'I am Carter Hayes. A former obsessive method actor and now, a candidate for interdimensional travel.'
In the cold dry air of the laboratory, a line of people stood still for the scientists to examine.
The plain fluorescent light shined upon them. They had various emotions on their faces. Fear. Sorrow. Despair. Shock. But none was positive.
Some of them were strong. Some of them were weak. Unfortunately, Carter was one of the weak.
When it was his turn, he stepped onto the cold platform of the scanner. The floor was embedded with countless small spheres constantly pressing into his feet.
The scientist flipped over the switch. The scanner shot out a thin line of laser that went over Carter.
"Physical Prowess: F. Awaken Potential: None. Overall Assessment: F." The mechanical voice of the scanner echoed.
Dr. Locke clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Another failure. Place your hand on the machine and say 'I accept'."
"I accept." Carter did as he was told and placed his hand onto the smooth sphere of the scanner.
He had given consent for the machine to show his status window of the Prime System.
"Huh? The machine must have a glitch. Your name is all blank." Dr. Locke said. His eyes then darted to the remaining parts of the window. "Acting and Performance Skills? What a waste of time! Next!"
Carter didn't say anything and continued walking. He slumped down to the rest of the slaves and waited for the examination to finish.
Carter Hayes, he was once a famous actor on Earth. But he was kidnapped here to become a Primer.
Cyber Runner was a minor faction within the Prime World. A multiverse that governed over countless worlds and constantly finding more worlds to conquer.
Primers were world-travelers, explorers, and conquerors. A lucky few could destroy an entire planet with a snap of a finger. While the majority would be easily killed by a stabbing wound.
Carter looked over and saw a blonde woman approaching the scanner.
"Nina Chekhova!" Dr. Locke shouted out her name. "Ah. It's you. This is your third mission, right?"
"That's right." Nina nodded.
"Step on the scanner."
Nina did as she was told.
"Physical Prowess: D. Awaken Potential: 15%. Overall Assessment: C." The scanner announced.
"You are getting stronger after each trip, Nina. Keep going and you may become an Awaken and join us."
"I hope so." Nina smiled.
After her, it was Alan. A Primer that Carter had the misfortune to meet once.
"Physical Prowess: B. Awaken Potential: 5%. Overall Assessment: E." The scanner announced.
"Your body is developing nicely, Alan. You can definitely become an Awaken sooner or later." Dr. Locke said.
"If I do become an Awaken, I will never forget you, Dr. Locke!"
Alan looked like a little dog that wagged his tail in front of the scientist. He looked pathetic. But no one could really blame him. After all, they were just expendables. And when your life was decided by someone's else dignity was a luxury.
Alan walked through the area where all the weak and ordinary Primers were. He spotted Carter immediately.
"You piss me off every time with that face, pretty boy!" Alan raised his leg and kicked Carter.
Nina deflected his kick away with her own kick. "Stop this nonsense! We need to train!"
Alan frowned but nodded and went away with Nina. He didn't forget to turn back and shot a threatening glance at Carter.
Carter didn't respond. His expression remained emotionless the entire time.
'It doesn't matter.'
A Primer leaned over and whispered, "I'm Quill. Just ignore them."
"Don't worry. I am ignoring them." Carter whispered back.
Once they were examined, each was brought into an individual cell, waiting for 'processing'.
Carter sat on his bed, a creaking metal bed that was too small to sit. The cell had only one small window to the outside world, where Carter could see a futuristic advanced society with technology he could only fathom in science fiction.
Cyber Runner was a science-based world. Their power rooted in technology.
Carter raised his right arm up and looked at the glowing blue orb embedded on it. The Cyber Core. The piece of technology that controlled every single Cyber Slave that they kidnapped.
'I have waited. They examined me from top to bottom. And yet, they haven't found you at all.'
Each Prime citizen had a Prime System. This was a telepathic interface allowing Primer to access to their details, the Prime Shop, and every other necessities.
All Prime Citizens had only one and one system only, that was the Prime.
But for some reason, Carter had a second one.
[INFINITE SKIN SYSTEM]
[HOST]: Carter Hayes
[Owned Skin]: Cyber Slave; System Ghost.
[Equipped Skin]: Cyber Slave
Carter received this system the same time he arrived in the Prime World. But no one knew about it and no one could find it.
Furthermore, this was an extremely secrecy system that operated by thoughts, not by gestures like the Prime System. Carter could navigate the system all he wanted without anyone even suspected a thing.
'Show me the details of Cyber Slave.'
[Cyber Slave]
[Rank]: None
[Star Level]: None
[Ability]: None
[Skill]: None
[Item]: Cyber Core (Mortal)
- Cyber Core (Mortal): Can't be removed using Mortal power. You are being watched by Cyber Runner's scientists 24/7. They can torture and kill you at any time. This item cannot detect the Infinite Skin System.
'Heh. Sly bastards. Wanting to control me. Unfortunately, that's not going to happen. Show me the details of System Ghost.'
[System Ghost]
[Rank]: Awaken
[Star Level]: 4
[Ability]: Ghost Presence (Awaken)
- Ghost Presence (Awaken): Cannot be detected by scientific surveillance or scanner. You cannot be recognized.
[Skill]: Level 3 Hacking (Awaken), Level 10 Free-Running (Mortal), Level 1 Disguise (Awaken).
[Item]: Ghost Clothes
- Ghost Clothes: Can transform at your will.
System Ghost. A skin designed purposefully to become a ghost inside this technology dependent society. It would be his card to be free from this enslavement.
But Carter didn't try to use it. Not yet. The Cyber Core in his arm was still there and he couldn't be sure if the Core would alarm Cyber Runner once he changed skin.
There was a much smarter way to do that.
'Just wait… Freedom shall soon be mine…'
After making sure the Skin System was still there and wasn't detected by Cyber Runner's countless examinations, Carter closed his eyes and slept.
Tomorrow was landing day. Tomorrow he would go to a lower dimension. And tomorrow would be the day his story began.