Apparently, the System initialization ended up taking 47 minutes. I’m not sure why the time is one of the first available information, but it is.

Status Time since initialisation : 00:000:00:47:55 Localisation : unknown mountains (Wilderness) Name : Marc Rosel Race : Human Gender : M Age : 28 Level 1 (0%) Characteristics STR : 105 DEX : 98 HEALTH 104/104 END : 104 MANA 128/128 INT : 128 M. HEALTH 94/94 SAN : 94 Traits Mental Traits Prudent : "What's the worst that can happen?" - Famous last words you do not live by. Split personality [B] (2) : You're never quite alone. At least he's friendly! Cynical : People are selfish, and will always be so. Never trust too much. Altruistic (-) : You're a really good friend to have, shame you rarely get along with people Physical Traits Adaptable [R] (+) : Humans have countless defects, yet they always adapt and overcome Adaptable [B] : System-granted superior adaptability. Survive and thrive.

Taking a good look at my Status is yet another strange mental experience. This time, the information isn't readily in my head, there’s too much at once.

I actually have to bring it forward and read the words while focusing on the strange visual illusion that is both there and not there.

An interesting perk of the status is that everything makes sense, beyond the little that was written. For instance, I knew that [R] stood for Racial, [B] for Boon, + meant a trait was categorized as major and - that it was counted as minor.

Well, I don’t really know the implication of those terms, but hey, it’s better than staring dumbly at abbreviations.

I’m happy to see my stats, confirming that I'm overall a bit above average. Health, mana and mental health were clearly directly linked to endurance, intelligence and sanity. The existence of the last pair of these was a bit worrisome though.

Traits were interesting but it kind of sucked to see the confirmation of Bob's existence.

Hey, don't call me Bob!

Right, yeah, that guy. Probably the reason my sanity is below 100 too. Actually...

Split personality [Boon] (dual personality)

A traumatic event inducing major stress weakened your mind for a moment, and your patterns of thought birthed a minor second personality that is quite happy to chat anytime. Perhaps it could eventually grow more useful?

While this event weakened your mind, permanently losing 10 points in your sanity stat and affecting your mental health, having a trustworthy partner will certainly come in handy, even if he's just in your head and has no hand to speak of.

This Trait is a System granted Boon, making it more likely to evolve.

This Trait is a System granted Boon, making it less likely to be lost.

Damn it. Well. What can't be helped can't be helped. What do I call you then, if not Bob?

Uh. Good question. How about Marc?

No. Denied. I might start speaking to myself but I am not calling you Marc. Find something else if Bob doesn’t work for you. I think it’s fine.

I don’t know, I’ll think about it. You’re accepting my existence better than I expected you to. I was worried earlier.

I guess I am... Well if you don't know what I should call you, just stay sharp, I'm sure you'll know when I need your input.

Do you think it's those adaptable traits? They are in the physical category but we've got a plastic mind too.

Good point. But I think it's really just how I am. I've always been one to take unexpected things in stride. People tend to panic and be unreasonable about all kinds of things that they wouldn't mind if they knew it was coming. I just try to be at peace with surprises and handle them as best as I can when I get there.

Bob's trait description really seemed like he's here to be a boon, and well, he's a part of me. Gotta be a good guy.

I still bring forward the adaptable traits info even if it feels a bit silly considering how self explaining the name is. Could be worth noting any difference between the two of them though.

Adaptable [Racial] (Major)

Humans are well known for being the first species to spread all over their native world. They live and survive through all but the harshest situations, in spite of a relatively weak body. This Trait speeds up the appearance and growth of Traits related to your personal survival, helping you to react quickly to any changes in your environment. It also allows Traits to resonate together while still in their forming stage.

This is a Racial Trait, that can only be lost should you manage to change your race.

This is a Racial Trait, making it less likely to evolve.

Adaptable [Boon]

System granted adaptability. This Trait speeds up the appearance and growth of Traits related to your personal survival and of Traits reacting to external factors of change in yourself or your environment.

This Trait is a System granted Boon, making it more likely to evolve.

This Trait is a System granted Boon, making it less likely to be lost.

This Trait synergizes with your [Racial] 'Adaptable' Trait, slightly improving the effect of both Traits.

Yeah, being adaptable helps to adapt and survive, what a surprise. The synergy thing is a nice touch but it's unhelpfully vague. Well, traits overall seem to be vague. Nothing is telling me how much better or worse major and minor traits are compared to normal ones. The descriptions don't seem to want to give more precise information than qualitative things. It's good to know that it will go faster than normal, but is it 5% faster or twice as fast?

Frustrating.

Can't do anything about it, can I? At least, traits resonating together while they are forming sounds like a pretty powerful thing to have.

Well, time to move, I've been in this new world for almost an hour already, I need to secure water, food and shelter. Preferably today, before the night is here.

The air is nice and fresh too, perfect for a hike.

- - -

[???]

In a faraway place, there is a special kind of darkness.

In that darkness, a very unique shade of power exists, it is a shrieking substance of splintered space and shattered silences. A thing of broken rules that has been observed but not tamed.

And there, moves a creation that was built rather than created. For a purpose that isn’t its purpose, an entity that is neither feeling nor unfeeling listens and observes.

It is alone, next to its master.

In a register so long it might as well be endless, a new mark is added as a new story begins.