CHAPTER 6 - Unforeseen Transformation (3)

-System will now begin last memory recorded-

"Stop! I said stop!" Ichiro's desperate plea fell on deaf ears, as the system proceeded to replay his last memory without any regard for his protest.

***

As the monstrous creature charged towards Ichiro, he sought refuge within his mother's room, the same room in which he had taken his first breath. His vision was blurred, and his body was racked with excruciating pain. Blood trickled from his lips, staining his surroundings.

"Ah," he managed to emit a weak sound, attempting to voice his agony, but even that simple utterance was a feat.

Despite his suffering, Ichiro's senses were alert. The memory replayed the moment he had been trying to escape. The frantic chaos of the outside world echoed in his ears—the roaring of the monster, the cries of people fighting for their lives.

And then, unexpectedly, a strange voice pierced through his disoriented thoughts.

-System activated-

'What's going on? What's that strange voice?' Ichiro's mind raced, confusion and pain intertwining.

-Commence system compatibility assessment-

'Compatibility? What are they talking about?' Ichiro's confusion deepened as he tried to make sense of the disjointed information.

The voice, the system, it all seemed surreal in the midst of his suffering. He felt a sensation, as if his body was being scanned—each nerve ending firing in protest.

'What's happening?' The pain was overwhelming, yet his curiosity managed to pierce through the fog of agony.

-Blood sample has been collected, now testing for compatibility-

'Compatibility? Compatibility for what?' Ichiro's thoughts spiraled, his fading consciousness attempting to grasp the fragmented puzzle pieces.

The process continued, as if his body was no longer his own. His senses were heightened, even as his life force waned. He could still hear the monster's growls, the distant cacophony of the world outside his room. It was a cruel irony, the world carrying on while his own existence hung by a thread.

-Blood compatibility complete-

'Complete? What's complete?' Ichiro's thoughts raced, his perception flickering as his body's strength dwindled.

-The system has acknowledged its new master successfully; recognition protocols are now active-

'Master?' Ichiro's fading mind struggled to process the information. The words felt disjointed, a puzzle he couldn't solve in his weakened state.

Before he could fully comprehend the situation, his heart gave its final, feeble beat. His consciousness wavered, his mind a blur of fading thoughts.

-Heart function is dropping to 0%, would you like to restore?-

'Yeah, sure… restore it… if you can't…' Ichiro's response was a whisper in the darkness, a plea to a force he couldn't quite grasp.

-Request granted, recovery time will take 172 hours. Countdown shall start now.-

A screen materialized, displaying the countdown. But Ichiro was already gone, his life extinguished in that room—the room where he had entered the world and, unbeknownst to him, left it forever.

With his last memory playing out, the story of Ichiro came to an end, leaving behind a realm of mysteries and unanswered questions.

After what felt like an eternity, the tumultuous whirl of memories came to a close. Ichiro's expression was one of bewildered astonishment, his gaze lost as if he were seeing the world anew.

"What just happened?" he murmured aloud, his voice a mixture of confusion and awe. It was as if a curtain had been drawn back to reveal a hidden tapestry of his own experiences.

-Memory playback successful-

The voice that seemed to emanate from the depths of his consciousness echoed in his mind. 'Did I really just recall all my memories from back then?' The realization of what he had witnessed filled him with a profound unease. He turned his attention to the screen that had guided him through his memories, only to find it had vanished as swiftly as it had appeared, as if its purpose had been fulfilled.

"What is going on? What is this system?" Ichiro's bewilderment remained, his voice tinged with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension.

Then, unexpectedly, the familiar voice resurfaced, breaking through the silence.

-Consider me a supercomputer, equipped with capabilities resembling those of humans. Nevertheless, I am just a fragment of your consciousness, emerging when the situation necessitates it.-

His astonishment deepened as he listened to the voice's explanation. "Does that mean I'm the only one who can see you?" he inquired, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

-Precisely, since the system only recognizes its true master.-

A dawning realization settled upon Ichiro. "You mean, through blood compatibility?"

-Correct.-

His mind raced with questions. Had the blood he had shed during the attack somehow marked him as the system's master? If another person had been present, would the system have acknowledged them in the same way?

"What's your purpose?" Ichiro's voice held a mix of curiosity and hesitation as he sought to comprehend the nature of this enigmatic presence.

-My purpose is to aid you in all your requirements. As an illustration, I managed to revive you. Prior to your heart's complete failure, I gradually restored its functionality. Nevertheless, due to the owner's frailty, the recuperation process took a while.-

The weight of the words settled over him. The system had been responsible for saving his life, even as his heart teetered on the brink of failure. It was an existence of awe-inspiring capabilities, and yet, one that seemed inexplicably tied to him.

"So, you're saying I didn't die then?" Ichiro's voice trembled with a mixture of disbelief and incredulity.

-Correct, heart function was still at 7% before you died.-

Ichiro's hand trembled, the reality of the situation sinking in. Seven percent was practically non-existent in terms of heart function. To him, it was a simple case of death. It defied medical understanding—no ordinary human or even a person with exceptional healing abilities could survive at such a critical level. Yet, here he was, alive and breathing, thanks to the system.

A question formed in his mind, prompted by the system's revelation. "Why did it take a while to restore my heart?" Ichiro's curiosity was piqued, eager to understand the intricacies of his own revival.

In response, a screen materialized before him, displaying a range of statistical data similar to those found in video games. He couldn't help but notice a particular statistic: his own physical weakness.

"You're saying I'm weak?" Ichiro's voice held a note of incredulity, a mix of gratitude and mild irritation at the system's candid assessment.

-Precisely.-

Ichiro sighed. While he was grateful for the system's intervention, he found himself slightly irked by its blunt honesty. "You didn't need to answer me," he muttered under his breath.

As he perused the data before him, his attention was drawn to an unexpected detail—his cooking ability was at level 2. A smile tugged at his lips as he recalled his culinary endeavors.

"How come my cooking is level 2?"

The system promptly responded by displaying a sequence of screens, showcasing various instances where Ichiro had prepared his own meals.

"Oh, I see…"

As he continued to review the stats, his eyes widened in surprise when he stumbled upon a term he hadn't expected: "Elemental Mastery."

"What's that?" he inquired, his voice a mix of astonishment and curiosity.

-It refers to your ability to use magic.-

"You mean I have the ability..." Ichiro's voice trailed off, his disbelief mingled with a newfound excitement. It had been a long-held wish of his to possess such a skill, and now the system seemed to be confirming it.

-You have always had the ability; however, your arcane energy has been dormant.-

'Arcane energy?' The term was foreign to Ichiro, but his eagerness to learn overshadowed his confusion.

"What must I do?" he asked eagerly, his curiosity urging him to uncover the steps he needed to take.

-The system is initiating an analysis of the necessary elements for skill activation.-

A few minutes passed, and another screen materialized. This time, what appeared before Ichiro didn't evoke the same excitement—it was a workout regimen.

"This is a workout?" His voice betrayed his disappointment.

-Precisely.-

"You want me to work out?"

-In order to achieve the necessary requirement, such training is required.-

"Yeah, I know that," he replied, a hint of resignation in his voice. 'As if such an upgrade is possible in the blink of an eye. Nothing comes easy in life, anyways.'

-Precisely.-

"Stop reading my mind!" Ichiro's vexation was evident as he reacted to the sudden intrusion into his thoughts. The realization that the system had access to his mind left him both fascinated and frustrated.