Awareness did not arrive violently. It sharpened slowly.
At first there was only sensation. Warmth pressed in from every side. A steady rhythm pulsed nearby. Adrian Cole recognized the rhythm as a heartbeat before sound gained meaning. Consciousness settled in place and remained calm.
When vision cleared, the world appeared in fragments.
Light overhead. White shapes without edges. Movement without pattern.
Adrian Cole did not cry. Crying served no purpose. Energy was conserved. Observation came first.
Sound followed next. Not words. Tone. Emotion. One voice trembled slightly. Soft and exhausted. Another voice was low and controlled. Tight with restraint. Adrian Cole listened and memorized the difference.
Eyes adjusted further. Faces leaned close. A woman with tired eyes and shallow breathing. A man standing rigid nearby. Both stared down with intensity that bordered on fear.
Parents.
Adrian Cole confirmed it without emotion.
The body felt wrong. Heavy. Unresponsive. Muscles reacted slowly. Adrian Cole tested movement carefully. Fingers twitched. Limbs resisted. Control existed but was limited. That was acceptable.
Then something else unfolded.
Not sound. Not sight. Presence.
Information surfaced directly within awareness.
Welcome Host
You have been bonded to the Passive Currency System
All functions are active
The system did not demand attention. It simply existed. Calm. Absolute.
An interface formed.
Name: Adrian Cole
Age: 0
Status: Immortal
Shared Immortality: None
System Level: 1
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: $0.00
Spent: $0.00
Current Balance: $0.00
Inventory Capacity: 25
Inventory: Empty
Stats
Strength: 1 / 100
Agility: 1 / 100
Intelligence: 30 / 200
Charm: 1 / 100
Luck: 50 / 100
Skills: None
Knowledge: None
Adrian Cole absorbed everything instantly.
Immortality was absolute. No conditions. No expiration. Shared immortality was disabled. That could remain unchanged for now.
Currency generation was continuous. Passive. Time itself had become measurable value. Seconds were no longer abstract.
Debt was impossible. Overspending was blocked. Discipline was mandatory.
Stats were low across the board except intelligence and luck. Intelligence at thirty explained the clarity. Luck at fifty was notable. Useful but dangerous if left unmanaged.
The interface closed.
Adrian Cole returned focus to the room.
Elaine Cole reached out gently. Hands shook slightly. Elaine Cole whispered the name Adrian repeatedly. Marcus Cole spoke briefly to someone out of sight. Voice firm. Protective.
Adrian Cole memorized both voices. Facial expressions. Body language. Patterns formed quickly.
Time passed.
Sleep came often. Consciousness never fully faded. Awareness drifted but did not vanish. Adrian Cole learned that the system continued operating regardless of attention.
Seconds passed. Minutes followed.
The interface opened again.
Current Balance: $864.00
One full day.
Adrian Cole closed it. No purchase. No rush.
Observation continued.
Nurses entered and exited. Footsteps differed by authority. Doctors spoke confidently until questioned. Small inefficiencies were everywhere. Adrian Cole noted them silently.
Elaine Cole remained close. Marcus Cole stood whenever unfamiliar people entered. Protective instinct was strong. Reliable.
Another day passed.
Current Balance: $1,728.00
The shop opened.
Shop Categories
Knowledge
Potions
Skills
Assets
Knowledge was selected.
Medical Knowledge Book $50
IT Knowledge Book $75
Investment and Stocks Knowledge Book $75
Programming Knowledge Book $100
Advanced Medical Knowledge Book $500
Adrian Cole scrolled slowly. Reading descriptions. Calculating value. Advanced medical knowledge was unnecessary now. Integration pain still existed. Foundations mattered more.
The shop closed without purchase.
Waiting carried no cost.
Another day passed.
Current Balance: $2,592.00
Adrian Cole opened the shop again.
Investment and Stocks Knowledge Book was selected.
Purchase confirmed.
Total Accumulated: $2,592.00
Spent: -$75.00
Current Balance: $2,517.00
Integration followed immediately.
Pressure formed behind the eyes. Dizziness bloomed briefly. Less than ten seconds. Then it faded.
Information settled cleanly.
Market cycles. Panic behavior. Long term positioning. Infrastructure dominance. Compounding advantage.
The system updated.
Skills
Medical Knowledge Basic
Investment Knowledge Basic
Adrian Cole closed the interface.
Time continued moving.
Elaine Cole smiled often. Exhaustion showed when shoulders slumped. Marcus Cole watched quietly. Protective. Alert.
Another day passed.
Current Balance: $3,456.00
IT Knowledge Book was purchased.
Total Accumulated: $3,456.00
Spent: -$150.00
Current Balance: $3,306.00
Integration pain was lighter again.
Systems. Networks. Digital infrastructure. The skeleton beneath modern society.
Adrian Cole rested quietly.
Anyone who crossed a line would not be forgiven. Anyone who threatened family would be dealt with permanently. No action would be wasted. No advantage ignored.
Currency continued to generate.
Seconds stacked. Minutes followed.
Adrian Cole remained still. Watching. Learning.