"Alright, as they say… 47th time is the charm," Nico whispered, sitting cross-legged on his bed way, way past bedtime.
-Ding!
{You've been saying that since the third time.}
"And I'll keep saying it until I get it right," Nico shot back.
He closed his eyes before focusing his mana into the blue rose he had purchased from the System shop.
As his mana crept into every crevice, he began mapping the flower's structure, from the veins of the petals to the density of the stem, the microscopic textures to a certain degree.
While simultaneously, his other hand began to shimmer green.
[Conceive…Visualize... Manifest.]
Slowly, Nico felt a pressure build beneath the skin of his palm, like a bizarre sensation as though a new finger was trying to push its way out. It didn't hurt, but it did feel... wrong.
After ten minutes of sweat-inducing focus, he felt the pressure break the surface.
From the center of his palm, a stem spiraled out before blooming rapidly into a lush, vibrant blue rose.
It was an exact replica of the rose in his left hand, down to the smallest detail, with its stem disappearing seamlessly into his palm.
"Finally," Nico whispered as he opened his eyes and grinned.
-Ding!
{Congratulations on your very first successful Nature Manifestation.}
"Yeah… thanks," Nico muttered, fighting off a massive yawn.
Pinching the new rose's stem with his thumb and forefinger, he gave it a gentle tug, popping it free from his palm with a wet snap, leaving no wound behind.
"Good thing that doesn't hurt…" he muttered, tossing both flowers into his inventory. "Still feels weird as hell, though."
And that's when it hit him.
With a thought he opened up the inventory screen, and there, in a slot, was the icon of a Blue Rose with Quantity: x2.
His inventory wasn't a magical dimension. It was a grid system with Ten slots where each slot could stack up to 99 of the exact same item.
For the System-bought rose and the one he just created to stack in the same slot meant they weren't just similar.
They were the same.
"System," Nico whispered, his eyes widening. "… does this mean what I think it does?"
-Ding!
{Indeed. You have created a perfect replica.}
Letting out a quiet, breathless laugh as Nico flopped back onto the mattress.
"Man, the applications of this are insane… especially with the Metal Affinity. If I get a single gold nugget… I can basically print money."
-Ding!
{You will not find every subject to be as easy to manifest as that flower. Though I will admit, I am surprised you managed a perfect replication in less than fifty attempts.
Might I suggest a Skill that would aid you in grasping a subject's structure?}
"Sure," Nico chuckled as he tucked his hands behind his head. "Suggest away."
-Ding!
{
Skill: Trace (Unquantifiable)
Description: Analyzes a target object, substance, or construct down to its fundamental structural composition and imprints the complete blueprint into the user's long-term memory.
Includes material structure, internal layering, and functional relationships.
*Note: Does not work on subjects with a soul or ego.
MP Cost: 60 (Scales with complexity/resistance.)
Price: Quest Acquisition only
}
Nico snorted as he looked at the skill's grade and the price tag. "Bro, you messing with me?"
-Ding!
{No. But this brings us to the 'Suggested Rewards' Module.
The Host may mark any item in the Shop as a 'Suggested Reward.' Future quests generated by the System may then offer those items as rewards.}
"Huh…" Nico squinted at the blue screen. "So what are the exact chances? Let's say a quest pops up… will it get me that reward with 100% certainty?"
-Ding!
{No. It varies.}
"Varies how?"
-Ding!
{That depends.}
"Dude…" Nico stared at the ceiling, speechless. "Fine, I'll take it… Mark Trace as a Suggested Reward."
-Ding!
{Skill: Trace (Unquantifiable) has been marked as a 'Suggested Reward'.}
Satisfied, Nico rolled over, ready to finally pass out. And just as he closed his eyes -
-Knock – Knock!
"At this hour?" he whispered with a frown.
Swinging his legs off the bed, Nico slowly made his way to the door before unlocking the latch and pulling it open.
And standing in the hallway was a woman.
She was stunning, raven black hair tied in a loose bun, wearing a black kimono embroidered with golden leaves that shimmered in the dim hallway light.
But she looked wrecked. Her face was flushed, her chest heaving as she caught her breath, and her amber eyes were unfocused.
Nico's brain short-circuited before combusting into a furious blush.
[Oh god. Is this... a service?]
"Look, lady…" Nico stammered, holding up his hands. "I-I'm flattered, really! But I didn't order… I mean, I'm good. I don't really need…"
A flicker of annoyance flashed in the woman's amber eyes.
Without waiting for him to finish, she placed a hand firmly on his chest before shoving him backward with surprising strength, and walked right into the room.
"Hey!"
She ignored him, making a beeline for his bed before collapsing onto it with a heavy sigh.
Nico stood by the door, face beet red, watching this beautiful stranger make herself comfortable on his sheets, making sure the door stayed wide open just in case, while his embarrassment slowly morphed into a frantic, teenage panic.
[Maybe… tonight is the night I… graduate? No, wait! Did someone send her?Did anyone make her come here?]
While he fought the battering of his heart against his chest, the woman lifted her head and fixed him with those intense, amber-gold eyes.
"My name is Amaya," she said in a husky voice.
"Right! Of course! Introductions first…" Nico's voice cracked beautifully before he cleared his throat, trying to salvage some dignity.
"I-I am Nico. And let me just put it out there… You don't have to force yourself! I can just… You know, sleep on the floor? You can tell your boss I was a tiger. Best you ever had."
Amaya raised a sharp eyebrow as she stood up before walking slowly toward the awkwardly posing Nico.
Lifting a hand to her chest, she reached into the fold of her vest.
[Oh my god, it's happening!] Nico screamed internally. [Stay calm! Don't pass out!]
Stopping before, she took one last deep breath. Having finally caught her breath, she said, "The Higher-ups have decided to give you a new background."
Before Nico could even process it, Amaya pulled a thick manila envelope from her vest and slapped it against his chest.
"Everything you need is in this folder, including your new IDs. I have already erased the memory of you three from the entire Southern Border Defense. Wake the other two up... We leave for the Capital right now."
Nico stood there, frozen, the envelope clutched to his chest like a shield as he let out the only sound he could muster.
"...Huh?"