I stared at the attribute selection screen hovering in my vision while I was resting to recharge my resources, watching the single point pulse with potential. After clearing the Dune Ocean rift, climbing from Level 1 to 2 had awarded me this small but significant boon—my first chance to shape this new body according to my will.
The choice should have been simple. The REALITY MATRIX trait pulled from two primary resources: MANA for Core Skills and HP for Impact Skills. Logic suggested boosting one of these pools to give myself more operational capacity.
Vitality would add 10 points to my HP, allowing me more Impact Skill usage before requiring healing. Every time I used Negate, Amplify, Infusion, or Shape—any of those HP-draining abilities—I'd have more room to maneuver before hitting dangerous thresholds.
Mana made an equally compelling case. Another 10 points would mean one additional Core Skill usage—one more Shift, Bend, Rend, or Fuse before I needed regeneration.
"So, what's it going to be?" I muttered to myself, fingers hovering over the selection. "HP or MANA? Life or power?"
The attribute point glowed, waiting. I stared at it for a long moment, then suddenly laughed.
"Who am I kidding?" I selected Speed with decisive precision. The point vanished, and the notification appeared:
[SPEED 1 → 2]
I closed the interface, still chuckling. "As if I'd allocate it anywhere other than Speed." My entire identity—the very essence of who I was as a raider—had always been about moving faster than anyone else. Even with this new trait, even starting from scratch, some things remained fundamental.
One Speed point wouldn't restore what I'd lost. It was barely a fraction of my former capability, like trying to rebuild an ocean with a single raindrop. But it was a start. It was the principle.
Rising from my resting position against a crystallized tree, I stretched, feeling the new attribute integration ripple through my nervous system. The enhancement was subtle but perceptible—neural pathways firing marginally faster, proprioception sharpening slightly.
The wasteland extended in all directions, reality fracturing in increasingly bizarre patterns the further one moved from Lighthouse City. The morning sun cast prismatic refractions through crystal formations that shouldn't naturally exist, creating rainbow-like phenomena that bent at impossible angles.
I needed another rift. The credits earned from Dune Ocean were substantial but would only take me so far. More importantly, I needed the experience—both literal XP and practical application of my new trait. Understanding REALITY MATRIX's intricacies would be crucial for climbing back to relevance.
The eastern path stretched before me, dimensional corruption increasing visibly with each kilometer. Vegetation twisted into fractal patterns, branches occasionally phasing between states of matter. Gravity wells created pockets where stones hovered at varying heights, some spinning slowly as if underwater.
My Matrix Vision highlighted energy threads connecting these anomalies to their sources—dimensional bleeding points where reality's fabric had worn thin. Some threads pulsed with dangerous intensity, others flickered with unstable patterns.
Three hours into my trek, movement caught my attention—a rippling distortion approaching from my right flank. Hazard Sense expanded outward, mapping the threat: an Entropic Hound, a wolf-like entity composed of shifting probability states rather than solid matter.
The creature's form wavered between defined and diffuse, its edges constantly dissolving and reforming. Eyes like tiny black holes tracked my movement with predatory focus.
"Let's see how this works," I murmured, sliding into a defensive stance.
The Entropic Hound lunged, its jaw extending beyond normal physical limits. Matrix Vision revealed its dimensional tethering—unusually strong for an E-tier entity, suggesting it had been in the wild long enough to stabilize its form.
"Shift," I commanded, moving one meter to my left while gaining 0.5 seconds of invulnerability.
MANA: 100 → 90
FRACTURE CHARGES: 0 → 1
The Hound's attack passed through where I'd been standing as I reappeared beside it. Its form rippled with confusion, probability waves struggling to recalculate my position.
"Infusion," I called out, drawing power from a nearby gravity well, channeling its properties into my next strike.
HP: 100 → 90
FRACTURE CHARGES: 1 → 2
My fist glowed with distorted gravitational potential as crimson veins pulsed visibly through my skin. I struck the creature's flank, my enhanced blow compressing space-time around the impact point. The Hound's form collapsed inward where I hit, its probability field struggling to maintain coherence against the localized gravity distortion.
The creature howled—a sound that oscillated between frequencies, hurting my ears. It tried to retreat, its movement erratic as parts of its form remained caught in the gravitational effect.
"Rend," I commanded, creating a decoherence field in the Hound's path.
MANA: 90 → 80
FRACTURE CHARGES: 2 → 3
The combination of Infusion (Creation Impact) followed by Rend triggered the Hazard Cascade combination effect. The decoherence field manifested as intended, but simultaneously, two nearby anomalies reacted—a time dilation pocket collapsed completely, and a dimensional thin-spot expanded threefold.
The Entropic Hound charged directly into the decoherence field, its probability waves instantly destabilizing. The creature's form unraveled into quantum uncertainty, its constituent particles forgetting they belonged together. Within seconds, it had dissolved completely, leaving nothing but rapidly fading energy signatures.
Crimson glow suffused my eyes as the third Fracture Charge circulated through my system. I needed to be careful. Triggering Matrix Implosion out here in the open would be unwise—the resulting dimensional catastrophe might attract attention from Stability, or worse, create a permanent dimensional scar.
I continued eastward, encountering two more weak wandering entities over the next five kilometers. The first, a Crystalline Stalker—a panther-like predator with a body composed of translucent geometric structures—fell quickly to a combination of Amplify followed by Bend, which let me create a Compound Hazard by altering a crystalline formation to match the creature's resonance frequency. When struck by its own harmonic pattern amplified threefold, the Stalker shattered into thousands of glittering fragments.
FRACTURE CHARGES: 3 → 5
The second entity presented more of a challenge—a Phase Spectre, a semi-corporeal humanoid that could shift between dimensional planes at will. I tracked its dimensional signature using Matrix Vision, waiting for the moment it solidified enough to target.
"Negate," I called out, nullifying the dimensional pocket it was using to hide.
HP: 80 → 70
FRACTURE CHARGES: 5 → 6
Crimson energy haze surrounded me as the sixth Fracture Charge pushed the Matrix closer to its threshold. I felt the imminent collapse building, reality fracturing around me like spiderwebbing glass. Seven charges would trigger automatically—I needed to find a safe discharge point immediately.
Luck was with me. A hundred meters ahead, my Hazard Sense detected an active rift signature—stronger than E-tier, but not catastrophically powerful. A quick scan confirmed:
DIMENSIONAL RIFT DETECTED
CLASSIFICATION: D-TIER
WARNING: HIGH HAZARD LEVEL
APPROACH WITH EXTREME CAUTION
Perfect timing. I sprinted toward the rift, dimensional energy crackling around my form as the sixth Fracture Charge strained for release. The portal shimmered ahead—a vertical tear in reality approximately three meters tall, its surface roiling with hostile energy patterns.
Without hesitation, I plunged through the barrier, feeling the familiar dimensional transition wash over me. Inside, a landscape of fractured platforms floating in void greeted me—sharp-edged stone islands suspended in a sky of churning purple and black energy. Entities moved in the distance, drawn by my entrance.
[D-TIER RIFT: VOID PLATFORM
BASE REQUIREMENT: REACH THE LAST PLATFORM
ALTERNATIVE PATH: NONE]
"Rend," I commanded quickly, creating a hazard to divert the approaching entities.
MANA: 70 → 60
FRACTURE CHARGES: 6 → 7
Reality fractured instantly as the Matrix Implosion triggered, consuming all seven Fracture Charges. Through the dimensional tear poured absolute vacuum—not merely the absence of air, but the fundamental negation of matter itself.
FRACTURE CHARGES: 7 → 0
The implosion radiated outward in a thirty-meter sphere, creating a zone where physical laws ceased to function. Floating platforms caught in the effect simply ceased to exist—not destroyed, but retroactively removed from reality's equation. Two approaching entities—what looked like D-tier Void Striders—vanished instantly, their dimensional tethers severed.
The vacuum bubble collapsed after several seconds, reality rushing back in to fill the void with a thunderous implosion. Even with my Hazard Resilience reducing the effect by 90%, the backlash still hit like a hammer, sending me staggering backward toward the rift entrance.
I was already moving, diving back through the rift exit before anything else could respond to the catastrophe.
I emerged into the wasteland, dusting off my hands with exaggerated nonchalance. "Just taking out the trash," I remarked to no one in particular.
The dimensional disturbance behind me settled, the D-tier rift pulsing with aggravated energy but remaining stable. With my Fracture Charges reset, I could continue my search without worry of unexpected implosions.
Three more hours of dodging monsters that annoyingly kept me in combat negating my regeneration due to TAINT, and some careful navigation through increasingly hostile terrain finally yielded what I'd been looking for—an E-tier rift portal nestled between two towering formations of crystallized time. The tear shimmered with familiar energy patterns, its surface reflecting distorted images of whatever environment waited on the other side.
My implant confirmed what I already knew:
DIMENSIONAL RIFT DETECTED
CLASSIFICATION: E-TIER
WARNING: MODERATE HAZARD LEVEL
CAUTION ADVISED
I approached the portal, studying its energy fluctuations and considering my approach. With my REALITY MATRIX trait, even the most hostile E-tier environment should be manageable.
The tear pulsed, as if inviting me forward. Beyond it lay my next opportunity—more experience, more credits, and one more step back toward the power I'd lost.
I stepped into the light.
[E-TIER RIFT: VOLCANIC WASTELAND
BASE REQUIREMENT: REACH THE MAGMA SANCTUM
ALTERNATIVE PATH: DESTROY THE FLAME COLOSSUS]
Heat slammed into me like a physical assault, stealing the breath from my lungs. The air shimmered with thermal distortion, making distance calculations unreliable. I had materialized on a narrow obsidian ridge overlooking a vast landscape of churning lava flows, jagged volcanic formations, and clouds of toxic vapor.
HP 80/100, MANA 60/100, EXHAUSTION 0/100
FRACTURE CHARGES: 0/7
My Matrix Vision immediately mapped the dimensional energy pathways, revealing a complex web of connections anchoring this hellscape to its dimensional source. The dominant hazards revealed themselves through their glowing tethers:
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Lava geysers—unpredictable eruptions of superheated molten rock
Ash storms—clouds of corrosive particulates that scoured exposed tissue
Gas vents—releasing toxic compounds that caused rapid cellular deterioration
Heat pockets—zones where air temperature exceeded human tolerance
Unstable terrain—sections of crust that could collapse into lava pools beneath
Flame vortices—self-sustaining fire tornados that wandered the landscape
Dimensional thin-spots—areas where reality's fabric had worn dangerously thin
My Dimensional Feed passive immediately activated as the ambient heat registered as a new hazard.
HP: 80 → 100
"At least that's working," I muttered, already sweating profusely despite Hazard Resilience reducing the effect.
In the distance, a massive structure rose from the central lava lake—the Magma Sanctum, presumably my objective. The path there looked treacherous, riddled with active hazards and patrolled by Flame Elementals—humanoid entities composed entirely of living fire.
A heat pocket pulsed twenty meters ahead, blocking the most direct route forward.
"Bend," I commanded, moving the heat pocket to intercept with a nearby lava geyser.
MANA: 60 → 50
FRACTURE CHARGES: 0 → 1
The hazards collided, creating a volatile thermal reaction. The heat pocket intensified the geyser's energy, causing it to erupt prematurely in a spectacular display of molten rock.
"Emerge," I called out, teleporting to the edge of the new combined hazard.
HP: 100 → 90
FRACTURE CHARGES: 1 → 2
The wave of intense heat washed over me as I materialized near the hazard boundary, temporarily increasing my body temperature to dangerous levels. My passive Dimensional Feed activated, recognizing this as a distinct hazard from the ambient heat.
HP: 90 → 100
The combination of hazards had cleared a path forward that wasn't there before, and the teleportation positioned me perfectly to advance toward the objective while still benefiting from my Dimensional Feed.
Red veins pulsed beneath my skin as the second Fracture Charge circulated through my system. I surveyed the path ahead, seeking the safest route toward the objective.
Two Flame Elementals patrolled a narrow ridge, their bodies casting flickering light across the obsidian surface. Beyond them, a swirling ash storm obscured visibility, and the distant rumble of lava geysers suggested more hazards ahead.
"Negate," I commanded, targeting the ash storm that blocked progress.
HP: 100 → 90
FRACTURE CHARGES: 2 → 3
The swirling cloud of abrasive particles dissipated as I negated its dimensional tethering, revealing a clearer path forward. The momentary advantage wouldn't last long—the environmental forces would soon generate a new ash storm—but it gave me a window to advance.
"Bend," I called out, moving a flame vortex directly into the path of the patrolling Elementals.
MANA: 50 → 40
FRACTURE CHARGES: 3 → 4
The combination of Negate (Modify Impact) followed by Bend triggered the Compound Hazard combination effect which allowed up to 3 property changes to a hazard. The flame vortex I redirected gained increased size, electrical discharge capability, and a gravitational pull that drew in nearby loose material.
My skin developed fracture-like cracks as the fourth charge activated, enhancing my Hazard Sense range to 500 meters and my Speed by 50%. The world slowed perceptibly as my neural processing accelerated.
The enhanced flame vortex engulfed the two Elementals, but instead of harming them, it seemed to energize them. They absorbed portions of the fire, their forms growing more substantial. This wasn't going as planned.
"Damn it," I hissed, feeling sweat dripping from every pore. The ambient temperature was becoming increasingly unbearable, even with Hazard Resilience since the rift temperature itself wasn’t considered a hazard. I needed to find a cooling mechanism.
I sprinted forward, taking advantage of my Speed boost to cross the exposed ridge before the Elementals could react. A gas vent erupted in my path, spewing yellowish vapor that Matrix Vision identified as highly corrosive.
"Infusion," I commanded, drawing the properties of a nearby dimensional thin-spot into my next attack.
HP: 90 → 80
FRACTURE CHARGES: 4 → 5
"Rend," I called out, creating a hazard that aligned with the volatile environment—a miniature volcanic eruption directly beneath the approaching Elementals.
MANA: 40 → 30
FRACTURE CHARGES: 5 → 6
The combination of Infusion (Creation Impact) followed by Rend triggered the Hazard Cascade combination effect. The volcanic eruption I created amplified in intensity, while simultaneously affecting two nearby hazards—a gas vent inverted its properties, releasing cooling vapor instead of corrosive gas, and a heat pocket collapsed entirely.
Crimson energy crackled around my form as the sixth charge pushed the Matrix closer to its threshold. My Hazard Sense expanded to 1000 meters, mapping distant dangers with crystal clarity. My Speed doubled, movement becoming fluid and precise even on the treacherous volcanic surface.
The cooling vapor provided momentary relief, but it was localized and rapidly dissipating. The ambient temperature remained brutally high, and my exhaustion was beginning to climb from the constant thermal stress.
EXHAUSTION: 0 → 15
The Elementals were pursuing now, their fiery forms gliding across the obsidian surface with unnatural speed. I needed a more substantial solution to the heat problem.
"Shape," I commanded, transforming a nearby lava geyser into a functional weapon—a whip of molten rock that obeyed my control.
HP: 80 → 70
FRACTURE CHARGES: 6 → 7
Reality fractured as the Matrix Implosion triggered, consuming all seven Fracture Charges. The dimensional tear manifested as a localized pocket of antimatter—the perfect opposite of normal matter, causing mutual annihilation on contact.
The implosion radiated outward, creating a sphere of pure destruction. Everything caught within it—rock, lava, even the pursuing Elementals—vanished in flashes of perfect energy conversion. Where the antimatter touched lava pools, spectacular energy discharges lit the hellscape with blinding light.
I had hoped for a cooling effect. Instead, I'd gotten something far more destructive—and the resulting energy release actually increased the ambient temperature in my immediate vicinity.
HP: 70 → 55
EXHAUSTION: 15 → 35
"You've got to be kidding me," I growled, feeling anger flare hotter than the surrounding environment. My luck with Matrix Implosions couldn't possibly be this bad.
The path ahead had been cleared by the antimatter burst, creating a momentary advantage. I rushed forward, wiping sweat from my eyes as I navigated the unstable terrain. The Magma Sanctum loomed closer, its structure clearer now—a temple-like formation with intricate patterns carved into volcanic glass.
Three new Elementals materialized from lava pools ahead, larger than the previous ones. My Matrix Vision revealed they were directly tethered to the Magma Sanctum itself—guardians rather than random entities.
"Fuse," I commanded, dissipating the molten whip I'd created without ever getting much use out of it. The hazard dissolved as its energy flowed into my body, restoring vitality.
MANA: 30 → 20
FRACTURE CHARGES: 0 → 1
HP: 55 → 85
"Phase," I called out, becoming invisible for three seconds as I slipped between two Elementals.
HP: 85 → 75
FRACTURE CHARGES: 1 → 2
The combination of Shape (Integration Impact) followed by Fuse triggered the Reality Pattern combination effect. The previous Hazard Cascade effect repeated itself instantly—the original volcanic eruption I had created earlier amplified in intensity again, while simultaneously affecting two nearby hazards—a heat pocket inverted completely into a cooling zone, and a lava pool solidified into obsidian.
I reappeared behind the guardians, closer to my objective but still dangerously exposed. The heat continued to sap my strength, my body struggling to regulate temperature despite enhanced resilience.
EXHAUSTION: 35 → 50
"Amplify," I commanded, targeting a relatively cool gas vent that released vapor less hostile than the surrounding air.
HP: 75 → 65
FRACTURE CHARGES: 2 → 3
The gas vent tripled in output, creating a small pocket where the temperature dropped to merely uncomfortable rather than life-threatening. I moved into this relative sanctuary, using the momentary reprieve to assess my situation.
"Bend," I called out, repositioning an unstable terrain hazard directly beneath the pursuing Elementals.
MANA: 20 → 10
FRACTURE CHARGES: 3 → 4
The combination of Amplify (Modify Impact) followed by Bend triggered the Compound Hazard combination effect. The unstable terrain gained additional properties—increased area, deeper instability, and reactive triggering that responded to heat signatures.
My skin developed fracture-like cracks as the fourth charge activated, enhancing my Hazard Sense and Speed once again. The pursuing Elementals triggered the enhanced unstable terrain, the obsidian surface beneath them collapsing into the lava pool below. Their fiery forms were unharmed by the molten rock, but the trap bought me precious seconds.
The Magma Sanctum was now less than a hundred meters ahead, but the final approach looked most dangerous of all—a narrow bridge of solidified lava spanning a vast lake of active molten rock. Heat shimmers distorted visibility, and massive bubbles occasionally burst from the surface, sending sprays of lava into the air.
"Infusion," I commanded, drawing properties from the amplified cool gas vent into my next physical action.
HP: 65 → 55
FRACTURE CHARGES: 4 → 5
"Rend," I called out, creating a hazard aligned with the environment's nature—a lava geyser beneath the narrow bridge.
MANA: 10 → 0
FRACTURE CHARGES: 5 → 6
The combination of Infusion (Creation Impact) followed by Rend triggered the Hazard Cascade combination effect. The lava geyser manifested as intended, but with unexpected results—it created a lava fountain that partially cooled in mid-air, forming a more substantial bridge across the molten lake.
Crimson energy haze surrounded me as the sixth Fracture Charge pushed the Matrix closer to its threshold. My Speed and perception were heightened to extraordinary levels, allowing me to calculate the precise timing needed to cross the newly formed bridge.
The Flame Elementals regrouped behind me, their forms merging into a single massive entity—a Flame Colossus that towered fifteen meters high, its body radiating heat intense enough to warp the obsidian beneath it.
EXHAUSTION: 50 → 65
I was running out of resources and options. The combination of heat stress and ability usage had drained me substantially. But I saw an opportunity—the alternative path for clearing the rift was destroying the Flame Colossus.
"Echo," I commanded, creating a duplicate of myself to distract the Colossus.
HP: 55 → 45
FRACTURE CHARGES: 6 → 7
Reality fractured as the Matrix Implosion triggered again, consuming all seven Fracture Charges. This time, the dimensional tear manifested as a gravity well—a localized point of extreme gravitational force that began pulling everything toward it with irresistible strength.
FRACTURE CHARGES: 7 → 0
The gravity well formed at the midpoint of the bridge, directly between me and the Flame Colossus. Rock, lava, even light itself bent toward the singularity. The bridge began breaking apart, chunks of solidified lava flying into the event horizon and disappearing from reality.
The Flame Colossus struggled against the pull, its massive form anchored to multiple dimensional tethers. Parts of its outer flame layer were stripped away, drawn into the gravity well, but its core remained intact.
I had hoped for a cooling effect—something to counter the oppressive heat—and once again the Matrix had delivered something entirely different. The gravitational distortion was actually increasing temperature through compression effects, making my situation worse.
HP: 45 → 30
EXHAUSTION: 65 → 80
"Unbelievable!" I shouted, rage burning hotter than the lava around me. "Give me something useful, damn it!"
The gravity well collapsed after several seconds, the bridge now mostly destroyed. The Flame Colossus had been reduced in size but remained functional—and now it was angry, its flames burning white-hot with dimensional energy.
I was stranded on a small platform of remaining bridge, surrounded by molten lava, with my MANA completely depleted and HP dangerously low. The Magma Sanctum remained tantalizingly close, yet unreachable across the destroyed bridge.
"Sync," I called out in desperation, adopting the properties of a nearby dimensional thin-spot.
HP: 30 → 20
FRACTURE CHARGES: 0 → 1
My body partially phased out of normal reality, becoming translucent and less affected by physical laws. In this state, I could potentially move across the lava lake with reduced effect from its heat.
"Shift," I commanded.
MANA: 0 → 0 (Insufficient MANA)
I cursed, realizing my MANA was completely depleted. The Shift failed, leaving me exposed on the platform with the Colossus advancing.
The dimensional properties I'd synced with were beginning to fade. I had seconds at most before I returned to normal physicality, and without the bridge, I'd be trapped.
A lava geyser erupted twenty meters to my right, sending molten rock arcing through the air. In that moment, I saw my solution.
"Emerge," I commanded with my last reserves, teleporting directly to the lava geyser.
HP: 20 → 10
FRACTURE CHARGES: 1 → 2
I materialized beside the geyser, my synced state protecting me from the worst effects. My Dimensional Feed passive activated, recognizing this specific lava hazard as distinct from previous ones.
HP: 10 → 30
The Flame Colossus roared, a sound that distorted dimensional barriers around us. It gathered its energy for what appeared to be a devastatingly powerful attack.
I located another dimensional thin-spot just outside the entrance to the Magma Sanctum.
"Swap," I called out, exchanging positions with the hazard.
HP: 30 → 20
FRACTURE CHARGES: 2 → 3
The combination of Emerge (Movement Impact) followed by Swap (another Movement Impact) didn't trigger a combination effect—I needed a Core Skill to complete the combination.
I materialized at the entrance to the Magma Sanctum, my body returning to normal physicality as the Sync effect wore off. The Flame Colossus unleashed its attack—a wave of dimensional fire that swept across the lava lake, dissipating harmlessly against the Sanctum's protected entrance.
Inside, the temperature dropped considerably—still hot, but no longer life-threatening. Ancient symbols carved into volcanic glass pulsed with power, responding to my presence.
The dimensional resonance at the heart of the Sanctum aligned perfectly with my Matrix Vision, revealing the true nature of this place—not just a temple to fire, but a nexus point where dimensional energy was harvested and channeled.
I touched the central altar, completing the objective. The Sanctum responded, symbols flaring with intense light as the rift acknowledged my success.
[RIFT CLEARED: VOLCANIC WASTELAND
SURVIVAL RATE: 100% (SOLO)
CONTRIBUTION: VOLT (100%)]
[LEVEL 2 → 3]
The extraction point materialized beside the altar, pulsing with welcoming energy. I staggered toward it, utterly exhausted and thoroughly irritated by the entire experience.
"Next time," I muttered, "I'm finding an ice rift."
As reality shifted around me, returning me to the wasteland outside Lighthouse City, the rift dropped its rewards:
E-tier core × 1 = 999cr
Volcanic Glass: 37 × 150cr = 5,550cr
Elemental Flame Essence: 6 × 500cr = 3,000cr
Gravity Singularity Fragment: 2 × 750cr = 1,500cr
Dimensional Thin-Spot Sample: 5 × 200cr = 1,000cr
BASE TOTAL: 12,049cr
SOLO BONUS (×10): 120,490cr
I examined the readout on my wrist display:
Name: Volt F-tier, Level 3, REALITY MATRIX
Total Credits: 234,480cr
The attribute distribution wasn’t even worth thinking about.
[SPEED 2 → 3]
The sun was setting as I made my way back toward the city barrier, my body aching from the ordeal. Three Matrix Implosions, and not a single one had produced the cooling effect I'd desperately needed. Sometimes the universe just enjoyed watching you suffer.
I passed through the checkpoint with a tired nod to the guard, who seemed mildly surprised to see someone returning from the wasteland intact.
My apartment building looked the same as always—dilapidated, outdated, but functional enough for basic needs. The elevator creaked as it carried me to my floor, the sound a perfect accompaniment to my exhausted mood.
Inside my apartment, I stripped off my sweat-soaked clothes and stood under the shower until the water ran cold. Clean and marginally less irritated, I examined my credits balance again. Two hundred thirty-four thousand would buy some basic equipment, maybe even a low-grade armor set with minimal enhancement slots.
But first, priorities.
I dressed in fresh clothes and headed to the nearest convenience market. The night clerk barely looked up as I entered, too engrossed in a holostream to care about late customers.
I found what I was looking for in the refrigerated section—a stack of synthetic pudding cups, the cheap kind with artificial flavor and questionable nutritional value. I bought the entire supply, twelve cups in total, and added a pack of synthetic protein bars as a token gesture toward responsible eating.
Back in my apartment, I collapsed into my chair, peeled the lid off the first pudding cup, and sighed as the sweet, cool cardboard taste hit my tongue.
"Simple pleasures," I muttered to myself, savoring each spoonful.
Tomorrow would bring new challenges. I'd need to visit the markets, acquire equipment, continue my climb out of F-tier obscurity. But tonight, after facing volcanic hell and surviving three Matrix Implosions, I'd earned this small comfort.
I was one step closer to reclaiming what I'd lost. Level 3 now, with resources accumulating and my understanding of the REALITY MATRIX growing with each encounter.
