Chapter 2: A New Bond

The barn was quiet after the initial shock of Ray's appearance, the dim light casting soft shadows along the wooden beams. Clark paced a bit, still trying to wrap his head around the idea that a voice inside his head—Ray—was now a part of his life. His mind raced with questions, and the bizarre events of the day made his normally calm demeanor falter.

Ray's voice broke the silence, soft but clear.

"Clark, I know this is all… overwhelming. But I need to explain something important."

Clark stopped his pacing and turned his gaze upward, unsure where to look exactly. "Yeah, that'd be great," he muttered sarcastically. "You're saying you're some kind of system now, but what does that mean for me? Are you stuck in my head forever?"

Ray paused, as if carefully choosing his words. "Not exactly. My real form isn't inside your head—it's the white crystal. That's my 'main body.' As long as the crystal is near you, I can communicate with you directly. I can hear and see everything in the vicinity of the crystal, so if you keep it close, it's like I'm with you… but not inside you."

Clark raised an eyebrow. "So, you're not reading my thoughts or something creepy like that?"

"No, no thoughts," Ray reassured him quickly. "Just the physical environment around the crystal. I don't intrude on your mind unless we're talking, like right now. I understand that you need your privacy, and I promise not to interfere with your life unless it's necessary."

Clark took a deep breath, visibly relaxing. "Alright, but what happens if the crystal isn't nearby?"

Ray hesitated. "Then... I'll be alone again."

The words hit Clark harder than expected. There was something almost vulnerable in the way Ray said it, like a person facing isolation after a long time without any contact. Clark hadn't thought about it before, but the idea of Ray being trapped in endless solitude struck a chord in him.

"If the crystal is away from you for too long," Ray continued, "I wouldn't be able to interact or gather energy. I'd be… stuck, with no way to evolve or escape this state. That's why I need you to keep it close, at least for now. I'll understand if there are times when you need space, but I'd appreciate it if you could keep me nearby as much as possible."

Clark rubbed the back of his neck, thinking. He wasn't sure how he felt about having a companion like this—especially one that was some kind of sentient system—but he also didn't want to leave Ray in some lonely limbo. It seemed like Ray had already been through enough.

"Okay, Ray," Clark finally said. "I'll keep the crystal with me. But no spying on me when I'm in the bathroom, alright?"

Ray chuckled, the sound surprisingly human for an energy system. "Deal."

Clark smiled faintly, shaking his head. "So... what exactly do you do? I mean, you're a system, but what's that even mean?"

"Right now, I'm a new system, so my functions are pretty limited," Ray began explaining. "One thing I can do is create missions for you. Completing these missions earns energy points—or EP—which we can use to unlock more features and objects within the system. At the moment, I can only generate low-level items or knowledge. We're not exactly talking world-changing tech just yet."

"Missions?" Clark's eyes narrowed, skeptical. "What kind of missions are we talking about here?"

Ray paused, considering. "It depends. Some missions might be related to physical tasks, others to solving problems or investigating things. But since I'm still running on limited capacity, we're talking pretty basic stuff for now."

Clark leaned against one of the barn's wooden beams, arms crossed over his chest. "So you're saying you can hand out missions, and I do them to help you gather energy?"

"Exactly," Ray confirmed. "For each mission completed, you'll get a share of the energy points. Those can be spent on certain items or knowledge, and I can start to unlock more advanced features. It's a way for me to grow and evolve, but also for you to gain access to things that could help you."

Clark let out a slow breath. "So you're saying we're in this together."

"Yes," Ray answered, sounding almost relieved at Clark's understanding. "Without a host—without you—I'd be stuck, unable to gather energy or evolve. I'd just be... alone. Forever."

Clark's expression softened. "I get it. So, you can't do anything big yet?"

"Not yet. I'll need to gather more EP to unlock higher-tier functions. Once we've built up enough energy, I can change even my appearance. The crystal form you see now is only temporary—I can adapt and modify myself once we get enough energy points."

Clark raised an eyebrow. "Wait, you can change how you look?"

Ray sounded more excited now. "Yes, once I've gathered enough energy, I can modify my physical form. I could be more discreet, less… noticeable. But it'll take some time and effort to get to that point."

"So, you're telling me I'm stuck with this glowing rock until you get enough points to shapeshift?"

Ray's chuckle was brief. "Something like that."

Clark ran a hand through his hair, still processing everything. "Alright, fine. You've got me convinced. What's next?"

Ray's voice took on a more decisive tone. "Well, how about we start with a mission? I can generate one right now, just something simple to begin earning energy points."

Clark raised an eyebrow, still a bit wary. "Okay, but nothing crazy. I'm not fighting any monsters or running off to save the world right now."

Ray's tone was light. "Nothing like that. Here, let me show you."

A blue textbox appeared in Clark's vision.

Mission: Saitama Training

Description: For the next three years, a daily mission will be generated with the following tasks: 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 10-kilometer run.

Reward: 100 EP per day.

Clark stared at the text, mouth slightly open. "You've got to be kidding me."

Ray's voice was completely serious. "No joke, Clark."

Clark pointed at the textbox. "You want me to do that every day for three years?

There was a moment of silence, then Ray spoke again, a bit amused. "Actually, this mission is inspired by a character from a parallel universe—a man named Saitama. He became incredibly strong by following this exact routine for three years straight. He's kind of famous in the Omniverse for it."

Clark's confusion deepened. "Saitama? What's his deal?"

Ray quickly summarized. "In another universe, Saitama started training with this simple routine: 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 10-kilometer run, every single day. No fancy equipment, no shortcuts. After three years of this, he became the strongest being in his world, able to defeat any enemy with a single punch."

Clark couldn't help but laugh. "One punch? Seriously?"

"Yes. It sounds ridiculous, but it worked for him. He became invincible."

Clark shook his head, still chuckling. "So you're telling me if I do this every day, I'll be able to knock out bad guys with one punch?"

Ray's voice was calm but firm. "Well, the odds of that happening are slim. But it's an excellent routine for building strength and endurance."

Clark smirked. "I'll do it. But I'll do it in my own way."

Without warning, Clark dropped to the ground and began his push-ups. His movements were lightning fast—faster than a normal human could see. In less than a minute, he'd completed all 100 push-ups, sit-ups, and squats. He then sped out of the barn, running 10 kilometers and returning in the blink of an eye.

"Done," he said with a grin.

Ray was silent for a moment, clearly processing what had just happened. "That… was impressive."

Clark shrugged, still smiling. "I've got a few advantages, you know?"

A blue textbox appeared in front of him again, this time showing a tally of EP earned.

Energy Points Earned: 100 EP

Clark's Share: 10 EP

Ray's Share: 90 EP

Clark blinked, looking at the numbers. "Wait, I only get 10 EP?"

Ray was quiet for a second. "Yes. You get a portion of the points, but the majority goes to me so I can upgrade the system."

Clark crossed his arms. "You didn't tell me that part."

Ray hesitated. "I didn't think it was necessary. You'll still get benefits from the upgrades."

Clark sighed. "Fine. But you better make those upgrades count."

Ray's voice shifted to a more businesslike tone. "Alright. Let's see what we can do with the points we've gathered."

Clark watched as a new screen appeared, showing Ray spending 1 EP to reach System Level 1, and immediately using another 10 EP to unlock System Level 2.

Ray spoke again, sounding more upbeat. "Now that I'm at System Level 2, I can generate a basic object list for you. Take a look."

A list of items appeared, and Clark couldn't help but laugh when he saw what was available. The list contained basic items like water bottles, snacks, and other things that could be found at a grocery store. Each item had a price, with 1 EP equaling $1.

Clark chuckled. "So you're basically a walking supermarket right now."

Ray's voice was tinged with embarrassment. "At this level, yes. I told you, the system needs more upgrades before I can offer anything more advanced."

Clark smiled and scrolled through the list. He stopped at a snack and drink combo—something cheap and simple: a soda and a candy bar, priced at 5 EP in total. With a casual tap on the screen, the items materialized in front of him, a cold soda and a chocolate bar appearing as if from thin air.

Clark picked them up, examining the items. "Well, that's kind of cool," he said, opening the soda and taking a sip. He unwrapped the chocolate bar and took a bite. The taste was surprisingly good, as if it had been freshly made.

"Not bad," Clark said between bites. "Guess you've got some decent stuff in your system."

Ray sounded relieved. "Glad to hear it."

Clark leaned against the barn door, enjoying his snack. As strange as everything was, it felt oddly comforting to have Ray around. Even if Ray was basically a glorified vending machine at the moment, there was potential here—potential for something bigger.

And besides, Clark had never been one to turn his back on someone in need.