Awareness returned before movement. Adrian Cole did not open his eyes immediately. Sound reached him first. Soft footsteps. Low voices. The faint hum of machines. The environment had become familiar enough to recognize without sight.
The system waited.
Adrian Cole opened it.
Name: Adrian Cole
Age: 0
Status: Immortal
Shared Immortality: None
Currency Generation
$0.01 per second
$0.60 per minute
$36.00 per hour
$864.00 per day
$25,920.00 per month
$315,360.00 per year
Total Accumulated: $3,306.00
Spent: -$225.00
Current Balance: $3,081.00
Inventory Capacity: 25
Inventory
Investment and Stocks Knowledge Book
IT Knowledge Book
Stats
Strength: 1 / 100
Agility: 1 / 100
Intelligence: 32 / 200
Charm: 1 / 100
Luck: 50 / 100
The numbers made sense. That mattered.
There were no bonuses tied to activity. No missions. No tasks. No requirements beyond time passing. Currency generation was automatic and constant. The system did not pause. It did not ask for confirmation. It did not care whether Adrian Cole was awake.
Time itself was the resource.
Adrian Cole focused on the generation rates again. One cent per second scaled into meaningful value over hours. Over days it became significant. Over years it became dominance. There was no variance. No randomness. Just accumulation.
Debt prevention was intentional. The system enforced discipline. Without it, infinite time would allow reckless behavior. The design removed that weakness.
The inventory tab was opened.
Inventory Capacity: 25
Used Slots: 2
The capacity limit was fixed for now. Expansion was possible. The system acknowledged the option without displaying cost. That meant the requirement depended on timing or intent rather than urgency.
Adrian Cole closed the inventory and entered the shop.
Shop Categories
Knowledge
Potions
Skills
Assets
No selection yet.
The balance ticked upward in real time. That confirmed continuous accumulation without input. Adrian Cole watched the number change once, then stopped paying attention to it.
Knowledge was selected.
Subcategories appeared.
Medical
IT
Programming
Engineering
Finance
Psychology
Law
The list extended endlessly. Prices ranged from tens to thousands. Some entries were locked. Others showed requirements instead of cost.
While scrolling, a brief entry appeared.
Advanced Financial Manipulation Knowledge
Status: Locked
Requirement not met
Adrian Cole did not stop. Information like that was noted and discarded until relevant.
Potions were next.
Small Charm Potion $200
Medium Charm Potion $1,000
Large Charm Potion $5,000
Descriptions were direct.
Small Charm Potion
Permanently increases charm by 1
No negative effects
Medium Charm Potion
Permanently increases charm by 5
May influence perception when charm exceeds peak human
Large Charm Potion
Permanently increases charm by 10
Strong influence effects beyond peak human
Adrian Cole closed the potion tab. Charm growth would be delayed. Once charm crossed one hundred, behavior control would be required. A limiter item would be purchased before that point. No exception.
Skills followed.
Basic Medical Skill $500
Basic IT Skill $500
Basic Programming Skill $750
Advanced skills remained locked. Requirements included intelligence thresholds and prior knowledge. That aligned with expectations.
Assets were last.
Houses. Businesses. Hospitals. Railways. Infrastructure. Entire systems of control priced far beyond current balance. Millions. Billions. Some entries were unavailable.
Adrian Cole exited the shop.
The Passive Currency System was not designed for speed. It was designed for certainty. Given enough time, every option would become affordable. Mistakes in order would still cost opportunity. That was the real risk.
Stats were reviewed again.
Intelligence had increased naturally from integration. Each knowledge purchase caused less strain. Eventually integration would cause no discomfort at all.
Charm remained deliberately low. Strength and agility would wait. Physical growth without control was unnecessary.
Luck remained unchanged. Adrian Cole made a note to monitor cause and effect carefully.
Elaine Cole entered the room quietly. Marcus Cole followed soon after. Both leaned close and watched for movement. Adrian Cole responded with minimal motion. Enough to reassure. Not enough to attract attention.
The system interface closed.
Currency continued accumulating as time passed.
Adrian Cole remained still. Observing. Memorizing.