Chapter 23: Aura

[Ding]

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[Host, Aura at your service]

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<<Hi host, Aura is at your service.>>

Looking at what was displayed before me, I couldn't help but be surprised. Not for anything else but the fact that I could also hear a voice speaking the same words as displayed on the screen.

"Mom, Dad, did you hear that just now?", feeling uncertain, I asked my mom and dad if they heard the same voice as me.

"What voice?", my dad asked puzzled.

Hearing his question, I couldn't help but frown. I was sure that I was just imagining things just now. But I couldn't think of anyone who could directly transmit their voice into my head without alerting my parents.

Pausing slightly, I gazed at the system screen before me as I thought, 'Unless it is from this newly upgraded system.'

Just then, I heard the voice once more, but this time a system window didn't show up.

<<Host, you aren't just imagining things. It's me Aura, your system assistant.>>

"Aura...?!", I muttered, surprised.

"What Aura?", my mom asked with concern.

"It's my system assistant. I can hear its voice inside my head.", I replied.

"You can hear its voice inside your head?! That's interesting.", my mom muttered.

"Since you are able to hear its voice directly inside your head, It's probably connected directly to his soul.", my dad also continued.

"But we should have been able to detect it even if it was connected directly to his soul", my mom muttered with a frown.

"Connected directly to my soul...?!", I muttered in surprise. 

<<Yes, Host. Your parents are right. In fact, I reside within your soul. Not just linked to it.>>

"Wait, you reside within my soul!!!", I shouted in surprise.

"Huh! So, it actually resides within your soul!", my dad muttered, surprised by the implications it held.

"No wonder we are unable to detect its existence. It makes sense if it resides within your soul.", my mom muttered, her eyes shining with understanding.

"Considering that it came along with the system's upgrade, there probably won't be any danger. It seems like our son just got himself a good partner.", my mom continued speaking with a light laugh.

"Partner...?", I muttered thoughtful.

<<Indeed, host. I can indeed be considered your partner in a way. In fact, the bond we share is probably one that even stronger than that.>>

My mom also replied, "In fact, it is probably even closer than that. Your bond probably the closest type of bond any two beings could possibly share."

"Indeed.", my dad also nodded in affirmation.

Hearing this I couldn't help but become even more curious about Aura.

Seemingly noticing my curiosity, mom spoke, "It seems that you are really curious about this system assistant of yours, we will take our leave then."

"Yeah, you are probably curious its abilities. So, we wouldn't disturb you any further.", my dad added.

After speaking those words, both of them mysteriously disappeared as if they were never there in the first place.

Seeing them disappear mysteriously, I couldn't help but be speechless.

Feeling helpless, I decided to go back to my room before checking on Aura.

...

Inside my room, I sat cross legged on my bed as I opened my mouth to ask.

"Aura, you there?"

<<Hi host, how may I help you?>>

"Can you tell me about what you can do?", I asked, curiosity filling my voice.

<<Host, my abilities mainly lay in manipulating the various functions of system to assist you.>>

"Like...?", I asked, deep in thought. Already having a guess in my mind.

<<Host, an example would be that I can help by giving you information about various functions of the system or using system's database, give regarding subjects.>>

"So, you mean you can like give me information regarding any thing as long as it is within the system database?!", I asked, my voice brimming with excitement that I found hard to hold back.

Although I guessed that Aura's abilities would not be ordinary considering that it came with the system. I didn't expect its capabilities to be so powerful as to directly access the system's database.

<<Yes and no, host. Although I can indeed access the system's database, amount of information is limited. In fact, directly linked to host's abilities.>>

Hearing this, my excitement immediately died down as I felt cold water being poured on my head.

Now that I thought about it, it seemed to make a lot of sense. After all, there is no way that there could possibly be anything so overpowered in this world. Even if such a thing existed, it's probably not my turn to have.

"So, you mean that the stronger I am, the more useful you will be.", I asked once more to confirm.

<<Yes, indeed host.>>

"What about your ability to manipulate the system? Is it also related to my strength?", I asked, already knowing the answer in my heart.

<< Yes, host. You indeed guessed right. It is indeed related to your strength. As you are right now, all I can do is do some simple things like manipulating how the information is displayed to you by the system.>>

"Well, I expected it.", I muttered, feeling rather down.

Shaking my head to throw away these useless thoughts, I asked Aura, feeling curious about just how much it can manipulate the system, "Heh, can you show me how much you can manipulate the information displayed to me by the system."

<<Yes, host. As an example, I will just alter your status screen to make it show only the useful information and take out all useless ones that are deemed unnecessary at moment.>>

"Okay, do it.", I nodded my head.

[Ding]

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[Status screen being altered by the system assistant, Aura...]

[Status screen successfully altered by the system assistant, Aura.]

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[Ding]

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[Altered status screen being displayed.]

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