There was a brief moment of silence before Adrian got a response.
[Yes, Adrian. Anything you need my help with?]
A jolt of excitement coursed through Adrian after he heard the System. That meant that all that happened was real... It made him feel a lot better.
"Nothing urgent," Adrian replied after a second. "But… how do I access my status panel?"
[Displaying Operator Status Panel.]
Immediately, a faint bluish screen flickered into view before his eyes.
[TECHCORE SYSTEM – STATUS PANEL]
Name: Adrian | Age: 10
System Level: 1 | EXP: 0 / 100 | TP: 0
[Inventions Created: 0]
[Blueprints Acquired: 0]
[Skills: Analyze (Basic)]
[System Store]
Adrian stared at the panel in thought.
"EXP is probably experience points," he figured out from the games he used to play.
"And TP should be an abbreviation for Tech Points. But what are they used for, and how do I obtain them? Tech Core?"
[EXP is used to progress your level. The more advanced, useful, or widely used your inventions are, the more EXP you gain.]
[Tech Points are earned by creating inventions or completing system quests. They are used to purchase blueprints, tools, and upgrades from the System Store. They may also be used to evolve existing skills.]
"Got it." Adrian nodded. "So it's a growth loop. I invent, earn EXP and TP, use those to unlock more stuff… then invent even better things."
[Accurate assessment.]
"Alright. Then… where's the System Store?"
A brief pause followed. Then, a chime.
[New Quest Unlocked!]
[Quest: Forge Your First Invention]
[Objective: Create a functioning invention that does not already exist in this world.]
[Requirements:
Originality (unseen or unused in current era)
Practical utility (must serve a real function)]
[Reward: Unlock System Store]
"Okay, so I need just one invention to unlock the store… I can't mess this up."
His mind immediately began racing with ideas. But then, a memory struck him.
He looked at the wooden shelf across the room where an old hourglass sat, sand trickling silently through the narrow glass.
Adrian narrowed his eyes.
"A clock."
It sounded so simple. So… mundane.
But in this world, where time was guessed and not measured. A working time piece would be revolutionary.
"A clock can help me keep track of time, break my day into segments, schedule tasks, track rituals, create time limits… It's invaluable."
He could already imagine what the blueprint might look like. Gears, coils, balance springs.
"I could try something simpler," he admitted to himself. "But I doubt it'd meet the system's originality requirement. No, if I'm doing this, I'm going all in."
Adrian yawned suddenly as the events of the day finally caught up with his young body.
"Tomorrow," he mumbled as he lay down on the bed. "I'll start tomorrow."
His voice faded as sleep finally took him, the screen before him dimming with a final blink of light.
***
The smell of bread and sizzling eggs filled the air as Adrian sat at the modest wooden table the next morning.
Across from him, Eli was already halfway through his plate, eating heartily. Mara, on the other hand, ate more gracefully, occasionally glancing at Adrian's way with a gentle smile.
"How's the food?" she asked.
Adrian nodded politely. "Very well, thank you. The bed was warm, and the room was quiet."
Adrian took a bite of the buttered bread and nodded with his mouth full. "It's really good," he said after swallowing. "Better than anything I ever had back home."
Mara flushed a little. "You're too kind."
After a few minutes of comfortable silence filled only with the clink of cutlery, Mara stood and wiped her hands.
"Well, I'll be heading to the store in a bit," she said. "Eli's got to get to the forge too. You can choose to come with either of us or even stay home if you'd rather rest more."
Adrian paused mid-bite and his eyes flicked to Eli.
'Forge?'
He hadn't known what Eli's exact job was until now, but hearing the word "forge" lit a spark in his mind.
'A blacksmith… perfect.'
That meant tools and maybe even access to parts or pieces he could repurpose for his watch.
"I'd like to go with Eli," he said, trying to sound casual, though his heart picked up with excitement.
Mara had a faint frown on her face. "Already choosing his side, huh? I see how it is."
Eli gave a hearty chuckle and nudged her with his elbow. "Don't be jealous, love. The forge's got a charm of its own." He looked over at Adrian with a grin.
"I'm sure you'll love it. Might even teach you a few tricks if you're paying attention."
"He's still a child, Eli. Don't go tossing him around molten iron just yet."
Adrian spoke up gently. "Thank you for your concern, ma'am. But I'd really like to see the forge. It sounds interesting."
Mara studied him for a moment, then finally sighed and smiled. "Alright, alright. But you're not allowed to get burned, understand?"
"I'll be careful," Adrian promised.
The rest of breakfast passed with light banter and a growing sense of ease. After they were done, Mara packed some leftover bread and fruit into cloth pouches, one for Eli and one for Adrian, and handed them off before kissing her husband on the cheek and waving them both off.
Eli led Adrian down a dirt path lined with small homes and shops. The village had already woken up, with farmers and vendors setting up their stalls.
Eventually, they stopped at a wide, stone-walled building with a tall chimney releasing trails of smoke into the air.
"This is where the magic happens," Eli announced as they stepped in.
Inside, the air was warmer and smelled of metal, coal, and sweat. Tables were lined with metal rods, swords in progress, horseshoes, and unrecognizable bits of scrap.
Eli stepped in and exhaled like a man returning to his element.
"This forge keeps the village running," he said proudly. "Tools, weapons, farming gear, everything made of metal? I either make it or fix it."
"People don't think about it much, but without the forge… everything stops. That's the weight of this work."
Adrian took a slow step forward as he studied the organized chaos of the workspace.
'This… is exactly where I need to be.'