NOVEL NEXT Encounter
After drifting through space for a while, Carter's curiosity got the better of him. “Hey, System, what skills can I purchase right now?”
[SYSTEM]
Host is currently able to purchase the Gravity Control skill for 30,000 celestial energy. This skill allows the host to manipulate gravity within a set range and automatically pull masses towards the host for absorption. The range and force of the skill will grow with each upgrade.
Carter’s eyes—or, well, whatever equivalent sense he had—lit up. “Wait, so I can basically auto-farm meteors and space rocks? That’s awesome! It’s like having my own space... auto-clicker!” He grinned to himself. “Alright, PURCHASE!”
Gravity Control has been purchased.
"…I don't feel any different," Carter grumbled after a moment of silence.
[SYSTEM]
Host must willingly activate the skill. It's as simple as moving a limb… even though the host currently does not have one.
"Thanks for the reminder…" Carter muttered. Closing his metaphorical eyes, he focused on the new skill. Slowly, he began to imagine pushing and pulling gravity like an invisible force in the space around him. The sensation was faint at first, like a tug on the edge of his awareness, but it quickly grew stronger.
Suddenly, Carter could feel the flow of gravity within a 100-mile radius. He grinned as the sensation of control washed over him. “Whoa… I can actually move stuff! I can pull things, push them... it’s like I have my own cosmic hand!”
He flexed his new power, testing the limits of the force he could exert. Small chunks of space debris began drifting toward him, drawn by the invisible pull of his gravity control. He stood in one place, pulling all the rocks toward him until the surrounding area was cleared.
“Nice! I gained 10,000 celestial energy and grew a thousand feet taller. Doing this will speed up my growth rate… a lot faster—wait, what?” Carter’s thoughts were interrupted as an unfamiliar object entered his Zone Vision. “What’s that?”
He focused on the new shape: a sleek, white spaceship cruising steadily in his direction. It was marked with a strange emblem—an "X" crossed with an odd-shaped skull. His excitement shifted to confusion. “Wait… is that some kind of spaceship? Hey, System, aren’t I deep in space? Why are there humans out here? Did I reincarnate into the future or something?”
[SYSTEM]
That is not a human spaceship. The vessel belongs to an infamous space pirate clan in the galaxy.
Carter froze. “Space… pirates?”