'Right now, the four most relevant System Upgrades are these.'
[Universal Language System. Requirement: None
In the multiverse, an uncountable number of languages exist. The user cannot reasonably be expected to know them all. With this upgrade, the user will be able to speak, read, and write a language after hearing it for the first time—though exceptions apply for magical and runic languages.
Price: 100 LP]
[System Tools. Requirement: Notification System
Unlocks access to various useful utilities for navigating the multiverse. Tools include, but are not limited to, system logs, a real-time clock, a calendar, a notepad, and other practical functions.
Price: 300 LP]
[Skill Leveling System. Requirement: Skill System
Enhances the Skill System to allow skills to gain levels. However, this upgrade does not permit skills to evolve to a higher tier—doing so will require the separate [Skill Evolving System].
Price: 600 LP]
[Advanced Physical Stats System. Requirement: Basic Stats System
Unlocks advanced physical attributes: Vitality and Perception.
Price: 800 LP]
'I'd love to take all four upgrades, but I'm broke. With 2,000 LP total, let's assume I'll need at least 300 LP to buy some basic items from the System Store, and 100 LP to rent a place where I can safely sleep. I should also keep 200 LP in reserve, just in case something unexpected comes up. That leaves me with around 1,400 LP.'
'That 1,400 LP will need to cover both the System Upgrades and some training with Kiara. If I purchase all the upgrades except the [Advanced Physical Stats System], I'll still have 400 LP left—which should be enough for a decent training session with her.'
'Yeah… that's probably the most efficient route for now.'
"Records, I want to purchase the System Upgrades: [Universal Language System], [System Tools], and [Skill Leveling System]."
[Purchase Confirmed – 1,000 LP]
'Alright, now I need to find a place to rent—somewhere I can sleep and safely store whatever I end up buying from the System Store.'
"System, I would like to rent an apartment or something equivalent. My budget ranges between around 100-200 LP per month."
[Small Apartment 1
Size: 20m2
Description: This apartment is divided into 2 rooms. The first room is 12m2 and serves as the 'bedroom,' which comes with a simple bed. The second room is 8m2 and functions as the bathroom. It includes a toilet, a shower, and a sink.
Cost: 150 LP per month (payment at the start of each month)]
[Small-Medium Apartment 2
Size: 30m2
Description: This apartment is divided into 3 rooms. The first room is 12m2 and serves as the 'bedroom,' which comes with a simple bed. The second room is 8m2 and is the bathroom. It includes a toilet, a shower, and a sink. The last room is 10m2 and functions as the kitchen. The kitchen is equipped with a sink, a dishwasher, an oven, and a fridge.
Cost: 300 LP per month (payment at the start of each month)]
'I'll go with Small Apartment 1. It may be small, but it has all the essential things I need to live if I accept to take care of my food without having a kitchen which will be somewhat problematic but I will manage.'
"Records, I would like to rent Small Apartment 1."
[Rent confirmed -150 LP]
[You will need to pay 150 LP at the start of each month. If you want to go to your apartment, say "apartment" while going up the stairs.]
"Thanks, I'll do that."
Just after he finished speaking, Mikael walked over to the stairs and began climbing. A few seconds after starting his ascent, he uttered the word, "apartment," and vanished in a flash of blue light.
The moment he reappeared, he glanced around and found himself standing in a 12m2 room. The walls were painted white, and the floor was made of wood. The only piece of furniture was a simple wooden bed, placed near the wall.
Mikael then walked toward the bathroom and opened its wooden door. Inside was an 8m2 space with similarly white walls and marble-tiled flooring. Compared to the 'bedroom,' the bathroom was slightly more furnished. There was a sink, a toilet, and a shower—but none of the typical daily necessities or toiletries one would expect.
'A small apartment with no kitchen... but honestly, it's still an upgrade compared to not having a place to sleep.'
'Time to buy some items that can help in my next world—and at the same time, grab a few basic daily necessities for the apartment.'
"System Store, Basic section."
After saying the command, Mikael took the time to browse through the items available in the store. After reviewing the options, he decided to purchase a [Military-Class Handgun] for 100 LP, along with ten [Military-Class Handgun Magazines (20 bullets per magazine)] priced at 3 LP each. He also added a [Refined Steel Shortsword] to his cart, which cost him 80 LP.
In addition to weapons, he bought a silencer compatible with his new handgun, a scabbard for the shortsword, a medkit, a few sandwiches, a water bottle, and a durable backpack. He also picked up basic daily necessities such as a toothbrush, shampoo, toilet paper, and a few other items to make his apartment livable.
Realizing his clothes were in poor condition, Mikael chose to replace them. He bought a new set identical to what he already wore—a black jacket and a white shirt—but this time he added black cargo pants with multiple pockets to allow for convenient and discreet storage of his handgun and magazines. Naturally, he didn't forget to purchase underwear and socks, buying three of each to ensure he always had a spare set available while washing the others.
To complete his setup, he also bought a small mirror to hang above the sink, a pillow, a bed sheet, a quilt for comfort, and a trash can for disposing of used items.
[Purchase confirmed -440 LP]
'A little over budget, but not by much—so it's still acceptable for now.'
Mikael let a faint smile tug at his lips as he thought, 'At least I have a place to call home now. That's one thing taken care of.'
A moment later, a large pile of items materialized in front of him. He took his time to organize and place everything in its proper spot throughout the apartment. Once that was done, he opened the medkit, pulled out the first aid manual inside, and spent fifteen minutes carefully reading through it.
'Treating a light cut isn't anything serious. I already did it when I was younger, and the "official method" from the medkit is basically the same as what I already know, so there's no real surprise there. Still, just to make sure the medkit works properly, I'll test it on the small one on my left arm—it's the easiest to reach and also one of the least severe.'
Without a moment of hesitation, he began. He removed his tattered, blood-soaked jacket and shirt, tossing them straight into the trash can.
'I'll take a lukewarm shower. That way, I'll get cleaned up and use the water to gently wash the wound—it'll be my first real step toward healing.'
Mikael took off the rest of his clothes and headed into the shower. Once under the warm stream, he carefully washed every wound, making sure to clean thoroughly. The whole process took about fifteen minutes.
After drying off, he dressed in his new clothes—everything except the jacket and shirt—so that he could disinfect his wound without obstruction.
'The next step is disinfecting the cut on my left arm.'
Opening the medkit, Mikael pulled out an antiseptic wipe and gently ran it over the small wound. As the solution made contact with his skin, a burning sensation flared up. It wasn't painful, more of a lingering discomfort, and after a few minutes, the feeling faded.
'I just need to apply a bandage, and this one should be taken care of.'
He took out an adhesive bandage and placed it firmly over the wound. 'That's one down. Now I just need to repeat the process for the rest. The only real issue is the cut on my back. Scratching your own back is already annoying—cleaning and treating a wound there...'
Sigh.
'Let's get this over with.'
For the next hour, Mikael meticulously disinfected each of his wounds, moving from one to the next with focused precision. Once finished, he used 10 LP to order a pizza from the Records and sat down to eat it with a bottle of water.
Sitting at the edge of his bed, he leaned forward slightly and thought, 'I'm so fucking tired. This day dragged on forever. Feels like it's been a full week, but no... it shouldn't have even been an entire day since I got introduced to the Records.'
'I'll check a few things in the system before going to sleep.'
"System, show me the time on Earth since I entered the Records."
[Earth Time (USA): June 16, 2025, 19:07:31]
[Time since introduction to the Records: 12 hours, 47 minutes, 33 seconds]
'Pretty much what I expected.'
'I wonder how many LP I have left after all the purchases?'
"Records, show me how much LP I have remaining."
[Life Points: (-1600) 400]
'Only 400 left. At most, I can spend 300 training with Kiara. Any more than that and I might run into problems if I don't have enough LP to cover basic needs.'
'Let's take a look at the System Upgrades Store so I can start planning for the next world. I'll need to earn a lot more LP.'
"System Upgrades Store."
[System Upgrades
[Advanced Physical Stats System – Requirement: Basic Stats System
Unlocks the advanced physical stats, namely Vitality and Perception.
Price: 800 LP]
[Spiritual Stats System – Requirement: Basic Stats System
Grants access to spiritual stats: Intelligence, Spirit, and Energy.
Price: 1.2K LP]
[Inventory System – Requirement: None
Grants the user an inventory capable of storing items within a 10m³ pocket space where time remains frozen. The user may generate a list of stored items and retrieve any of them instantly with a mere thought.
Price: 2K LP]
[Money System – Requirement: Inventory System
Allows the user to manage a Universal Currency (UC), which can be converted from a world's local currency into UC, and then exchanged into the currency of another world. The UC will be stored within the user's inventory.
Price: 500 LP]
[Immunity System – Requirement: None
In the vast multiverse, an uncountable number of diseases exist. You really don't want to catch a multiversal STD, do you? This system provides immunity to all viruses, bacteria, parasites, and other similar threats. Note:This system does not grant immunity to poison.
Price: 1K LP]
[Basic Race Gain System – Requirement: Race System
Allows users to acquire different racial traits by killing individuals of those races while this system is active. The user can switch between unlocked races freely at any time.
Price: 3K LP]
[Skill Evolving System – Requirement: Skill System, Skill Leveling System
Enables skills to evolve once they reach the maximum level of their respective tier.
Price: 3K LP]
[Training System – Requirement: None
Allows the user to grow stronger through physical and mental training. The amount of stats gained depends on the efficiency of the training as well as the user's 'talent.' Talent includes, but is not limited to: race, comprehension (mental power), body potential, and foundation.
Price: 2K LP]
[Soul Hiding System – Requirement: None
Souls differ greatly across worlds, and possessing an abnormal soul may attract unwanted attention from local gods. This system conceals the origin of your soul, making you appear as a native of the world you're visiting and preventing divine interference.
Price: 5K LP]
[Basic Background System – Requirement: None
Allows you to create a personal background within the world you plan to enter, in exchange for LP. For example: You grew up in a well-off family, but three years ago, when you were just thirteen, your parents passed away. Since then, you've been living on your own. Now, at the age of sixteen—the minimum age to become an adventurer—you're finally ready to begin your journey.
Price: 2.5K LP]
[Advanced Quest System – Requirement: Quest System
Upgrades the current Quest System into a more versatile version. The Advanced Quest System retains all previous features but also provides context-based quests, tailored to your current situation. These quests are optional and grant LP upon completion without any penalties.
Price: 800 LP]
'Wow, there are so many interesting upgrades here. The only issue is that I'm completely broke. Still, my goal right now isn't to buy any of them just yet. Honestly, though, they're all tempting—especially if I plan to spend more time in a world to learn magic properly. For that, I'd absolutely need the [Advanced Physical Stats System], the [Spiritual Stats System], and the [Basic Race Gain System].'
'Those three are non-negotiable. I'll need the stat systems to unlock my so-called "potential," which should give me a real shot at learning magic efficiently. But that alone won't be enough—I'll also require the Basic Race Gain System. Why? Because to the best of my knowledge, humans on Earth can't use magic. I'll have no choice but to change races if I want to access magical abilities.'
'Altogether, the cost of these mandatory upgrades comes to 5K LP. There are also several optional systems I'd really like to acquire: the [Inventory System], [Money System], [Immunity System], [Training System], [Basic Background System], and the [Advanced Quest System]. If I add up the prices, that's 9.1K LP just for the optional ones. Which means that if I want to purchase both the essential and the optional upgrades, I'll need a total of 14.1K LP.'
Sigh
'When I think back to the last world where I earned 2K LP and thought to myself, "I'm starting to get rich"… What a joke.'
'I'll just go to sleep for now. Tomorrow, I'll train with Kiara. Maybe that'll give me some kind of idea on how to gather that much LP.'
Once Mikael finished contemplating his path forward, he took off his clothes and slipped under the quilt of his bed, letting the thoughts fade as he prepared for rest.
Lying there in silence, his eyes open and distant, a contemplative look settled on his face. 'Today was absolutely insane. If someone had told me I'd end up traveling from one world to another just to grow stronger, I would've laughed in their face and said, "You're clearly reading too many novels."'
'Seriously though, it was insane—but not in a bad way. It'll be difficult, no doubt, but the potential payoff is far better than anything I could've hoped for on Earth. I just need to stay calm, think rationally, and I'll be able to survive even the most desperate situations.'
'I have to understand the rules of this new "society" if I want to thrive in it. But for now… sleep comes first.'