I blink a couple of times but it is still dark. I let out a groan of pain as I try to move. It feels like I got sunburned all over and then smashed into a steel wall. I quickly set my nannies out to heal whatever damage is there while I release some painkillers in the meantime from my internal storage.

I feel around me trying to get a better feel for where I am only to run my hand into cold, hard stone. I sigh, having enough of the visual nothing, I turn on my scanners. They're a bit staticy after my recent transportation for some reason but the image soon clears up.

I am in a small room , or going by the iron bars on one side cell would be more accurate. How old school. I just shake my head. So those assholes from the Family somehow managed to teleport me into a cell that is smart, I guess, but what do they want next?

I don’t have to wait long for my answers as I hear heavy footsteps come down what I assume is a set of stairs judging by the noise. The clinking of metal is a bit weird but not completely surprising, some of the cheaper cybernetic enhancements tend to have some issues and noise can definitely be among those issues.

To say that I am a bit surprised that the people that walk down are making that noise because they are wearing armour that would have been in style in the roman empire is an understatement. One of the men swings about their torch in a wide gesture. Pausing in front of my cell with wide eyes.

“Who are you?” the man asks.

“I was about to ask you the same thing. Where’d you get that outfit? A ren-fair?” I answer.

The guard gets an angry scowl. “You think you are funny?”

“Sometimes yes.” I confirm.

“Right, so who are you and why are you well dressed like that?” He says, pointing his spear at me.

I look down at myself. I am wearing my customary purple hoody that is covered in paint and random patches. Besides that, I am wearing some standard jeans and my faceless mask, not all that strange if you ask me. But it does tell me that these people most likely don’t work for the Family.

“I am Maniac and these are just my clothes. Is something wrong with them?” I ask, pulling on my hoodie's digital fabric.

The guard looks even more confused now, which is strange. “For starters, how do you even see out of that thing?” he says, pointing at my face.

“Some kind of Protector bullshit technology.” I explain but seeing that he still looks confused I add on to it “Basically magic I can see all around me, actually.”

The guard slowly nods in understanding, “Sounds expensive,”

I shrug. "Not really. My swords are more expensive, anyway. Why am I here?”

“We raided your facilities using a sleeping agent. You are now in the dungeon of Massalix to be questioned.” The other guard finely jumps in. “Julius, don’t talk to the prisoner. She might look human but inside is a sinister creature that will take over your body if you are not careful.”

If I was not confused before, I would definitely be so now. What creature are they talking about? My cybernetic skeleton or even what raid I was about to teleport away when everything turned to shit at the meeting and then I got hurt “Fuck, someone shot me!” I shout out, feeling my own back, but the nanites have already fixed the bullet hole.

Both of the guards jump in surprise and aim their weapons at me. "What is she talking about?” the guard named Julius asks. “I don’t know. This one is a bit weird. She should still be asleep especially with her low level.”

Level? What are these clowns on about? No wait more importantly I don’t think I am in a prison made by the Family so I should just get the fuck out. I try to start up my teleportation core only to be met with several errors.

“Fuck!” I exclaim in frustration, making the two guards jump again.

Yeah, let's get out of here before one stabs me on accident. I slowly walk up to the metal bars and open my digital weapon list and selected my fire sword. I activated the dimensional shunting module of my mask and the sleek tech sword with red engravings appears in my hand.

“Step back.” I tell the guards just in case as I activate the sword heating element.

I swing the sword easily cutting to the bars of the cell. I swing a second time, creating a hole big enough to fit through. As I step out, the quieter of the two men jumps at me with his spear. I try to sidestep him but he surprisingly moves a lot faster than expected, like chromed up tug level of speed.

His spear hits my side and luckily bounces off the protective layer my mask provides without any real issues. I do a quick reelevation of the situation and activated my spring tail to administer strength enhancer serum to my bloodstream.

“Okay, I had a lovely day here, but I think it is time for me to leave.” With my goodbye said, I dismiss my sword and take off in a full sprint, running up the stairs and out of whatever situation this was.

The stairs are this spiral design and once I reach the top I am greeted with some more guards. Great, that is just what I needed. Luckily they at least are taken by surprise. So I can run past them with relative ease.

I keep running in a random direction, making it out of the room before any of the guards start giving chase. Sadly, they do give chase and I don’t know what they are feeding them but they are fast. I quickly decide that outrunning them is probably not an option, so I need some other ideas. I look around for an option and find an open window. I don’t really have time to wonder about it and jump headfirst out of the window.

We are luckily on the ground floor, so I just slide a bit on the dirt and dust outside. I quickly stand up and start running again. The building I just escaped is on some kind of complex with a small wall around it. The guards at the gate seem a bit more alert than the ones inside, already getting ready to intervene, so I slightly bend off and just jump over the wall instead. I really love my cybernetic enhanced body. Getting to do stupid stuff is nice.

What is less nice is the fact that some of the guards also seem more than capable at jumping the wall. I start pumping my legs even harder, trying my best to gain distance and almost running into a random woman. I take that momentary distraction to take a quick scan of her clothing before I run into a side street.

When I cross the second corner temporarily leaving the sight of my pursuers. I quickly take off my mask and activate my chameleon mode, transforming my clothes into an exact copy of the clothes the woman was wearing, then I stop and lean against the wall. The guards run into the little street a moment later, looking around in confusion.

I quickly point up and some of the guard’s nod and jump on the building while others run further into the streets. I wait a while before I start moving again, this time at a casual walk. I end up on what looks like a main street with what looks like different lanes. In the middle, people are running with insane speeds and there are carriages that are pulled by what looks like dinosaurs.

“Where the hell am I?”

[*ding!* Welcome to Pallos!]

[Name: Evelin Vance]

[Race: Human]

[Age: 20]

[*ding!* Due to the great efforts of [Hero] Herculix, you get a +1 bonus to all stats! You also get a passive 2% increase to all exp gain!]

[*

ding!* Congratulations! You have survived your early years, and the system is now fully unlocked for you!]

[*ding!* Congratulations! You have earned your first class – Child of Earth – Metal]

“Thanks. Now where is Pallos?”

Lyssa might have some ideas about that. My AI companion informs me.

“Right, and what are those?”

Lyssa is 99% sure that we are no longer on earth.

“Really, what gave it away? The dinosaurs or the ancient architecture?”

The fact that Lyssa can no longer connect to the Protector Network.

“That sounds bad. How the fuck did this even happen?”

When you got shot you were hit in your teleportation drive, changing some of the vectors making them a lot larger than they were supposed to be.

“So, what you’re saying is that we accidentally teleported to a different planet?”

Yes,

“Well, that is great. I guess so. Uhm, how do we go back?” I ask, looking around me.

Lyssa does not know since lyssa is no longer connected, Lyssa can’t order replacement parts to fix the drive.

“Well, fuck uhm anyway to get the materials here and you know fix it manually?”

Lyssa fears that might be a bit hard. The level of manufacturing required does not seem achievable with the current level of technology.

“What if we use a substitute?” I ask, looking at a stall that is lighting up the surroundings with what looks like light magic? Bright signage pointing at the merchandise.

Lyssa thinks that it might be possible, but Lyssa would need to see more of the substitute.

“So, what you are telling me is that I need to learn magic,” I say with a bright smile

Yes, Lyssa recommends learning magic, especially magic that can recharge your devices.

I do a little happy dance as I walk down the street, already getting excited. Magic that is about three and a half times better than being a Samurai. Only to be surprised with a new message.

[*ding!* You have unlocked the General Skill [Companion bond with Lyssa]!]

[Companion bond with Lyssa] you have created a strong attachment between yourself and an *Error* assisted pick this skill to make the bond even stronger. Increased integration with Lyssa per level

“Well, that is something. What do you think?” I ask the Companion in question.

Lyssa does not know what you are talking about.

“I just got a new skill called Companion bond with Lyssa. Should I take it?” I explain.

Lyssa has no information on the subject called skills.

“Well, fuck it then. Let's equip and see what happens.”

And then I suddenly run into a wall about how to do it. How do I accept it? I try my best to think about it and to my surprise I feel something slot into place in my mind. I smile brightly and am about to complement my brilliance when Lyssa interrupts me.

Lyssa has gained access to a new system. She announces.

“What kind of system?”

It looks to be a stat screen. Lyssa will display it in your AUG’s

Suddenly a box appears in my aug and I can read my stats.

[Name: Evelin Vance]

[Species: Human]

[Age:20]

[Mana: 100/100]

[Mana Regen Rate: 192/day]

[Stats:]

[Free Stats: 4]

[Strength: 1]

[Dexterity: 2]

[Vitality: 2]

[Speed: 3]

[Mana: 3]

[Mana Regeneration: 1]

[Magic Power: 3]

[Magic Control: 1]

[Class 1: [Child of Earth – Metal (1)]]

[Class skills not available for initial Classes]

[Class 2: Locked]

[Class 3: Locked]

[General Skills:]

[Companion bond with Lyssa: 1]

That is interesting, but I have no clue what any of it means.

[*ding!* [Companion bond with Lyssa]] has reached level 2!]

I frown. Well, I guess it is working then but I feel like I need more skills and levels. Now how do I obtain any of those?