...
"Status,"
Almost immediately, a translucent screen materialized before him, glowing faintly in the dim, crumbled room. It reminded him of the interface from countless games he'd played before, but something about it felt… different and wildly weird. The layout was strange, and the stats listed didn't make sense. His eyes scanned the display, his brow furrowing as he tried to make sense of it.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
WELCOME TIMEBOUND, CASSIAN CAINE
________________________________________________________________________________________
A Story Nearing Its End: [07: 16: 24: 44]
Age: 17 years
Ascension: 0th
Origin Card: LOCKED
Current Level: Trial of Worth
Life Crystal State: LOCKED
[STATS]
❂ CREATION: 0th Star [0/10]
❂ DESTRUCTION: 0th Star [0/10]
❂ KNOWLEDGE: 0th Star [0/10]
❂ SACRIFICE: 0th Star [0/10]
❂ VOID: 0th Star [0/10]
Remark: A stupid hooman, cannon fodder at best with only resolve as a redeemable quality.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
"What the fuck…?" Cassian muttered, his head spinning as he stared at the bizarre screen. "What the hell is this supposed to be?"
Really system 'A Story Nearing Its End' ... Like this timer is not already getting on my nerves as it is...
The stats made no sense. Creation? Sacrifice? Void? These weren't the usual attributes he was used to seeing in games. No strength, dexterity, or intelligence. Just strange, abstract concepts that left him feeling even more lost.
And that remark at the bottom?
"Cannon fodder?!" Cassian's voice rose, his eye twitching as his gaze burned into the mocking text. "I'm trying my hardest to survive, and I get called cannon fodder? "
He exhaled sharply, forcing himself to calm down.
Okay, focus. Focus, Cassian. You've got bigger problems than being insulted by a screen.
He stared at the stats again, his mind racing. "What the hell does 'Sacrifice' even mean? Or 'Void'? And why are all these things locked?"
Frustration bubbled to the surface, and he found himself muttering under his breath. "What does any of this mean? How do I even use these stats? What am I supposed to do with this... this bullshit?"
A familiar chime broke through his thoughts.
[DING! MORE KNOWLEDGE CAN BE PURCHASED AT A COST. THE BASIC KNOWLEDGE ABOUT STATUS & STATS COSTS: 10 DAYS, 9 MINUTES, & 8 SECONDS]
[DING! WOULD YOU LIKE TO PURCHASE?]
Cassian froze, his eyes widening as he reread the notification. "Wait… what?"
So I can buy information…
His gaze darted to his left arm. The timer continued ticking down: [07: 16: 23: 40]
"And this info costs 10 days?… I don't even have 10 days to live," he said bitterly, shaking his head. "Haaa… Let's focus on the present and clear this trial."
Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to think. "Okay… if I can buy basic knowledge, then what else can I get?"
The system seemed to answer immediately.
[DING! TIME IS THE ONLY CURRENCY FOR TIMEBOUNDS. FROM INFORMATION TO BUYING CARDS, EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE IF YOU HAVE TIME]
Holy shit!… that makes time way too complicated and super precious if everything is going to cost time then… since it's not just a currency but also something I need to live on…
Cassian swallowed hard; his gaze flicked to the timer again. [07: 16: 23: 54]
"Fuck, this is bad… The timer makes me way too anxious… Can't I hide it?"
[DING! NO ]
Fuuu… This might be more difficult than fighting monsters… I need to calm my nerves and not look at the timer every 10 seconds.
His gaze shifted back to the translucent screen, a new question forming in his mind. "Can I buy cards?"
The system's response was immediate.
[DING! NO, TIMEBOUND CASSIAN IS STILL IN HIS 'TRIAL OF WORTH' LEVEL. ONLY AFTER IT IS CLEARED WILL ALL FEATURES BE UNLOCKED ]
"So clear first level and get more features…" Cassian muttered, his voice low but firm as he leaned back on the sofa. With every tick of the timer on his arm, the weight of time pressed harder against him, yet it only made his resolve sharper. Survival wasn't enough—not for him. He didn't just want to make it to the next day. He wanted strength. Strength to tear apart Arwyn, to avenge his mom, and to finally break free of whatever twisted game he'd been thrust into.
Just as he was cementing his thoughts, a familiar chime rang out, shattering his concentration.
[DING! ⍙⟟⏁⊑ ⏃ FEELS LIKE YOU FORGOT SOMETHING]
Cassian froze, his brow furrowing as his gaze darted toward the glowing message. "What?" he muttered, irritation creeping into his tone. "System, is there something I forgot?"
The response was swift.
[DING! FOUND ADDITIONAL REWARDS! ⍙⟟⏁⊑ ⏃ HAVE ISSUED FOR YOU]
Rewards where? and what... should have started with that!
[DING! YOU HAVE BEEN GRANTED A 10-PULL OF THE SPECIAL ONE-TIME CARDS BANNER]
Cassian blinked, staring at the notification as his mind scrambled to process the words. "Huh? Gambling? Seriously?" he muttered, his voice tinged with disbelief. "Even for cards, is it based on luck? Of course, it is."
The idea made his eyes twitch. Of all the mechanics to mimic, why this? He'd had his fair share of experiences with gacha games back home, none of them particularly great. Watching hard-earned resources vanish into worthless pulls had been the norm.
"This better not be a scam; Mom grounded me for a whole week after I pulled my waifu in HSR. I spent nearly 250 before I stopped…" he muttered, exhaling sharply. Despite his annoyance, he couldn't deny the flicker of curiosity sparking in his chest.
Fine, let's see what this is all about.
As if in response, the air in front of him shimmered, rippling like heat waves. A massive spinning wheel materialized out of nowhere, its glowing surface segmented into distinct sections marked with strange, shifting symbols. Cassian leaned forward, squinting to make out the details. There were five distinct color schemes—white, red, black, blue, and one that seemed… transparent, or perhaps colorless. The symbols within the segments seemed to shift and dance, their meanings just out of reach. Cassian couldn't tell what each color represented, but the shimmering light made them all seem… important.
He spotted a lever on the side of the wheel, a handle that seemed to beckon him forward. His heart pounded as he hesitated, his fingers twitched with anticipation.
"Okay," he murmured, taking a deep breath. "Here we go. Please, for the love of whatever gods are watching, give me something good."
Gripping the lever tightly, he pulled it down with a sharp motion.
[DING! MAY THE GODS OF GACHA FAVOR YOU!]
[DING! ⍙⟟⏁⊑ ⏃ IS EXCITED TO SEE WHAT YOU WILL PULL]
[THE WHEEL IS NOW SPINNING]
Cassian's breath hitched as the symbols on the wheel blurred together, spinning in a dizzying kaleidoscope of colors. The wheel emitted a rhythmic ping with each passing segment, the sound growing louder and more deliberate as it began to slow.
Ping.
Ping.
Ping.
Cassian gripped the edge of the sofa, his knuckles white as he leaned forward. His pulse thundered in his ears; the anticipation was almost unbearable.
The wheel clicked into its final rotations, the symbols slowing to reveal the results. With each click, his eyes darted to the glowing sections as they locked into place one by one.
[DING! CONGRATULATIONS! YOU PULLED: 2x ATTUNEMENT CARDS: DESTRUCTION ]
[DING! CONGRATULATIONS! YOU PULLED: 1x ATTUNEMENT CARD: CREATION ]
[DING! CONGRATULATIONS! YOU PULLED: 1x INSTANT CARD: EXILE]
[DING! CONGRATULATIONS! YOU PULLED: 1x INSTANT CARD: SILENCE ]
[DING! CONGRATULATIONS! YOU PULLED: 1x INSTANT CARD: ANGEL'S EMBRACE ]
[DING! CONGRATULATIONS! YOU PULLED: 1x RUN CARD [DESTRUCTION SORCERY]: LIGHTNING BOLT ]
[DING! CONGRATULATIONS! YOU PULLED: 1x RUN CARD [DESTRUCTION SORCERY]: EXPEDITE ]
[DING! CONGRATULATIONS! YOU PULLED: 1x RUN CARD [CREATION INCANTATION]: HEAL]
[DING! CONGRATULATIONS! YOU PULLED: 1x RUN CARD [CREATION SUMMON]: ROCK GOLEM ]
[DING! CONGRATULATIONS! YOU PULLED: 1x DECK CARD [CREATION PROFESSION]: A KNIGHT'S SQUIRE]
Whoa!!!
As the wheel clicked to a stop, a burst of golden light filled the air, bathing the room in a warm, radiant glow. The wheel dissolved into shimmering particles, leaving behind a translucent system panel suspended in the air. The panel displayed his results in neat rows, each card glowing faintly with its respective color.
Cassian stared at the screen, momentarily stunned. "Holy crap," he whispered, his voice barely audible. His gaze darted over the cards, his mind racing to process and understand what he had just received. Two Attunement Cards for Destruction, one for Creation, and a mix of Instant and Run Cards…
The sheer variety of abilities hinted at by the names alone was enough to leave him reeling. "Lightning Bolt? Rock Golem? " he muttered, his lips curving into a grin. "This is… addicting."
DING! ⍙⟟⏁⊑ ⏃ AGREES THAT THE RUSH AND EXCITEMENT IS HARD TO BEAT
"Ha ha," chuckling quietly, he let himself bask in the excitement, his earlier frustrations melting away. But as the glow of the system panel began to fade, his grin faltered.
The timer on his left arm came back into view: [07: 16: 21: 57]
Fuck it... I'm finding something to cover the timer
Cassian exhaled sharply, the weight of the countdown pressing down on him once more. "Power's useless if I don't survive long enough to use it," he muttered, his tone growing serious. Shaking his head, he willed the cards into his grimoire, watching as the translucent book appeared beside him. The cards slid effortlessly into the glowing slots, their faint light pulsing like a heartbeat.
"Tick tock," he murmured, the words barely audible as he pushed himself off the sofa. "Time waits for no one. I had better learn what these cards meant fast."
[DING! ⍙⟟⏁⊑ ⏃ CONCURS. ENTERTAINMENT IS ESSENTIAL... AND SOON, IT WILL BEGIN ]
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