Time Traveling System: Establishing The Last Stronghold for Humanity

Tham opened his eyes again. The first sensation was a familiar, painful one. Around him lay ruins.

Tall buildings that once stood majestically were now terrifying skeletons. Roads were filled with rubble and dust. No doubt, this was the world he had left, a world that had already collapsed.

"Phew..."

Tham let out a long sigh. He thought of the tunnel he had just built—images of old concrete walls transformed into shelters, clean water flowing, and the warm glow of dim LED lights. It was a faint hope, but a hope nonetheless.

Suddenly, a system notification chimed in his head.

---

### Survival Statistics of Your Built Stronghold:

* **Operational Duration:** 3 years

* **Number of Survivors:** Increased by 7% over the next 10 years

* **Status:** The stronghold cannot sustain long-term changes.

---

Tham read the message repeatedly.

"Three years... only three years?" he murmured to himself. Disappointment surged through him, mixed with understanding. "It's true. I built it from scraps. How long could it possibly last?"

He thought about his intention to help humanity, but the base he had built was far from perfect. He needed better materials, more advanced technology, and most importantly... money. With money, he could buy better materials.

"Money..."

Tham looked around him. In this ruined world, money was worthless. People survived by bartering or by force. But if he were to go back to the past to make changes, he would need money to buy the necessary things to build a better base.

"What kind of mission is this? You send me to create a new world in the past, but then you expect me to find money in a world where money has no value?" Tham complained to the system. He walked along a street filled with debris, the crunching of glass shards under his shoes his only companion.

"Alright, since I can't do anything about the main mission yet, I might as well try something new." Tham extended his hand forward. He closed his eyes, trying to visualize the object in front of him and commanded it to move.

"Move!"

He used all his focus to concentrate on a fist-sized rock a few meters away.

Nothing happened.

Tham opened his eyes. "What? Why isn't anything happening?"

---

### Tip:

* **Basic Telekinesis** requires intense concentration and intention. You must clearly visualize the object and give a firm command in your mind.

---

"Hmph! Just visualize?" Tham tried again. He imagined the rock slowly lifting, as clearly as he could. He focused intently on it.

Suddenly, the rock twitched slightly, as if something was trying to lift it.

"Hey! It's moving!" Tham was excited. He gritted his teeth, increasing his mental push, and then the rock slowly lifted barely a centimeter off the ground before falling back down.

"Okay... that's better. At least it works." Tham smiled. He spent that afternoon practicing telekinesis. He moved small rocks from one place to another, trying to control their direction and speed. Though not yet proficient, he was starting to get the hang of it.

"If I can use this power better... it could help a lot with building the base," Tham thought. He imagined lifting large metal sheets or moving piles of bricks with ease. It would save a lot of time and effort.

As evening fell, the sky darkened, and the air grew chilly. Tham knew that being outside at night was extremely dangerous. He had to find a safe shelter.

He continued exploring the ruins until he found an old factory that seemed to have some sturdy structures remaining. He decided to take refuge there.

Inside, the factory was filled with darkness and a musty smell. Moonlight filtered through broken windows, casting dim beams of light. Tham used his wrist-mounted flashlight to scan the surroundings. He saw old, rusted machinery piled everywhere, and debris scattered across the floor.

Suddenly, a voice came from a dark corner.

"Who's there? Come out!"

Tham froze. He raised his flashlight, aiming it toward the source of the voice, revealing the shadows of two burly men holding sticks and steel pipes.

"Easy, I'm just passing through looking for shelter. I mean no harm," Tham said in a calm voice. This wasn't the first time he'd been in such a situation.

Initially, he might have been worried, but now he had power.

One man stepped forward, his face covered in a beard and scars. "What are you doing in my territory? Don't you know this place is owned?"

Tham tried to think of a way out. He knew that direct confrontation wasn't a good option in this situation. He had power, but he shouldn't be careless.

"I didn't know. If this place has an owner, I'll go somewhere else."

"Go? Too easy, isn't it?" the other man said with a sneer. "What do you have on you? Hand it all over!"

Tham felt the pressure. He thought about the telekinetic power he had just trained. "What if I use it now?" he wondered, but he wasn't sure if he could control it well enough.

"I don't have anything, just this one bag."

Tham held up his backpack for them to see.

"Don't lie! Search him!" the first man ordered.

The other man walked quickly towards Tham. Tham was ready. He visualized a small, rusty metal piece lying by the man's foot.

"Lift! Strike!"

Tham commanded mentally.

Suddenly, the metal piece lifted from the ground, not very fast, but it flew directly into the man's shin with a thud.

"Ouch!" the man cried out, collapsing and clutching his shin in pain.

The first man's eyes widened. "What did you do?!"

Tham seized the opportunity while the other was startled. He stepped back two paces, simultaneously raising a large rock to hover in mid-air with his telekinetic power. Though it wavered a bit, it was enough to intimidate them.

"I don't want trouble, but if you want to try me, I'm ready," Tham said with a firm voice.

The first man looked at the hovering rock with suspicion. He knew this wasn't normal and didn't want to risk it with someone who could do something like this.

"You freak! Go! Get out of here!" the man yelled at Tham before turning to help his injured friend.

Tham didn't hesitate. He immediately ran out of the factory without looking back.

---

### A Light in the Darkness

Tham ran until he was sure he was safe. He stopped in a dark alleyway.

"That was close... good thing the power worked," Tham muttered to himself, feeling relieved.

In the darkness, Tham looked up at the star-filled sky. It was a sight rarely seen in the polluted past. He thought about the mission ahead: building a stronghold to help people.

"I need to be better. Stronger," Tham told himself. "And I have to get money!"

He began to seriously think about how he would earn money in the past when he returned there. Using knowledge from the future to create new things, or even applying the survival skills he had just honed, might be the solution.