Chapter 10 – ~System Menu~

"NOOO! I'm not ready for this!! I just wanted the blood by crooked means, not the trial!! Damn you!!"

The numbness receded, but the ringing continued. Yet, the only thing I could shout were complaints about this situation. This is the stuff that gets on my nerves. Main character is left by their lonesome. Maybe they take a look around and admire the view. Or they decide they'll be doing something extra shady (like myself). No matter what they wanted to do, random shit happens instead! Damnit!! Now if I want to live, passing this trial is the only way. What the hell is it I have to do anyway?

"Congratulations on unlocking the ~System Menu~, to access, say menu. Notice: user must complete the tutorial quest to gain full access to ~System Menu~"

There goes that message thing. But what is this menu option? Following the message's instructions, I thought "menu." Doing so caused a menu like in a game to appear,

~System Menu~

User- Unverified // Status: Logged-In // Time: Not set // Date: Not set

User Info (Locked) // **Tutorial (Mandatory)** // Quest List

Inbox (99+ Unread) // Notifications (99+ Unread) // Chatroom (Locked)

System Settings (Limited access)

So, this is the menu? Interesting! It's just like my VR headset from back on Earth, only more surreal. According to the notification, I have to complete the tutorial first. Next, I thought tutorial, and a video appear and auto played,

"Welcome, weary soul to the Nexus! You have been selected to participate in an eons-old project called Arc! Please do not confuse the project for any sentient made entertainment device or religious artifacts."

"Project Arc was established to analyze, develop, and improve all life within the known endless sea of multiverses. You have been selected to participate in a control group for untested features recently developed for the project. Currently, you are a member of the control group, user 1.6983 googolplex, and among the first of your galaxy and universe to be selected for this opportunity."

"So, let's get into it! As you may have noticed, there are a few locked features. This is to ensure only the most competent, successful, and Nexus approved participants advance to the later stages of Project Arc."

"In your case, the Nexus has deemed your participation as a top priority and has customized your tutorial process with an expedited tutorial guide just for you! To become one of the best let's start with registering your participation. Follow and complete each task in the order they have been received. And again, congratulations on being a part of Project Arc!"

The video stopped, and immediately three objectives appeared. The first was register as a new user, then calibrate time and date information, and last was perform system functionality test. Going back to the menu I now see user info was unlocked and select it with a thought. Once selected I felt the most unreal sensation ever. It was as if I was dead and alive at the same time.

I could see myself stand while staring into space, but my eyes appeared to be looking directly at me(?). Above my head was a place to enter my name, so I put my Earth name Henry Markov-Lysenko. Next it asked for my age while also presenting an option to have my age researched for me. Curious, I selected research.

Without warning and alongside a speed which would cause one's brain to explode, I relived all 49 previous lives. The experience was harrowing at best, until a "Beep, Beep" range out and the research result was presented. Seeing the result, I was astonished. The search not only calculated the length of time I had been in each life, but also the time in between. The final result was 1.55 billion Earth years old. It also showed when and where I began,

"Initial Life: Earth – Oleksandriya, Ukraine – May 22nd, 1985, to Aug. 20th, 2036 – Salem, MA, USA (51 Earth years) …"

It continues to list everything with most of my existence being a speck in the void. After determining my age, my user profile was complete, and I moved on to the next objective; time and date calibration. Luckily, a message popped up saying

"Would you like to auto calibrate time and date?" Answer, Hell yea!!

"Calibrating, please wait…. Please wait…. Calibration complete! Notice: Earth numeric system applied to current planet's interface. Integration in progress, please wait… Integration complete. Please confirm selection."

When the message changed, I finally saw the date and time. Apparently, on the continent of Darganta to the far east of Ohmdorra they have a calendar and time keeping method. According to their calendar there are 35 Earth hours in a day, 8 days which make a week, and 384 days in a year or what they call a sol. The days of the week are as follows,

Morgdar (Monday) // Sungdar (Tuesday)

Tzendar (Wednesday) // Alendar (Thursday)

Holendar (Friday) // Dizungdar (Saturday)

Anzungdar (Sunday) // Anmorgdei (Extra-day)

There are no months, but everything is still divided into 4 seasons. Further, the Dargantan 1st day of spring being the 1st of the sol. For the most part everyone uses this calendar with the exception of a few nations. Duxley being one of them.

I don't understand why the king never integrated this timekeeping system, and at this point, I really could care less. For literally 6 sols I have been having a bitch of a time keeping track of the time and dates. Meanwhile everyone else has some kind of 7th sense or some bullshit. Anyway, today is Morgdar, 48th day of Dargantan summer in the sol 984 of the 3rd Era. The time is 30:35.

The day is almost over? And I'm still stuck in the trial. Me and the Elder reached the shrine for my ancestor hours ago. Oh God, let me survive this ordeal. Fighting my worries, I confirmed the date and time format and processed to the last objective. When I thought system settings, another message appeared,

"You have yet to perform a system functionality test. Would like to perform the test now?" Once again, yes!

"Commencing system test: Warning all system functions will momentarily shutdown, please remain calm. Notice: In and out states of consciousness is to be expected. Estimated waiting; 5 - 20 minutes…"

"Wha!? In and out states of conbluu… thump" I fell to the ground(?) and did not get back up until,

"Notice: System is functioning at peak optimization. Please confirm test results." The message box said.

I laid on my face for a few moments before working my way to my feet. Not caring for the new message in my face I thought confirm and went back to the tutorial. Here, there is now one last thing to do which says, "Acknowledge tutorial completion." Not wasting time, I click the icon and another video appeared and auto played,

"Congratulations! You have completed the tutorial and are now able to use all functions of the ~System Menu~, please note this interface is a read-only interface except for messaging functions, you cannot change anything that is displayed while participating in the control group.

"Your designated administrator will inform you of your role and expected timeframe of which you will participate in the control group. Finally, a warning for you the user, should you encounter another individual either from the Nexus, or control group, do not interact with said individual unless directed by your designated administrator. We at the Nexus thank you for you participation and hope to see you soon!"

Finally! Without waiting or wasting more time, I summoned the menu,

~System Menu~

User- Markov-Lysenko, Henry

Status: Logged-In

Time: 31:06 // Date: 48th Summer, 984

User Info // Map Logbook // Quest List

Inbox (99+ Unread)

Notifications (99+ Unread) // Chatroom

System Settings (Limited access)

Looks like the tutorial icon is gone, but now I have a map and logbook. Time to check this stuff out. I first selected "map," revealed only the areas I have been in Ohmdorra which is helpful in case I get lost, but not much else.

Checking the logbook area pulled up every conversation I've had or overheard making information retention better. After scrolling through different conversations I thought might be important later, I proceeded to call up the user info tab which populated my current life's information.

~User Info~

Location: Ancestral Glade – Forest of Emerald Shade – Monarchy of Duxley…

Incarnation: Yuriy Markov XV

Age: 6 sol, 144 days

Race: Mixed (Human 96%, Dark elf 1%, Dark Angel (Kaliharda) 3%)

Attributes

HP: 210/210 // Stamina: 100/100

MP: 200/200 // SP: 10/10

Strength: 4 // Charisma: 6 // Endurance: 5

Dexterity: 7 (6) // Vitality: 7 (6) // Intellect: 10 (25)

Luck: 3(15)

Elemental Affinity (Scale of 1 – 10: 10 being the greatest)

Earth: 3 // Fire: 6 // Water: 2

Air: 2 // Light: 4 // Dark: 7

Lightning: 3 // Nature: 5

Ice: 2 // Null: 10

Special

Soul of Misfortune (- 12 Luck)

Guardian Angel(?) (+1 Dex. and Vit.)

Soul concussion (- 15 Int.)

The detailed breakdown of my current life was astonishing to say the least. For one, I was not expecting to have angelic blood in me. So, I guess the ravings of this world's religious fanatics are true, dad is indeed a member of the angelic clan which are a race of beings said to be refugees from another word destroyed by some unknown entity.

Out of mercy, the Creator of this world allowed them to immigrate. Besides that, there's something else that's worth noting. Under the ~special~ area, is something called Soul of Misfortune and it give a 12-point debuff to luck!? And then there's Soul concussion which debuffs intellect by 15 points!? Looking for an explanation a message window area saying,

"Soul of Misfortune – Dying in the most tragic of ways or dying consistently in a brief time has warped the soul of a being. Initial decrease in Luck. The decrease in Luck will indefinitely increase in cases when one encounters even more misfortunate events. There is no way to restore lost luck."

"Soul Concussion – After experiencing a misfortunate death, the soul of a being relives said death over and over, reducing brain functionality. This is a permanent condition which can only be treated by a divine existence or a transcendent being."

Wow, well this sucks, 1 gets worse the more "bad" luck I gain, the other doesn't change luckily but good luck trying to fix it. Oh well, this info helps with knowing my starting point but enough focusing on this. Selecting the quest list option called up all active and completed quest with only one active and three completed. Of the three completed two ended in failure and the last was the tutorial quest.

Looking at the failed quests, I am not really surprised by their failed statuses. One says survive the battle of Cardanol of which I died. The other said flee the burning encampment, and again I died. The lone active quest has a main quest marker and only says become worthy of inheritance, but nothing else. I guess I will find out.

Just as I was almost finish with the ~System Menu~, a voice as if annoyed resounded,

"Are you finished playing with yourself, descendent? Or should I say, are you done with the ~System Menu~, Little Yuriy?"

"AAaa!!" Caught off guard, I yelped and looked around to see who just spoke.

"Hello! Who's there? It's not nice to spy on people"

"It's also not nice to make someone wait for you after barging into their home, little Yuriy." The voice said sounding disappointed,

"It seems all I taught you has gone to waste, shame."

"Taught me, who are you? Only one person taught me anything, and their dead."

"Oh! Am I now?"

Without waiting for a response, blood began to swell in front of me and shape itself into a person, not just any person. It formed into someone I knew and loved. Uncle Yuriy!

"Uncle… Is that you?"

-End of Chapter