The short, glowing red text hung right in front of Isaac as if mocking him. A minute passed, then two, yet it was still there. Giving it another command did nothing. Neither did trying to dismiss it. The Interface really needed to work on the wording of its messages.

  There was no mention of any performance ratings beforehand. Then again, maybe at this point, he should start expecting stuff like this from the mysterious entity. It hadn't warned him about any trials at the beginning, too, yet here he was.

  Still, what is it? Some kind of big corpo where we need performance reviews now?

  Isaac snorted and reached into his pocket, hoping to check the time back on Earth on his phone. The device landed in his hand, but it was far from what he remembered it to be.

  The smartphone's screen could as well not be there anymore, given how many cracks it had. It looked like someone took a hammer and released their pent-up anger on the device. Which, to be fair, wasn't far from the truth. The gremlin certainly hadn't held back when it hit him that one time.

  The tumble across the entire chamber probably hadn't helped either.

  A sigh left his lips as he put the crushed device back into his pocket. He really should have left it somewhere safe before facing the boss. It was a miracle it had even survived his fight with the other Host.

  I hope Mrs. Jackson won't mind me borrowing her phone… if she's still out there.

  By the time he returned, it should be almost the next morning. A lot could have happened in that time.

  Phase two of the Breakout was already in progress, that much he remembered, but beyond that, he was going in completely blind. For all he knew, the entire human race could have been wiped out during the time he was gone.

  Isaac smiled wryly. Now, that's an interesting conclusion.

  Before he could give the idea any more thought, the notification in front of him finally changed. The red letters rearranged, but what they showed now was even more questionable than the previous message.

  Performance review has been finished successfully. You have been awarded the following rating: Entertaining!

  Isaac stared blankly at the message before him. If he had any lingering doubts that someone had turned his life into a game, they were gone now. He had expected a rating similar to how his abilities and items were graded, not whatever this was.

  "Entertaining," he read aloud, chuckling.

  He wasn't even angry or mad. If anything, he was amused. Of all the words to describe him, that one certainly wouldn't have made the list. He would take it, though.

  After all, despite the injuries and chaos, this entire trial had been like an awakening from a long slumber. He fought not just to survive but also because it made him feel more—made him feel alive.

  So yeah, in some weird, twisted way that ignored all the possible human deaths, he was grateful for this so-called end of the world. If not for it, he would already be searching for a new job, jump-starting the endless cycle of his old life.

  I guess I was entertained too, even if I don't like how someone is pretty much manipulating the entire world. Not much to be done about that, though. Maybe one day…

  Nodding to himself, he dismissed the notification before him. Another one quickly took its place.

  Highest tier of bonus rewards awarded. Well done, Host! We wish you luck on your journey as one of the Pioneers of Earth. Please leave this dimension before it collapses.

  Time remaining: 2 Hours.

  Isaac barely had the time to read the message before the gremlin's body behind him vanished in a flash of light. He winced as he lost his support, his back hitting the cold ground with a dull thud.

  Not nice…

  Slowly, as not to aggravate his wounds any further, he turned around and faced the spot where the gremlin's body used to lay. In its place sat three objects. Two of them were familiar. The last one, not so much.

  The first was a chest, a much larger one than the ones he had already looted. Unlike the others, this one looked far more refined, reinforced with metal fittings and with symbols carved into the wood.

  The second item, though, was just another Inferior Virality Gem.

  Isaac consumed it on the spot and shifted his gaze to the third object.

  In his honest opinion, it wasn't much different from a Rubik's Cube, only this one was much more glowy and less colorful. The size and shape, however, certainly matched well enough.

  Analyze.

  [Quarantine Exit Key | Grade: N/A]

  An Overseer-made item capable of transporting Hosts out of the linked Quarantine Dimension. Can be activated with a touch of Viron. Destroys itself upon use.

  So that's my way out. Got it.

  The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  For now, though, Isaac left the key alone and turned his attention to the large chest. He made quick work of the latches and pulled the lid up. Three more objects waited for him inside.

  He reached out for the only one he recognized. It was another skill blueprint; however, instead of giving him a certain skill, it would instead teach his Virus one random utility ability. He used it anyway.

  You have obtained a new skill: Stealth.

  [Stealth | Grade: Normal | Max Tier]

  A passive ability that teaches your Virus how to make your body less noticeable to all senses. Reduces the chances of being detected by Viron sensing skills. Can be deactivated with a mental command.

  You can do that?

  Isaac's eyebrows lifted in a mild surprise. Pain tolerance was one thing, but here the Virus would be manipulating his body all the time so he could sneak around better. He had no idea how that was even supposed to work.

  Then again, that wasn't saying much. He had no clue how most of his skills functioned.

  Max Tier too. Can I upgrade it somehow? Interface?

  No answer came this time around. Isaac shrugged and moved on to the next item—a black fruit the size of an orange. Aside from its abnormal size, the thing looked almost like a strawberry, with dark red spots scattered over its surface.

  Analyze activated once more.

  [Inferior Ascension Fruit | Grade: Normal]

  A special Overseer-made fruit that holds within itself a small charge of unattuned Ascension Power. Upon consumption, it distributes this power as per the Host's Origin. Works best on the three first attribute grades.

  Isaac hummed as he picked up the fruit by its stem. Even with just this and the blueprint, all the pain in this Quarantine Dimension had been worth it. Until now, he had assumed there was only one way to advance attributes—through levels.

  Apparently not.

  And I was getting hungry too, he thought, taking the first bite of the fruit.

  Ignoring the sudden surge of power that went down his body, Isaac wasn't sure how to describe the taste of this little thing. Sweet, definitely, but also quite dry. It had nothing on real strawberries, but he wasn't complaining—not when it gave him another notification once he ate the whole thing.

  All attributes have advanced a tier. Power had ascended to the next grade (Developed).

  Isaac couldn't stop the grin that spread over his face. This was even better than a level-up. Which wasn't really a surprise. This fruit was meant to work best for the three first attribute grades, and most of his stats were in the lowest one. Besides, he doubted those things were common.

  "That just leaves you," he muttered, reaching for the large triangular prism sitting inside the chest.

  At his touch, the black liquid within moved, attaching itself to the prism's walls. It almost looked like it wanted to reach him through the opaque surface, hoping to finally escape its prison.

  What are you?

  [Root of War (Sealed) | Grade: Eternal]

  A sealed piece of the Root of War, a half-alive material created by a high-grade Host. When unsealed, it will combine with the nearest Host, forming a beneficial symbiotic relationship. The Host shall gain access to a weapon with 100% compatibility, while the Root gains access to its partner's Origin and growing strength.

  Isaac blinked, then blinked again.

  Oh… So that's the grand prize…

  Even ignoring the item's grade—Eternal sounded like a big deal—the sheer amount of information in its description almost made his brain freeze. Half-alive material. Symbiotic relationship. A weapon…

  Root of War.

  The name alone sounded ominous.

  Isaac traced a single finger along the prism, and the black liquid followed its path. Now that it had seen—sensed?—him, the Root of War didn't want to be left alone. When he removed his hand, the entire prison shook in protest as the liquid repeatedly smashed into the walls.

  Ah, why the hell not? I already have one new passenger inside my body. What's one more?

  With a shrug, he snatched a rock off the ground and slammed it against the prism. To his surprise, a web of cracks spread from the point of impact. The Root of War must have noticed that, too, as its attempts to get out became even faster.

  Isaac slammed the rock again.

  The prism shattered.

  That was all the Root of War needed.

  It lunged out of its prison and pounced onto Isaac's right hand. The liquid sank into his skin, flowing up his arm like living ink. At the same time, he also felt a small tendril reaching out to the connection with his Origin.

  Isaac did nothing to stop it and gasped as the Root's tendril found its place inside the link.

  A moment later, dark crimson lines erupted on the skin of his arm. Like a serpent, they coiled around his entire limb. Only when the living tattoo reached all the way to his shoulder did it stop moving.

  Isaac looked down at the center of his palm, where the crimson spiral began.

  He could feel it, almost like it was just another limb. He gave it a nudge with a bit of Viron.

  Immediately, the crimson drained from the tattoo, leaving behind only its black outline as blood spilled over his hand. In a matter of seconds, the liquid formed into a slightly curved sword, one just a bit shorter than the longsword he had been using.

  Unlike his other blades, however, this one possessed only a single sharp serrated edge, perfect for tearing things apart.

  Isaac's gaze went lower, away from the dark crimson blade to the subtle black guard and matching hilt. There was nothing particularly special about those parts of the sword, yet as he wrapped his fingers around the handle, it felt right, as if it had always belonged in his grasp.

  The grip was perfect, just like the rest of the blade.

  A faint shudder ran through the weapon, almost like it could sense his thoughts. And considering their new bond, maybe it could.

  To make it even more interesting, Analyze activated on its own, directed right at the blade.

  [Root of Blood | Grade: Unique]

  A Root of War bonded to the Host, Isaac Walker. By connecting to the Origin of Blood, it has created the perfect weapon for its partner. Together, they shall grow stronger.

  Origin skills used with the Root of Blood are slightly enhanced.

  Current forms: Sword.

  Even your name changed, huh? Isaac smiled. Root of Blood. I like it… Now, how do I ret—

  Before he could even finish that thought, the blade dissolved into a cloud of blood and rushed back into his skin. The tattoo on his arm pulsed, regaining its crimson color.

  He snorted.

  That works. Thanks.

  The tattoo thrummed in response.

  Right, you're alive, or half-alive, whatever… This will take a while to get used to.

  Top 7 and the main page of Rising Star is ours! Thank you all so much for your support. Next target, Top 5!

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