"[Activating 'Navigation' Lvl 1!]"
A faint, ethereal blue line flickered into existence on the floor, snaking through the dust and debris. I followed it without hesitation. I needed to finish my preparations for a specific region that existed only on the 1st Floor of the Tower, a place some players would stumble accidentally, but one I intended to enter for a reason.
"[Notice: Item 'Mask of Heru-pa-khered' is located.]"
The guide-light led me into the dark, shadowed corners of the Egyptian Wing. There, tucked behind a fallen statue, lay a dusty, unassuming face-piece.
"[Notice: You have obtained the D-Rank Item 'Mask of Heru-pa-khered'!]"
I snatched it up and immediately turned on my heel. "One more," I muttered.
"[Activating 'Navigation' Lvl 1]"
The skill pulsed again. God, Level 1 skills are a drag. The range is pathetic and the sensory feedback feels like looking through a foggy window, but in a museum this size, it was the only way to find the needle in the haystack.
"[Notice: Item 'Coins of Ban Liang' is located.]"
As I moved toward the next waypoint, I kept my fingers busy.
"[Activating 'Mark' Lvl 1]"
I reached out and touched a towering mahogany shelf as I passed.
"[Notice: You have marked 'Book Shelf 1'.]"
I continued the process, tapping statues, pedestals, and doorframes. [Mark] was a commoner's skill, usually used by rookies so they wouldn't get lost in the Tower's endless mazes. It left a glow that only I could see. The system notifications were becoming a steady, annoying buzz in the back of my brain as I tagged various objects along my route, but I had my reasons.
Finally, I reached a glass case near the East Exit. Inside sat a handful of ancient, circular coins with square holes in the center.
"[You have obtained the item 'Coins of Ban Liang' (Rank C).]"
"[Notice: You can exchange this historical Artifact in the 'Coin Exchange' option for Coins.]"
"Not a chance," I whispered. I had a much better exchange rate in mind.
I stopped in a secluded alcove and opened my [Inventory]. I pulled out the 'Bronze Tripod Cauldron' and set it on the floor. With a quick, practiced motion, I pried the right eye out of the 'Mask of Heru-pa-khered' and dropped the glass lens into the pot. Finally, I tossed the 'Coins of Ban Liang' on top of it.
I held my breath and focused on the core of my soul.
"[Activating the Exclusive Skill, 'Fusion'!]"
The air around the cauldron didn't turn blue this time. It turned a deep, viscous red, the color of fresh arterial blood. The items didn't just melt; they were devoured by the light, swirling into a singular, pulsing orb of data.
"[Congratulations! You have obtained the S-Rank Skill: 'Red Demon's Eye'!]"
"[Notice: Your unusual way of achieving hidden items and skills has piqued the interest of some higher beings! 2,000 Coins have been awarded.]"
I frowned at the screen. "Higher beings." The Constellations were leaning in closer now, their greedy eyes fixed on my progress. If they found me too interesting too early, they'd start throwing "challenges" my way just to see how I'd react. I'd have to be careful. I needed to remain an anomaly, not a circus act, at least until I was strong enough to tell them to fuck off.
The skill orb surged into my chest. I felt a sharp, stinging heat in my retinas as the [Red Demon's Eye] integrated into my soul and was recorded within my Exclusive Passive Skill [Memories of the World].
This was it. A growth-type skill that could peer into the secret data of the world, bypassing mental barriers and revealing the hidden stats of anything, provided I was stronger than the target.
I blinked as the new sensory data settled into my brain. I wanted to see exactly how the "real-world" system was translating my progress.
"[Activating 'Red Demon's Eye' Lvl 1]"
A translucent, deep-blue interface shimmered into existence, floating in the air before me. It was much more comprehensive than the old VR menus, it felt raw, clinical, and unnervingly honest.
"[Personal Information]"
- [Name: Arthur Tempest]
- [Gender: Male | Age: 24 | Sex: Virgin]
- [Class: None | Rank: Unranked | Level: 1]
- [STR: 5 | AGI: 3 | VIT: 3 | HP: MAX | PER: 3 | Essence: Mana Lvl 3]
- [Gap: 1.01/100 Rift Points]
- [Available Stat Points: 0]
- [Coins Possessed: 5,500 Coins]
- [Exclusive Skills: 'Fusion', 'Copy', 'Memories of the World' (Passive)]
- [Skills: 'Red Demon's Eye' Lvl 1, 'Navigation' Lvl 1, 'Mark' Lvl 1, 'Magic Novice' Lvl 1, 'Magic Sense' Lvl 1, 'Martial Arts' Lvl 1, 'Mind and Body' Lvl 1]
- [Anatomical Stats: 7.5-inch cock when hard. Thick-bodied and heavily veined. Tight, puckered, bright pink asshole.]
"Whoa..." I muttered, scanning the last section with a raised eyebrow. The VR version definitely didn't include my "Sex" status or a detailed breakdown of my dick and asshole. The System was being a little too thorough, but I suppose in a world of physical stakes, every part of the "information" mattered.
More importantly, the numbers didn't lie. Between my 5,500 coins and a Strength Stat of 5 at Level 1, I was a statistical anomaly. Most players would be lucky to have a 2 in any category at Level 1.
I closed the window with a flick of my wrist. I was lean, I was fast, and I was loaded. With the [Red Demon's Eye] now active, I wasn't just walking through a museum anymore, I was walking through a world of transparent secrets.
I turned away from the Museum. It was time to put these stats to work.