Tuesday, April 18, 2023

10:55 AM EST

Local Diner, Hillsborough, NY

"Thank you all for watching this Alpha Presentation of The System and You. I apologize for interrupting your previous programming. Good luck with your decisions at 11:00 AM."

The TV went to the color bars, and then returned to the news station, with the anchor staring at an offscreen monitor, only to jerk and look at the camera, and clear his throat. "Apparently, we're back now. We've been able to confirm the reception of a radio broadcast data stream, but the government is refusing to answer any questions about the broadcast that took over the airways."

"Well, it looks like things are going to get interesting, Johnny," one of the few non-scientists in Hillsborough said to another one. "You think that broadcast was true?"

Johnny looked at the clock. "Well, I suppose we'll know in about three minutes, Rufus." He got up and stretched, his muscles clear across his bulging black arms. "Of course, if the information was right, we may be out of a job, depending how many of the beanpoles invest in Strength. Hope you don't let whatever powers you get go to your head, as I was always fond of you as a friend."

"Same to you, Johnny," he answered, saluting him with his soda and drinking deeply before setting the glass down and keeping an eye on the clock. He sighed as it turned to 11:00 AM and nothing had happened. He opened his mouth to say something and suddenly there was a loud chime. Everything froze, then the world went grey and a series of blue screens appeared in his view.

*DING!*

Magic Anomaly Normalization Allocation (MANA) System has been activated.

Local Space-Time has been stopped until processing has been completed.

Currently Processing 11,789,972,382 Sentients on the planet.

Processing...

*DING!*

Welcome to the MANA System.

Processing...

Please Wait....

Processing...

*DING*

Congratulations, Sentient 8,000,837. You have granted 2,582,109 PPP (Personalized Potential Points) to use in altering your future and potential. As a newly processed Sentient, your Physical and Mental Statistics have been fully unlocked. As a newly processed Sentient, you will receive One (1) Personal Statistic unlocked for free.

Processing Sentient Memories and HIstory...

*DING*

Your Personal Statistic: Mechanical Attunment has been unlocked. Personal Statistics [1/5]. Would you like to have Earned Statistics, Default Statistics (All Unlocked Stats set to Five (5)), or Randomized Statistics (Physical and Mental Statistics out of Ten (10), Personal Statistic out of Twenty (20))?

[Earned / Default / Random]

"What are my current Earned Statistics?"

*DING*

Status

Name: Rufus Bjornson

Race: Earthling - Human [Change]

Age: 49 [-]/[+]

PPP: 2,582,109

Stamina: 100/100 [-]/[+]

Stamina Regen: 8/hour [-]/[+]

Mana: 50/50 [-]/[+]

Mana Regen: 9/hour [-]/[+]

Connection: 150/150 [-]/[+]

Connection Regen: 15/hour [-]/[+]

Physical Statistics [5/5]

Strength: 10 [-]/[+]

Agility: 7 [-]/[+]

Dexterity: 9 [-]/[+]

Endurance: 10 [-]/[+]

Vitality: 8 [-]/[+]

Mental Statistics [5/5]

Memory: 5 [-]/[+]

Intuition: 7 [-]/[+]

Perception: 7 [-]/[+]

Acuity: 5 [-]/[+]

Willpower: 9 [-]/[+]

Personal Statistics [1/5]

Mechanical Attunement: 15 [-]/[+]

"Sure, let's keep those!" Rufus grinned.

....

Time resumed after Rufus finished his Tutorial, dressed in a steampunk set of armor he had designed off of the image of the Warhammer 40k Space Marine. In front of him, Johnny appeared, dressed in chainmail and steel plates, a huge tower shield slung across his back with what looked like a Claymore slung across at a diagonal between the plate and shield.

"Well, that was fun. Glad I took that broadcast seriously," Rufus told Johnny.

"Ain't that the truth?" Johnny answered with a grin. "I'm just glad we ain't near any prisons. Can you imagine all the super-powered inmates throwing an uprising?"

"What I really don't want to see is any of the newly empowered extremist groups... Did you meet any gods?"