A Hellish World

As I tore the paper atwain, it glowed a blue light and then seemed to shatter and fade in a cascade of brilliant motes of white light. A blue portal, about the size of my head, opened up in the air. 

From the portal, a crossbow fell down towards me. I grabbed it from the air and looked over it. The crossbow was very well made. As I inspected it, the system overlay interrupted my vision to display information for me. 

___________________________

Crossbow (Uncommon): This is a well-made crossbow. Can dispatch predatory creatures and humans if the user aims for their vitals. Needs arrows which you do not have. Weight → 25.0 lbs

___________________________

I glanced towards my inventory, waited for the window to open, thrust my crossbow into a slot, and removed the rock. I needed to get to work. Because my balls were swinging freely, and I needed some pants to cover them bad boys up.

I walked over to a small tree, and I began to hit it with the sharp rock. It took me several minutes, but I eventually knocked it down. As it fell to the ground, it was sucked up into my inventory automatically. 

___________________________

You have cut down a tree and have obtained: 5 stick and 1 wood. // Collective weight: 7.50 lbs.

Inventory → Soulstone, a Mana map, a Crossbow, five stick, and one wood.

To see inventory information, tap here→[--]

___________________________

I closed the window and walked over to a stringy bush. I hoped that it would give me some kind of plant fiber. I used my rock to slice the bottom portion of the plant. As they all became separated from their roots, they disappeared into my inventory. 

___________________________

You have cut down a hemp plant and have obtained: 347 strong hemp fibers. // Item weight 3.47 lbs. 

To see inventory information, tap here→[--]

___________________________

I removed the hemp fibers and one of the five sticks from my inventory. As I did, the system changed. 

___________________________

*Crafting system enabled. The two basic engrams for level one subjects have been provided. Increase your level for more engrams.*

Basic stone ax: Can be used to cut small trees down but has a very limited durability. Costs → 50 fiber, 1 stone, 1 stick. Weighs → 2.0 lbs.

Basic stone pickaxe: Can be used to gather stone or clay, but its durability is a joke when it comes to more dense stones. Costs → 50 fiber, 3 stone, 1 stick. Weighs → 4.0 lbs.

You can craft a Basic stone ax. [YES]/[NO]

___________________________

My mind ached as the information from the engrams and their respective information were inscribed upon my mind and soul. The pain quickly faded and once I had read the information and notifications on the system screen, I tapped "YES."

'God why does this shit have to be so complicated. Why couldn't the system just give me an ax and a pickaxe. Now that would be a lovely life send.'

My mind became blank except for the information of the engram which had been inscribed upon me irreversibly. 

I felt my hands move of their own accord. They moved expertly and brought the three materials together better than I could have with my imagination. Every fiber was twisted tight and properly secured the rock without getting in the way of the cutting edge. 

The finished product was indeed nice, but nowhere near as nice as the crossbow I had received. 

___________________________

Crafting finished: You have made a basic stone ax (common).

100 Experience has been gained from crafting the tool. You have leveled up.

*Congratulations, you have reached level two. Level two engrams will automatically be learned*

Note, you have learned… [Tap to see]

To see inventory information, tap here→[--]

___________________________

The ax had been placed in my inventory and as I was again given control of my body. 

'Godd, that was so creepy… I guess it was easy tho'

I removed it from my inventory. I walked towards a bigger tree, and I began to chop it down. It took me several minutes, but eventually it came down. 

I could also tell that my ax blade had become duller and the strings which held it had begun to fray. The large tree vanished in a soft blue light as it fell, and I noticed an influx of items into my inventory.

___________________________

You have cut down a tree and have obtained: 7 wood and 47 stick. 

Collective weight: 58.5 lbs.

*Warning! Your weight capacity is nearing its limit. You still have one unselected skill point. Will you choose what to put it in? [YES]/[NO]*

To see inventory information, tap here→[--]

___________________________

I tapped "YES" on the display and it gave me several options on where I could allocate my point.

___________________________

Status screen: Point allocation is now allowed! Congratulations on having leveled up once!

Health: 100/100 [+10] The Vitality of a subject that allows them to resist diseases, but is also the representation of their physical and emotional health. 

Stamina: 89/100 [+10] The amount of energy a subject has before they become exhausted and must sleep. This can be trained or supplemented. 

Speed: 90 [+5] The ability to be abnormally swift of foot. Can be trained or supplemented. 

Weight: 255.76/300 [+20] The amount in pounds that a subject can carry in their inventory without draining health continuously. Can be supplemented. 

Strength: 250 [+10] The amount of force in pounds that the subject can exert statically. Can be trained or supplemented 

Combat Sense: 80 [+5] The amount of understanding a subject has about what they should do in combat situations. Can be trained, but not supplemented by normal means.

Mana capacity: 0/0 [+1] The amount of extra mana in the subject's Soulstone that has been absorbed from other Soulstones or has been increased by means of leveling up. Can be trained or supplemented. 

Mana sense: 0/0 [+1] The ease at which a subject can control mana from their Soulstone for use externally and as a strength/ stamina supplement. Can be trained or supplemented. 

___________________________

I screamed. "AW FAWK! Why does this have to be so complicated?"

I brought my fist up to my head and I slammed it three times. As my vision spun, I talked under my breath with gritted teeth. "Let's lock in…"

I suddenly realized; I couldn't remember my name. Instead, the number they had given me came to mind - 6535.

I screamed as I looked up at the beautiful sky. "FUCK YOU GODS! YOU'VE TAKEN EVEN MY NAME?! I'M COMING FOR ALL YOUR ASSES!!!!"

Spittle flew from my mouth and settled in the sand. I was acting like a rabid dog. That was what the gods had turned me into though.

"Fuck, if it isn't fair, I'll just work hard! I WILL WIN!!!"

At that moment I decided, I would be heading towards the gods' throats. I would kill them all. 

In the end, I turned back to the system window, and I chose health.

I felt my skin tingle as warmth flooded my body. It was not an unpleasant feeling. The fact that my weight was nearing its limit was a problem. 

What I needed was experience and I had received that from crafting, so I decided to use my resources in a useful way. I removed the logs and sticks and looked into the crafting menu. I could craft campfires, lots of them. Within minutes, I had made eight of them because it only required one log and two sticks. 

___________________________

*Crafting stream is finished: You have obtained experience from the items that you have made and have gained two levels.*

Subject 6535: Level 4. 

Note: You now have skill points which can be used. Will you allocate them now? [YES]/[NO]

To see inventory information, tap here→[--]

___________________________

I tapped "YES" and a familiar display showed up in front of me. 

___________________________

Status screen: Point allocation is now allowed! Congratulations on having leveled up twice!

Health: 110/110 [+10] // Stamina: 88/100 [+10] // Speed: 90 [+5] // Weight: 255.76/300 [+20] // Strength: 250 [+10] // Combat Sense: 80 [+5] // Mana capacity: 0/0 [+1] // Mana sense: 0/0 [+1] 

___________________________

I put both of my points into stamina. As soon as I did, I felt a pain like a migraine wash over my head. I fell to the sand and curled up in a ball, clutching my head. The pain took over a minute to pass. 

After the migraine-like pain had passed, I felt more tired than before I had allocated the points. I wanted to check something, so I opened my status screen.

___________________________

Status screen: You are level 4. 100/1000 experience needed for level 5.

Health → 110/110. Stamina → 87/120. Speed → 90. Weight → 255.26/300. Strength → 250. Combat Sense → 80. Mana capacity → 0/0. Mana sense → 0.

___________________________

It was as I thought, my stamina did not increase. I would have to find somewhere to sleep or perhaps I would need to die. It would be much nicer to find a place to rest than to have to die. And even if I was a maniac and I wanted to die, it would still be a bad idea because I imagined that it was not a good idea to form a lack of fear towards death. There were still ways to die as the system had informed me.

I quickly opened my inventory and selected the eight campfires I had crafted. I quickly placed them on the ground and the system gave me an option to destroy them.

___________________________

Inventory: Soulstone, mana map, crossbow, basic stone ax, 56 stick, 297 fiber, and 3 wood. 

*You have salvaged 8 campfires and have received 4 wood and 8 stick. (Half of original cost).*

___________________________

I had not needed the campfire and had only crafted them for experience. However, it was all very strange that no weight was lifted off my shoulders. The function of weight must only have to do with a steady decrease in health when exceeded. 

Mana, strength, and stamina must be the real functions of energy and bodily capability. 

After thinking about that, I decided to search for more loose rocks because I would need them for a pickaxe which I would need to gather flint for arrows. It took me only a minute to find eight more stones and so I had enough to craft a pickaxe. 

___________________________

You have selected the pickaxe engram. You have enough to craft it. Will you proceed and consume 50 fiber, 3 stone, 1 stick? [YES]/[NO]

___________________________

I hit "YES" and as the crafting stream began, control of my body was taken from me. Much like the ax I had crafted before, the pickaxe was brought together nicely. 

Another system window opened in front of me, but I frowned and flicked it to the side. "Fuck yooouu!"

I glanced around the beautiful banana trees, the enormous and fluffy white clouds floating lazily above me, the beautiful blue tropical ocean behind me, and I sighed. 

Suddenly, I remembered the megalodon swallowing me in the clear water. I had seen its huge beady black eyes, as big as dinner plates, before it had swallowed me. I shivered. 

'I need to overcome this hell!"