Chapter 4: The Awakening Stone

The panda admin clapped his hands, and suddenly, a small stone appeared in each person's hand. The group looked at the stones in surprise, murmurs of confusion spreading among them.

"Alright, listen up, folks!" the panda said energetically. "Those stones you're holding are your ticket to unlocking your innate skills. Crush them, and you'll awaken a random skill. The skills are ranked from F to SSS, so if you get an F, don't feel too bad there's always room for improvement!"

The crowd exchanged uncertain glances, their grip tightening around the stones.

"And that's not all," the panda continued, pacing back and forth. "This tower has levels. The higher the level, the more mana you'll have, and the better control you'll gain over your abilities. You'll level up by killing monsters or completing tower quests and trials. Simple, right? Well, maybe not so simple, but you'll figure it out."

Alden examined the stone in his hand, feeling a mix of excitement and trepidation. With a deep breath, he tightened his grip and crushed the stone, feeling a surge of energy course through him.

As the energy settled, Alden felt a new awareness within himself. His system panel updated, and a status window appeared:

Status Window

Name: Alden

Level: 1

Mana: 100/100

Skills:

- Impact Vault (B): [Click to view description]

Curious about his new skill, Alden clicked on "Impact Vault (B)" to see the description:

Skill: Impact Vault (B)

Absorb: Absorbs a portion of the kinetic energy from incoming physical and magical attacks, reducing the damage taken. The absorbed energy is stored until released.

Rebound: Converts the stored kinetic energy into a concentrated blast and redirects it at enemies. The force of the blast depends on the amount of energy absorbed.

Energy Threshold: There is a limit to the amount of kinetic energy that can be absorbed at any given time. This threshold increases with experience and level.

Alden marveled at the potential of his new skill. It seemed deceptively simple, but he knew that with time and experience, its true power would unfold. Impact Vault, huh? he thought. It might not look like much now, but I can feel the possibilities. Absorb and rebound... The more I learn to control it, the more versatile it will become. I just need to be smart about how I use it and push my limits.

[Ding...]

A new system notification appeared before Alden's eyes:

Quest Reward: First Batch Awakener

Reward: Black Box (Rank: ???)

Status: Received

Alden glanced at the black box in his inventory, its mysterious aura tempting him to open it immediately. I'll check it out when I'm alone, he thought, looking around at the others.

The panda admin clapped his hands together once more, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Alright, folks, it's time for the real test! Brace yourselves!"

In an instant, the world around them shimmered and shifted. Alden felt a strange sensation, like being pulled through a tunnel of light. When the sensation subsided, he found himself standing alone in the middle of a dense forest. The towering trees cast long shadows, and the sounds of rustling leaves and distant animal calls filled the air.

"Where am I?" Alden muttered, looking around. He realized that the other climbers were nowhere to be seen. They had all been separated.

[Ding...]

A new system notification appeared before Alden's eyes:

Quest: Survive the Forest

Objective: Navigate through the forest and find your way to the designated safe zone.

Time Limit: 24 hours

Status: In Progress

Alone at last, Alden decided it was a good time to open the reward he had received from the tower master system. His heart pounded with anticipation as he prepared to reveal the contents of the black box.