〖It is an Awakening stone〗
''Huh?"
''Who the hell are you?" The young man asked in an icy tone. His eyes were narrowed and if someone was closer they would have shivered because of the dangerous aura surrounding the young man at the moment.
As for the young man he was on alert, he may not be an awakener yet but compared to low-level ones he got a pretty sharp sense, thanks this he could feel the subtle bloodlust or someone present but the owner of this voice didn't have any, the voice appeared just like that, no presence, nothing, which would mean that this was coming from a medium and immediately upon reaching this conclusion, the young man lowered his eyes on the black ring around his right-hand middle finger.
He assumed that the voice was coming from this ring, he hadn't had the time to check this ring since earning his temporary freedom. Just as he was about to check the ring, the voice sounded once more however this time it rang out from inside his head.
〖I am the system created by the mighty Lord Night. A smart existence whose purpose is to help in your journey.〗
Upon hearing that voice explain shortly was its purpose was, the young man couldn't help but feel a little amused as the corners of his mouth perked up. To think that person would even put something like this inside his brain. He had never seen the man even in his time at the laboratory but from the whispers here and there, he inferred that the man must be an extremely powerful being, one of the top existences in the current era.
Back then the young man could feel those mad scientists worship even while his eyes were closed inside the tank, that man was the one who decided everything and the young man was well aware that this man was also behind his creation and being sent into this city, this was all the man's doing, as for what goal the man had in mind for doing all of this, he was completely clueless but he could speculate few things from this conversation but he would need to think about it more later, he had time anyway and would eventually learn but first he must take some countermeasures, he might be a puppet at the moment but it doesn't mean he was soulless and would follow the written script exactly as the other party intended, it was not his style, he didn't have a soul, an ego for show after all.
Thus the plan for countermeasures started with his next question.
''So you're a system he bestowed upon me to accompany me in my journey?" He asked even though the other party had clearly stated previously what its goal was.
The young man's purpose was to boost the system's ego for his next goal and as expected it worked.
〖Of course such a noble and very important role has been entrusted to me by the Lord, you should feel honored and work diligently to fulfill the lord's goals- Ops! I'm the system sent to assist you.〗
Half through its speech the system glitched and switched tone, correcting the mistake it was making but it was enough for the young man to gain few things. As expected that man did have some goals in mind, too bad that he couldn't dwell on this because the system had become guarded against him, he could feel it thus he switched methods, trying another approach.
''So you are saying this black stone is an awakening stone?"
〖Yes!〗
The system responded flatly, saying nothing else, for fear of incurring a certain higher existence's wrath.
''Can I use it?'' The young man immediately asked and like before the system answer was simple and quick.
〖Yes!〗
''That is good.''
〖But I wouldn't recommend doing this right now as it is a very dangerous and painful process, you should wait for a more appropriate time to do it.〗The system added, its tone was genderless, not that the young man cared about such a detail as it means little to him.
Upon hearing the system's warning the young man nodded and thought of a saying he heard during his stay at the laboratory.
'Sunny day would not be special if it wasn't for rain and Joy wouldn't feel so good if it wasn't for pain.'
Those mad scientists used to say before performing inhumane treatments on him.
'Let's forget it and focus on things more important now.' The young man shook his head with a calm face and thought.
'Indeed you gain nothing without experiencing something. So I gotta go for it, I've experienced something worse than that.' The young man decided but first, there was something he was curious about hence his next question.
''You are system sent to help me, right?"
There was a silence and the young man continued.
"So you can show me my current strength and level as I'm unawakened?" He inquired.
〖It is possible but coming back to my earliest warning you should wait for an appropriate time before awakening as you are special.〗The system warned but this time using a lady's voice, maybe she thought the young man would listen this way but unfortunately, he was not swayed as he stood firmly on his position.
''Do what as I instructed you to. I thank you for the warning but it's what I desire.''
There was a moment of silence and during this time, the young man's brain was running at a fast speed thinking of a plausible method to get rid of this thing.
'A system? Nah! It's more like a shackle. I don't want it.' He mumbled inaudibly, not even the system inside his brain heard them.