Back in the relative sanctuary of his apartment, the weight of the choice pressed down on Adam. 1085 IP. A B-Rank Lottery Chance. One path offered a gamble for potentially greater power, the other a safer, more strategic upgrade that addressed a critical limitation: his filled Integration Slots.
He paced the small room, weighing the options. The B-Rank draw was tempting. A powerful combat Aspect, maybe some form of energy manipulation or enhanced strength, could drastically increase his survivability. But it was a gamble. He could just as easily draw something niche, situational, or simply underwhelming. And even if he drew something amazing, with his slots full (0/3), he couldn't even integrate it without first freeing up space – which brought him back to fusion.
Fusing [Basic Urban Navigation (C)] and [Basic Stealth (C)] cost 800 IP – a hefty chunk of his savings – but promised a B-Rank Aspect combining their strengths and, crucially, would free up one precious Integration Slot. The 90% success rate wasn't perfect, but it was far better odds than the lottery. Failure would be a disaster, setting him back significantly, but success offered immediate tactical flexibility.
His pragmatic side won out. A free slot was more valuable right now than the chance of a powerful Aspect he couldn't use. Flexibility meant adaptability, and adaptability meant survival.
"System," he commanded, steeling his resolve. "Initiate fusion: [Basic Urban Navigation] plus [Basic Stealth]."
[Fusion Initiated: Consuming Aspects [Basic Urban Navigation (C)] and [Basic Stealth (C)].]
[IP Cost: 800. Current IP: 1085. IP After Cost: 285.]
[Warning: Fusion proceeding without Catalyst. Success Chance: 90%. Failure Chance: 10% (Resulting in loss of IP and Base Aspects).]
[Proceed? Y/N]
He took a deep breath. That 10% failure chance felt enormous. Losing both movement and stealth Aspects, plus the IP, would leave him dangerously exposed. But he needed that slot. "Yes," he confirmed mentally.
[Commencing Fusion...]
There was no visual display this time, just an internal sensation. He felt a significant drain, like mental energy being siphoned away – the 800 IP cost. Then, a strange mental pressure built as the concepts of navigating the urban sprawl and moving unseen seemed to twist and meld within the System's abstract space. It felt unstable, like holding two volatile chemicals together. For a tense moment, he felt nothing, fearing the worst – the dreaded failure notification.
Then, clarity. The pressure resolved, coalescing into something new, something more potent.
[Fusion Successful!]
[Aspects [Basic Urban Navigation (C)] and [Basic Stealth (C)] have been consumed.]
[New Aspect Acquired: Urban Phantom Movement (Rank B)]
[Remaining IP: 285]
[Available Integration Slots: 1/3 (One slot freed)]
Relief washed over him, so potent it left him momentarily weak-kneed. He'd succeeded. He quickly accessed the description of his new Aspect.
[Aspect: Urban Phantom Movement (Rank B)]
[Type: Active/Passive, Skill]
[Description: Significantly enhances silent movement, speed, and agility within urban environments. Allows for rapid traversal over obstacles, wall-running (short duration), enhanced climbing, and near-silent movement. Passively improves spatial awareness in cities and reduces detection.]
[Integration Cost: N/A (Result of Fusion)]
It was automatically integrated, replacing the two C-Rank Aspects. He now had [Danger Intuition (B)] and [Urban Phantom Movement (B)] active, leaving one slot free. Perfect.
He had to test it. He stood up, focusing on the Aspect. The room seemed to subtly shift in his perception – sightlines, potential handholds on the peeling wallpaper, the structural integrity of the floorboards beneath him – all processed with greater clarity. He took a step, consciously trying to move silently. It was effortless; his footfall was virtually nonexistent. He tried a quick dash across the small room – faster, more fluid than before. He eyed the wall opposite the window. Could he?
He took a running start, leaped, and planted his foot high on the wall. For a breathtaking second, he stuck, defying gravity, taking two more steps horizontally before momentum gave out and he dropped lightly back to the floor, landing almost without a sound. It wasn't Spider-Man level, not even close, but the potential was exhilarating. This B-Rank Aspect was a significant upgrade. He felt faster, quieter, more capable of navigating the concrete jungle – and escaping it.
The exhilaration faded slightly as he checked his IP again: 285. Barely enough for a couple of C-Rank lottery draws, let alone integrating anything significant even if he got lucky with the B-Rank chance he still held. The free slot felt like a promise, but one he couldn't immediately fulfill. And the money problem persisted; a quick check online showed OmniCorp stock still stubbornly flatlining.
He needed more IP, and he needed real money. The high-risk quest had paid off, boosting his power and resources significantly in one go. Could he replicate that success? It was too dangerous to rely on finding imminent gang wars.
He needed a more reliable plan. Information. His future knowledge was his greatest asset. He needed to find specific, verifiable, near-future events he could potentially exploit. Not just stock tips, but maybe minor political outcomes, specific contract awards, even localized public incidents he could predict.
Decision made. His next step wasn't patrolling alleys, but hitting the library's public archives and the internet cafe's search engines. He would cross-reference his fragmented memories of 2006/2007 news with real-world data, searching for a predictable ripple he could ride. With [Urban Phantom Movement], getting around the city quietly and quickly was easier, making information gathering less risky.
He felt the faint hum of his [Danger Intuition], the city's ambient threats a constant background noise. But now, layered over it, was the fluid potential of [Urban Phantom Movement] and the promise of that empty Integration Slot. He was still vulnerable, still walking a tightrope, but his footing felt significantly more secure.