Early Earth

Like many children in their youth, The Floor Is Lava is an enjoyable game that combines dexterity, planning, and creativity. This new planet that Blake found themselves on was, in comparison to other planets, also a child. Thus it only made sense that, with nothing better to do, it would create its own version of The Floor Is Lava. Unfortunately for Blake, the humble Basic Volcanic Rock, this included actual lava, blistering solar rays and avalanches. So the first thought that entered Blake's mind when they awoke was…

"HOOOOT! PAIN! OW OW OW, $%&! IT FEELS LIKE MY VERY SOUL IS ON FIRE!"

Anguish. Meanwhile, while Blake was preoccupied with doing their best impression of what it felt like to be a soul cast in the flames of hell, the System uncaringly continued ringing off notifications. Not that Blake had a shred of consciousness left to dedicate reading them.

"Welcome to your new universe, Participant 000549144. Your system points upon awakening are acquired. 1,000,000 system points have been allocated to you."

"Your 24-hour grace period begins now. Lethal damage has been negated, though you will still feel pain and incur damage. Please ensure that your body is not needlessly exposed to danger during this time."

"A threat to the user has been detected. Classification: Apocalyptic Asteroid. System has deemed impact to occur after the 24-grace period. No further action required"

"Your exposure to extreme environments refines your soul. Heat Resistance level up."

"Your exposure to extreme environments refines your body. Physical Damage Resistance level up"

To Blake, their world was nothing but fiery pain while they remained trapped and unable to move. No sounds save for the system echoed in their mind. No sensations other than pain told their soul that they existed. If Blake could meet Prometheus, no doubt they would be filled with envy towards that lucky god. At least Prometheus got a break every night to recover! Not being a biological being meant that Blake had no means of losing consciousness, and not being able to die ensured that the blinding torture would continue. So, they were trapped, having nothing to look forward to but agony.

To an outsider, the scene was a lot more tranquil, but only to a slightly less degree. Around the nondescript rock that seemed to pop into existence was a place that no one would want to be in. Above the ground was a black canvas for a sky, its most dominate feature a sun that seemed to curse all those who gazed upon it. The white orb brought with it searing rays that made anything on the surface feel like being inside a microwave, while the surrounding environment was a cold 0°F ( -18°C). Thankfully, Blake had landed on the mouth of an active volcano. They had a warm rain of lava over 2,000°F (1,000 °C) to bath in as the molten rock splashed seemingly harmlessly on and off the strange stone. Of course, this was exactly what was causing Blake so much pain, as the plumes of volcanic activity dumped literal tons of lava onto their body, which was only the size of a hand.

Has the hours dragged on, Blake managed to have a single, consistent thread of thought.

"I-I think the pain has lessened, or at least I've become used to it. S-Status"

"Ding! Through extreme torture, you have managed to hold onto your mind long enough to focus on something else. The perk "Focused Mind" has be acquired."

"Focused Mind (Lv.1): Typically obtained through long years battle, meditation, or extreme circumstances, no matter the situation, you'll be able to tackle the task at hand. Additional benefits may occur with a change in environment."

[ STATUS ]

Participant 000549144: Blake (Grace period left: 10:00:00)

Species: Basic Volcanic Rock

HP: 100/100

Strength (STR): 0

Intelligence (INT): 10

Wisdom (WIZ): 10

Dexterity (DEX): 0

Constitution (CON): 100

Charisma (CAR): 0

Luck (LUK): 10

System Points: 1,000,000

Current Quests: Survive the Apocalyptic Asteroid! (Difficulty: Nightmare) (Time left: 11:02:37)

Current Perks: Former Life's Memories, Point Store, Growth Tutor System, Heat Resistance (Lv. 50), Physical Damage Resistance (Lv. 50), Focused Mind (Lv.1)

Gritting their teeth, as much as a rock could, Blake analyzed their current situation. Doing so gave another notification showing the "Focused Mind" had upgraded.

"So, actively doing stuff helps increase the level of perks. And since I'm being constantly bombarded with lava, that's why my perks have increased to an insane degree. But what do all these numbers mean? And what's with that quest?! Am I going to die the day after I arrive? System, is it possible to give me a detained explanation of my Status window?"

The shock that Blake felt from seeing that such an insane quest was given to them without a care for their wellbeing drove home the fact that Blake was working with something akin to an A.I. Had the more considerate Administrator of this universe been in charge, perhaps they would have given them some more grace period time to survive this world-shattering event.

"Query requested. Redirecting to Growth Tutor Handbook. For future queries, please refer to this Handbook."

Suddenly, a small, bluish-white dodecahedron appeared in the void of Blake's world. It began speaking in a genderless voice, but with more personality than the Growth System."

"Welcome Participant to your complementary Handbook guide! Here we will give you a breakdown of your stats, what features you currently have unlocked, and explore what deeper meaning the Growth System has in store for you. Should we begin is the basic information, or do you have a specific question?" The guide chirped, its voice a relief to Blake who was at this moment still being bombarded by lava.

However, time outside seemed to have slow down relative to the conversation happening in the void. This allowed Blake the unique opportunity to feel the molten rock ooze over every pore of their body before being saved by the grace period. Notifications rang out in the background as all three of Blake's perks seemed to level up at a new quickened pace. Ignoring them, Blake replied to the complex shape through near blinding pain.

"B-basics first. I've got time before the asteroid, and I need to know everything first."

"Confirmed. Participant has been deemed to be in extreme pain through the soul, so we'll keep this brief. Starting with Species, this describes the current body that the participants soul inhabits. This may change based on a variety of circumstances, the most common being the use of the "New Form" perk.

Next are the main stats. User feedback finds that the rock analogy is most easily understood. Strength (STR) is the ability to crush a rock. Intelligence (INT) is knowing the difference between a sedimentary rock and an igneous rock. Wisdom (WIZ) is knowing that one shouldn't eat rocks in most situations. Dexterity (DEX) is being able to dodge a rock thrown at you. Constitution (CON) is being able to get hit by falling rocks and be okay afterwards. Charisma (CAR) is being able to sell rocks and amass an enormous fortune by calling them pets. Luck (LUK) is being able to find a rock and it turn out to be extremely valuable.

System points can be earned through quests, passively for 1 point every 100 years, or other situations. Quests can be given by the system when deemed significant to the participant. Perks can be bought at the Point Store or earned through strenuous effort. Further Modules may be bought or unlocked."

The explanation was rather straightforward. While the option to further increase the system was tempting to dive into, the quest info was more important.

"System, give me details on my current quest." Blake hurriedly asked.

"Certainly. Current Quest: Survive the Apocalyptic Asteroid! (Difficulty: Nightmare) (Time left: 10:59:00). A massive asteroid has been detected heading towards the participant's planet once time runs out. The planet will go through massive cataclysmic events. To survive, suggested actions are to have high luck, a tough body, or moving underground. Quest cannot be abandoned."