Max rubbed his chin, contemplating his next move. "Ted Faro… that bastard had the highest authority, but finding his remains or any trace of his access won't be easy."
His Focus activated with a soft blue glow, scanning the ruins around him. Ancient remnants of the Old World stretched before him—collapsed buildings overtaken by nature, rusted machines lying dormant, and holographic displays flickering with static.
"But if I remember correctly… there were still high-level accesses left behind in bunkers or labs. If I can find even an Elizabeth access, I might be able to override the system and upgrade it later."
"Bahh, not gonna do that. All that fucking adventure or shit," Max said as he sat on the cliff, then used his UP and directly bought Ted Faro's access.
[What's the point of going to another world if you're not even going to explore it?] his system asked.
Max shrugged. "I'm the kind of guy who plays every game on Easy difficulty—what did you expect from me?" he replied nonchalantly.
"Though, I am going to get all the tech here, so I will have to travel a lot for it," he muttered as he bought a bike from the system.
Hopping onto the hover bike—one that could move on all terrains—he smirked. "Let's get going now," he murmured as he revved the engine and sped off.
His first goal was the nearest ruin.
Opening the map, he suddenly paused, almost letting go of the bike. "Wait a second…"
Spending a few more UP, he unlocked the entire map.
"In the game, you have to jump around and climb Tallnecks to sync with them and map out the surroundings," he mused. "But I don't have time for that, so I just bought it."
He scanned the map, his eyes narrowing as he pinpointed a location.
"Hmm, so this one's the closest."
Max revved up his hover bike, the sleek machine humming softly beneath him. With the full map unlocked, he no longer needed to waste time wandering blindly. His destination was clear—a ruin buried deep within a valley, untouched by the Nora and still housing remnants of the Old World's technology.
As he sped through the rugged terrain, he couldn't help but admire the vast beauty of Horizon's world. Towering mountains loomed in the distance, their peaks dusted with snow. Rolling plains stretched endlessly, dotted with mechanical beasts roaming like real wildlife. The mixture of nature and technology was surreal, a world both ancient and futuristic at the same time.
"Man, this place is way more stunning in person," Max muttered, feeling the wind rush past him. "Too bad it's filled with killer robots."
A red triangle suddenly flashed in his Focus.
[ Alert: Enemy presence detected. ]
Max instinctively slowed down and scanned the area. A small herd of Watchers patrolled the ruins up ahead. These things were basically robotic guard dogs, designed to detect intruders and alert larger machines. If they spotted him, he might end up fighting a whole damn army.
"Great. First challenge," he whispered, gripping the handlebars. "Do I sneak past, or do I wipe them out?"
His lips curled into a grin.
"Eh, let's have some fun."
Max reached into his inventory, pulling out a custom bow he had just purchased from the system. If he was going to hunt machines, he might as well do it like a real warrior.
Drawing an arrow, he took aim at the nearest Watcher. The glowing red eye was its weak point.
"Time to test my skills."
He loosed the arrow.
The arrow whistled through the air, striking the Watcher's glowing red eye dead center. The machine let out a distorted screech as sparks erupted from its head, and it collapsed instantly.
[ Critical Hit! Silent Strike Bonus Applied. ]
The remaining Watchers snapped their heads toward their fallen companion, their optics flashing in alarm. One of them let out a high-pitched shriek—a distress signal.
"Tch, knew it wouldn't be that easy," Max muttered. He swiftly notched another arrow, but before he could fire, the other Watchers started darting around, scanning for threats. Their erratic movements made it harder to land a clean shot.
"Alright, plan B."
Max activated Machine Master skills, boosting his stealth and override capabilities. With a quick sprint, he dashed behind a rock, keeping low as the Watchers scanned the area.
[ Override Available: Hold to Hack. ]
A grin spread across his face. "Let's get myself a pet."
He crept toward the nearest Watcher and pressed his Override Tool against its exposed back. The machine twitched, its lights flickering from red to blue.
"Good boy," Max whispered as the Watcher turned to face the others—now under his control.
Before the other Watchers could react, his new ally lunged, slamming into the closest one, knocking it to the ground. Max seized the opportunity, firing another arrow at the last remaining enemy, piercing its eye with precision.
[ Enemy Neutralized. Combat XP Gained. ]
Max exhaled, letting his adrenaline settle. "That went better than expected."
He glanced at his hacked Watcher, which now stood obediently by his side. "Guess I have a scout now. I'll call you… Scout."
The machine beeped in response, as if acknowledging its new name.
"Alright, let's get into that ruin before more of these things show up."
With his new companion in tow, Max pressed forward, stepping into the dark, forgotten halls of the Old World's technology.
The air inside the ruin was thick with dust and the scent of rusted metal. Dim blue lights flickered along the walls, remnants of a past civilization now long gone. Max took slow, deliberate steps, his Watcher following closely behind, its optics scanning for movement.
[ Environmental Analysis: Ancient Facility Detected ]
"Yeah, no kidding," Max muttered. His Focus flickered to life, overlaying a digital interface onto his vision. The place was littered with old terminals, broken doors, and shattered glass panels.
He approached a console, wiping off the thick layer of dust. The screen flickered weakly, struggling to power up.
[ SYSTEM REBOOTING… ACCESS LEVEL: RESTRICTED ]
Max smirked. "Not for long."
***
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