Chapter 27: The System Activates

*Spiritual Contract Detected: System Initializing*

*Compromised Host Condition Detected, Administering Emergency Electroshock Therapy*

"Ahhh!"

Cough Cough Cough

Kain wheezed while spitting out all of the water he had swallowed. "I'm alive." He said patting down his body, "I'm alive!"

*Correct Host. Congratulations on obtaining your first spiritual contract and activating the System*

"Aaaahhhhh ghost!" Kain said whipping his head around in search of the voice.

*Not a ghost. System*

"System…? System!" This thing had never responded in the decade he had had it. He was beginning to think that it didn't exist.

"Wait…you're activated…and you said I have a contract!"

*Correct, please explore your first star space to make contact with your contract*

Excited, Kain immediately closed his eyes. The star that was previously a mashup of pretty much any environment one could think of, now had a clear appearance.

'A hot spring? Did I contract a hot spring?'

*Please do not be ridiculous host. One can only bind to living creatures with sufficient spiritual power, not inanimate objects. Your star has taken on the appearance of a hot spring because that is the most optimal environment for your contract.*

"I see…" Kain examined his star again. "I don't see anything other than a hot spring. Are you sure it's in there?"

*I am sure. You can summon it if you would like further confirmation*

Kain closed his eyes to concentrated and tried to do as directed by the system, pulling an object at the end of his spiritual power outside of his body. Once he sensed its presence in front of him, his eyes snapped open. Still nothing. "Where is it?! Did I actually even make a contract, I thought I'd have to be awake to direct the formation of the contract. I also didn't cut my hand"

*Not true. Because white-grade spiritual power in humans and spiritual creatures is weak, bodily fluid is needed as a medium, this is unnecessary as your strength increases. Regardless, all of the conditions to establish a contract were fulfilled. It had very intimate contact with you when it entered your body*

"It did WHAT?!" Kain shouted, feeling violated.

*And additionally, neither party rejected the contract. You, because you were unconscious. It, because it sensed a suitable living environment for itself within you that it instinctively made its way towards. Resulting in a contract*

"So where is it…Is it…still in me?" Kain, asked in trepidation. After all, a creature living in the star space within his body is different from it swimming through his veins.

*No. After the contract was established. It, and all of its derivatives were absorbed into your star space. Once summoned it appeared outside of your body, in the water surrounding you. Perhaps exploring the system's features will be better able to answer your questions*

Of course, now that the System has finally activated, he could get used to its help. No longer forced to do everything on his own.

"System open!!! Show me what you've got!!!" He shouted into the air.

*There is no need to shout. Simply think what you would like for me to do, and I will read those thoughts*

'Kind of an invasion of privacy, but I guess that's convenient…' Kain thought while silently asking the system to show him its features once again.

Immediately a window with several options appeared in front of him. Most of which were blurred out.

The only available selection was the 'Host Status' icon. 'I guess this is about me?'

Selecting the only available option, Kain was brought to a screen showing a 3D scan of his body, along with his height, weight, and other health indicators. Interestingly it has also quantified his spiritual power.

'That's convenient. Usually, people just have to keep absorbing their spiritual power while only having a vague indication when they are approaching saturation and can begin forming their next star. This thing tells me exactly how much spiritual power I currently have and how much more I need to become a 2-star beast tamer'

Currently it read 150/1000 SP. Kain had not been able to absorb any more spiritual power since reaching saturation and condensing his first star. A level he's assuming to be 100 SP. Now, after establishing his first contract, he can continue absorbing more already. While asleep it already looks as though he absorbed another 50 SP.

'This is why I needed to form a contract as soon as possible. Every day without a contract is another day I cannot absorb more spiritual power and fall further behind my peers.' Most of his awakened classmates have probably already passed the 300SP by now, even those with the worst talent.

Focusing on the Contracts icon next to his 3D avatar, Kain was brought to another screen.

'Finally, I'll get some answers'