The rain in Sector 4 wasn't water; it was a toxic, grey mist that smelled of rusted iron and broken dreams.
Jin wiped the grime from his cracked goggles, his breath coming out in ragged puffs. He was nineteen, but his hands looked like those of an old man—calloused, scarred, and perpetually stained with grease.
"Three copper credits..." Jin muttered, staring at the pile of junk he had collected after twelve hours of digging. "Not even enough for a synth-bread."
Suddenly, a heavy boot slammed into his chest. Jin flew backward, crashing into a pile of scrap metal.
"Move it, trash," a voice sneered. It was Baron, a low-level thug with a cybernetic arm. "This sector belongs to the Iron Skulls now. Pay the tax or die."
Jin looked up, his vision blurring. He had nothing left. No money, no strength, no hope. As Baron raised his metal fist to deliver the final blow, a cold, mechanical chime echoed inside Jin's skull.
[ Ding! ]
[ Conditions met: Absolute Despair reached. ]
[ Integrating... God-Tier Scavenger System. ]
[ Mission 01: Survive the Thug. ]
[ Reward: +10 Strength, 500 Credits, and 'First Blood' Title. ]
[ Do you accept? Y/N ]