Chapter 3: Empty Pockets, Digital Dreams
Brian tapped 'Y' with a surge of anticipation. The black text on his phone screen dissolved, replaced by a surprisingly clean, minimalist interface. White background, sharp black text, organized into neat categories. At the top, it read: System Store - Tier 0. Below that, a crucial detail: System Points (SP): 0.
Zero. Of course. Systems like this didn't just hand out freebies forever. The tutorial reward was the skill point, not currency. His brief elation deflated slightly, replaced by the familiar weight of having nothing.
Still, he browsed. The categories were simple: 'Knowledge', 'Assets', 'Tools', 'Boosts'.
Under 'Knowledge', he found entries like:
[Python Basics: Variables & Data Types] - Cost: 5 SP
[Introduction to Game Loops] - Cost: 10 SP
[Pixel Art Fundamentals] - Cost: 8 SP
He clicked on 'Assets'. It was mostly locked or greyed out, labelled 'Tier 1 Access Required'. However, a few Tier 0 options existed:
[Basic Pixel Font Pack (5 Styles)] - Cost: 3 SP
[Simple 8x8 Icon Set (10 Icons)] - Cost: 2 SP
[Royalty-Free Chiptune Loop (15 seconds)] - Cost: 1 SP
'Tools' was even sparser.
[System Code Debugger (Basic - 1 Use)] - Cost: 5 SP
[Temporary Cloud Compile (Up to 100 lines of code)] - Cost: 10 SP (This one intrigued him – maybe a way around his weak laptop?)
Finally, 'Boosts':
[Minor Focus Enhancement (30 minutes)] - Cost: 4 SP
[Learning Aptitude Boost (Python - 1 hour)] - Cost: 7 SP
It was a glimpse of a path forward, a ladder out of his current pit, but every rung had a price tag he couldn't afford. He had the programming skill – Novice Level 1 – but zero SP to buy the knowledge or assets needed to actually do anything beyond printing text. The gap between "Hello, World!" and even the simplest game suddenly felt vast.
He slumped back against the thin mattress, the laptop warm on his legs. The system was incredible, a miracle even, but it wasn't magic. It wouldn't conjure success from nothing. He still had to put in the work, earn the points, climb the tiers.
As if sensing his thoughts, the phone screen flickered back to the main interface.
[Host has 0 System Points.]
[System Points are earned primarily through completing Missions and achieving Milestones.]
[New Mission Available: 'Simple Interaction']
Brian straightened up, his focus instantly sharpening. A new mission. A chance to earn SP.
[Mission: Simple Interaction]
[Objective: Modify your hello.py script. The program should now ask the user for their name and then greet them personally (e.g., "Hello, [User's Name]!"). Utilize System guidance for input functions.]
[Rewards: +5 SP, +1 Programming Skill Point (Python - Novice Level 2), [Basic Pixel Font Pack (5 Styles)] unlocked.]
[Failure Penalty: Loss of 1 SP (Minimum SP cannot go below 0).]
[Accept Mission? Y/N]
Five SP! Enough to buy that first Python knowledge pack. And a free font pack thrown in? Plus, another skill point. The failure penalty – losing a point he didn't even have yet – seemed trivial. This was it. The next step. It wouldn't pay the rent, not yet, but it was progress. It was something.
"Yes," Brian whispered, tapping the 'Y' with renewed determination. The blank Notepad file on his laptop screen no longer looked empty; it looked like an opportunity.