The Enigma of Transmutation (2)

Looking at the question marks with confusion, Michael attempted to ask Zero about them.

"Zero, explain the unidentified stats in the physique panel," he asked inwardly.

[Insufficient Energy...]

"Darn it, how can I charge this thing without the bracelet?" Michael muttered in frustration. Typically, the bracelet served as the main body for the AI, housing the nanobots responsible for its functions. When energy was insufficient or running low, the nanobots would connect themselves to the bracelet to recharge. Michael lacked detailed knowledge of the process, but this was his basic understanding of how it worked.

"Maybe it did transmigrate with me, but without the ability to charge this thing, it's useless," Michael sighed in frustration. "I don't think nanobots are in my body, so I don't know how this thing works now... I don't have the required knowledge, nor am I in the right era to do a checkup." 

Feeling a sense of helplessness, Michael realized the limitations of his current situation. Without access to the necessary resources or expertise, he was unable to fully understand or utilize the technology that seemed to have accompanied him from his past life.

Frustrated, Michael sighed as he shook his head helplessly. "I have a cheat but I can't use it. What dog shit luck."

"We're here, everyone get off!" The carriage driver's voice cut through Michael's thoughts, gruff and commanding as he leaned out of his seat.

The students began to file off the carriages, one by one. Lisa nudged Michael lightly to bring him back from his daydream, and then she disembarked first, shouldering her backpack.

A line of black school carriages awaited them near the edge of a vast green lawn. Meanwhile, students from Bratfurd Academy streamed toward a cluster of buildings on the other side, all clad in the same uniform.

At the far end of the lawn stretched a collection of buildings. The central structure boasted a white dome adorned with intricate yellow patterns. Surrounding it, towering edifices with dozens of floors stood proudly, each featuring white domes and dark yellow embellishments. In the distance, faint outlines of similarly styled large buildings could be discerned. Students bustled between the buildings, while a few teachers, distinguished by their black uniforms, moved among them.

On the edge of the lawn, a slender boy stepped away from one of the carriages. His dirty blond hair framed a pallid face, and his green eyes darted nervously as he power-walked towards the Academy grounds, appearing somewhat listless.

"Odd" Michael noted the boy's behavior briefly before turning his attention to the Academy's facilities. Behind him, a ring of tall white fences enclosed the campus, with carriages entering through a white arched gate and departing after dropping off the students.

"It's pretty much like the schools on Earth," Michael remarked, falling into step with the other students making their way towards the buildings across the lawn.

"Michael should be in grade 12, class 2..." He navigated through the crowd, relying on his memories, and veered towards the left side of the sprawling campus. Stopping in front of a trapezoidal building, he ascended the stairs.

Entering the classroom behind two other boys, Michael made his way toward his usual seat near the window at the back of the room. He slid his backpack into the desk's compartment and found himself pondering the six attribute symbols at the bottom of his vision. 

After the Hugo incident and his subsequent personality change, Michael found himself isolated in class. 'They completely ignored him' he reflected bitterly.

Since the incident, Michael had become the subject of humorous remarks or pitying glances, but no one sought his company anymore. It was the second semester, yet none of his classmates had extended any invitations. 'I don't blame them,' he mused with a touch of resignation, 'social standing and image are everything to teenagers.'

The first class commenced with mathematics, presided over by a middle-aged woman with a stern countenance. The material presented was no more than what one might encounter in an Earth middle school—a fact that hardly surprised Michael, given the disparities in era. He listened briefly before losing interest altogether. 'This is too easy,' he chuckled inwardly, mindful of his own academic background as a university graduate back on Earth.

The subsequent class delved into language studies, encompassing the language, writing, and literature of the country. Michael, however, made no effort to engage, finding the material unchallenging and of little interest to him.

During the etiquette class, Michael's focus shifted from the lesson to the attributes displayed in his vision. He was engrossed in testing the connection between these attributes and his body, trying to make sure they were accurate and not corrupted data considering how low everything was.

The average person's attribute should be around 5, but looking at his stats he felt defeated. 'How weak' he muttered to himself.

Suddenly, the last attribute with the question marks and percentage value shook, drawing his attention and causing him to flinch.

[Strength: 3.1 | Agility: 2.2 | Vitality: 2.7 | Intelligence: 3.2 | ?????: 1.1 | ?̶̬̕?̵̳̕?̴̬̏?̷̜͆?̷̫̒:̸̙͆ ̴͇̒0̸̩̆%̷͙̕]

Shocked, Michael glanced around the class, but no one else seemed to have noticed the anomaly. With a furrowed brow, he raised his head and directed his gaze towards the podium.

At the front of the room, the etiquette teacher held an open rosewood box containing various gems and jewelry. "One's appearance is also a representation of how much respect you have for the people you interact with, and jewelry is one of the key factors in improving one's image," the teacher explained. "Last class, we discussed gold and silver jewelry, and today we will be examining the use of gems and diamonds in fashion."

The etiquette teacher, a man adorned with an elegant beard and spectacles, exuded an air of refinement and sophistication. His expressions were meticulously composed, radiating a natural elegance.

"Now, you will pass around these gems and observe them one by one," he instructed, his voice carrying a gentle authority. "Nobles are not merely defined by their material wealth; rather, it is the nobility of their hearts that truly distinguishes them. Self-discipline, elegance, self-esteem, responsibility, courage, and more—all of these qualities, along with a polished image and quality attire, comprise the essence of nobility. To embody these virtues is to truly earn the title of noble. Conversely, if one's pride lies solely in their ostentation and wealth, they are but nouveau riche."

Michael sat in the back of the room, his gaze fixed on the rosewood box as it made its way around the classroom. Before he could react, he noticed the numbers at the bottom of his vision beginning to change. The attribute with the percentage value, previously static, now started to increment slowly, akin to the movement of a second hand on a clock, gradually increasing from 0% to 1%. 

Curiosity and apprehension mingled in Michael's mind as he watched the unexpected transformation unfold, his thoughts racing to comprehend the significance of this development.

As Michael observed his classmates passing the box, he noticed that most of them merely glanced casually at its contents, their familiarity with such gems and jewelry evident in their indifferent expressions. Only a handful of students, likely from less affluent backgrounds, seemed genuinely excited as they examined the treasures within.

Lost in his thoughts, Michael's attention remained fixed on the box, oblivious to the teacher's voice droning on in the background. It was only when the box reached the short boy wearing glasses in front of him that Michael snapped back to the present. With rough handling, the boy flipped through the contents before passing the box to Michael

"Thanks!" Michael said reaching for the box.

"Mhm!" the boy said, a hint of surprise evident in his voice as Michael received the box with gratitude. The unexpected excitement and warmth in Michael's response seemed to catch the boy off guard, contrasting sharply with the aloof demeanor he had come to expect.

As Michael held the box in his hands, a strange sensation enveloped him. Starting from his fingertips, a tingling numbness spread throughout his body, akin to the steady flow of cold air inside a fridge.

Feeling the intensity of the strange sensation coursing through him, Michael quickly set the box down and began to search through its contents. His fingers brushed against various gems until they settled on a black and red pearl. As he lifted the pearl from the box, the cold flow intensified, enveloping him more intensely.

Simultaneously, at the bottom of his vision, the last attribute with the percentage value underwent a sudden and drastic change. Within a matter of seconds, the percentage soared from 1% to 50%, then 80%, and finally, an astonishing 112%.

Sensing a shift in the pearl's energy, Michael watched as its colors dimmed, as if it had aged before his eyes. Alarmed by the unexpected transformation, he swiftly returned the pearl to the box and passed it to the last student on his right-hand side, even then, the box had been in his hands for quite some time.

As Ada, the redheaded girl with a ponytail, frowned at Michael and swiftly passed the box to the next student, Michael remained unfazed by her reaction. He knew Ada well—like him, she hailed from a less affluent background, but unlike him, she possessed exceptional academic prowess and remarkable self-discipline. Their shared lack of social connections often left them isolated from their peers.

But Michael's attention remained fixated on the fluctuating percentage value, he was oblivious to Ada's dismissive gesture. A surge of excitement coursed through him as he heard the basic robotic voice of the AI.

[Sufficient Energy... System update available, please confirm]

"Confirm," Michael responded eagerly.

[0%... 25%... 90%... 100%]

He watched with bated breath as the percentage steadily climbed.

[Update Complete... Basic Assistant Function available]

[Strength: 3.1 | Agility: 2.2 | Vitality: 2.7 | Intelligence: 3.2 | ?????: 1.1 | ?????: 102%]

[Sufficient Energy... System update available, the host can update the system using 50% of the available energy or increase a stat using 100%!]

This time, the robotic voice was replaced by a familiar soft tone that stirred memories of his past life. "Zero, you're back!!!" Michael exclaimed with joy, feeling a rush of familiarity and comfort wash over him.