Punishment: X2 Aggro.]-
"Aggro?" Arin muttered, squinting at the glowing "X2" symbol that materialized above his head. He waved his hand at it, but the symbol hovered stubbornly, casting an eerie red glow.
"What does that even mean?"
The system's response was immediate, its tone devoid of any warmth.
-[X2 Aggro implies that the host will attract as much attention as two individuals henceforth.]-
Arin clenched his fists, staring at the glowing "X2" symbol hovering above his head like a curse. "Seriously, what's the point of this? You couldn't have picked a better punishment than doubling my… what? Presence? Attention? That's absurd!"
The system's voice returned, strict and unyielding.
-[Host has been duly warned. The second violation of the 2nd System Amendment will incur a penalty tenfold.]-
Arin rolled his eyes, frustration boiling over. "Oh, spare me the lectures! If you're going to keep punishing me, at least tell me why I'm here! What's the point of all this?!"
A beat of silence passed before the system responded, its tone carrying a weight that made Arin shiver.
-[The Host's complaints are irrelevant. The mission is survival. Follow the rules, or face termination.]-
The words struck like a hammer, and Arin's breath caught. He laughed nervously, shaking his head. "Termination? Termination of what? My life? My… my existence?!"
Even though he was tired of living and craved death, he couldn't bear the thought of dying in an unknown place.
-[The Host is advised to focus on the task at hand rather than entertain unnecessary fears.]-
Arin's lips parted to argue, but the faint tremors beneath his feet distracted him. He froze, looking down at the shifting sand. The movement was subtle but deliberate, like something stirring just below the surface.
"What's happening?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.
-[X2 Aggro activated. Proximity alert: targets inbound.]-
Arin's eyes widened as the ground nearby cracked open, and the first creature emerged—a grotesque rat-like beast with serrated teeth, blood-red eyes, and matted fur that reeked of decay.
"What the hell is that?!" Arin shouted, stumbling back.
The system answered with clinical precision.
-[Target: Carnivorous Rat.]
-[Info: A weak fierce beast that moves in groups. Poor eyesight compensated by heightened senses of smell and hearing.]
-[Combat Power: Common.]
-[Skills: Burrowing, Ambush.]
Arin stared at the horrifying creature, trying to steady his breathing. "Groups? Did you just say groups?!"
-[Correct. Current count: 1. Additional entities detected. Estimated time to full emergence: 00:00:12.]-
Arin's stomach dropped as the ground around him began to shake, the sand shifting unnaturally. The first rat let out a piercing squeak, its cry echoed by a chorus of shrill responses. Dozens of tiny mounds appeared in the sand, each pulsing as if alive.
"Oh no, no, no," Arin muttered, his voice trembling. "You've got to be kidding me! System, I need answers! How do I stop this?"
The system's voice remained calm and detached.
-[The Host must rely on wit, strategy, and survival instincts. Instructions will not be provided.]-
Arin groaned, running his hands through his hair in panic. "You're supposed to help me! What's the point of you if you won't tell me what to do?!"
-[The system's purpose is to guide, not to coddle. Overreliance on directives will hinder the Host's growth.]-
"Growth?!" Arin barked, his voice rising. "I don't care about growth! I care about not dying to a horde of mutant rats!"
-[Reminder: Host's survival is mandatory. Engage or perish.]-
The first rat sniffed the air, its head snapping toward Arin with a terrifying precision. It hissed, saliva dripping from its jagged teeth. Arin took another step back, his heart pounding in his chest like a war drum.
"A mutant beast…, Looks like I've got some uninvited company" Arin's eye's squinted as he raised his vigilance, His body subconsciously moving into a defensive stance.
Thanks to his constant maltreatment, He had taken it upon himself to learn some fighting techniques and increase his strength, Although not enough to compare to a Superhuman, He still beloved it was a great help against low level mutant beasts and Superhumans with little mutant cells.
"Okay, okay, think, Arin," he muttered to himself. "No weapons, no help, and apparently no way out. Fantastic."
The system chimed again.
-[Host is advised to use the environment to his advantage. The Broken Star Dimension is harsh but exploitable.]-
"That's vague as hell!" Arin snapped, his gaze darting around the desolate landscape. Red sand stretched endlessly in every direction, broken only by jagged rock formations and distant, shimmering heat waves.
The rats' cries grew louder, their numbers multiplying as more creatures clawed their way out of the sand.
"How is this fair?" Arin whispered, his voice trembling. "I don't even have a weapon! What am I supposed to do, throw sand at them?"
-[Improvisation is key. Survival depends on the Host's ability to adapt.]-
Arin gritted his teeth, his hands trembling as he scooped up a handful of sand. It felt coarse and gritty against his skin, the blood-red grains slipping through his fingers like time itself. "Adapt? Great advice, system. Really helpful."
The rats began to circle him, their numbers growing with every passing second. Their shrill cries echoed in unison, creating a sound so unnerving it made Arin's skin crawl.
The system's voice came one last time, colder than ever before.
-[Engage, Host. Survival is mandatory. Failure is not an option.]-