Chương 2: Welcome to the integrated universe

Zander woke up with a start after hearing the voice in his head. After a few moments of adjustment, he realized that he was no longer in the national forest. His tent and backpack were nowhere to be seen, and there was no ambient noise. He jolted upright, finding himself sitting on solid ground in total darkness. Am I dreaming? As soon as he had that thought, his surroundings were instantly flooded with light. It covered a 100-foot radius, with Zander in the center. He still couldn't see anything beyond the light.

Then, he heard the voice again. It no longer came directly in his head, but from everywhere around him, as if he had several interlocutors saying the same thing, with the same monotone voice. Welcome to the integrated universe, the voice repeated. Your planet, Earth-7, is being integrated into the System. During this time, you will be introduced to the System.

"Who goes there? Show yourself!" he shouted, but the voice continued as if he didn't talk. Let's start with the status screen.

"What are you talking a—" Before he even finished his question, a translucent, sky-blue screen appeared in front of Zander's eyes. It wasn't solid, more like a projection, but the information displayed was crystal clear. The edges of the panel pulsed with a faint ethereal light, almost like breathing.

The screen contained some information about him: Name: Zander Edwards Race: Human Class: N/A Alignment: Earth-7 System Coins: 0 Unspent Stat points: 0 Stats Strength: 14 Dexterity: 14 Endurance: 20 Vitality: 20 Intelligence: 15 Wisdom: 15 Free Stats: 0 Health: 200/200 Mana: 150/150 Titles N/A That is your status screen. You can make it appear at any time, either in front of you, like right now, or as a mental image in your mind. All you have to do is think "Status".

I may have finally lost my mind, but I might as well go with the delirium for now, Zander thought. He read his status and came to a conclusion: this looked suspiciously like the RPG games that many of his colleagues couldn't help but discuss during their coffee breaks. Thanks to them, he knew a few things about those games, even if he was not that much of a player himself. This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

His stats were somewhat strange, though; they were grouped in even pairs. He also had the impression that they were much higher than average. Health was clearly a multiple of 10 of Vitality. Mana was also obviously a multiple of 10, either of Intelligence or Wisdom; Zander's memories of his coffee breaks made him lean towards Intelligence. But it would be cool to have confirmation, so he asked the question to his interlocutor, hoping that it would be more talkative this time.

"Can you tell me a little about my status?" he asked. Of course. The name, race, and alignment are self-explanatory. We will come back to the class shortly. As for stats, Vitality determines Health, Endurance determines Health regeneration speed, Intelligence determines Mana, and Wisdom determines Mana regeneration speed. Titles can be earned through noteworthy accomplishments and can significantly boost one's overall strength.

System coins can be earned through various means and used between individuals or on the System's markets.

"Who, or what, are you exactly?" Zander asked. I am the System, or at least a tiny part of it.

"Why are my stats two-by-two? I also have the impression that they are quite high." Stats reflect the general condition at that specific moment. Their current distribution may be due to a multitude of factors. Yours are indeed higher than average, but make no mistake: this advantage is insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Wow. What a boost to my confidence. No need to praise me so much.

He thought, not daring to say the words directly to something that could pluck him from his tent in the middle of the night. Next, let's move on to classes. All initiates have the right to choose one of the starting classes. A screen with a list of classes immediately replaced the one with the status. Zander took the time to carefully read all the classes offered. Warrior (Common) - Starting class: A melee combatant, versatile, and dependable fighter proficient in the use of a variety of weapons and armor.

Stat bonuses per level-up: +2 Str, +1 Vit, +1 Free Point. Mage (Common) - Starting class: Mages are powerful spellcasters who harness arcane magic to wreak havoc on their enemies from a distance. As a starting class, Mages are not yet specialized in any element or type of magic. While their physical strength may be limited, their intellect and magical prowess make them formidable opponents in any battle. Stat bonuses per level-up: +2 Int, +1 Wis, +1 Free Point.

Rogue (Common) - Starting class: Rogues are stealthy and cunning fighters who excel in sneaking and dealing critical damage with their swift and precise strikes. They are masters of agility and finesse, using their quick reflexes to outmaneuver enemies and exploit their weaknesses. While they may lack the brute strength of Warriors, their ability to strike from the shadows and evade attacks makes them formidable opponents. Stat bonuses per level-up: +2 Dex, +1 End, +1 Free Point.

Archer (Common) - Starting class: Archers are ranged combatants who excel in taking down enemies from a distance with precision and skill. They are adept at using bows and crossbows to deliver powerful and accurate shots. Stat bonuses per level-up: +2 Dex, +1 Str, +1 Free Point. Healer (Common) - Starting class: The Healer is a novice in the arts of mending and restoration, a fledgling practitioner of healing magic. Stat bonuses per level-up: +2 Int, +2 Wis, +2 Free Points.

All these classes gave a total of four stat points per level, except healer, which gave six. Why does the Healer get more points? I don't care; I'm not choosing that class anyway. It was weird, but Zander felt like none of these classes suited him.

"And everyone has to choose one of these classes?" he asked. Yes, but everyone is unique, so each initiate will evolve their class in a different direction. In some special cases, initiates have even been able to change classes before reaching level 2.

"OK, thanks." Zander didn't have to think long before making his choice. He knew instinctively that he would be a hand-to-hand fighter. Magic tempted him, but he would attempt to evolve his starting class in that direction later. Still feeling that none of these classes suited him, he nevertheless chose Warrior, as it was the closest to what he thought his class should be. You have chosen the Warrior class. Do you confirm?

"Yes." As soon as the word left his mouth, Zander had an attack. He collapsed on the floor, his last thought before the pain became unbearable being: Are you kidding me? This isn't supposed to happen for another day!