SBA Card

"I am not lost, and yes, I am truly a System Bearer," Atrixus answered.

"Hmm.. stand right there," the brown-haired lady with glasses pointed to her far right while tapping on the monitor before her.

The impasse was broken by the beeping of the light scanners flanking the reception area.

As they scanned Atrixus, the monitors flickered, confirming his status as a System Bearer.

"Oh, he is truly a System Bearer," the brown-haired lady whispered.

The one beside her with pink hair was just as surprised. The words 'Don't judge a book by its cover' played in their heads at that moment.

A sigh of relief escaped Atrixus' lips as he prepared to move in, but he was halted once more.

"The SBA card, please," the geeky personnel lady requested, her tone now slightly more respectful yet firm.

Atrixus's heart sank.

"I don't have one," he admitted, his frustration mounting.

The personnel explained that entry into Shunri Paradise, while accessible to System Bearers, required affiliation with a recognized faction or the possession of an SBA card—a credential he lacked.

His previous visit with the school was mentioned as an exception, a collective endeavour viewed through the lens of faction affiliation.

The revelation that a solo party could not gain access without an SBA card or a fee of 1000 Runis was a blow, a barrier he could not overcome.

The exchange, fraught with Atrixus's growing desperation and the unwavering stance of the Aigon personnel, ended in defeat. With no card to present and his pockets devoid of the required entry fee, Atrixus had no choice but to turn away.

As he retraced his path, Atrixus grappled with the harsh realities of his situation. The dream of venturing into Shunri Paradise, of facing its dangers head-on for the promise of a better future, was slipping through his fingers, held at bay by bureaucratic obstacles and the curse of poverty.

The night air, once filled with the potential of what could be, now whispered reminders of limitations and barriers yet to be overcome.

As the lights of the city blurred around him, Atrixus Timothy was left to ponder his next move, a young System Bearer caught in the web of circumstance, yet unwilling to surrender to the fate it prescribed.

....

At the zenith of an Aigon Corporation skyscraper, a building that pierced the skyline like a sentinel overseeing its domain, Sir Revenault stood enveloped in the glow of a holographic display.

It wasn't just any display—it was a window into the lives of individuals of interest, a tool for gathering intelligence on potential assets or threats. On that day, the display was focused on a single figure: Atrixus Timothy.

Images and texts floated before Sir Revenault, a dossier of digital information that charted the life of the young man from the slums.

Data points flickered with details of his last known location, connections to the destitute areas of the city, and his enrollment at Sacred Heights High School. Each piece of information was a thread in various aspects of Atrixus's life, a narrative that Sir Revenault scrutinized with a discerning eye.

However, as the display cascaded to its final piece of information, Sir Revenault's expression soured, his anticipation dissolving into a profound sense of disappointment.

There, in unyielding digital clarity, was the revelation that Atrixus had failed the System Bearers evaluation—a critical criterion that rendered him, in Sir Revenault's eyes, utterly inconsequential.

"Waste," he muttered under his breath, his voice laced with frustration.

With a flick of his wrist, he banished the holographic display into oblivion, the images of Atrixus Timothy dissipating into the air.

Turning to the scientists clustered in his office, who had been observing with bated breath, Sir Revenault's command was terse and laden with barely contained ire.

"Get back to work," he bellowed, sending them scattering, a flurry of lab coats and hurried footsteps eager to escape his displeasure.

Once alone, Sir Revenault allowed himself a moment of unguarded frustration. His office within Aigon became the witness to his rage.

Rawr!

He lashed out, smashing objects and the table in his office.

Bang!

"If only I could find Dr. Marcus's research!" he exclaimed to the silent room, his voice echoing off smooth surfaces.

"Just why did he have to vanish before completing the damn experiment!" The questions were rhetorical, a venting of his deep-seated anger and the gnawing sense of being so close yet so far from his objectives.

After allowing himself brief moments of uncharacteristic loss of control, Sir Revenault composed himself, the storm of his emotions giving way to the cold, calculating demeanour that defined him.

He straightened his attire and stepped out of his office.

■■■

In the days following his thwarted attempt to enter Shunri Paradise, Atrixus Timothy found himself ensnared in a relentless cycle of menial jobs, each day a gruelling marathon of labour that yielded meagre returns.

Despite his tireless efforts, the reality of his situation was grim. After allocating the necessary funds for his mother's low-grade medications and ensuring they had enough to eat, Atrixus managed to scrape together just over 300 Runis—a sum that fell woefully short of the amount needed to secure entry into Shunri Paradise or to acquire an SBA card.

Driven by determination and the pressing need to capitalize on his status as a System Bearer, Atrixus dove into research, seeking any viable pathway that might lead him to the elusive SBA card.

His investigation revealed three primary avenues to obtain the card: affluence, payment, or affiliation with a faction. Each option, however, was barricaded by obstacles insurmountable for someone in Atrixus's position.

Turning his attention to factions, Atrixus explored the most popular ones in Pariscus City, hoping to uncover an opportunity that might have been overlooked.

The Iron Guardians, known for their disciplined approach and rigorous training programs, were admired for their strength and solidarity but required members to be at least eighteen years of age.

The Shadow Seekers, a faction revered for their stealth and espionage skills, demanded a demonstration of exceptional agility and intelligence, prerequisites Atrixus couldn't meet from the confines of his current situation.

Since they focused more on discovering minerals and valuable items in Shunri Paradise, they needed stealth for most of their operations.

Thirdly, the Flame Wielders, famed for their mastery over fire-based assimilations. They were out of reach due to their steep initiation fees, preference for members from affluent backgrounds, and the fact that Atrixus couldn't call his Fiery Drill a fire-based Assimilation.

Frustration mounted as each avenue explored led to a dead end, the requirements for joining the factions far beyond Atrixus's reach.

The final glimmer of hope lay in the System Bearers Association (SBA) itself, which offered the chance to earn an SBA card through a series of tests and exams designed to assess a candidate's abilities and compatibility with their System Bearer's Microchip.

However, that path too was fraught with disappointment. The exams, held only once every five months, had just concluded a week before Atrixus gained his microchip, leaving him with an agonizing wait of over four months before the next opportunity would arise.

The delay was unacceptable; Atrixus needed a solution immediately, not months into the future.

The realization that, even with the power of a System Bearer at his fingertips, his journey had not become any easier, was a bitter pill to swallow.

Atrixus felt crestfallen and frustrated. The barriers that stood between him and the realization of his potential seemed insurmountable, a cruel joke played by fate at his expense.

Sitting alone in the dim light of his modest dwelling, Atrixus wrestled with his thoughts. The challenges he faced were daunting, but surrender was not in his nature.

Each setback, each closed door, only served to fuel his resolve. He knew the path ahead would be fraught with difficulties, but the stakes were too high to give in to despair.

His mother's well-being, the promise of a better life, and the mysteries of his father's disappearance were all tied to his ability to navigate the intricate world of System Bearers.

In his relentless quest to accumulate the funds needed to re-enter Shunri Paradise, Atrixus found himself turning to those within the circle of slums for assistance.

It was a move born out of desperation, but he didn't feel like he had a choice.

He approached Jael who had been part of the same illegal expedition into Shunri Paradise that had promised a hefty payout.

"Jael, I'm in a bind. I need to gather enough money to get into Shunri Paradise again. Do you think you could lend me some?" Atrixus asked, hoping to lace his voice with confidence, a stark contrast to the anxiety that knotted his stomach.

Jael's response, however, was not what Atrixus had hoped for. "Man, I'd help if I could, but I've already gone through all the money from the expedition," Jael admitted his expression one of genuine regret.

Atrixus was taken aback. He remembered discussions of a 12,000 runis payout—an amount that should have easily sustained them for months, or even covered rent in the city's more decent areas, which could be as low as 3,000 runis monthly.

Observing the disbelief etched across Atrixus's face, Jael let out a hollow laugh.

"Yeah, I saw that look coming. The truth is, we were only paid 2,000 runis each. And before you ask why we didn't fight it—well, our employers had System Bearers for protection. We didn't stand a chance. We had to accept whatever crumbs they threw our way."