Chapter 40: Chapter XL - Screens
As the effects of the ability faded, the strange awareness surrounding Noah slowly began to withdraw. The sensation receded in waves, pulling back from the edges of his perception until the distant impressions vanished completely.
The kitchen had once more turned into a kitchen.
Noah blinked several times, letting his senses settle as he adjusted to the sudden absence. Once he had fully come back to himself, his gaze slowly drifted toward the kitchen doorway.
Levy was still there, and so was Sage. The two were still looking at him.
Noah’s eyes moved between them.
"Something on my face?"
"Yeah. For a second there," Levy replied.
Before Noah could ask what it was, Sage spoke.
"What was up with your eyes?"
Noah turned toward her.
"My eyes?"
Sage nodded, her gaze remaining fixed on him.
"Yeah. They changed."
Noah’s expression shifted into confusion.
"What do you mean, changed?"
Sage hesitated, her lips parting slightly before she stopped herself. Her brows drew together as she searched for the right words, trying to put into words something she had never seen before.
"The whites of your eyes," she said. "They were completely black."
Noah’s raised a brow.
"And my irises?"
"They weren’t amber anymore." Sage’s eyes narrowed slightly as she recalled what she’d seen. "They turned silver. Almost white, actually. Your pupils still looked the same, though."
Noah remained silent for a moment, processing that.
So that’s what happens.
He took a moment to absorb the information before explaining what had happened over the past few minutes. Levy and Sage remained quiet throughout, listening without interruption and only speaking up to ask a question once or twice.
When Noah finally finished, Levy tilted his head slightly.
"So... have you tried modifying anything?"
Noah shook his head.
"Not yet."
Levy’s brow lifted.
"What’s holding your tail?"
Noah looked around the kitchen.
"Fair enough."
He turned his attention inward, reaching for the ability once more. The moment he did, that strange awareness returned.
It spread outward from him, flowing through the kitchen and beyond it as the world once again seemed to unfold inside his mind.
At the same time, his eyes seemed to change once more as the ability was activated. Darkness slowly spread across the whites of his eyes, and his irises, meanwhile, faded away, replaced by a faint, shimmering white.
As the sensation settled over him, Noah turned his gaze toward Sage, holding it there for a brief moment before shifting his attention to Levy.
"Alright. What should I try upgrading first?"
His gaze shifted toward the door leading to the backyard, then to the windows beside it.
"The doors or the windows?"
Levy thought about it for a moment before answering.
"The doors."
Noah nodded.
It made sense. The doors were the most obvious way into the house; strengthening them would give them a better first line of defense. The windows could come later.
Noah focused his intent on the back door. Almost immediately, a faint sensation gathered around it, as though the Domain had recognized his attention. A violet screen materialized before him, hovering in front of him.
〔Back Door〕
〔Condition: Good〕
〔Upgrade Available〕
So I can just... upgrade it?
He focused on the option.
〔Upgrade〕
He barely gave the option a second thought before selecting it.
He waited, expecting something to happen. Instead, the upgrade screen vanished, dissolving from view before another violet window appeared almost immediately in its place.
〔Insufficient Apocalust Points〕
Noah stared at it.
〔Apocalust Points: 0〕
His brow slowly furrowed as he continued to look at it, confusion settling deeper into his expression the longer he read.
"So why isn’t it grayed out or something?" he muttered. "Better yet, why is it only showing my AP now?"
He glanced between the two screens, as though expecting the System to explain suddenly.
And, apparently, it did.
Another screen materialized before him, though this one was noticeably more elaborate than the others. Its violet glow was much tamer as unfamiliar information began arranging itself across its surface. And like the universal System interface, the word Status was displayed prominently at the very top.
The major difference, aside from the color, was in the minimal rows of characters displayed across the screen. It consisted of three distinct lines of information, each neatly arranged beneath the heading.
〔Name: Noah Fowler〕
〔AP: 0〕
〔UP: 0〕
Noah’s eyes moved slowly from one line to the next, lingering on the unfamiliar abbreviation beneath his name.
AP, he already understood. Apocalust Points. Those were used to modify and upgrade things within his Domain, as far as he understood.
But UP?
He’d never heard of it.
Curiosity getting the better of him, Noah reached out and tapped the unfamiliar abbreviation. The moment his finger made contact, a small explanation appeared beneath it.
〔UP: Upgrade Points〕
〔Description: Upgrade Points are used to upgrade abilities.〕
Very straightforward.
His eyes lingered on the explanation for another moment.
Too bad I don’t have any.
"Nail in the gears?" Levy asked.
The question pulled Noah back from his thoughts. He glanced toward him.
"Unfortunately. Turns out I’m broke."
"How many do you have?"
"Zero."
Levy stifled a snicker, pressing his lips together as he fought to keep the amusement from showing.
"So then, how are you supposed to get them?" he asked, a faint trace of amusement coloring his voice as the corner of his mouth lifted.
Noah shrugged.
"From quests maybe."
As if the System had been waiting for him to say it, a violet screen suddenly materialized before him. For what felt like the hundredth time today, it was another notification, familiar, too.
〔Main Quest Updated〕
〔The Red-Headed Archer〕
〔Objective: Convince Sage to join your team.〕
〔Status: Completed〕
〔Reward: 1000 Apocalust Points〕
Nevermind, not broke anymore.
〔Status〕
〔Name: Noah Fowler〕
〔AP: 1000〕
〔UP: 0〕
Noah minimized the screen and tried once again. He focused his attention on the door and selected Upgrade.
This time, however, the System responded differently.
A new prompt materialized before him, hovering just beneath the information for the back door.
〔Upgrade Cost: 10 AP〕
〔Would you like to continue?〕
Two options appeared beneath the message.
〔Yes〕 〔No〕
Noah stared at the prompt, then glanced toward the status display showing his current points.
〔AP: 1000〕
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Well, that’s more like it.
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