CHAPTER 46: CHAPTER 46 – CHOICES AND CONSEQUENCES (PART 6)

Chapter 46 – Choices and Consequences (Part 6)

’Killing that monster was enough to level me up... That’s good. Really good.’ Zane slumped into the nearest seat, breathing a little heavier than usual. His heart was still beating fast, but the high of victory—however small—was finally starting to settle in.

With a flick of his wrist, he brought up his system panel and checked the notifications that had just popped up.

[+2 Strength, +2 Agility.]

[You have been given 2 bonus points.]

[You have unlocked new ’Fate’ options.]

[You have gained 100 Fate Points.]

’Right... the Fate system again. Let’s see what kind of choices it’s throwing at me this time.’ He opened his profile first, out of habit. It was becoming easier to navigate the interface, each menu and tab more familiar than the last.

His eyes scanned the stat increases. "Two points in agility and two in strength... Interesting. Why those two specifically?" he muttered, tapping his fingers on the armrest.

It didn’t feel random. In fact, nothing about the system so far had ever seemed random. It had always felt... deliberate. Like every number, every word, every reward was carefully chosen with a reason behind it. Zane had no doubt that these points were for a deliberate reason, too.

’Could it be because I used both agility and strength in that fight?’ Zane frowned slightly. ’I used Flash Step, and I relied on brute force to break through the spider’s hide more than once... Maybe it’s reactive. Maybe the system tailors stat gains based on how I fight.’

It made sense. A little too much sense with a lot of speculation on his side. But that opened a new door—one he wasn’t entirely comfortable walking through just yet.

’If that’s how it works, then how do I ensure a balanced stat growth? I can’t exactly use every one of my aspects equally in every battle... And if I don’t, I might end up completely lopsided in one area.’

The realization irritated him. It meant that every battle from here on out was going to be more than just a fight to survive—it was a test of optimization. Every move he made, every ability he used, might lock in what kind of person he’d become later.

’This is going to be a headache... Maybe I should just focus on two stats and let the rest grow naturally... Or maybe that’s a trap too.’ He sighed deeply, leaning back in the comfortable seat. Zane lacked a lot of information he needed to make such a decisive choice, and he didn’t want to face the consequences now when he could have made a better and wiser decision later on.

"Later," he muttered, waving the thought away for now. "Let’s just deal with the Fate panel first."

With a mental command, the Fate screen unfolded before him. It was the same layout as before—multiple rows, each with three options. Most were still grayed out, unavailable. But one row was glowing softly, beckoning his attention. All three of its slots shimmered with mysterious question marks.

Zane rolled his shoulders and stretched his fingers. "Alright... let’s see what fate’s offering me this time."

He tapped the first slot.

A shimmer of light blossomed across the screen, followed by a gentle chime.

[Special Health Injection.]

Zane raised an eyebrow. "Not bad... ’Special’, huh? That’s different from the normal Health Injection. Should be stronger than the regular ones, right?"

Considering how close he’d come to passing out from blood loss not too long ago, he could definitely see the value. A strong healing item was always a smart choice.

But he didn’t select it just yet. There were still two more options.

The second slot flickered open with another tap.

[Iron Armor Set.]

Zane squinted. "Huh. Is this... cosplay?"

The armor looked like it belonged on a medieval knight from a low-budget fantasy movie. Functional, maybe. But flashy and heavy-looking.

"As useful as armor might be, I’m not sure this is the look I want," he muttered. "Especially if it slows me down."

It wasn’t bad, just... not what he needed. Not right now.

Finally, he tapped the third slot.

And that was when his heart skipped a beat.

[Secondary Stigma: Water of Life.]

Zane’s eyes gleamed. "Now that sounds interesting."

He quickly brought up the description.

[Water of Life

Effect: The user is capable of creating water using Core Energy. The water has minor healing abilities.]

Zane stared in stunned silence.

"This... this is good," he murmured. "No—this is really good."

Just thinking it through made the decision easy. Water creation meant survival. In the wild, in long fights, anywhere where resources were limited—water was life. Literally. And on top of that, it healed him?

’It’s basically an infinite healing resource... as long as I have energy. That’s insane. Is the system sure giving me such an ability early on? Well, who am I to complain?’

A grin spread across his face. ’Yeah, the health injection can wait. This one’s way more valuable long-term. As for the armor? I can buy or earn something better later.’

He tapped the selection.

[Do you wish to acquire this reward?]

[Yes.] [No.]

"Absolutely. Yes."

The moment his finger made contact with the prompt, a rush of invisible energy slammed into his head. Zane recoiled in his seat, groaning as he grabbed his temples.

"Ugh... What the hell—!?"

A sharp, blinding pain lanced through his skull. Not like the headaches he knew—this felt like something was being forcibly injected into his mind. Like foreign memories were crashing in, slamming against his own.

’My brain—it’s being invaded—!’ He gritted his teeth, eyes squeezed shut. The pressure was unbearable, as if his thoughts were being split open to make room for something else.

And just as suddenly as it started, it stopped.

Zane exhaled shakily and slumped back in his seat, the pain finally ebbing.

"Damn it... Would’ve been nice to get a warning before the mental violation," he muttered, massaging his temples. But even as he groaned, he could feel something... different.

A new understanding.

Knowledge that hadn’t been there before now flowed effortlessly through his mind, as if he’d always known how to use it. As if it had always been a part of him. He knew exactly how to use his new stigma without any problems.

’The power of this system is no joke. Planting knowledge into my head, changing my body, building me up in ways I don’t even understand. How much more control do you have over me, hm? What more could you change about me?’ He asked in his head.

However, the system didn’t answer his questions as usual.

He laughed under his breath. Cold, amused. "Guess that’s a problem for future Zane."

With a breath, he sat up straighter and focused. Raising one hand, he concentrated and activated the newly acquired power.

A soft glow formed around his palm, and within seconds, a crystal-clear blob of water materialized in his hand. It hovered like a weightless drop of life, pure and cool.

Zane blinked. "Wow... It really worked."

He poked it with a finger. The water rippled gently. Then, with a small smile, he brought it to his lips and drank.

It was refreshing. The water was cold and sweet, with a taste more vivid than anything he’d ever had. And more than just the flavor—he felt it. A soothing wave washed through his body, calming his mind, easing the weariness in his limbs.

For a few seconds, Zane just sat there, letting the bliss soak in.

"That... was amazing," he said softly. "Definitely the right choice."

He opened the Fate panel again. Sure enough, the other two options were now locked, grayed out. Next to them, a price tag had appeared: ’100 Fate Points.’

"So I can come back for them later," he muttered. "Good to know. I’ll need to stock up on points."

Just as he closed the menu, he heard footsteps approaching.

"Zane?"

He looked up.

Elizabeth stood a few feet away, her expression uncertain, maybe even hesitant.

"Yeah?" he said, sitting upright.

She shifted slightly on her feet, biting her lip before speaking.

"Can I... talk to you?"