The initial wave of adrenaline and the novelty of the System began to fade, leaving Adam standing in the middle of the cramped, dusty apartment, acutely aware of his vulnerability. His stomach growled, a stark reminder of the basic needs this new teenage body possessed. The memories of Adam Walker provided context – meager savings, parents gone, school tomorrow – but offered little comfort.
First things first: assess the situation. He checked the pockets of the worn jeans lying on the chair – empty. The dresser drawers yielded only cheap, slightly-too-small clothes and a crumpled twenty-dollar bill tucked inside a sock. Pathetic. A quick search of the tiny kitchen revealed a near-empty fridge and cupboards containing half a box of stale cereal and some instant ramen packets. Resources were critically low.
He needed more information. He found a cheap digital clock on the bedside table, its display blinking weakly: Oct 17, 2006. Pre-Iron Man, confirmed. Still years before the Chitauri invasion, years before Ultron, years before the Snap. Time, at least, was on his side, but it was a resource he couldn't afford to waste.
His attention returned to the System interface, hovering faintly in his vision. He needed to understand it better.
"System, explain Quests," he thought.
[Quests are tasks assigned based on Host's situation, environment, or potential threats/opportunities. Completion rewards Integration Points (IP) and potentially other rewards like Lottery Chances or Shop Currency (when unlocked). Quests can range from simple survival tasks to complex combat scenarios.]
[Current Quests: None Active]
No tutorial quest? Disappointing, but fitting for a system geared towards survival. He'd have to trigger one himself. What about training?
"How does training affect my progress?"
[Physical and mental training improves Host's base physical parameters (Strength, Agility, Endurance, etc.) and proficiency with integrated Aspects. Consistent training may yield minor IP rewards upon reaching certain milestones. Aspects themselves are primarily improved through Fusion, not direct training.]
So, grinding push-ups wouldn't magically level up Danger Intuition, but it would make him better able to react when it triggered. And getting stronger physically was essential. Looking at his current lean frame, he knew he had a long way to go.
He glanced at his remaining IP: 350. Integrating the first two Aspects had cost 150 IP. More Aspects would mean more power, but integration wasn't free, and he only had one slot left initially. He needed more IP.
Staying cooped up here wouldn't achieve anything. He needed supplies, money, and a better understanding of his surroundings. He pulled on the worn jeans and a faded t-shirt, grabbing the precious twenty-dollar bill. Time to venture out.
As he locked the flimsy apartment door behind him and stepped into the hallway, the [Basic Urban Navigation] Aspect subtly kicked in. It wasn't like having a GPS map in his head, but the layout of the building, the quickest route to the stairs, the general direction of the nearest main street – it all felt intuitively familiar, even though he'd never physically been here before.
He descended the creaking stairs and pushed open the main door, stepping onto the bustling, noisy street of Brooklyn. The sights, sounds, and smells hit him – car horns, distant sirens, street vendors, exhaust fumes, a hundred different conversations overlapping. It was overwhelming, yet the Urban Navigation kept him grounded, preventing disorientation.
He needed food, water, basic necessities. And maybe an ATM, if Adam Walker's memories included a bank card and PIN. He focused, recalling a worn debit card tucked in a textbook back in the apartment. Worth a shot later, but food first. The twenty dollars wouldn't last long.
He started walking, letting the Urban Navigation guide him towards what felt like a commercial area. As he turned a corner onto a slightly shabbier street, a faint prickle ran down his spine. He paused, glancing around. A couple of rough-looking guys loitered in an alleyway entrance, watching passersby with predatory stillness. The [Danger Intuition] wasn't screaming, just whispering a warning.
Potential threat nearby. Hostile intent detected.
Adam subtly changed his path, crossing the street and increasing his pace slightly, keeping the alley in his peripheral vision. The prickling sensation faded as he put distance between himself and the loiterers. Okay, System, point taken. Invaluable.
Just then, a notification popped up.
[Quest Issued: Basic Sustenance]
[Objective: Obtain sufficient food and water supplies for 3 days.]
[Reward: 50 IP]
Right on cue. He found a small, slightly grimy corner store a block later. Using his twenty dollars, he carefully selected items – cheap bread, peanut butter, bottled water, more instant ramen, maybe a couple of apples. It wasn't glamorous, but it fit the budget and the quest objective. The total came to just over eighteen dollars, leaving him with barely anything.
As he carried the plastic bag back towards the apartment, the Danger Intuition remained quiet. He navigated the streets with his newfound sense of direction, feeling slightly more confident than when he'd left.
Back inside the relative safety of his room, the System chimed again.
[Quest Complete: Basic Sustenance]
[Reward: 50 IP Awarded.]
[Remaining IP: 400]
A small victory, but a necessary one. He put away the meager supplies. 400 IP wasn't much, considering integration costs and the need for more lottery chances. He needed a plan.
He couldn't rely solely on triggering random quests. He needed consistent IP gain and physical improvement. Training was essential – basic bodyweight exercises in the apartment, maybe jogging in safer areas identified using his Aspects. He also needed money, badly. Adam Walker apparently didn't have a job. Maybe his future knowledge could be leveraged? Risky. Small-time gambling? Even riskier.
He sat on the edge of the bed, the reality of his situation pressing down. He was alone, broke, and physically weak in a world full of superhumans and cosmic threats. But he was alive, he had knowledge, and he had the System.
He looked at his hands – a teenager's hands, not yet strong, but capable of becoming much more. The grim determination returned to his grey eyes.
"Alright, Adam Walker," he muttered to the empty room. "Let's get to work." Training starts now. Find a way to make money tomorrow. Survive today.