God's Gift
Despite its frightening appearance, Geof wasn't afraid.
He could tell from its eyes that it wasn't alive.
Even so, Geof didn't let his guard down. The moment the werewolf moves, his body will immediately react.
"Puppet?" Geof guessed and its virtual interface appeared.
[ Puppet: Werewolf
Name: None <input name>
Level: 1
Type: Beast
Potential: 3 stars <upgrade>
Bloodline: None
Armament: None
Skills: Sharp Claws, Quick Movement, Detection ]
"It also has its stats despite being a corpse?"
Beneath the Puppet's description or what Geof likes to call; stats, was another system prompt.
[Possess Puppet?]
[Yes] [No]
Geof decided to possess the puppet.
He needs to find out about his situation as fast as possible.
He barely had food stored in his house and the phenomenon happening made him worried sick about his family.
Since he left to work in the city, he had been living independently from his parents. It was the reason why he was alone in the house.
After pressing [Yes], Geof's mind went black.
The process of the Divine talent integration happened yet again in the werewolf's body.
Moments later, Geof was surprised to find his vision changed.
He had become much smaller and..
He could see his body lying on the floor.
!!!
Geof quickly run for the mirror and saw himself in an entirely different body.
"...." Geof was abnormally dumfounded.
He unexpectedly became the werewolf.
"How could transferring from one body to another be possible?!" Geof was frustrated.
However, he was quickly reminded about the virtual screen, compared to its magic, it wasn't that absurd anymore.
There was another prompt on the virtual screen. However, it was no longer physical. It somehow appeared miraculously inside his mind.
The dark screen lit up, and a video started rolling.
A hazy white figure wearing a black mask appeared as its cold deep voice resonated.
| Hello, my fellow creation. I am your maker or what you call God. |
| Due to certain circumstances I can't reveal myself too much, but as you've realized, you are no longer in your 'world'. |
| Unfortunately, A sudden dimensional collision happened, our dimension, our universe clashed with another, that is much, much superior to ours. |
| This unforeseen incident had compelled your existence. This dimension can no longer accommodate the presence of another original life. You, humans, are an original life in the third dimension. |
| But fear not for I have hidden your existence. However, you can't and must never physically leave your location as it would result your demise. |
| As your maker, I have given humanity a gift. Within the origin crystal in your forehead is a system, it is your only hope, please use it wisely. |
| Adapt. Evolve. Cultivate. Transform. Conquer. Explore what you have never explored. Enjoy life as I have yearned. After all, there's so much in life to enjoy than survival. |
| May we meet again. |
The figure disappeared, replaced by another virtual screen that is showing the puppet's stats.
[ Puppet: Werewolf (possessed)
Name: None <input>
Puppeteer: Geof Calaguan (hidden)
Cultivation: Body Realm Stage 1
Bloodline: None
Armament: None
Skill: Sharp Claws, Quick Movement, Detection
<Lottery>
<Shop>
<Inventory>
Soul Fragment (SF): 0 ]
"...."
Geof sat down in silence as he focused on the virtual screen inside his mind.
"Adapt, evolve, cultivate, transform, conquer, and explore."
"A new commandment eh..."
Geof didn't know what to say. God, dimensions, origin crystal, an existential danger, and whatnot were too much for his current self.
"What matters the most right now is my utmost survival." He doesn't have the luxury to enjoy life as 'God' yearned.
[ Lottery ]
Geof removed his thoughts and checked <Lottery> but gained nothing as it required him to pay a certain amount of currency called soul fragment in each draw.
He encountered a similar situation in <Shop>, which requires soul fragments to generate merchandise.
And he had none.
However, there was one particular product that was up for sale.
[ Book of Basic Knowledge ]
[ Contains all basic knowledge about Origin Crystal, Talents, Puppet, Cultivation, Armaments, Bloodline, Lottery, Shop, and all other necessary basic information ]
[ Price: 0 SF ]
!!!
This is what Geof needed the most. Without knowledge about himself, it would be much harder to survive outside.
"As the great saying said, know yourself before your enemy!"
[ Buy [Tome of Knowledge I] for 0 SF?]
[Yes] [No]
"Yes!" Geof willed to buy the merchandise.
Boom!
Thereafter, a slew of disorganized information slammed into his mind out of nowhere.
This unexpected occurrence caused Geof to groan, and hug his wolf head with slender furry hands in pain.
After a long time, the swelling pain in his head subsided, and his eyes regained clarity.
Geof took a deep breath and compiled the memories that surfaced in his mind, gaining a general understanding of his abilities.
The house he was currently in was the residence provided by 'God', protected by the fog outside to safe keep him from the corrosion of a higher dimension.
As God said, the moment he steps out of the house, he would die instantly.
Geof wiped his sweat, "Thankfully, I wasn't dumb enough to run outside."
"End Possession"
Geof commanded and his mind went back to his body.
"This origin crystal has much greater value than expected"
Geof caressed the diamond in his forehead with his fingers as he watched the small werewolf gradually turn limp.
The system in the origin crystal is the only path for all the people to survive.
It allows humans to have the virtual screen—which has countless uses— and control an inanimate entity called puppets. Puppets are specially created to survive, cultivate, and evolve in the higher dimension.
By controlling a puppet, Geof could gather resources from outside to survive despite only staying in one place, his mid-size house.
However, there are risk factors involving the possession of puppets. Since Geof is directly controlling the puppet's body, he would experience all of its senses, including but not limited to pain.
"First, I need to prepare"
"There could be an entirely different environment outside, depending on where I would be located in this dimension..."
"The environment could be ever so dangerous that my puppet could instantly die."
That would be the worst-case scenario.
The early stages of puppetry are the riskiest, the moment he lost his only puppet, he would lose the ability to acquire another one.
It means that Geof would be left completely vulnerable with nothing to fend for himself. After all, puppets are his only tool for exploration.
And Geof currently only had one. So he couldn't afford to lose the werewolf.
"I need to prepare", Geof stated solemnly.
He'll need to gather all of his necessary arsenals to overcome anything outside. He only has one chance, he had to play it safe.