Chapter Seven: The Golden Panel
Seth was about to leave when something caught his eye.
A faint glimmer.
It came from the cracked skull of the brown-striped ape. Curious, he crouched down, pried the fragments apart, and pulled something free—a pearl. Perfectly round, no bigger than his fingertip, yet radiating an aura that made his skin prickle.
The moment he touched it, his instincts surged. Before he could even think, something intangible flowed out of the pearl and sank into him.
It wasn't visible, yet he could feel it—the weight of it settling below his navel, anchoring there like a second heart. Then, just as quickly, it began to circulate, flowing through his body in a cycle, giving him a strange feeling wherever it passed.
As he focused, a new sense awakened within him. He could see his body—from the inside. His flesh, his veins, the strange current flowing through him. And there, where his heart should be, something else pulsed.
A point of golden light.
It shimmered in and out of existence, as though it belonged both here and somewhere else entirely.
Seth tried to focus, but the light flared, forcing his eyes shut. When his vision cleared again, something new hovered before him.
A panel. Golden. Radiant. Suspended in the air like the interface of a video game.
For a long moment, he simply stared.
Had he lost his mind? Was this the stress finally breaking him? But no matter how long he blinked, the panel remained.
NAME: Seth 📨
TRAIT(S): none
CORE: Initiate — Level One
SATURATION: 2%
STATS—
PHYSIQUE: 2.0 [+]
SPIRIT: 2.0 [+]
SP: 1.3 (Soul Points)
"…What the hell…" he muttered.
Traits? Core? Saturation? None of it made sense, except the stats. Those, at least, he understood. But still—why did he have no traits? And what did it mean to be only two percent saturated? Was that good? Terrible?
Before panic could fully set in, his mind was suddenly flooded.
Information.
It rushed in like a torrent, overwhelming him. He clutched his head and grit his teeth as it carved itself into his memory. Then, just as abruptly, it faded. His breathing steadied. His heart calmed.
He now knew, vaguely, what the panel represented. Soul Points—SP—were the most precious currency. And his stats, his very growth, could be shaped by it.
Hesitantly, Seth focused on the envelope icon besides his name.
The panel shifted. A list of messages appeared.
Synchronizing… 1%… 2%… 5%… 20%… 50%… 99%… 100%.
You have succeeded in bonding with $&#####.
Notifications have been turned off due to unconscious state. Turn on? Y/N
You have received a package. Open? Y/N
Seth frowned. The system's name was… garbled. Corrupted. But the rest seemed straightforward enough. Turning on the notification He scrolled further down.
You have consumed the soul of a Level Two Initiate Being: +0.2 SP
You have consumed the soul of a Level Two Initiate Being: +0.2 SP
You have consumed the soul of a Level Three Initiate Being (x3): +0.9 SP
"Consumed… their souls?" he whispered, uneasy. Still, the numbers made sense now. That explained his 1.3 SP.
His gaze returned to the package message. Hesitation lingered for only a heartbeat before curiosity won. He tapped YES.
The message dissolved into motes of light that sank into his body.
A clear chime rang in his head—
DING!
You have received the following:
Soul Weapon: Sword.
A Rare-Ranked Trait: Weapon Mastery.
50 SP.
Claim? Y/N
Seth's eyes widened. 50 SP?
He slammed YES without hesitation. Light engulfed him. His body tingled, his soul thrummed—and the panel updated.
His SP jumped from 1.3 to 51.3.
"Holy…" He almost laughed aloud. More than anything, it was the sheer wealth of Soul Points that thrilled him.
Quickly, he pulled up his stats and tapped the [+] beside Physique.
Physique: 2.0 → 3.0
(10 SP consumed.)
The change was immediate. Strength surged through him. Muscles tightened, bones hardened, every fiber of his body refined. The increase was small on the panel—but in reality, it felt like his strength had doubled.
The sensation was intoxicating.
He pressed [+] again.
Physique: 3.0 → 4.0
(10 SP consumed.)
Another wave hit him. This time less intense, but just as addictive. His body ached as it reforged itself, but when the pain cleared, he felt unstoppable. He clenched his fists, marveling at the raw power in his limbs. He could probably take a direct hit from those apes and keep moving.
Reluctantly tearing himself away, Seth turned to Spirit. He added two points as well.
Spirit: 2.0 → 4.0
(20 SP consumed.)
The change was unlike anything he'd felt. His mind sharpened. Thoughts flowed faster, smoother. His senses stretched outward, awareness expanding until the world itself felt clearer, sharper.
In the next room, a single insect took flight. He heard the flutter of its wings.
The detail was overwhelming, yet exhilarating.
Panting lightly, Seth stared at the golden panel floating before him.
Dozens of Soul Points gone, but His body remade. His mind refined.
And for the first time since this nightmare began, Seth felt something he hadn't in a while.
Excitement.