Xen backed away from the dark maw of the maintenance tunnel, the faint skittering sounds from within echoing unpleasantly in his audio receptors. His Lvl 2 scan had confirmed the coolant trail led inside, but it had also confirmed unstable debris, uncertain structural integrity further in, and the definite presence of multiple Cyber-Vermin. Combined with the nearby trace Energon leak requiring tools or skills he lacked, this promising lead had slammed into a wall built of his own current limitations.
Frustration, sharp and cold, coursed through his systems. It was becoming a pattern. The Precursor Assembly – blocked by unknown tech and energy fields. The Hidden Compartment – needs strength and tools. The Power Regulator Fragment back in his shelter – needs CPU and a specific skill. This Data Chip Fragment in his inventory – needs high-level data recovery. The Tunnels – need combat capability, hazard assessment, maybe repair skills. He kept finding locked doors, and he hadn't found a single key.
This methodical exploration was yielding XP (XP: 85/250) and mapping data, which was valuable, but it wasn't translating into capability. He needed new skills, new ways to interact with this complex, hostile world beyond just scanning and walking carefully. How? Was leveling the only way to gain Skill Points? Was finding usable tech purely luck?
He retreated further from the tunnel entrance, finding a relatively clear patch of ground beside a large, inert metal drum to pause and think. His Energon was high (EN: ~135.5/150), HP full. He had time, he had power, he just lacked… options.
He focused on what he did have access to: the items in his inventory. The crystals were fuel. The degraded circuit boards were potential materials, currently useless. That left the [Data Chip Fragment (Damaged)]. His scan had told him what it likely contained – logs, recordings – and that it required [Data Recovery Lvl 3] or higher. A distant goal. But maybe… maybe intense focus, pushing his current scanner and processors to their absolute limit, could yield something more? Even a flicker of understanding? It felt like a long shot, but better than just giving up on it.
He accessed the inventory mentally, focusing his attention on the icon representing the data chip fragment. He didn't need to physically hold it; the System seemed to allow direct interaction with stored items for analysis purposes.
System, target: [Data Chip Fragment (Damaged)]. Initiate focused diagnostic scan loop. Maximum Lvl 2 resolution. Continuous analysis.
The familiar scan results flashed: Severely Damaged, Data Corrupted, Requires Skill... He ignored them, maintaining focus, willing the scanner to probe deeper, his INT 11 and CPU 11 dedicated to parsing every scrap of returning data, looking for patterns the basic analysis might have missed.
Again.
Frustration began to build again. Was this pointless? Just burning energy? But what else could he do? He pushed harder, focusing his intent not just on scanning, but on understanding the structure of the data, however fragmented. He visualized the flow of information, the logical structure a memory chip should possess, comparing it to the garbled mess his scanner was reporting.
This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
Something was happening! The scan results weren't just repeating the failure message. His sustained focus, combined with his improving scanner proficiency and innate cognitive abilities, seemed to be forcing the System to perform a deeper, more targeted analysis. And then, a cascade of new notifications flooded his HUD, bright and unexpected.
Xen’s metaphorical jaw dropped. A new skill! Learned not from leveling, but from sheer focused effort and experimentation! And a bonus Skill Point! Elation surged through him, a powerful countercurrent to his earlier frustration. He immediately pulled up the skill description.
[Data Analysis] Lvl 1 (Active): Allows for basic analysis of data sources (chips, terminals, logs). Identifies file system types, estimates data quantity/corruption levels, detects simple/standard encryption types, and can potentially extract intact keywords or metadata fragments. Does NOT recover damaged data or bypass complex security. Cost: 1 EN per target analysis. Base Success Chance influenced by INT & CPU.
It wasn't [Data Recovery], but it was a start! A way to potentially glean something from data sources even if they were locked or damaged. He felt a renewed sense of agency, a tangible reward for his persistence.
Without hesitation, he targeted the chip fragment again, this time using the new skill.
<+25 XP Gained! (New Skill Acquired through Effort)> <+2 XP Gained! (First Successful Data Analysis)> XP: 112/250.
This was far more illuminating! Confirmation the chip related directly to this sector (Delta-4) and the coolant leak he'd just been tracking. Mention of an "Ambush" and "Withdrawal" explained the firefight evidence (the spent casings). "Secondary Protocol" was vague but intriguing. And "Anomaly Reading"? That almost certainly related to the Precursor tech or the portals. The data was still lost, but these keywords provided crucial context, threads he could potentially follow later.
He now had another Skill Point available. Looking at his skills list, leveling the brand new [Data Analysis] seemed like the obvious choice to capitalize on this breakthrough. System, allocate Skill Point to [Data Analysis].
Yes.
<[Data Analysis] Leveled Up to Lvl 2! Analysis depth +10%, INT check modifier improved, reduced chance of missing keywords. Cost: 1 EN. Proficiency: 0.0%.>
Excellent. He felt a distinct sense of accomplishment, of having overcome a barrier through his own ingenuity rather than just luck or System fiat.
Now, what was the best course of action? His inventory was full (5/5). The tunnels remained too dangerous. He had this new analysis skill, Lvl 2 already. Where could he best apply it? The obvious answer was the other piece of potentially data-rich technology he possessed: the [Mini-Con Power Regulator Fragment] back in his original crevice shelter. His Lvl 2 [Basic Scan] hadn't revealed much more about it, but maybe [Data Analysis] Lvl 2 could pull some metadata or functional information from its dormant systems or data port?
It seemed the most logical step. Consolidate back at the primary shelter, analyze the artifact with his new skill, and potentially discard less valuable inventory (like the degraded circuit boards) if necessary to make room for future finds.
Decision made. Xen carefully logged the tunnel entrance and the Energon leak location on his map as [POI - Investigate Later - High Risk/Requires Tools/Skills]. He then turned, orienting himself via the map overlay, and began the trek back towards the engine block and hull plate that marked his first, and currently best, sanctuary in this desolate metal world. The journey felt different now, buoyed by the success of learning a new skill and the promise of applying it soon.