I arranged the shards in front of me, their soft luminescence illuminating the concrete walls. Two hundred of them. A significant investment, a testament to the group’s trust in me. I wouldn’t let them down. I will make it useful.

  I closed my eyes, focusing on the image of the shimmering text I had seen before, the System’s interface. I concentrated on the feeling of that ethereal presence, that cold, calculating intelligence.

  Then, the familiar sensation washed over me. The air shimmered, and the translucent blue text appeared before my eyes.

  [Query?]

  I took a deep breath. This was it.

  “I wish to acquire a ‘gift,’” I said, my voice clear and steady. “An ability. Something that will aid me in my survival.”

  [Specify parameters.]

  The interaction had begun. This was the “talking it out” Gareth had mentioned. The delicate process of defining exactly what I wanted, of negotiating with the System to ensure my request was within its parameters.

  I began to describe the ability I envisioned, carefully choosing my words. I spoke of manipulating the very substance of the world around me, of shaping and molding it to my will. I focused on the practical applications, the ways this ability could aid in survival, in exploration, in combat.

  The System responded with a series of questions, probing the limits of my request. It seems the damn thing needs lots of.. specifications.

  I spent the next several hours engaged in this intricate negotiation, refining my request, clarifying my intentions. Each question to and from the System cost a spirit shard, a small price that quickly piles up, as expected.

  I asked about the limitations, about the potential drawbacks, about the possibility of further development. The System answered each question with cold, precise logic, providing detailed explanations and statistical probabilities. I found it agreeable. I even preferred such when dealing with so many… technicalities.

  Eighty spirit shards. That’s how many I spent before the System finally accepted my request. Eighty shards just to define the parameters of my desired ability. It was a significant investment, but I felt it was worth it. I had covered all the bases, ensuring that what I would receive was exactly what I wanted. Or it would become exactly what I wanted, eventually.

  [Request accepted. Cost: 50 spirit shards.]

  I paid the cost without hesitation. The shimmering text shifted, displaying a new message.

  [Acquiring Gift… Process complete].

  A strange sensation washed over me, a feeling of something shifting within me, of something new taking root. I felt… different. More complete.

  But I wasn’t finished. I had learned from the group that abilities could be further developed, enhanced, evolved. I wanted more. I was ready for more. I was prepared for more.

  “I wish to inquire about further development of this gift,” I said to the System.

  [Specify development path.]

  I described the specific enhancements I envisioned, focusing on increasing the scale, the control, and the versatility of my new ability.

  The System responded with another series of questions, probing the limits of my request. Yet a whole new series of specifications.

  Another fifty spirit shards vanished as I negotiated the next two stages of my gift’s evolution. I was very happy to discover that such development was possible. My path was set. Now all I needed was enough spirit shards to walk it.

  [Development paths acquired. Current cost for next stage: 4500 spirit shards. Subsequent stages will require additional negotiation and payment.]

  Four thousand five hundred spirit shards for the next stage. It was a staggering amount. And that wasn’t even the end. The System had also informed me of the need for two “side gifts” I could acquire, complementary abilities that would enhance my primary gift, allowing it to ‘accept’ the third stage, eventually. They would cost 500 and 5000 spirit shards respectively.

  That brought the total cost to a whopping 10,000 spirit shards for me to get everything set. It took some time to negotiate the details of the final stage with the system. I wasn't aware that some aspects of what I wanted needed express approval by the system. But this gave me an even more outrageous idea. One worth betting on.

  At this point I only had twenty shards left. And I decided to use them not for myself, but for something far more… strategic.

  “I have a suggestion,” I said to the System. “Regarding the combination of these gifts, and their potential impact on the balance of the Myriad Realms.”

  [Specify.]

  I explained my reasoning, outlining the potential for abuse, the ways this combination of abilities could be exploited to create imbalance and chaos. I focused on the long-term consequences, the ripple effects that could destabilize entire instances, dungeons or even entire realms. If given time.

  The System listened, its cold, calculating intelligence processing my words.

  [Suggestion analyzed. Statistical probability of imbalance: over 90%. Suggestion accepted. Combination of specified gifts and development paths will be designated as unique, restricted to the initial acquirer. Banished henceforth.]

  A wave of satisfaction washed over me. It worked. I had exploited the System’s own logic, its own concern for balance, to achieve my goal. My particular set of gifts, my specific development path, would be locked. No one else would be able to acquire it.

  I had already committed to it. I had already paid in advance. I had gotten what I wanted, and then I had told the System why it was a very bad idea to let anyone else have it.

  I smiled to myself. I felt a pang of guilt about spending all two hundred spirit shards. The group most likely wouldn’t have expected me to use them all. But what was done was done. And I wouldn’t regret it. Ever.

  I was ready to change the scales of these challenges. Rules of engagement be damned.

  Unfortunately, the interaction with the System had taken its toll. I felt drained, not just mentally, as the group had expected, but physically as well. A strange weariness had settled over me, a bone-deep exhaustion that made even the simplest movements feel like a monumental effort. I could even feel my face was a little pale. I didn’t expect it to suck this much.

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  I practically dragged myself back to the camp, the pouch of now-empty spirit shards clutched tightly in my hand. The aroma of roasting alligator was still strong, but it did little to lift my spirits.

  The group looked up as I approached, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and concern.

  “Vincent, you look… tired,” Gareth said, his brow furrowed.

  “I am,” I admitted, sinking down onto a nearby log. “Dealing with the System… it was… intense.”

  “We figured it would be mentally taxing,” Elara said. “But you look physically drained.”

  “It was both,” I replied. “Easier and much more difficult than I expected at the same time.”

  The group exchanged confused glances.

  “What do you mean?” Finn asked.

  “It’s… complicated,” I said, waving my hand dismissively. I wasn’t ready to explain the intricacies of my negotiations with the System, or the drastic measures I had taken to secure my desired outcome.

  “I’m going to be gone for a couple of days,” I said, changing the subject. “I have enough food and water for the duration. You guys should focus on prepping the jerky and setting up the treehouse while I’m away.”

  “We can also trap more crocs if you want,” Bronwyn offered.

  “There’s not much point to it as of now,” I said. “We already have plenty of food, and water isn’t an issue, thanks to Rhys.”

  “What about… what you were doing with the System?” Gareth asked. “Did you… get what you wanted?”

  “I did,” I confirmed, a small smile playing on my lips. “I’ll give you a proper demonstration later. I need to… get used to the changes first.”

  The group nodded, still looking slightly confused.

  “You take the time you need, Vincent,” Elara said. “But you have to keep us updated. If we don’t hear from you by tonight, we’re coming to look for you first thing in the morning. Safety first and all that.”

  “Agreed,” I said. I could use some gator barbecue for dinner anyway.

  With that, I turned and headed back into the dark tunnels. The group watched me go, their expressions thoughtful. I could sense their concern, not just for my well-being, but also for the potential changes that might come with acquiring a “gift” from the System. They had seen people change, and not always for the better.

  I didn’t blame them for being worried. Power could corrupt, could twist people’s personalities, could amplify their worst traits. But I was confident that I wouldn’t succumb to such changes. I wasn’t seeking power for its own sake. I was seeking it as a means to an end, a way to protect myself and to do my best to ensure my survival.

  I returned to my secluded chamber. I sat down on the cold floor, leaning back against the rough concrete wall. The exhaustion was still heavy on me, but there was something else now, a subtle shift in my perception. And I perceived that everything hurt and everything was tired.

  I closed my eyes, focusing on the feeling within me. It was like a subtle hum, a gentle vibration that resonated through my entire being. It was always there, I realized, but I had never been able to perceive it before. And now it was severely weakened.

  I knew, because now, I could feel it. A flow, a current of energy that pulsed within me, connecting me to something… larger. It was a strange, almost alien sensation, but it was also exhilarating.

  It worked. The negotiation with the System, the expenditure of those precious spirit shards… it had all been worth it. I had acquired what I wanted. I had gained control.

  I didn’t reveal my gift to the group. Not yet. I needed time to understand it, to master it, to learn its full potential. It didn’t come with a manual after all.

  I closed my eyes, letting the exhaustion wash over me. The cool feeling from the herbal poultice was still soothing my leg, easing the pain. And, despite the pain and exhaustion, it felt… fulfilling.

  For the first time since the merger, since waking up in that crystal-filled office, I felt a sense of peace. I had a plan, I had allies, and now, I had the means to achieve my goals.

  I drifted off to sleep, a small smile playing on my lips.

  I woke feeling significantly better, though a lingering sluggishness remained. The exhilaration of acquiring my gift and securing its exclusivity was still fresh, but the cost had been steep. I needed to recover, to fully integrate this new part of myself. And that will take time.

  I slowly made my way back to the camp, needing to inform the group of my plans. I found them already up and about, the smell of alligator jerky filling the air.

  “Morning,” I said, my voice still a little hoarse.

  “Vincent!” Gareth exclaimed, turning to me. “You look much better.”

  “I am,” I replied. “But I’m still a little… off. I’m going to do some light training for a couple of days. I haven’t recovered as quickly as I’d hoped, and I need a little more time to get back into shape.”

  “Training?” Elara asked, her brow furrowed. “What kind of training?”

  “Just… getting used to the changes,” I said, waving my hand dismissively. “Dealing with the System was… a unique experience. Same for the consequences, I am afraid.”

  They exchanged confused glances, but nodded.

  “You take the time you need, Vincent,” Gareth said. “But keep us updated. If we don’t hear from you by tonight, we’re coming to look for you.”

  “Safety first and all that,” Bronwyn added.

  “Agreed,” I said, smiling. “I’ll be back for gator barbecue anyway.”

  With that, I turned and headed back into the dark tunnels. It was time to begin. Weakened or not.

  I sat down within my chamber. Then I focused on the feeling within me. Of me.

  The lifeforce, the current of energy I had discovered during my interaction with the System, was still there, flowing and pulsating within me. It was more than just a feeling now; it was a resource, a way to interact with my surroundings, a medium and a power in and of itself. If I could handle it.

  My will spread throughout my body, my body reached for my spirit acting like a new extrasensory perception mechanism, and my soul tied it all together. I felt whole. United. One. Me.

  I closed my eyes and focused. The lifeforce, engulfed by my will and spirit and tied to my soul, slowly split into two. The majority remained within me, sustaining my body, but a new portion now resided in my right hand. A distinct, separate portion.

  I felt a wave of exhaustion wash over me. It made sense. I was pulling a part of myself, of my very essence, from within towards the surface. It was a taxing process, to say the least. I should get used to it, eventually. I hoped.

  My legs were shaky, but my eyes held a firm gaze. I reached out and scraped my hand against the solid stone wall.

  As my fingers made contact, the stone seemed to soften, to transform into mud. It oozed out of the wall, leaving deep, hollow crevices in the shape of my fingers. I was holding a ball of stone in my hand, as if the wall itself was made of clay or mud. It was heavy, especially for me.

  I smeared the softened stone onto a jagged corner of the wall, a sharp edge that could easily scrape someone’s skin. It spread like thick paint, filling the crevices and smoothing the rough surface. I pulled my hand back. The stone was there, solidified, the jagged corner now smooth and rounded.

  I picked up my axe and struck the smoothed stone with all the strength I could muster, which wasn’t much in my current state. The stone was covered in a few cracks, but it held.

  “Good,” I muttered to myself. “But not great. Not yet. Too fast. I need to do it slower.”

  And so, I began to practice. I focused on shifting my lifeforce into the stone wall, to make it a part of myself, to make it abide by my will. I focused on reshaping it, repurposing it, molding it to fulfill my goals.

  It was a slow, painstaking process. I had to learn to control the flow of my lifeforce, to direct it with precision and focus. I had to learn to feel the stone, to understand its properties, and to anticipate its reactions. And to remove it gradually, to let it settle properly.

  With each attempt, I felt the exhaustion growing, but not due to the lifeforce shifting, but due to the actual physical force required. But I persisted. I truly needed training. Lots of it.

  For now, a tunnel to my office would do. A safe passage, one that I could traverse easily and that those damn gators couldn’t reach. And it would make it easier to fetch Mark later.

  The only downside is that I need to do it myself. Manually. At least for now. And for quite a long time if I’m not mistaken. Maybe years. A minor inconvenience for such potential.

  I wondered how long it would take to make a whole network of smooth corridors and a series of traps all around the place. Dozens of traps waiting for crocs.

  I had never once considered fighting fairly.