Zack zipped up his sports jacket all the way, trying to trap any warmth inside, but he could still feel the cold biting at his skin. Gotham at night was annoyingly cold, and the stench of mold and old rain in the alleys didn't help improve his mood.
"Ooooh, look at him! The great warrior Zack Murky, shaking like a leaf in the wind!"
The system's voice rang inside his head, dripping with sarcasm, as if it was thoroughly enjoying Zack's miserable state.
"Remember, just a few hours ago, you were in your room, sitting in your chair, indulging in your favorite hobby! Ah, what an amazing upgrade! From a guy wasting time in front of a screen doing something that some people consider a sport, to someone who could get killed at any moment in Gotham! Remarkable progress!"
Zack exhaled in frustration, his grip tightening around the gun inside his pocket.
"Oh, don't be mad at me, buddy. I'm just reminding you of your highly accomplished life: no job, no friends, no social life, and plenty of 'solitary meditation' in front of that black, purple, or blue screen—whichever was your favorite, I honestly don't know."
Zack stopped in the middle of the alley, gritting his teeth as he hissed under his breath, "Can you shut up for a moment?"
But the system wasn't about to let this opportunity slide.
"Aaaah, do you want me to be quiet? Why? Am I embarrassing you? Come on, admit it—you miss your room, that little chair, and those 'spiritual self-reflection' sessions! How touching!"
Zack closed his eyes for a moment, resisting the urge to punch the air, before continuing his path through the alleys.
"Alright, alright, I'll leave you alone for a bit… but only because I want to see how you'll handle your first encounter with someone who might try to rob you… or kill you."
Zack swallowed hard. For the first time, the true danger of this place started to sink in.
Gotham wasn't just a city… it was a war zone crawling with lunatics. And now, he was part of it.
He walked aimlessly, his steps heavy, his mind still struggling to process that he was now in Gotham—the city of chaos, crime, and madness.
The alleys were desolate, broken windows everywhere, the stench of urine and garbage, dim streetlights barely illuminating the streets… This place was worse than it looked in the movies.
But he couldn't think straight. His body was trembling, and the cold was starting to seep into his bones.
Then suddenly…
"HEEEEEEEEEEEY!!!!"
The system's voice exploded in his head like a blaring siren, making him jump in place and nearly pull out his gun in a panic.
"Do you want a place to warm up or not, genius? Or would you rather become an ice sculpture in this depressing alley?"
Zack took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing heart.
"Damn you! You almost gave me a heart attack!"
"Oh, sorry! I forgot you're new to this! But really, what's your plan now? Wander around until the cold kills you or some hobo robs you?"
Zack exhaled in frustration, but he couldn't deny that the system had a point. He needed a warm place, somewhere he could think about his next move.
"Alright… what do you have for me?"
"Oh, now you're listening to me? Good, then let's head to a place that might be… suitable for your new situation."
Suddenly, a small, transparent map appeared in the corner of his vision, a blinking blue dot on it, along with an arrow pointing in a specific direction.
"Follow the directions, and maybe you'll find a place where you don't have to sleep on the sidewalk tonight!"
Zack had no other choice. He pulled his jacket tighter around his body and picked up his pace, heading toward the unknown…
After following the arrow for a while, Zack saw that it was leading him to an old, heavily deteriorated warehouse.
Zack stood in front of the warehouse, staring at the run-down building. The paint was peeling off its walls, and rusty metal panels barely held the door together.
Raising an eyebrow, he said flatly, "This is what you call a warm sanctuary?"
The system replied in its ever-mocking tone, "Oh, were you expecting a five-star hotel? Maybe with a jacuzzi and a fireplace? Just walk inside, you fancy hobo."
Zack exhaled sharply but continued forward into the warehouse. The wooden planks beneath his feet let out eerie creaks with every step. The place was desolate, but at least it offered some protection from the freezing cold outside.
After minutes of wandering through dusty crates, he stopped in front of a locked metal door.
The system, in its usual sarcastic manner, spoke in a confident tone:
"Alright, just touch the door like you're caressing… a seductive mirror you plan to make love to with all your passion."
Zack froze in place, his eyebrows slowly rising. "…What?"
Then, after a moment, the system continued in a fake, surprised voice:
"Aaaah, right! I forgot! You've never made love before, have you? Poor thing, how could I forget this great achievement you've never accomplished?! Fine, just touch it… and please, no romantic thoughts."
Zack closed his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, then muttered, "I swear I'll find a way to tear you apart one day."
Then he reached out and touched the door…
The moment he did, a faint blue light glowed from beneath it, and a low mechanical voice spoke:
"System identity confirmed… Access granted. Welcome, Servant of the Gods."
The door slowly creaked open…
Zack stepped into the room cautiously, his eyes scanning his surroundings. It wasn't luxurious, but it was far better than the filthy alleys he had been wandering through just moments ago.
The room was small, barely enough for one person, but the metal walls insulated some of the biting cold from outside. There was an old mattress placed on the floor, with a thick gray blanket beside it, and a small rest that looked like it had once been a metal crate in its previous life.
Zack slowly closed the door, then turned to look at the place again.
"Really? This is the great sanctuary you led me to?"
The system laughed in his mind, its tone dripping with sarcasm:
"Ah, were you expecting a royal feather bed? With silk pillows? This is Gotham, my friend, not the Playboy Mansion!"
Zack ignored the system's remark, walking slowly toward the mattress. He sat down, running his hand over the blanket—it was old but still somewhat warm.
"Well… at least I won't freeze to death tonight."
The system chuckled lightly: "Not tonight… but don't worry, the coming days are full of surprises!"
Zack didn't reply. He simply lay down on the mattress, pulling the blanket over him, his eyes staring silently at the metallic ceiling.
He had no idea what awaited him… but he was sure of one thing:
This wasn't just a new beginning… it was the start of a war.
Zack remained lying on the mattress, but his mind was far from at ease. Everything still felt strange… How did he end up here? Who was that being that spoke to him at the start? And most importantly… what exactly was this system?
Taking a deep breath, he finally asked in a low voice: "Alright, you've laughed and mocked me enough… but now, I want answers. What are you?"
The system replied in its usual sarcastic tone:
"Oh, finally! I've been waiting for this moment! Though I thought you'd freak out the second you heard me inside your head. Alright, time for the classic tutorial session, just like any dumb video game! Sit tight and get ready, because I'm starting from A to Z!"
Zack sat up, leaning against the metal rest, while a transparent blue screen appeared in front of him, filled with information.
[Advanced System Tutorial for Zack Morkey]
Who am I?
"I am the 'Advanced System for Zack Morkey,' an artificial intelligence integrated into your mind. My purpose is to assist you in survival, growth, and completing the tasks assigned to you."
Zack raised an eyebrow. "Assist me? You sound more like an inner demon that just likes to mock me."
"Ah, thanks for the compliment! But yes, I'm here to help you… kind of. I give you the tools, but it's up to you to use them wisely!"
How do I work?
"You have several internal systems that will aid you on your journey here in the DC world. Here are the most important ones:"
Personal Screen: Displays your personal stats such as strength, speed, intelligence, and vitality. As you complete missions or fight enemies, these stats can improve if you level up and allocate points.
Gacha System: Do you like luck? You have a random draw system that grants you rewards of different rarities (Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, and Legendary). But don't expect to get a Green Lantern ring on your first try!
Storage System: You have a personal dimension where you can store and retrieve items at will. No need to carry everything in your pockets like an idiot.
Quest System: There are two types of missions:
"Divine Messages" (Mandatory): These are tasks from the entity that sent you here, and you must complete them no matter what. Failure? Could be catastrophic.
"System Quests" (Optional): These could involve survival, learning a new skill, or defeating a certain enemy. Completing them grants nice rewards, and some—like daily quests—are mandatory and cannot be skipped.
Hideout System: This warehouse you're sitting in? It's just a temporary hideout. You can find more advanced locations and upgrade them into personal bases.
System Awareness: That's me! I give you instructions, advise you, mock you, and maybe even help—if you're smart enough to appreciate my existence!
Gear Upgrade System: In the future, you'll be able to upgrade your weapons and armor, but this requires rare resources.
Potion Crafting System: If you find the right ingredients, you can create potions that provide temporary boosts or special effects.
Zack stared at the screen, his eyes scanning the information rapidly. This… was more than he expected.
He swallowed and asked, "So… all of this is available to me now?"
The system laughed:
"Hahaha! Of course not, genius! Some of these features are currently locked, and you'll need to complete missions or progress in the story to unlock them. Did you think you'd get everything for free?"
Zack closed his eyes for a moment, then muttered, "Of course, because my life wasn't hard enough already."
The system continued cheerfully:
"But don't worry! You have your first step… survival! Now, what will you do? Will you sleep? Or go outside to see what Gotham has in store for you?"
Zack looked at the mattress, then at the closed door, then at the gun in his pocket.
The first option was safe… but the second could give him a chance to understand this new world.
So, what would he choose?