Chapter 3: I got a system!
The next day Zac slept until the sun hit his face. He felt exhausted and in pain all over his body.
He sat up and clutched his head. "What is this pain?" His eyes became redder, and tears started coming from them.
Memories of what happened yesterday came to his mind, but before he could think about it, a panel opened before him.
[Congratulations on awakening the information system.]
"What...? Who is that...? Who is talking to me?" He became alarmed and afraid at the same time.
[Why are you overreacting?]
"Who are you and where are you?" he once again asked. "Let me tell you I’m a variant, so don’t try anything funny."
[If I wanted to do something, I would have already done it while you are sleeping like a sloth in the rain.]
"What...?"
[Do you only know WH words?]
[Whatever, I am inside your mind. Didn’t you remember last night? Oh...that’s right, you passed out before that. Sorry, my bad.]
[But host, I have to say, you really had a rough day.]
Zac’s face changed hearing it.
[Now, now, don’t be a cry-baby again.]
Zac wiped his face and asked, "So can you now tell me who you are?"
[I am an all-knowing information system bonded to you and I will help you to conquer this world, if you are worthy that is.]
Zac purposefully ignored the conquering and worthy part and asked, "How did we bond together, and why me?"
[Why ask me? You are the one who used the rune to awaken me.]
"What rune? I don’t have any ru... Wait, you mean?"
He remembered the charm and started searching his pockets. "Where did it go? I believe I kept it here."
"Ah...what is this?"
He finds a black-colored powder-like substance in his pocket.
[It must be ash.]
"Ash?"
[Yes, the rune must have been activated when you touched the awakening crystal.]
"So it’s not just a paper after all...Ahh."
"Wait, how do you know about the awakening crystal?"
[Are you a short-term memory loss patient? didn’t I just told you I’m an all-knowing system.]
"I see..."
[Actually, I’m not supposed to exist in this realm, you should feel honoured.]
"Let’s do that later."
A frustrated emoji appeared on the panel.
"So, you are like the system from the light novels?"
[Somewhat, yes.]
"What is the difference between you and the systems the variants have?"
[Don’t compare me to those useless things. They are mechanical programs with no soul that record and show the hosts their progress and states. But I’m an omniscient sentient being.]
"I understand. So can you cure my mom?"
[No]
"Can you upgrade my potential?"
[No]
"Can you give me some abilities?"
[No]
"Understood, so you are useless."
[What...?] An angry emoji appeared on the panel.
[Seriously, didn’t you hear my name? I am an information system; I provide information. Got it.]
"I can get those on the internet."
[Really, so why don’t you ask internet to cure your mother?]
Zac clenched his fists out of anger.
[Don’t be so worked up. I will tell you how the system works.]
[The system basically tracks your real-world actions and rewards you with points, which you could use to buy info. The greater the action, the greater the points.]
"What type of actions?"
[Depends, it may be as simple as rescuing a cat from the top of the tree or defeating a demon king.]
"Fine, then what about the info?"
[It’s random.]
"Are you fucking with me right now?"
[I don’t have a body to do that.] A ’thug life’ emoji appeared on the panel.
"If everything is random, then what’s the difference between you and a gacha?"
[Gacha doesn’t have a soul.]
[Now don’t be a nuisance and let me finish.]
[The life of a Variant is exceedingly fragile; no one knows when or how death will descend upon them.]
"And why, exactly, are you telling me this?"
[Do you know how most of them die?]
"Ah..."
[It is because they lack the right knowledge at the right time.]
"Why do you even have to ask me if you are going to answer it anyway?"
[A Variant without knowledge is like a blind man walking through a forest filled with mines.]
"I understand, but if the information is always random, how can it help me?"
[That is where the Info Points come into play. After you reach ’D-Rank,’ you can use those points to purchase information from me.]
"D-Rank? Why not now?"
[Well, since our bonding was done in an unconventional manner, I need time to see if you are worthy of having me.]
"And what if I’m not?"
[I leave, and you die!]
"What?"
[Since our bonding was done through the soul, me leaving you is like ripping away a part of your soul. And you’re not strong enough to withstand that.]
"Great!"
"Show me the system panel."
[Right, on it.]
⟦ STATUS ⟧
Name: Zac Godson
Level: 0 (E)
Age: 19
Race: Human
Title: -
Bloodline: -
Traits: -
Awakened Abilities: System(Unknown), Swordsmanship(E)
Skills: -
Available Info: (Successful bonding with the system, a one-time bonus available)
Attributes
Strength: 10
Agility: 9
Physique: 8
Wisdom: 11
Un-allotted points: 0
[You are awfully weak.]
"What do you mean? I was just awakened today."
[I know; still average attribute of a human is 10 but you a variant having less that ten in two of your attributes!]
[How funny? for an all-knowing system like me to choose you...] A laughing emoji appeared on the panel.
"Are you done insulting me? Now tell me about the one-time bonus."
[It’s a reward you get for successfully bonding with the system.]
[Do you wish to open it?]
"Yes."
[Bonus reward opening. Choose any one from the below options.]
[1. Info to become rich]
[2. Info to upgrade potential]
[3. Info to get healing potion]
Zac showed all his teeth from seeing the third option and instantly went to select it, but he stopped halfway.
"Say, system, is the reward always like this?"
[So you do have some mind after all... Ahh]
"Stop trolling and answer me."
[You are no fun at all. Fine, now listen carefully.]
[To answer your question. No, they are not.]
[There are four types of info you could get from the system.]
Heaven Choice Info
(Very rare choice-based info that appears randomly.)
Condition Info
(Unlocks after hidden conditions are fulfilled.)
Restricted Info
(Dangerous and valuable information that required a high number of info points to obtain.)
Common Info
(Simple information.)
[Among these four, the bonus info you have is heaven choice info, an exceedingly rare type.]
"So, if I waste this opportunity, I may never get it again, right?
[Yes]
Zac started thinking about it.
Becoming rich is not important right now; even with money, buying a potion is not easy for a nobody like him.
So he contemplated the other two options.
"Fine. Give me the second option."
[Are you sure you don’t want the info about the healing potion?]
"I do, but raising the potential is the long-term solution for all my problems. Plus, I’m confident I can acquire the healing potion after that."
[Mmm... Fine]
[Potential upgrade info selected, opening the info]
[A portal will appear in the park located north of your school. Enter the portal and search for the secret cave. Timing: Today at midnight 02:47 AM.]
"What? Near my school." Zac reacted with raised eyebrows.
"Wait, isn’t it good that it’s nearby?"
[The system only chooses the best and easy-to-achieve info.]
Zac nodded in understanding and started preparing for his first portal.
First, he made lunch for Carrie and himself. Later he went to the nearest mall and bought small water bottles, snacks, a lighter, gasoline, small glass bottles, rope, a first aid kit, and a large knife.
After getting home, he put on a black full dress with a cap and mask.
"Brother, where are you going?"
"Oh... Carrie, I made dinner for you. I have important work to do tonight, so be a good girl and go to sleep. I will return before morning."
She hugged him at his hips and started sobbing, "I am scared, brother; please don’t leave me."
He knelt down to her and placed his hands on her cheeks. "Just this once, okay? Don’t you want Mom back?"
She nodded. "Then you have to let me do this. Aren’t you a brave girl?"
She wiped the tears from her face. "Okay, but promise me that you will come back."
Zac locked his pinkie with hers. "Pinkie promise."
When the night came, he left the house but didn’t go to the park; instead, he had another place to visit first.
A middle-aged woman is lying on a hospital bed without any movement. Multiple medical wires are connected to her body.
Zac stood beside her holding her hand.
"I promise, Mom; you will be back to normal before the week ends."
At 2 o’clock he came to the park and sat on the bench thinking of various ideas of what he should do.
His body is trembling and sweating from the thought of entering a portal.
"I wouldn’t instantly get killed, right?"
[The system will not give you impossible info. The survivability will always be more than 0.5%.]
"That’s not encouraging."
When the time reached 2:47, a small portal appeared at the center of the park.
He stood before the portal with closed eyes, thinking about his mother, sister, and all the things that happened the day before.
He opened his eyes with renewed vigor and took a step forward.
