Back in Genesis Outpost #7, which felt like a million miles away from the humid, monster-infested hydro-plant where Ryan had just secured victory, something strange and wonderful was happening.
A subtle, almost invisible wave of energy washed over the entire Outpost. It wasn't a destructive force, but a gentle, invigorating pulse.
For those Arrivals who had managed to hoard a few Unstable Genesis Shards or Precursor Artifacts, their precious items suddenly shimmered in their inventories, a faint glow emanating from them.
Then, with a soft ding from their god Interfaces, they noticed something amazing: their stashes had doubled. One Genesis Shard became two. A single Tier E artifact fragment now had a twin.
It was the first tangible reward for winning the Resource Scramble Event.
The God Warden hadn't been kidding about doubling their holdings. A wave of delighted and slightly disbelieving shouts echoed through the Outpost's private CommNet.
Meanwhile, Ryan Stone, the hero of the hour was standing near the now-inert Data Vault Charlie.
The oppressive humidity of the Precursor hydro-plant suddenly didn't feel so bad. He was tired, sweaty, and probably smelled a bit like swamp gas and Raptor goo, but he was also feeling pretty darn good about himself.
His god Interface chimed with his personal rewards for being the top contributor to the win.
Resource Scramble Event Victory: Top Contributor [Outpost #7]!
+2 Influence Awarded!
System Note: You did it! You scrambled those resources like a pro! Your Outpost loves you! Your enemies… probably not so much. Enjoy the spoils, champ!
Ryan's Influence was now up to a very respectable 8! He was practically a local politician at this point. Maybe he should run for Pod Mayor?
And then, with a soft shimmer of golden light, the grand prize materialized right in front of him: a Prime Genesis Cache.
It was beautiful. Unlike the Minor Chaos Cache or the Minor Sentinel Cache he'd found earlier, which were relatively plain, this one was a work of art.
It was about the size of a small backpack, crafted from a gleaming, pearlescent material that shifted through all the colors of the rainbow.
Intricate Precursor symbols glowed softly on its surface, and it hummed with a powerful, contained energy. It looked like something a space king would use to store his favorite socks.
"Whoa," Ryan breathed, his eyes wide. "Now that's a treasure chest."
He quickly checked the private CommNet for Outpost #7. It was, as expected, in a state of absolute, joyous meltdown.
Bigtony77: WE WON! MY SHARDS DOUBLED! RYAN STONE YOU ARE A LEGEND! I'M GONNA BUILD A STATUE OF YOU OUT OF… UH… WELL-COOKED RATION BRICKS!
Princessfluffybutt: Oh, happy day! My one slightly cracked Precursor button is now two slightly cracked Precursor buttons! This is wonderful! Thank you, Mr. Stone!
Confusedcarl:Doubled resources! And a +10% NP gain bonus! Ryan Stone for President of Everything! Or at least, President of Finding Cool Stuff!
Scarlett "Red" Viper, Emma "Sage" Thorne, and Jennifer "Quake" Lee all sent him personal congratulatory messages, their words filled with genuine admiration and relief.
They had fought hard, holding off Crimson Banner forces and scouting for other Vaults, and his victory was their victory too.
Outpost #7 had faced its first major inter-Outpost challenge and had come out on top, thanks in large part to their unexpected "lone wolf."
Meanwhile, over in the now-separated CommNet channel for Genesis Outpost #12 [the Crimson Banner], the mood was… significantly less festive.
Ryan couldn't see their chat directly anymore, but he could imagine the gnashing of teeth, the rending of virtual garments, the furious blaming and finger-pointing. Tom "Shadow" Kane, the S-Tier leader with the galaxy-sized ego, had boasted of a swift and easy victory.
Instead, his Outpost's resources had just been halved, and they were all stuck with a nasty NP gain debuff for the next 24 cycles. Ouch.
Kane, Ryan later heard through the CommNet grapevine [which was surprisingly efficient, even between rival Outposts], was trying to blame "sabotage," "unforeseen variables," and "inferior teammates who clearly couldn't follow his brilliant strategies."
But many of his followers, disillusioned by the humiliating defeat and the loss of their precious shinies, were reportedly deserting him in droves. Pride, as they say, goeth before a resource-halving fall.
The God Warden made one final announcement, officially closing the event:
God Warden: The Resource Scramble Event: The Forgotten Overgrowth Is Now Concluded. All teleportation effects have ended.
All buffs and debuffs are now active. Congratulations to the victors, Genesis Outpost #7 [Blue Falcon]. To the vanquished, Genesis Outpost #12 [Crimson Banner]… better luck next time.
Leaderboards will reactivate shortly.
Ryan took a moment to catch his breath. He looked at the corpse of the Bio-Luminescent Raptor he'd killed just before leveling up to Level 5.
He hadn't had a chance to properly extract from it yet.
"Waste not, want not," he reminded himself, and quickly got to work.
Target: Bio-Luminescent Raptor [Level 4, Deceased]
Initiating Extraction Protocol
Extraction Complete!
Acquired: Intellect Essence [Raptor Variant] +1 Permanent Intellect!
Acquired: Glowing Goo Gland [Crafting Component – Sticky, Luminous]. Useful for making things glow.
System Note: Brains and glow-sticks! A versatile haul! That Intellect boost will make you even smarter at opening shiny boxes!
His Intellect was now an incredible 60 [base 50 + 10 from Purifier]! He felt like his brain was running on high-octane rocket fuel.
Finally, with a deep breath and a sense of giddy anticipation, he turned his full attention to the magnificent Prime Genesis Cache humming before him.
This was the big one. The reward for being the MVP. He reached out and placed his hand on its shimmering surface.
"Alright, pretty box," he said with a grin. "Show me what you've got."
The cache opened with a soft, melodic chime and a burst of warm, golden light. Inside, nestled on a cushion of pure energy, was a single, extraordinary item.
It wasn't a weapon or a piece of armor. It looked like a rolled-up scroll or a map, made of a thin, flexible material that seemed to be woven from captured starlight. It pulsed with an immense, ancient power.
His god Interface displayed its name and properties with an almost reverent tone:
Unique Item Acquired: Neural Symbiote Map [Tier 4 Artifact – God-Tier Utility]!
Description: A sentient, adaptive cartographical interface that bonds directly with the user's neural pathways.
Reveals hidden Precursor pathways, installations, energy confluences, and points of interest across the current god Verse region.
Actively analyzes and integrates new geographical and environmental data. Provides intuitive navigation and hazard warnings.
Passive Bonus: Intellect +15 [Permanent While Equipped/Bonded].
System Note: No way! You hit the jackpot, kid! This isn't just a map; it's like having a super-genius Precursor tour guide living in your head! With a +15 Intellect boost on top! Prepare for your brain to get… very, very mapped!
Ryan stared, absolutely speechless. A sentient map that bonded with his brain and gave him +15 Intellect, on top of revealing all sorts of hidden Precursor secrets? This wasn't just a Prime Genesis Cache reward; this was a game-changer. A universe-changer.
The Shifting Wilds, the Forgotten Overgrowth, the entire local sector of the god Verse… they were about to become a whole lot less mysterious, and a whole lot more full of things for Ryan Stone to find, explore, and, of course, extract.