Alexander sat on an upturned crate, his coat wrapped tightly around him as the cold began to settle in.
His sharp eyes scanned the narrow street before him, now quiet but not at ease.
Every instinct in him told him to resist, to push back, to dismantle it piece by piece.
But where would he even start?
He was just one man in a world that barely acknowledged his existence.
He exhaled slowly, letting his thoughts simmer in the quiet.
But then, without warning, a sound echoed in his head.
Ding.
Alexander froze, his body instantly on high alert.
His hand went to his coat instinctively, searching for a weapon that wasn't there.
The sound wasn't external, it had come from inside him.
He scanned his surroundings again, his jaw tightening.
But there was nothing.
No movement.
No noise.
Just the faint noise of a city that never really slept.
And then it came again.
Ding.
The sound wasn't random.
It was distinct, sharp, deliberate.
A voice followed, not from the world around him but directly in his mind.
Calm, emotionless, and unmistakably mechanical.
"The Sovereign System is now active. Serving the host."
Alexander shot to his feet, his eyes darting wildly, his pulse pounding.
He knew that voice didn't come from outside, yet it felt tangible, real.
His instincts screamed that this was some sort of trap, but he forced himself to calm down, to listen.
"What the hell is this?" he murmured under his breath, his voice steady despite the storm in his chest.
The voice spoke again.
"The Sovereign System is designed to serve the host. Weekly resources will be provided to ensure survival and progress. Additional functionalities include identity masking, resource management, and adaptability enhancement."
Alexander stood motionless, his mind racing.
He knew what this was at least, he thought he did.
In the books he had read back in his previous life, systems like these were common.
They were tools, gifts, sometimes curses, given to protagonists to help them navigate their journeys.
But this wasn't a story.
This was real.
And the implications were staggering.
"What kind of resources?" he asked aloud, unsure if the voice could hear him.
"Resources vary. They may include materials, technology, weapons, or knowledge relevant to the host's needs."
Alexander frowned, his mind latching onto the practicalities. "And this identity masking? How does that work?"
"The Sovereign System integrates with the existing surveillance infrastructure. Overseer scans and System databases will register the host as a standard citizen. Anomalies will be masked to prevent detection."
The tension in Alexander's shoulders eased slightly.
This was significant game-changing, even.
If what this Sovereign System claimed was true, it gave him a shield against the very thing that ruled this world.
He could move freely, gather information, and plan without the Overseers breathing down his neck.
But there was still one question gnawing at him.
"Why me?" he asked, his voice sharp. "Why do I have this… System?"
There was a brief pause before the voice answered.
"Reason for selection: irrelevant. Host must focus on survival and progress. All other inquiries are non-essential."
Alexander's lip curled slightly. "Convenient," he muttered. "You're full of answers until I ask the wrong question."
The System didn't respond.
The silence that followed felt almost mocking, but Alexander wasn't the kind of man to waste energy being frustrated.
He had lived through enough wars to know when to push and when to accept what he'd been given.
"All right," he said finally. "What's the first step?"
"Resources will be delivered in one standard week. The host is advised to assess immediate needs and formulate a survival strategy."
Alexander sat back down on the crate, running a hand through his hair.
A week.
That was a long time to wait when every corner of this city posed a potential threat.
But this identity masking… that was something he could use right away.
"Let's test this," he muttered.
He stood, brushing off his coat, and began walking toward one of the more crowded streets he had passed earlier.
It was a risk he knew that but risks were necessary in war.
And make no mistake, he was at war, even if the battlefield wasn't clear yet.
The crowd thickened as he neared the main avenue.
Alexander blended in effortlessly, his steps calm and measured, his presence unassuming.
Overseers patrolled here more frequently, their dark, metallic forms towering over the citizens they passed.
The air seemed to chill wherever they moved.
Alexander slowed his pace as an Overseer came into view, its visor scanning the crowd with a faint, rhythmic pulse.
People parted instinctively, heads bowed, avoiding its gaze.
But Alexander walked straight toward it, his expression neutral, his heart steady.
He needed to know if the Sovereign System's claim held true.
The Overseer's visor locked onto him for a split second, the pulse of light scanning his body.
Alexander braced himself, ready to fight or flee if the machine detected something unusual.
But the scan ended, and the Overseer moved on without hesitation, its focus shifting to the next citizen.
Alexander exhaled slowly, his shoulders relaxing.
The Sovereign System had worked.
It had masked him completely, made him invisible to the System's enforcers.
For the first time since he had woken in this strange world, Alexander felt a glimmer of control.
As he walked, the voice in his head spoke again.
"Reminder: The Sovereign System is a tool. Survival and progress depend on the host's actions."
Alexander smirked faintly. "Don't worry," he muttered. "I'm very good at taking action."
The voice followed, calm and deliberate.
"The Sovereign System recognizes the host's need for immediate resources. A one-time Newbie Gift has been issued."
Alexander straightened slightly, his sharp eyes narrowing. "A gift?" he muttered, his voice low. "What kind of gift?"
"Funds in the form of 50,000 units have been deposited to the host's identity wallet. The source has been legally masked and integrated with the local currency system. These units are fully tradable and will not raise suspicion during transactions."
For a moment, Alexander didn't move.
The implications hit him almost immediately. Fifty thousand units wasn't a small amount it was a significant sum, especially in a city where most people seemed to scrape by with barely enough to survive.
He glanced around, instinctively scanning the alley as if expecting someone to emerge from the shadows and accuse him of stealing.
But there was no one.
Just the steady hum of the Sovereign System in his mind.
"Show me," he said quietly, testing the system's capabilities.
A faint projection appeared in his mind's eye a clean, digital interface displaying his "wallet."
The amount was unmistakable: 50,000 units.
Alexander leaned back, exhaling slowly.
He hadn't expected generosity from this System.
Its clinical, no-nonsense approach so far had suggested it wouldn't hand out charity.
But this… this was significant.
"Why give me this now?" he asked, his voice steady.
"The host's progress requires financial leverage. Units are a critical resource within this civilization. The Newbie Gift ensures the host has the means to adapt and survive without raising suspicion."
"And these units… you're sure they won't attract attention?"
"Confirmed. The units have been integrated into a legitimate identity tied to the host. No anomalies will be detected during standard System checks."
"Useful," he muttered, standing and brushing off his coat.
Fifty thousand units wouldn't topple the System. But it was a start.