Ryan knelt beside his hard-won loot. The Unstable Genesis Shard still pulsed with that weird, jittery light, making the air around it feel like it was buzzing.
The Minor Chaos Cache sat there looking mysterious and inviting, like a birthday present from a slightly unhinged but very generous aunt.
"Decisions, decisions," Ryan said to the quiet jungle. "Open the box of potential doom and delight first, or poke the glowy rock of questionable stability?"
The box won. Presents are always more exciting.
He reached out and touched the Minor Chaos Cache. It wasn't locked. The lid lifted with a soft hiss, releasing a puff of cool air that smelled faintly of ozone and something else, something that reminded him of old libraries and lightning storms.
Inside, nestled on a bed of what looked like spun shadows, was a single object: a gauntlet.
It wasn't a heavy, clunky knight-in-shining-armor kind of gauntlet. This was sleek, made of a dark, flexible metal that seemed to absorb the light. It was designed for the right hand, with articulated fingers and strange, glowing blue lines that pulsed rhythmically along its surface, like tiny, captured lightning bugs having a rave.
Ryan picked it up. It was surprisingly light and molded itself to his hand almost instantly, fitting like a second skin. As soon as he put it on, his god Interface chimed.
Item Acquired: Phase Gauntlet [Tier 2 Equipment – Hand Slot]
Grants:
Agility +10
Skill: "Short Blink" [Active]: Allows user to teleport up to 1 meter in any unobstructed direction. 3 Charges. Charges regenerate slowly over time [ approx. 5 minutes per charge ].
System Note: Ooh, fancy! This is the big brother to the one you had before. More blinky! Try not to blink into a tree. The system is not responsible for bark-related face-plants.
"The Phase Gauntlet!" Ryan exclaimed, flexing his newly armored fingers. The +10 Agility was instantly noticeable.
He felt lighter, more balanced, like he could probably do a cartwheel if he really tried [ he decided not to test that theory just yet, in case the system's warning about face-plants was prophetic ].
And this gauntlet had three charges of Short Blink! His old, basic one that he'd briefly possessed from his SSS-Tier power after testing it on a training dummy, only had one and was much weaker. This was a serious upgrade!
He admired the gauntlet for a moment, then turned his attention to the Unstable Genesis Shard. It was about the size of his thumb, jagged and dark, still pulsing with that chaotic light.
The Interface had warned that Anomalies had a small chance of dropping these, and they were important.
"Okay, Mr. SSS-Tier Extraction System," Ryan said, focusing on the shard. "What can you get from this little piece of concentrated weirdness before it decides to, I don't know, turn into a flock of angry space hamsters?"
He carefully placed his gauntleted hand over the shard, initiating the extraction. He felt that familiar pull, but this time it was accompanied by a prickly, staticky sensation, like his hand was falling asleep in a pile of angry bees.
The Unstable Genesis Shard glowed brighter for a moment, then dimmed, a fine crack appearing on its surface.
Target: Unstable Genesis Shard [Anomaly Byproduct]
Initiating Extraction Protocol
Warning: Target Is Highly Volatile! Extraction Window Is Limited!
Extraction Complete!
Acquired:
Agility Essence [Chaotic Variant]: +2 Permanent Agility!
Chaotic Energy Residue [Potent Sample]: A condensed sample of the unstable energy that composes Anomalies. Highly reactive. Handle with extreme care. Or, you know, don't handle it at all if you like your eyebrows where they are.
System Note: Nice grab! That residue is zappy stuff. The shard itself is now destabilizing rapidly. Suggest you step away unless you enjoy spontaneous light shows and minor dimensional distortions.
Ryan snatched his hand back. The Unstable Genesis Shard was now visibly cracking, a high-pitched whine emanating from it. He quickly scrambled a few feet away just as it shattered with a soft pop, dissolving into a shower of harmless, fading sparks.
"Whew, close one," he breathed. But he'd gotten another +2 permanent Agility! His Agility was now a very respectable 19, plus the +10 from the gauntlet, making it feel like he was walking on air.
The "Chaotic Energy Residue" appeared in his internal inventory as a small, angry-looking red orb that hummed with contained power. He decided to leave that particular science experiment for a much later date, preferably when he was wearing a full-body rubber suit.
Just as he was admiring his new Agility score, three new creatures scuttled out from the undergrowth. They looked like overgrown, spiky beetles, about the size of dinner plates, with wicked-looking mandibles that clicked hungrily.
The Interface identified them: Thorn Crawlers [ Unstable Fauna, Level 1 ].
"Oh, fantastic," Ryan sighed. "The welcoming committee. Guess they smelled the dimensional oopsie pop."
This was a perfect chance to test his new Phase Gauntlet properly.
One of the Thorn Crawlers charged, its little legs a blur. Ryan waited until it was almost on him, then, with a thought, activated "Short Blink."
Zip!
He reappeared a meter behind the surprised Thorn Crawler. Before it could even turn around, he brought his reinforced knife down on its chitinous back. There was a satisfying crunch.
Enemy Defeated: Thorn Crawler [Level 1]
+15 God Points [Np] Acquired!
"Now that," Ryan said with a grin, "is what I call efficient pest control!"
The other two Thorn Crawlers scuttled towards him. He blinked past the first one, dispatched it with another quick strike [ +15 NP ], then used his third blink charge to appear right next to the last one, finishing it off just as easily [ +15 NP ].
The whole encounter had taken less than ten seconds. The Phase Gauntlet was amazing! He felt like a teleporting ninja assassin, if ninja assassins occasionally tripped over their own feet and made bad puns.
He quickly checked his status on the god Interface.
Ryan Stone
Assimilation Level: 2 [195/300 Np]
Title: None
Influence: 1 [Awarded For First Anomaly Defeat In Sector]
Stats:
Vitality: 15
Agility: 19 [+10 From Phase Gauntlet] = 29
Strength: 15
Intellect: 17
Spirit: 17
Flex Essence Points: 3 [Unspent]
Threat Level: Adept Human
"Adept Human!" Ryan read with satisfaction. "And Influence +1! I'm influential! I wonder if I can influence a pizza to appear." He still had those 3 Flex Essence Points from leveling up. He decided to save them for now, in case he suddenly needed a boost in a specific stat.
He opened the CommNet for Genesis Outpost #7. It was buzzing.
BigTony77: Did anyone else see that?! A global alert just said RYAN STONE defeated a Level 2 Anomaly! A DISTORTION HOUND! That's insane!
PrincessFluffybutt: Wow! Ryan Stone? Isn't he the one who was asking about pizza earlier? He must be really strong! Maybe he can find my cats!
ConfusedCarl: An Anomaly?! Those are the super-dangerous ones, right? My elbows are officially impressed. And slightly jealous.
Ace_Striker_001: Pfft. Probably just got lucky. Anyone can get a lucky shot. Bet he can't do it again. Some people have all the breaks.
Ryan rolled his eyes at Ace Striker's comment. There was always one. But the general reaction was one of awe and surprise. He'd gone from a nobody to "that guy who killed an Anomaly" in the space of a few minutes.
His brief moment of fame was, however, quickly overshadowed by a new wave of panic in the CommNet.
Xx_ShadowSniper_xX: Alert! Alert! Team Wiped! Four Novices, Including A Level 2 Player, Just Got Killed by A Rage Boar! It's Another Level 2 Anomaly! It's Huge and It's Crazy Strong! It Tore Right Through Them!
Graphic descriptions followed, sending a fresh wave of terror through the Outpost members. The CommNet lit up with messages of fear and condolence.
The God Warden even posted a rare, grim confirmation: "Casualty Report: 4 Code-bearers lost to Level 2 'Rage Boar' Anomaly. Anomalies are designated 'Dangerous' for valid reasons. Do not underestimate them."
The mood in the CommNet shifted instantly from Ryan's minor celebrity to the stark reality of their situation.
Anomalies weren't just tough monsters; they were genuine, lethal threats. Ryan's victory against the Distortion Hound suddenly felt less like a cool achievement and more like he'd gotten incredibly lucky.
But even as he felt a chill run down his spine, a new thought began to form. A Rage Boar. Another Anomaly. Another chance for powerful essence, rare loot, and maybe another Genesis Shard?
The SSS-Tier system within him seemed to hum with anticipation. The path to power was paved with danger, but the rewards were very tempting.