Chapter 4: Unveiling Power
---
Adam stood still amidst the dense forest, the eerie silence enveloping him.
His sharp gaze scanned his surroundings, the towering trees and thick underbrush forming a near-impenetrable canopy.
The air was thick with anticipation as he shifted his focus back to the glowing blue window floating in front of him.
The system window displayed the detailed description of his administrative class. Adam closed the class description with a wave of his hand and muttered,
"Status window." Instantly, another blue interface materialized, showing his basic details.
But Adam's attention was not on his stats. His eyes were locked on the skill section, particularly on the line that read:
___________________
Reality Manipulation: Level 1.
___________________
A mix of curiosity and excitement flickered across his face. "I've never seen a skill like this before," he murmured. Taking a deep breath, he tapped on the skill name.
A new window appeared, detailing the skill:
________________________
Reality Manipulation
This skill allows the player to manipulate reality to their will.
________________________
Adam's lips curled into a smile, but his excitement was short-lived. His eyes darted to the warning below, written in glaring red text:
_________________________
Warning:
This skill is currently at Level 1 and can only be used twice a day. Once both uses are exhausted, the skill will not activate again for 24 hours. Additionally, the player can only manipulate small aspects of reality.
___________________________
Adam let out a frustrated sigh, his initial enthusiasm dampened. "So, it's limited," he muttered, shaking his head. But he quickly composed himself, a determined look replacing his disappointment.
"At least I have a skill," he said aloud, his voice filled with resolve. "Most players start with nothing. I even have a class."
As Adam thought about his unique situation, memories from his past life surfaced. He recalled how players had to reach Level 10 before unlocking their first class.
But here he was, starting the game with an already unlocked class—one that was rare and powerful.
He clenched his fists, his eyes gleaming with determination. "I can't afford to give up so easily," he said, his voice firm.
Closing the system window, Adam glanced around. The forest stretched endlessly in every direction, its overwhelming presence both intimidating and thrilling.
"I need to level up," Adam decided. "The stronger I get, the more I can unlock the potential of my Administrator class."
As he began walking deeper into the forest, a sudden thought struck him. "Why not hide my true strength?" he whispered, his eyes narrowing.
A plan started forming in his mind. "I'll keep my abilities secret and grow stronger quietly. No one needs to know what I'm capable of."
Satisfied with his strategy, Adam found a spot on the rough, uneven ground and sat down.
The coarse earth beneath him scratched at his legs, but he ignored the discomfort, his focus entirely on testing his skill.
"Reality Manipulation," Adam said firmly. His skill activated, and the air around him seemed to ripple.
A new system window popped up with the words:
[Reality Manipulation Skill Activated]
Suddenly, a calm, mechanical voice echoed:
[Reality Manipulation skill activated. Please specify command]
A small microphone icon appeared on the screen. Adam blinked in surprise but quickly grasped the concept. "I have to say what I want to change," he realized.
After a moment of thought, he spoke clearly, "Change the level-up system. Don't let me level up unless I give explicit consent."
The system responded immediately, another window materializing in front of him:
[Level-Up Consent is now required for this player to upgrade levels]
Adam smiled, impressed by the skill's capabilities. But before he could revel in his success, a red warning window appeared:
____________________
Error:
This change exceeds the limits of Reality Manipulation Level 1.
____________________
Adam's excitement turned to concern as he read further:
__________________________
Exception granted.
The system has found an Administrative class. This class is not registered with the system. So this warning is being bypassed.
_________________________
Adam exhaled in relief, but the gravity of the warning wasn't lost on him. "So, even my skill has limits," he thought, his mind racing with possibilities and potential risks.
The chapter ended with Adam sitting in the forest, surrounded by towering trees and the stillness of nature, pondering the immense power and responsibility of his newfound ability.
Adam read the exception notice, a wide smile spreading across his face. "I thought my attempt had failed," he said to himself, "but this... this is perfect."
Another window popped up before him:
________________________
Congratulations!
You have successfully modified the system.
Whenever your experience meets the requirements for leveling up, a consent message will now prompt you before proceeding.
__________________________
Adam's grin widened. He had exploited a major loophole in the system, something no regular player could do.
If the system had denied his modification, he would have been forced to level up like everyone else.
Now, however, he could progress at his own pace.
"This gives me such a huge advantage," Adam thought. "I'll surpass everyone before they even realize what's happening."
With a newfound confidence, Adam muttered, "Time for phase two of my plan."
Phase Two: Testing the Boundaries
A flicker of doubt crossed Adam's face. "What if the system rejects this too?" he wondered. But his resolve returned quickly. "It's worth a try," he said aloud.
Straightening his posture, Adam declared,
"Reality Manipulation: Activate"
A familiar blue window appeared, its text glowing faintly:
[Reality Manipulation skill activated]
Below it, the words Edit Reality flashed, accompanied by an activated microphone icon. Adam's eyes narrowed as he stared at the interface.
"This skill..." he whispered, his voice tinged with awe. "It's more powerful than I imagined."
A new interface appeared:
[System active. Reality Manipulation mode enabled]
The microphone icon glowed steadily, awaiting input.
Adam spoke with a firm yet calm voice, "Listen, system. I want to create a new skill. I'll call it Mark and Attack."
The interface flickered momentarily before a new prompt appeared:
Define skill parameters.
Adam nodded, ready to proceed. "Alright," he said, leaning slightly forward. "Let's begin."
Defining the Skill: Mark
Adam's voice was measured as he described the skill: "The first phase is the mark. It will allow me to place a glowing red mark on any target using the power of my gaze."
His words flowed smoothly as he envisioned the skill. "This mark should only be removable by my command. No one else should have the power to erase it."
As he spoke, the system recorded his instructions meticulously.
Moments later, a notification appeared:
[Mark parameters accepted. Target-locking mechanism enabled]
Adam smirked. "Perfect," he muttered. "Now, onto the next phase."
"...Defining the Skill: Attack"
Another window popped up, its microphone icon glowing again. Without hesitation, Adam began. "The second phase is the attack," he said.
He paused briefly before continuing. "Once a target is marked, I can command any object—be it a knife, sword, stone, or anything else—to attack the marked target."
Adam's voice grew more animated as he elaborated. "The object will relentlessly follow the target until it hits. Once the attack is complete, the mark will disappear automatically."
The system worked diligently, processing his detailed instructions. Finally, a new notification appeared:
_______________
Attack parameters accepted. Tracking mechanism integrated.
________________
Adam's satisfaction was evident. "This is even better than I hoped," he said, his excitement barely contained.
"....Finalizing the Skill"
Adam turned his attention back to the system. "Is the skill ready?" he asked.
The interface responded with a red warning window:
__________________________
Skill status:
Partially complete. High energy consumption detected. Warning: Overuse may cause exhaustion.
___________________________
Frustration flashed across Adam's face, but he quickly dismissed it. "I don't care about the risks," he said firmly. "Complete the skill. Do it now."
The system complied, and a new window appeared:
_____________________
Skill successfully created: Mark and Attack.
_____________________
A final description accompanied the notification:
________________________
You can mark any living or non-living object using your gaze. Once marked, any object you command will attack the target with precision, tracking it until the task is completed.
________________________
Adam read the description carefully, a sense of accomplishment washing over him. His lips curved into a victorious smile as he whispered, "Let the game truly begin."
The chapter concluded with Adam staring at the glowing interface, his mind already planning how to wield his new skill to its fullest potential.
The forest around him stood silent, bearing witness to the creation of a power that could change everything.