Chapter 8 - Black-Box v1.0

"Ok, as I've already said this much, I'll tell you the rest. But, could you bring me some water as a thanks?"

"Ok, on my way."

She likes being served huh? Errr… or maybe she just like giving order? Just look, she swinging her legs. I tried to please her. I went to the edge of the room to bring her some water. I also got thirsty from this talk.

"Truth is, I also tried to give you half of the loot because you've been very helpful, but you yet received grace. I stayed here for 3 day and next in a hotel nearby just to waited you awaken and check your condition anytime so I could give your share. But you just didn't seem would awake any time soon and whenever I checked it you just didn't indicated that you have one."

*Blurpp…

"Hah? What did you say?"

I rushed toward her with carefully keep the water in the glass stayed in places.

"I stayed in hotel nearby?"

I gave her requested water.

"No no, you've checked whether I have grace or not? Someone can do it? How?"

"Hmmmm Ywes."

*Gulp gulp

"Nah, to think about it, I yet answer you about this huh?"

"That's what I want to know, how people call other black-box… no, tell me the detail of every method how to steal it."

Why not tells me about this at the beginning? You want someone inform-less to accompany you during your investigation?

"The truth is black-box could only get stolen when it's in visible mode. When someone got killed, the black-box would appear by itself. That's goes the same when someone get knocked-down. Knocked-down here means that when someone being unconscious or brief unconscious."

"Then…?"

Then isn't that a chance for sist Renanda to stole mine while I was unconscious? I can't say it. But she narrowed her eyes as if she knows what I was going to say.

"Sleep isn't a state unconscious. Your body could still respond to loud noises or shaking, I tested it. That's why I moved to hotel since the 4th day."

"So that's mean I was unconscious only for 3 day and the rest is just asleep?"

"Yep. And in that 3 days, you didn't show any black-box. And if you received it, you'll awoken immediately."

So that's why back then that healer-man asked me whether I'm awoke due to the grace or not huh. He expected me to have one, but unfortunately, I didn't. That's also unfortunate to me, damn.

"You seem still suspected her?"

"Nah, that's not it, I just…"

"Hmmm… How to solve this…Ah."

"What"

"That miss-victim back then couldn't recall any memories about Holy Friday. Then, how about you? When the healer-man tells you about that, could you recall it? Even a slight memory of that day?"

"Yes, I remembered about the prediction and the scene of the eclipse."

"Nah, the eclipse. Those who got stolen couldn't recall it."

The sist-victim back then also stated that she didn't remember any eclipse. So, mine really wasn't get stolen. It just, I didn't have it from the start. Accept it. Just accept it. Rega! Your lack of luck is really awesome. I'm sorry Sist Renanda.

To think about it again, if I have one and got stolen, did the process itself would take no time? I mean, for that sist-victim back then, how much time is it from she become unconscious, to the time she completely lost it and to the time Sist Renanda found her. I'm glad here is someone who have experienced it, the stealing. Ah no, she on another level. Looting.

"Jhenn, when you loot the black-box that day, how's the process? I mean, did it take times to collects it? And to be blunt how you collect it? By stick it with yours?"

"Hmm hmm, you really looked it at every aspect huh. To infuse it to yours, it takes 2 minutes on average. For now, what I could assume was, it depends on its 'rank'. To collect it, you just need to stick your black-box to the target's and spell "Nahb". You'll feel nauseated during the process, it feels like something inside you were stirring"

I also think her assumptions were right. As it was just right when Holy Friday occur, so the one makes it different was their rank.

"What if the process canceled? Could it? If it you, you'll also try to find the answer by purposely cancel it aren't you?"

"You're really reflect my curiousness back then huh. It might, but when I tried, I vomited. Something that feels stirring inside you before was suddenly being pulled outside."

So, when that happen that also mean undo to the process huh? Then how about the after effect? Nah, she didn't mention it so I think it's nothing. Your nausea would gone and you'll receive more power.

More power? That's it. How you got more power? Do black-box contain some points like what so called EXP in game?

"Jhen, could you tell me about what inside you black-box? Like, what does it display, how could you get more powers by stealing one, and what's the different about the before and after?"

"You really want to robbed someone else experiment data huh. Al-Grace"

"Wait you really ok with calling it when I'm here?"

"It's ok. The fact that I can kill you anytime is enough to make me feel safe."

Here it comes, her arrogance. Do say "It's ok, I trust you" is that hard for you? I'm here to accompany you, and you choose to say the fact rather being nice to me?

So, the black spot disappeared as she called it just like the healer-man back then. It goes to everyone huh.

"Here. It contains your grace information. Your grace, rank, and points. For the point, no matter the rank is, it would be 1000 when you received it. But that's only for now. I heard from some broker that further, black-box wouldn't contain only this information. Also rumors about the use of points to increase rank, buying things in specialty shops and so on."

"So that was the root huh?"

"Seems like it. Dis."

And the black spot came again in the places where before it was.

"Mine was 'Light', C-Rank. And, I meet 6 annoying people, so I think it's 30000 points now."

My eyes widened.

HMMMMM? 30000 points? With 6 people she said that mean plus 6000 points. What with "my people were successful to let them handed the terrorist to our hand"? Our? Didn't that mean it was only for yourself?

Ah yes, I briefly forget who she is. If she would, then it would be "my friend" or "my acquaintances" not "my people".

But C-Rank? And yet she's this intimidate? Nah, I'm just human. Don't know what other high-human sees her. Ah no, that time she's yet a high-human but she outhandled those terrorists.

"I intended to share the 10000 point to you but… nah forget it, I don't want to put salt on your wound." *giggle

Yes, I just really forget who she is for a brief.

"Eh wait. How could you give my share if the cancelled process would also mean undo? Then your poi-"

"Nope, 'undo' that you mean was for them who only have 1000 point. And I think you known the rest."

"That mean, 'done' was for every 1000 points transferred, and if it isn't, that would be 'undo'?"

"Yup. I've never got one with more than 1000, but I expected 2 minutes that I meant before was also for every 1000 points transferred."

Ok, now I've understands plenty of it, the properties, the properties, its method, and its process. But now, I need 1 info again from her.

"Thanks, I'm somehow informed about the black-box now. But now, how distinguish 'human' and 'high-human'? I mean does every 'high-human' have black-box."

"Ok, first, what they call 'high-human' is for those that received grace, even if they have 0 point."

"Then what's the difference with 'human'?"

"They only lost their Holy Friday memory and unable to call their black-box. So, black-box stealing doesn't really mean the black-box, but just the points. High-human could still regain its black-box by stealing points from others by touching other's and using Nahb, but that's a rare occasion since they didn't even know what Holy Friday is."

"Is it only your assumption again?"

"I've tried it with my friend, to make her to use Al-Grace after I stole hers, and it won't get called. But when I check her body, she yet lost it."

"Lost what?"

"It's only my assumption but, there one thing that could be used as indicator whether you have a black-box or not. The black spot."

"Black spot?!!"

"Why you seem shocked? You know about the black-box but not the black spot?"

"…"

It's not that I don't know what she meant. On the contrary, I've known about it even before I know the Holy Friday. My assumption was also right, that the black spot is an indicator the black-box.

But I think it's only for us 'human' as a feature to defend our self from the high-human. For high-human to be able to see it was a bit unfair isn't it? Now, its all about them isn't it? What human excel compared to them, if they also have a defensive method to check someone potential harm.