[Status: Critical Starvation]
[HP: 72/100 (Declining)]
[Warning: Host will lose consciousness in 300 seconds without nutrient intake.]
"Tory, your eyes are turning gray," Ben whispered, his voice laced with panic. He was practically carrying me now, my feet dragging through the marshy sludge.
"I... I can see things," I muttered.
[Perception: 15 — Passive 'Secret Finder' Triggered!]
My vision wasn't just greyscale anymore. Through the thick fog of the swamp, a faint gold pulse was radiating from beneath a cluster of overgrown mangrove roots. It wasn't a biological heat signature. It was digital.
"There," I pointed a trembling hand. "Under the roots. Ben, dig."
"Tory, we don't have time..." Hi started, but one look at my face shut him up.
Ben dropped to his knees and began tearing at the earth. His [Guardian] strength made short work of the frozen mud and tangled vines. After a few seconds, his claws hit something metallic.
CLANG.
He hauled up a weather-beaten Pelican case embossed with a faded LIRI logo. Unlike the modern gear, this one looked decades old.
[System Detected: Legacy Encryption.]
[Attempting Bypass...]
[Success! Host 'Tory Brennan' recognized as 'High-Value Specimen'.]
The case hissed open, releasing a cloud of pressurized nitrogen. Inside were three vials of a thick, iridescent blue liquid and a strange, bio-mechanical gauntlet.
[Item Found: 'Origin-Serum' (Rank: Rare)]
Effect: Restores 100% Energy and 50% HP.
Permanent Buff: +2 Constitution.
[Item Found: 'Static-Pulse Gauntlet' (Rank: Uncommon)]
Compatibility: Shelton Devers.
I didn't wait for a description. I grabbed a vial and downed it.
It didn't taste like medicine. It tasted like pure, distilled lightning.
[Energy Refilled!]
[HP Restored!]
[Level Up! (Level 2 -> Level 3)]
I stood up, the gray haze vanishing from my sight. My muscles felt denser, my mind sharper. I felt... dangerous.
"Shelton, catch," I said, tossing him the gauntlet.
As soon as Shelton's fingers touched the metal, the gauntlet shrunk, molding itself to his forearm. Blue circuits began to glow under his skin.
[Pack Member 'Shelton Devers' has been designated: 'The Artificer'.]
[New Skill Unlocked (Shelton): 'System Overclock' — Can temporarily disable electronic devices and drones.]
"Whoa," Shelton breathed, his fingers twitching as the gauntlet interfaced with his tablet. "I can feel the island's grid. I can see the security pings... Tory, 'The Tracker' is circling the marsh. He's lost our scent, but he's calling in reinforcements."
[New Quest: Counter-Ambush]
Objective: Use the marsh terrain to eliminate the pursuit squad (0/6).
Reward: 300 Exp, Random 'Skill Book'.
I looked at my pack. Ben was itching for a fight. Shelton was finally armed. Hi was... well, Hi was looking for a weapon.
"Hi," I said, looking at the last two vials of Origin-Serum. "Drink one. We're going to need your speed."
"Is it gluten-free?" Hi asked, but he downed it anyway. His eyes suddenly flared with a bright orange light.
[Pack Member 'Hiram Stolowitski' has been designated: 'The Ghost'.]
[New Skill Unlocked (Hi): 'Sonic Dash'.]
"The Tracker thinks we're prey," I said, my claws extending with a satisfying shink. "Let's show him that wolves don't just run. We hunt."
I looked at the map in my mind. The red dots of the LIRI squad were approaching fast.
"Positions," I commanded.
The Alpha had spoken. The Pack was ready.
The whole pack finally has Classes! Tory is the Apex, Ben is the Guardian, Shelton is the Artificer, and Hi is the Ghost. Which class sounds the coolest? Comment below!