As Adriel moved from the bed to the door, he called out, his voice carrying through the quiet house.
"Mom? Tachyon? Anyone?"
Silence greeted him in return. No answer meant no one was home.
A small sigh escaped his lips, and he turned back into the room, scanning for something to break the stillness. His fingers brushed the bedside switch, flicking it up. The room suddenly lit up in sharp contrast to the previous darkness, and his eyes squinted, adjusting to the sudden brightness.
"Looks like this world is more modern than I thought..."
Mounted on the wall was a sleek, holographic television, glowing faintly with soft blue light. It was paired with a floating console shelf, housing a compact gaming unit. In the corner stood a water dispenser, its cool metallic surface reflecting the light, and a humming mini fridge stocked with energy drinks and protein meals.
His workstation was nothing short of futuristic—a smooth matte surface with a built-in holographic interface. Resting on it was a smartwatch terminal, projecting 3D displays, capable of handling calls, scanning aether, and more. Beside it sat a compact earpod case, the buds inside equipped with AI-enhanced functions, including real-time translation and direct neural audio playback.
The walls, painted in cool gray, were subtly decorated with faintly glowing blue hex-pattern designs that added to the room's serene, almost otherworldly atmosphere. A voice-activated wardrobe stood across from the bed, neatly organizing his daily wear, school uniforms, and light combat gear. Nearby, a dirty laundry chute beckoned, but Adriel wasn't in the mood to deal with that just yet.
The bed was wide and low, its temperature-regulating surface complemented by built-in vibration alarms that could wake him in an instant, though he hadn't yet adjusted to their function. A hovering nightstand beside the bed held a digital frame, cycling through photos from his present life—though he had yet to take notice.
In one corner, a bookshelf housed rare physical books and glowing data cards, their faint hum suggesting they were much more than simple reading materials. One particular shelf, locked and pulsing faintly, seemed to react to his presence, as if it were waiting for him to approach.
Above, the smart light grid shifted to match his mood or voice commands, casting the room in different shades of color. A silent ionized air fan kept the room fresh, its low hum comforting in the silence. On the floor, a pair of self-adjusting sneakers sat carelessly tossed aside, ugly but ridiculously comfortable—Adriel couldn't bring himself to throw them away.
He slowly made his way to the bathroom, the warmth of the air outside the room a sharp contrast to the coolness of the tiles beneath his feet. Slumping into the bathtub, the warm water quickly began to relax his stiff muscles, slowly easing the tension he hadn't realized was building.
As he soaked in the tub, Adriel discovered a strange sensation—his bathwater included some healing properties of the water, almost like an added bonus.
The warmth didn't just calm his nerves; it soothed the remnants of pain in his body, drawing out his stress and physical strain.
After nearly 50 minutes, he dragged himself unwillingly from the tub, the water's warmth leaving a lingering sense of calm behind.
"That's definitely the best bath I've ever had…"
Glancing into the mirror, he observed the man staring back at him—a face he knew, but now different in subtle ways. His black hair was still as unruly as ever, and his dark gray eyes that held a playful gaze. His body had transformed—slightly muscular, with a toned six-pack and slightly broader chest, an aesthetic that is better than average.
With a sigh, he went to his wardrobe and picked out a white hoodie, black joggers, and a pair of white shoes, the comfort of the outfit matching his current mood.
As he dressed, he mentally ran through the details of his life. His mother, Alyssa, and his sister, Tachyon, were both away, traveling, and wouldn't return for at least three months.
"I've got the house to myself. Not a bad situation, considering everything that's happened…"
After getting dressed, he headed to the kitchen. His stomach growled angrily as he prepared a hearty meal, almost as if it had been waiting for him to feed it. Once satisfied, he sat back down, his mind quickly returning to the pressing issue at hand.
"I need to find energy to feed the system... Aether stones are a good start, but where to find them?"
Aether stones—naturally occurring stones that contained raw aether—were an invaluable resource in this world. They could be used for a multitude of purposes: as a power source, for cultivating aether, refining weapons, and even as currency. They were very rare and usually found in mines, making them difficult to obtain.
They were graded from the lowest—Grade 1—to the highest—Grade 9. And, at the end of the day, they were essential to powering up anything aether-based.
"I remember my mom and Tachyon giving me some Grade 1 energy stones the day of my awakening…"
He quickly started rummaging through his desk, looking for the small stones. After a few moments, his hand brushed against the cold, smooth surface of three tiny, thumb-sized stones.
He counted them carefully—three Grade 1 stones in total.
Taking a deep breath, he muttered, "Let's see if this will work…"
'System.'
---
*DING*
[Energy Source Found]
[Requesting Permission From Host to Absorb]
---
Adriel chuckled, his mood lightening as he realized what this meant.
"Hahahahaha, I'm a fucking genius…" His laugh was manic, but he couldn't help it—he was exhilarated.
"You have my permission... Absorb it all..."
---
[Permission Granted]
[Absorbing Energy...]
[Success...]
[Energy Required: 0.001 / 100]
---
His laughter abruptly stopped as he stared at the screen in front of him, disbelief washing over him.
"Z...Ze...Zero... Zero point zero zero one?"
Adriel blinked, staring at the system's message. Was his vision messed up?
"That was a Grade 1 energy stone! It was supposed to give me something more..."
To understand his frustration, it's important to grasp how the currency system worked in this world. Aether Credits—divided into Bronze, Silver, and Gold Credits—were used for all kinds of exchanges. The system was quite complex, with Aether stones being worth far more than he had imagined.
---
Currency System Overview:
100 Bronze Credits (BC) = 1 Silver Credit (SC)
100 Silver Credits (SC) = 1 Gold Credit (GC)
100 Gold Credits (GC) = 1 Grade 1 Energy Stone
100 Grade 1 Energy Stones = 1 Grade 2 Energy Stone
And so on...
This means that a single Grade 1 Energy Stone was equivalent to 100 Gold Credits, which was no small amount. But Adriel had just learned that the system required much more than he expected.
He opened his smartwatch to check his account balance, hoping for some good news.
---
Account Name: Adriel Goldhaven
Account Type: Standard
Status: Active
Account ID: 5473-017-GHVN
Last Access: 10-03-5473, 22:15
Total Balance:
394.57 GC (Gold Credits)
---
Adriel's face dropped.
"Yeah... I'm broke..." he muttered bitterly, running a hand through his hair. "I need a lot of credits… no, I need energy, not credits."
The situation seemed hopeless. He needed the system to grow stronger, but the system needed energy to function, and he had none.
"What to do… what to do…"
A long sigh escaped his lips as he slumped into the chair. He couldn't stay stuck. Fate had left him no choice. He'd have to find a massive source of energy, and fast. But where?
There had been rumors of places with vast stores of energy—untapped reserves, underground sources, ancient artifacts that might still hold power. But objects like that were typically locked away by powerful families and individuals who could afford to keep them.
So, the only option left was to search for the places where the energy surges were happening.
Adriel opened his smartwatch and scrolled through the Starnet for information. After some searching, a post caught his eye.
---
Energy Surge Near Velris City
"There's been a massive surge of energy near Velris City. I've been tracking unusual aether flows for the past few days, and it's causing minor tremors and disruptions in surrounding areas, including Helstran City. The energy buildup feels unnatural—like something's stirring beneath the surface.
If you're in the area, stay alert. Whatever it is, it's worth watching closely."
---
Adriel raised an eyebrow. Velris City was just 160 kilometers from Helstran, and he could reach it in under 30 minutes with a hovercar.
'Time to head out...' he said inwardly.