"Huh?"
The notification caused Declan’s heartbeat to accelerate once again.
He had only just begun to feel a sense of relief after escaping the corpse pit, only for another danger to immediately appear before him.
Unfortunately, this was not a false alarm.
[The System has scanned a 250-meter radius of the Host’s surroundings and detected multiple bestial creatures.]
[The weakest among them possesses approximately twice the Host’s current combat capability.]
[The majority of these creatures have been identified as nocturnal and possess no difficulty climbing trees.]
[Does the Host understand the severity of the situation?]
Declan’s expression stiffened.
He was currently hiding atop a tree, surrounded by a jungle filled with powerful nocturnal beasts, and nightfall was only moments away. Of course he understood.
’The sun is almost completely gone already...’
His gaze shifted toward the fading horizon.
’I can’t outrun anything lurking within this forest.’
’I don’t even know how large this jungle is. Running blindly would most likely lead me directly into another creature’s territory and get me killed even faster.’
His thoughts moved rapidly.
’That leaves me with only two options.’
’Hide... or fight.’
’Hide? Against creatures capable of seeing perfectly in darkness? They will find me eventually.’
’Fight? Against monsters that are at least twice as strong as me? I will die.’
’Then... what exactly am I supposed to do?’
As always, Declan relied on the one thing he had never lacked:
His mind.
Then his eyes shifted toward the golden panel still floating quietly at the corner of his vision.
’Right...’
’The System. How could I have forgotten about it?’
"Hey...Mecha Overlord System?"
The golden panel flickered.
[The Host may simply refer to the System as ’System.’]
Based on everything it had revealed so far, Declan had already reached several conclusions.
Firstly, this system possessed intelligence. It was not a simple machine following predetermined commands.
Second...It had revived him from certain death.
Not only that, but it had scanned an entire quarter-kilometer radius and warned him about dangers far beyond what his own senses could detect.
Declan himself could barely see thirty meters ahead in the darkness, revealing the overwhelming difference in their capabilities.
Whatever the System truly was...Its capabilities right now surpassed his, and that was a variable that he could not afford to ignore.
Countless questions immediately surfaced within Declan’s mind.
What exactly was the system, who had created it, and what kind of technology could accomplish something like this?
Is it a Fully Transient-grade technology, or perhaps even Semi-Transient?
One question led to another, but he quickly pushed them aside.
Those answers could wait.
Right now, survival came first, and after a few moments of silence, Declan finally asked the question that mattered most.
"May I ask why you’re helping me, and what exactly do you want from me in return?"
He had died, his head split into halves, yet the System had brought him back using something called a Life Rebirth Card, a treasure capable of reversing death itself.
That alone was something beyond measurable value.
Then it had guided him out of the corpse pit, warned him about the dangers within the forest, and continued assisting him every step of the way.
While he was beyond grateful, one unsettling thought still remained.
Why?
Nothing in this world was ever truly free, so what did the System want from him?
[The Host is receiving assistance because he is the current bearer of the System. Like a familiar serving its summoner, assisting the bearer is considered natural.]
[As for what the System expects in return...]
The words suddenly stopped.
Declan unconsciously leaned forward.
[The true answer has been determined to possess no value for the Host’s current level of strength and may place the Host in unnecessary danger.]
[Therefore, revealing this information at the present time has been deemed unnecessary.]
Instead of fear...Declan felt relief.
An unknown existence merging with him was already dangerous enough, but if it had claimed to desire absolutely nothing in return, then that would have been far more concerning.
[For now, the System’s objective is simple: Maximize the Host’s chances of survival until he possesses the qualifications required to pursue the System’s true objectives.]
From a practical perspective...
This arrangement only benefited him.
"I appreciate that."
Declan looked toward the darkening forest.
"But my current situation still seems rather hopeless."
The golden panel shimmered, and new lines of text appeared.
[The System possesses the necessary functions to ensure the Host’s survival and future growth. To activate full functionality, please say out loud:
"Initiate Mecha Overlord Protocol."
Declan repeated the words, and instantly, the golden panel expanded.
[ SYSTEM INTERFACE ]
[SYSTEM STATUS]
[SKILLS AND ABILITIES]
[SHOP {UNAVAILABLE - LEVEL TOO LOW}]
[MISSIONS]
Following the System’s guidance, Declan focused his attention on the first option, and the interface unfolded before him.
____________________
[ SYSTEM INTERFACE ]
▸ Name: Declan Ezra
▸ Race: Human
▸ Age: 19
▸ Level: 1
▸ EXP: 0/100
[STATS]
▸Strength: 10
▸Agility: 10
▸Endurance: 12
▸Intelligence: 20
▸ Charm: 15
____________________
’This...’
’It’s exactly like those game interfaces from old virtual simulations.’
’Level 1 is the standard starting point, and EXP stands for Experience Points, and are used for increasing levels.’
Declan’s eyes moved across the list.
Most of his stats appeared completely average, except for Intelligence.
Twenty...about double each of the rest.
That result however was not surprising to him.
Declan had always known where his greatest talent existed.
His gaze shifted toward the final attribute.
[Charm: 15]
That was also slightly higher than the others, though currently, he had no idea what practical purpose it served.
’If EXP is required for leveling up, then how am I supposed to obtain it?’
[The Host is advised to inspect the Mission tab.]
Declan began navigating and the interface changed a moment later.
[MISSIONS]
[Current Active Mission: 1]
[Objective: Kill 1 Nocturnal Beast]
[Rewards:
[1. +100 EXP]
[ 2. +1 Level Up Card ]
[3. +1 Ability Upgrade Card]
[Mission Difficulty: Insane! ]
[Remark: The weakest nocturnal beast possesses at least twice the Host’s overall combat capability. Attempting this mission is equivalent to challenging death itself.]
Declan stared at the mission, his eyebrow twitching slightly as he continued reading in silence for several seconds.
Finally, he brushed his hair back and released a slow breath.
There was not much to analyze as the objective was painfully simple: kill a beast or die trying.
With only one thought remaining, he steeled himself and shifted his attention toward the menu he believed would determine whether he survived the night.
[SKILLS AND ABILITIES]