[Ping! Duplicate process completed.]
[Ping! Body of the host undergoing a ten seconds maxo split]
[Ping! Body of the host and the cataclysm survival system transferred]
[Ping! Ventinks interferences countered by the to-do nuggets]
[Ping! Trial mode unlocked.]
[Ping! System notification: Trial mode comes with a limited prowess since the complete transfer of all forces haven't been achieved. Trial mode would go on for another three days. Kind warning, stay away from trouble till the three days are over.]
[Ping! Maxo split activated. Host would be seen only by himself and predators. At the end of the trial, host would be seen by all.]
If you ask him, Damien could not explain everything the system had just displayed before his eyes. For all he could tell, he was standing in the corner of a hut swarmed by many Cannibals who were kneeling by his duplicate which was still laying down in the uncomfortable position.
In other words, he was standing there, invisible to the Cannibals, while someone who looked exactly like him was laying down and flocked by the Cannibals.
"What's happening? What has happened to me?"
After those words, he felt something really strange.
"Huh?"
He let in a filler to further amplify the doubt. He noticed that he wasn't making any sound. Though his lips moved, and he could think of the words, yet no sound was made.
"Is this what the system meant by limited prowess? That's bullshit."
He paused for a while.
"Talking is a basic human activity. It's nothing related to this dumb system."
His face built a warm glare.
"I was already mad at this system for taking my wish seriously. Was it even a wish? I was just in the mood that day and said whatever came to my mind."
"Why didn't it make it easier to stack the gold reserve of the Cannibals away when I wished for it? This sly bastard."
He grunted and cussed as though he could see the person he was addressing.
"Why do I feel like the person giving this instructions is someone I --"
He shook his head, he couldn't complete the words.
"What would happen to my duplicate body lain there? What happens after the three days of the trial mode? Will I live forever in this new and old body? What about that one over there?"
He flipped the system window out. He sighed in gladness that he wasn't denied an access to the System.
"There should be a feature or skill to communicate with whoever the fuck is in charge of this system."
Yes, he was mad. But he wasn't sure why precisely. After all, he brought this upon himself. A way to think of this, was he really on his right to get mad?
He scrolled through the features and skills. He noticed the 150th skill.
"Question and answer."
He muttered.
"This must be it."
He smiled sheepishly looking at the experience points he had. He had enough. He clicked on the skill.
"Oh shit."
He realized that the skill was locked. The experience point he had accumulated was no use at that point. He could only exchange points for skills and features that have been unlocked. He grunted.
"Fuck this."
He pushed the system window back in. He got tired of watching the Cannibals.
"I won't be able to unlock this skill... not now. Not yet."
It was a very displeasing fact to knuckle under.
"Unlocking this skill means completing tasks."
He flipped the system window out again. On the notification bar for tasks, there was a big cancel sign on it.
"It seems as though there won't be any tasks for three days, at least until the trial mode is completed."
He sighed. Before pushing the window in, his eyes lingered on the pending task he was yet to complete,
GIVE YOUR SUBJECTS A CIVILIZATION.
"Damn! Why didn't I take this seriously and complete it before --"
He groaned.
"Who knew I was going to end up this way?"
He wouldn't be surprised if that really happened.
"Oh, thank God."
He was only thinking too much. He was able to bring the system window up.
"No, no, no way..."
He scrolled through all the skills, but they had the cancel sign on.
"Ahhh... this is unfair."
For real, he wanted to cry now. He was really offended.
"Jungle Wits? How could only Jungle Wits be available? No fighting skill is available? How am I supposed to stay alive?"
He began to stomp his feet and kick like a little girls whose candy had been taken by a troublesome elder brother.
"I thought the system skills grew on me. I thought they became a part of me."
Suddenly, he recalled that he had once promised himself not to lean on the system. That he wanted to be strong all by himself. That he wanted to be responsible for his own actions and successes, not ascribed to the help of some system.
"You know what, fuck this system!!!!"
He swore, gaining back his old self. Though he knew that he wouldn't say the same thing when the three days are over and he got back all the skills. But at least he would be able to depend on himself for three days and discover his inner abilities.
He resumed walking through the woods, looking around occasionally to be sure that he wasn't been trailed by any wild animal. He couldn't afford being caught off guard.
"Was this really how the girls felt when they are alone or walking through the woods?"
He could empathize. He obviously was caught in the same claws.
Suddenly he heard approaching footsteps ahead of him.
"What's that?"
He ran to hide behind a tree. Soon enough, he saw one of the girls walking towards his direction. His eyes widened and his heart thumped wildly when he saw who it was.
"Claire."
He muttered, but then recalled that he was in this state because of her. He jumped out of the hide and hurried towards her.
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