When Arlen woke up he was still on the floor. It was then that he remembered everything that happened the night before. When he got up, he saw the open box and in it a necklace with a bird on it. As he reached over to pick it up a voice inside his head startled him.
"Good morning master, did you sleep well?"
'What the fuck' Arlen thought as he withdrew his hand.
—Who are you?
"I don't have a name, but I'll gladly take one you give me."
—What are you, why do I hear you inside my head, is it some kind of communication power?
"I am a system, I was locked in the box before, but your tear contains enough genes to be able to open me up and use me."
Arlen then looked at the necklace.
'Not the necklace?'
"No. Right now I am part of you. The necklace was just a deterrent in case someone managed to break the box, the real secret was me."
-Can you hear what I'm thinking too?
"That's right."
Then Arlen picked up the necklace and looked at the bird design on it.
—Hey, what's this?
"The bird? You don't know?"
—No.
"It's a Phoenix."
—A Phoenix? What's that?
"Let's say it's a special kind of bird."
—I like it.
Arlen put the necklace around his neck and watched as he rested the bird on his chest.
'Thanks Mom and Dad for this gift.'
—Hey, and how long are you going to be on my head?
"'I don't know. It depends on how fast you progress, but in principle quite a while."
—You're part of my parents' gift too?
"That's right, although I doubt they knew of my existence."
—What do you mean?
"Forgive my intrusion, but during the time you were asleep I've run through your memories, and I don't think your parents knew how to open me up."
Arlen got a goofy grin on his face. He didn't know why, but he had a good feeling about it all, like a sixth sense telling him that something good had finally happened to him.
—Then I'll have to give you a name, what do you think, Quinn?
"Too much seen, I think another one would be better."
—How about Edgar?
"I like it."
Arlen smiled. Edgar was the name of an invisible friend he had when he was little. For Arlen to give him that name meant a vote of confidence toward the system, and the system knew that, so he was grateful.
—So tell me Edgar. Before, what did you say you were?
"A system. Look."
After the words Edgar unfolded the system before Arlen.
[Name: Arlen Ober]
[Level: 0 (0/10)]
[Awaken state: Not awaken]
[Bloodline power: 0]
[HP: 13/13]
[Strong: 11]
[Agility: 9]
[Stamina: 11]
[Points: 2]
[>Skills]
[>Quests]
[>Inventory]
—Wow, what is this, my information?
"That's right. The average for a human your age is 10 so you're within the standard. For starters, I recommend you do two things, distribute your 2 points and go into the 'Skills' section."
—Tell me Edgar, is this for real?
Edgar laughed at Arlen's comment.
"Of course. My goal is to make you the strongest man in humanity."
—I have so many questions...
Just then someone knocked at the door. At that moment he remembered that today was the day he had to leave for the Academy. He ran to the door and let in two uniformed gentlemen in the white suit typical of IOH agents.
—Are you not ready yet?
—I'm sorry, I had a problem and didn't have time. Make yourselves comfortable, I won't be long.
Arlen let the two men in and hurried to his room. Into a backpack he stuffed what few clothes he had and went back out into the living room when he saw the box.
'Edgar, can you hear me?'
"Tell me."
'What do I do with the box?'
"Throw it away, it's no longer good for anything."
Just as Edgar told him he threw the box in the trash, finished cleaning up the small apartment a bit and in a while he was done. He had nothing more to worry about there and was ready for a new life.
Accompanied by the two men, he left the apartment and got into the car.
"I recommend you do as I say Arlen."
'But won't the other two see the system?'
"No, the system is something only you can see."
Arlen opened the system screen and decided to put his 2 points in agility, so he had all the characteristics equalized to 11. But what surprised him the most was when he entered the 'Skills' section, where he already had a skill.
[Analyze lvl.1:
When you analyze an object or a person you will get the corresponding information. As you advance in skill level, the amount of information will increase].
Wanting to test if it worked, he launched his skill against the two people escorting him.
[Private Ryan: On a mission.
Awaken state: Veteran]
[Private Lui: On a mission.
Awaken state: Expert]
Arlen could not believe his eyes. Maybe it would seem like minimal information, but all kinds of information is valuable in this day and age and Arlen knew it.
It was then that the soldier who called himself Lui caught Arlen's attention.
—Good night.
And then a gas started coming out of the back of the car, causing Arlen to fall fast asleep. When he awoke he was walking through a doorway, the first time he had ever walked through one. He was accompanied by a feeling of dizziness and discomfort until he reached the other side.
—Good morning, and welcome to the IOH Academy.
Before Arlen's eyes a bunch of white buildings of different shapes and sizes unfolded as if they made a city, and that's because the Academy was a city for the students and teachers who were in it.
"Ready for your new life Arlen?"
—Of course I am.
—Here boy —Private Ryan held out some papers to Arlen—. Here you have all the information regarding the academy along with a map and some instructions with what you have to do during today.
—If you have any questions you can look us up or ask someone in a white uniform. If by the appointed time you have not done what it says on the paper you will be in trouble kid, understood?
Arlen nodded and said goodbye to the two guards with a smile on his face.
The scene shocked them both as they had been a bit rude to him, but not because of that but because according to the boy's report he had not awakened his bloodline and had no ability. Neither of them could imagine the life he had led.
—Are you sure the part of the report where it says he was bullied every day is right?
—Well, it doesn't say every day, it says most days, but I hope the boy doesn't get confused, the academy can be even crueler than school.
They both silently prayed that the boy would not suffer too much, even though it did not influence their lives, seeing a child suffer is always sad.