Between Life and Death: Sora's Choice

/ ! \ WARNING / ! \

[ The Climber Is In Critical Condition: Poison. ]

[ System0 Wishes to Heal You: Accept / Decline ]

[ What Do You Choose? ]

"Oh, did I lose to that disgusting thing?

But who is this 'Climber'? Is it me?

And more importantly, what is this 'System0'?

Why does it want to help me?

Damn, it feels like my head just went through a washing machine.

And it's weird—no matter how hard I try to speak, no sound comes out, and I can't move either.

It's like I'm in space."

/ ! \ WARNING / ! \

[ Climber, You Have Only 5 Seconds Left Before Death. ]

[ Please Make Your Choice: Accept / Decline ]

[ What Do You Choose? ]

"Hey, System0, are you messing with me?

Oh, right, you can’t hear me.

Of course, I want to live.

ACCEPT!!"

/ ! \ WARNING / ! \

[ The Climber Has Chosen: Accept ]

[ System0 Will Now Heal the Climber; Time Until Full Recovery: 10 Seconds ]

"Oh, I’m coming back to life.

Nice one, System0. You’re a real lifesaver."

/ ! \ WARNING / ! \

[ Healing Successfully Applied ]

[ Returning Climber to Original Body ]

"Oh wow, I’m really alive.

So the system does exist.

Hehe…

System0, I summon you!!"

[ Did the Climber Call for Me? ]

"Whoa, awesome, you’re still here.

Hey, System0, what can you do?"

[ The System Has Various Functions ]

[ Function No.1: Assist the Climber in Their Quest ]

"My quest?

System0, what is the goal of my quest?"

[ Negative ]

[ System0 Cannot Fulfill the Climber’s Request; Reason: Current Level Below Minimum Requirement ]

"Levels?

System0, what’s this about levels?"

[ By Gaining EXP, the Climber Can Increase Their Level ]

"And how do I gain EXP?"

[ The Climber Gains EXP by Fighting and Defeating Enemies ]

"Oh, just like in video games.

Too easy.

So, System0, what’s my current level?"

[ The Climber’s Current Level: LV.0 ]

"Zero?

That’s pathetic.

System0, what level do I need to reach to know the goal of my quest?"

[ To Discover the Goal of Your Quest, the Climber Must Reach at Least: LV.10 ]

"That’s going to take a while…

System0, do you know of another way to learn my quest faster?"

[ Affirmative ]

[ System0 Knows an Alternative Method for the Climber to Discover Their Quest Objective ]

[ Does the Climber Wish to Know the Alternative Method: Accept / Decline ]

"I don’t know if you’re doing this on purpose or not…

But of course, I accept."

[ Request: Accepted ]

[ To Learn the Objective of Their Quest, the Climber Must Wait 10 Years ]

"Great joke, System0."

[ Negative ]

[ System0 Never Jokes ]

"Wow, way to kill the mood.

System0, can I change the way you talk?"

[ Negative ]

[ System0 Cannot Fulfill the Climber’s Request; Reason: Current Level Below Minimum Requirement ]

"Ugh, damn it.

System0, what level do I need to be to do that?"

[ To Modify System0, the Climber Must Reach: LV.10 ]

"Seriously, you can’t do anything before LV.10?"

[ Negative ]

[ Before LV.10 ]

[ System0 Can Answer Certain Questions the Climber Asks ]

"Well, at least you’re somewhat useful…

System0, can you tell me where to find opponents I can defeat?"

[ Negative ]

[ System0 Cannot Fulfill the Climber’s Request; Reason: Current Level Below Minimum Requirement ]

"Yeah, I saw that coming.

So can you at least give me information about myself?"

[ Affirmative ]

[ Does the Climber Wish for System0 to Activate the Ability: Stats Scan? ]

[ Accept / Decline ]

"Oh, you can finally do something.

But this really feels like a video game with this ‘Stats Scan’ thing.

I accept, System0."

[ STATS SHEET ]

[ - Name: Sora ISOSHI ]

[ - Age: 17 ]

[ - Sex: Male ]

[ - Status: 100% (100 HP) ]

[ - Level: LV.0 ]

[ - EXP: 0/100 ]

[ ATTRIBUTES ]

[ - Strength: 0.4 ]

[ - Intelligence: 0.6 ]

[ - Agility: 0.5 ]

[ - Speed: 0.45 ]

[ - Vitality: 0.2 ]

[ - Magic: _ ]

[ - Magic Resistance: 0.1 ]

[ SKILLS ]

[ - The Collection ]

[ TITLE ]

[ - The Climber ]

"Oh wow, that’s cool.

But I have no idea if my stats are high or not… Given that I’m still LV.0, I’d say I’m pretty weak.

And like Rin tried to make me understand, I have no magic and therefore very little resistance to it.

Vitality… what does that mean?

System0, what is vitality?"

[ Vitality Is the Energy or Physical Endurance of Your Body ]

"Oh, so that’s why I almost died touching that weird creature.

Oh, I got a skill: The Collection.

What the hell is that?

System0, explain my skill to me."

[ Negative ]

[ System0 Cannot Fulfill the Climber’s Request; Reason: Conditions Not Met ]

"System0, what conditions do I need to fulfill?"

[ The Conditions the Climber Must Meet to Unlock This Request Are: ]

[ Condition 1: Establish Contact with System0: Checked ]

[ Condition 2: Check Their ‘STATS SHEET’: Checked ]

[ Condition 3: / ! \ The Climber Cannot Access This Condition / ! \ ]

"System0, how can I access this condition?"

[ System0 Cannot Fulfill the Climber’s Request; Reason: System0 Is Not Capable of Assisting the Climber ]

"Ah, great. Even you don’t know.

Anyway, the most important thing right now is to find a town where I can get some information about this world.

System0, can you display a map of Floor -5?"

[ Negative ]

[ System0 Cannot Fulfill the Climber’s Request; Reason: Current Level Below Minimum Requirement ]

"What? Do I need to be LV.10?"

[ Negative ]

[ To Access a Map of Floor -5 ]

[ The Climber Must Reach: LV.20 ]

"What?! LV.20?! That’s twice the level needed to know my quest’s goal…

Alright, change of plan—I need to fight to level up.

Normally, in a forest like this, I should find some animals to fight.

But let’s forget about that slug-horse thing… I don’t want to die a second time.

Something small would be nice."

...

"Perfect, a little rabbit-fox.

System0, show me this animal’s STATS SHEET."

[ Negative ]

[ No System0 Ability Exists Under That Name ]

[ Would You Like to Use the Skill: Collector’s Catalog? ]

[ Accept / Decline ]

"Yes, that’s the one. I accept."

[ COLLECTOR'S CATALOG ]

[ - Name: Lapenard ]

[ - Age: 1 ]

[ - Sex: Male ]

[ - Status: 100% (200 HP) ]

[ ATTRIBUTES ]

[ - Strength: 1.25 ]

[ - Intelligence: 0.9 ]

[ - Agility: 1.2 ]

[ - Speed: 1.65 ]

[ - Vitality: 1.05 ]

[ - Magic: 0.75 ]

[ - Magic Resistance: 1.05 ]

[ SKILLS ]

[ - Sharp Fangs ]

"Uh, System0, is it normal that this thing is way stronger than me?"

[ Affirmative ]

[ The Lapenard Is the Weakest Creature the Climber Will Encounter on Floor -5 ]

[ The Climber Is Weaker Than the Lapenard Because They Are Not a Native of the Tower ]

"Great.

And how am I supposed to defeat it?"

[ With Their Current Level, the Climber Has Only Few Chances of Defeating the Lapenard ]

[ System0 Recommends the Climber Not Engage in Combat ]