These things that I've been told,
Can rearrange my world, my doubt in time,
But inside out, this is the working hour.
We are paid by those who learn by our mistakes.
— Excerpt from "The Working Hour" by Tears For Fears

After a satisfying sleep, I awoke to an unfamiliar ceiling… and a clutter of system messages.

I removed the system messages to first check my surroundings.

At the moment, all I'm seeing is white. White ceiling… white walls… white floor… everything is white except… A black monolith in the center and the view outside the window.

The room had no doors to speak off and no furniture to use. The room literally had nothing much going for it.

The vision outside the windows shows the darkness of the space… the outer space.

I might have panicked a bit when I noticed it but I've calmed down when I realized I could talk and breathe properly.

In this room, the size of a regular living room is an evenly sized one-meter matte-black monolith composed of an unknown material.

I don't what happened but the next thing I knew, my hands are already touching it.

It felt cold to the touch and feels like a surface of a marble.

At that instant, the black thing lit up like that of a computer starting up.

Hundreds of circuit lines had swiftly enveloped the thing which had sprouted where my hands are touching it.

*Ding!*

[Congratulations Player! You have successfully connected to System Shop!]

[Welcome, Player Martin Harvie.]

Oops.

Looks like this is the interface for the system shop, but before that.

'Status' I willed in my mind.

---

[STATUS:
Name: Martin Harvie
Race: Human
Level: 0
STR: 1.9
CON: 2.1
DEX: 2.3
INT: 1.4
WIS: 2.2
PER: 2.5
KARMA: 25,310]

---

Wait… What the heck? Where did all this karma come from?

Quickly, I reviewed all the system messages that showed up when I was asleep. It looks like sleeping when returning is really a bad idea.

Hmmm, if you think about it, sleeping when you're about to move to another place is so fucking idiotic.

Anyway.

It seems coming with the group on that mission (or quest) was a good decision.

My heroic actions are not for nothing after all!

Well, even if I have nothing to gain, I would probably still do it. Hmm, Yeah.

My stats didn't increase much… maybe because killing much 'them' wouldn't increase much my stats anymore.

Although I feel healthier (which is weird) and stronger, I certainly didn't notice my body getting stronger. Is it because of the gradual increase?

Moving on.

Now that I have so many karma points, I guess its now time to splurge it all!

Ahhh! My bad habit is acting up! Calm down, calm down. That's fucking dangerous!

*Cough! Cough!*

I once again opened the System Shop (better than calling it monolith).

After I'm through the welcome screen, I was taken to another screen called 'Limited Tutorial Limited Shop!' which only has a few things in it.

I saw there were other screens like 'Main Shop', 'Normal Gacha', 'Premium Gacha', and other things that are still greyed out.

At the upper right corner of the screen was my remaining Karma which displays [25,310 K].

Listed on the window are seven items and after seeing the costs, I was left wondering…

"What the heck, Is this a scam!?" I can't help shouting out at such outrageous prices.

I only had more than 20 grand in my pocket and that was because I was lucky!

Who the heck has hundreds of millions of points in the tutorial!?

I didn't even know you could earn that many points!

 

[The 'Limited Tutorial Shop' randomly picks items from a large catalog of Skills, Upgrades, and Enhancements that might suit the Player's needs at the moment. Some items' costs are not considered in the process to provide the Player a better idea of how much might be spent in the later stages.]

 

"I see… But why are the rules for the System Shop no included in the manual provided earlier? Wait… It's because its the tutorial right?" I asked the system and luckily I was answered with an affirmative.

Finished with my questions, I set my eyes again on the window screen. Seeing the overwhelming amount of zeroes still hurts my eyes.

---

[LIMITED Tutorial Shop:

• Race Upgrade: Spiral Being
  • Type: Mutation/Upgrade
  • Rank: A
  • Description: Causes a mutation into the player's race, changing it into a  Spiral species. Gives the race's basic abilities a qualitative boost along with access to Spiral Energy, The Power Of Evolution.
  • Origin: E-5454474C
  • Cost: 350,000,000 K
• Race Change: Saiyan
  • Type: Mutation
  • Rank: B
  • Description: Alters your Race Into a Saiyan, a Race of intergalactic warriors that mainly uses their strong Life Energy (Ki) to perform superhuman feats.
  • Origin: V-44425A56
  • Cost: 600,000 K
• Skill: Reduced Earth
  • Type: Acquired/Active Skill
  • Rank: B
  • Description: A technique to cut down the distance between opponents instantly. Rather than a simple quickness, numerous phenomena are connected and are completed with walking, body movement, breathing, blind spots, etc.
  • Origin: E-4E415355
  • Requirements: Lv.1
  • Cost: 414,345 K
• Skill: Personal Entity: Stand
  • Type: Hybrid/Active Skill
  • Rank: N/A (Special)
  • Description: Awaken a 'Personal Entity' unique to the Player made of their Life and Spiritual Energy.
  • Origin: E-36323531.
  • Requirement: 10 Wis.
  • Warning: The results are unstable and don't always favor the Player.
  • Cost: 35,000 K
• Enhancement: Witcher Mutation
  • Type: Upgrade
  • Rank: D
  • Description: Grants cat-like eyes that can see in the dark, tremendous resistance to disease, exceptional increase in physical condition, access to magic,  sixth sense, prolonged youth, and a longer life span but makes the Player sterile.
  • Requirements: Below Lv.1
  • Cost: 9,000 K
• Enhancement: Goblin Formula
  • Type: Mutation
  • Rank: D
  • Description: Augments a person into superhuman levels but may cause instability to a person's psyche.
  • Origin: E-30363136
  • Warning: The results are unstable and don't always favor the Player.
  • Requirements: Below Lv.1
  • Cost: 7,000 K
• Travel Pass
  • Type: Consumable
  • Rank: E
  • Description: Allows travel to a previously visited world for a limited period of time specified by the Player.
  • Origin: H-00000000
  • Cost: 900 K

Note: Voucher can only be used on a per-item basis.]

---

Obviously, All the things above my spending money (karma) are out!

I don't care how strong sounding all of those things. Regardless, I'll do what I'll do.

Just looking at the price and the description, Witcher Mutation doesn't sound too bad. Night vision, stronger body, you can't get sick, and of course MAGIC!

You can't forget being forever young!

Goblin Formula sounds dubious. It got a warning and a shorter description like the writer got too lazy to write how to sell it.

But if you compare the two, Goblin Formula is obviously the more powerful after all, Witcher only gives you an 'exceptional' increase but the Goblin clearly states 'superhuman'.

The tipping point however is Goblin Formula has a chance of making you crazy.

Should I get a safer route and get Witcher? Or should I bet on Goblin that it won't make me crazy?

Moving on to the other items,

I will take a hard pass on the 'Travel Pass'. People who like to be in a zombie apocalypse aren't right in the head. If it's still available later, I probably purchase it when I get to a world I could enjoy. This item is made with vacation in mind.

Anyway,

Skill: Personal Entity: Stand.

This is probably the item I should use my 50% discount. The description totally describes it like it's magic.

I wouldn't be surprised if it summons a magical golem but instead of magic, uses life energy. What the heck is life energy anyway? And while I'm still on the case, what the heck is spiritual energy?

No, just kidding.

Life energy is probably like Ki or Chi or something. Spiritual Energy is probably 'mind' or 'soul' power or something.

Yeah, I don't know them.

But the kicker about it is about the results being unstable. That statement sounds gambling to me.

But what I like about it is that you will get something unique to yourself. When I was a child I got this obsession of being unique and being special. That was a shameful part of my life but at the same time, it's a genuine feeling that I still carry to this day. The problem was that when I reality slaps you upside your head, such thinking quickly fades away.

This however might be a dream come true. I wouldn't even mind if what came out is a robot.

There was only one problem with it. I need 10 WIS for it.

So now I have even more dilemmas.

But wait.

I got two upgrades to choose from that could help me reach the requirements.

An 'exceptional' Witcher or a 'superhuman' Goblin.

Hmmm…

Now that I noticed it… the 'Witcher' upgrade only improves 'physical condition' while the 'Goblin' upgrade did not say anything physical but PERSON.

It might be a stretch but could it be that 'Goblin' upgrade also improves the mind? No, it's probably the brain or it wouldn't mention craziness on the text.

Well, well, well… Would you look at that?

I just got enough points for both 'Stand' and 'Goblin' upgrades!

If I used 50% on the 'Stand' upgrade, it would only cost 17,500. The 'Goblin' upgrade only costs 7000.

Because of my awesomeness, I earned myself 25,310 in one trip. I don't know about others since I don't have anything to compare to but I consider this a big haul.

So according to my calculations:

17,500 + 7000 = 24,500

25,310 - 24,500 = 810.

Hmm… That looks great alright. It might be cutting it close but considering I only got 100 at first, I'll consider this a win in my books.

So without further ado, I bought the 'Goblin' enhancement.

After that, I was suddenly racked with an uncontrollable urge to sleep.

The last thing I knew, I was already laying on the floor, staring at the ceiling.

…

3 hours later.

When I woke up, I immediately remembered what happened to me.

At that, I immediately called upon the status screen. Straightaway, I noticed a difference in the numbers. Not only that, but it also seems the changes to my body have triggered a response from a system and unlocked a new basic function to the status screen.

---

[STATUS:
Name: Martin Harvie
Race: Human
Level: 0.70
STR: 9.5
CON: 16.8
DEX: 11.5
INT: 8.4
WIS: 11
PER: 12.5
KARMA: 18,310

---

SKILLS:

• Evil Eye (False) - Lv.16
  • Type: Innate/Passive
  • Rank: E
  • Description: A kind of evil eye that doesn't really cause harm to others but instead acts like a curse that invites feelings of hate, disgust, or wariness upon self on visual contact. At his level, those with WIS or PER greater than 2.0 are resistant to its effects.
• Instinct - Lv.13
  • Type: Innate/Passive
  • Rank: E
  • Description: The ability to instantly identify "the best personal course of action" during combat. Because this Skill allows for the prediction of trajectory, it is possible to avoid attacks from firearms.
• Brawling - Lv.6
  • Type: Acquired/Passive
  • Rank: E
  • Description: A skill encompasses the use of body and improvised weapons to cause damage in combat. This can mean anything from kicking or punching, bashing someone over the head with a rock, using elbow or knee spikes, etc.
• Marksmanship - Lv.3
  • Type: Acquired/Passive
  • Rank: E
  • Description: A Skill representing all-around shooting techniques, which includes quick drawing and trick shooting by means of small arms.
• Mental Corruption Lv.23 (NEW!)
  • Type: Acquired/Passive
  • Rank: E
  • Description: A skill due to possessing a distorted mentality. Due to being exposed to the [Goblin Formula], the user has developed mental instability that might cause the user to be extremely impulsive. If not careful, the skill might develop an entirely separate personality that might be detrimental to the user.
• Battle Continuation Lv.1 (NEW!)
  • Type: Acquired/Passive
  • Rank: E
  • Description: A Skill that allows for the continuation of combat after sustaining mortal wounds. It will also reduce the mortality rate from injury. This Skill represents the ability to survive and/or the mentality of one who doesn't know when to give up, consisting of one's strength of vitality in predicaments.]

---

"Ooooooooooooohhh... SHIIIIIIT!!!!" The moment I glimpsed at my skills, I was amazed and thought I struck the jackpot that was until I noticed a certain 'Mental Corruption' skill sitting quietly at the corner of the screen. Suddenly, I imagined an old version of me, sitting on a corner of a room looking at me while smoking weed and taking narcotics while at it.

A certain 'Hello darkness, my old friend' of Simon & Garfunkel seemed to repeatedly ring into my mind.

WHAT.THE.FUCK.

"YOU'RE THE DARKNESS! YOU FUCKING BITCH!" I could only shout in anger and dissatisfaction, erasing the image that my mind seemed to have conjured at that moment.

The anger that I was feeling seemed to have brought newfound energy into my body. That was the moment I felt the strength of my muscles that remained taut and strong despite spending large amounts of stamina just to keep it like that.

He quickly forgot the anger he was feeling in consideration of examining his body.

Before his tall and slim figure was just slightly muscular but now, it looks cut and well-built. The muscle definition was obvious from the outset and It looked compact and bursting with energy.

Not just his body, even his mind feels a bit sharp but he wouldn't know until later.

Finished with his, he got back to his [Skills].

The moment he saw [Evil Eye (False)]'s description, he got the urge to flip something as somehow, his shitty eyes became a skill. He felt the system seems to like mocking him.

[Instinct] would answer how he sometimes just know how to move when in a fight. [Brawling] and [Marksmanship] he could understand because all he did on the previous world was shoot and bash zombies.

Acquiring [Battle Continuation] would have been fine if not for [Mental Corruption] which, for some reason is already at level 23.

He calmed down after vexedly rubbing his forehead for some time.

He took a deep breath.

Now he was ready to get the [Stand] skill.