Ding…
Scanning for a suitable host…
Ding…
Scanning complete.
Ding…
Host meets the requirement.
Ding…
Initiating the binding process…
1%… 39%… 83%… 100%
She listened to the voice quietly without interrupting it. It seemed some kind of process was being carried on.
The mechanical voice was like a fixed computer program, and now she was sure she was not hallucinating. Suddenly, she became curious as to what its purpose was.
Ding…
Binding successful.
'Congratulation host for successfully binding the system "World Peace". From now on, you would be assigned tasks in different worlds for both of our welfare. After successfully completing each task you would receive rewards and if you fail, I will run out of energy, then we are both doomed. So please try not to fail. As my new host, you are given one passive ability and 1000 System Points short for SP. To check status, please open the status panel.'
She went silent for a while after hearing the words "World Peace". Her lips twitched, trying to hold back a smile. But whatever this entity said was a very concise explanation, nonetheless, without too many complications.
"Why are you including me in your doom." She asked tentatively.
'Because I am bound to you now and if I die, you will too.' It answered in a serious tone.
"Then why didn't you ask for my permission before binding me?" She asked with a hint of oppression in her voice.
'Er, this… I thought you would agree. After all, who wouldn't want to be the host of the powerful "I".'
"…"
She couldn't refute because it was truth.
Even if given a choice, she will still choose to bind this "System".
'Host, please open the status panel.'
After watching her being silent, the system urged her.
She raised her eyebrows. She had read many such novels where the protagonist dies and gets bound to a level system or gets transmigrated to another world. It seemed like she had become one such existence. And of course, as a pro gamer, she knew what the status panel was. She made a command in her mind saying 'Status' and sure enough, a blue semi transparent panel showed up in front of her.
Status
Name: Aaira Alastair
Age: 19
STR: 2 INT: 11
AGI: 1 SPIRIT: 6
DEX:1 MIND: 6
VIT: 4 LUCK: 3
CHA:8
Attribute Points: 0
System Points: 1000
Skills: Professional Gamer (High)
Special Abilities: Photographic Memory
INVENTORY
SHOP
MAP (1 km)
TASK BOARD
She quickly skimmed through the so-called status that was simple to understand.
She had two initial skills. First, a professional gamer, which she was not surprised to see. And the other being photographic memory, which was not bad for an initial skill.
Leaning back in her wheelchair, she looked down at the lush and well-maintained back garden and pondered.
'System?'
'Yes host? If you require supplemental information, you can ask now. And you can talk to me in your mind, no need to speak out loud.' The system replied immediately.
'How shall I address you? Are you a "He" or a "She"?' This was the first question she had asked.
The system was speechless for a moment.
'Host I am a system, an AI, I don't have a gender but for convenience's sake you can refer to me as a "He".' He replied kindly.
'You said you run on energy? What kind of energy?' She asked, raising an eyebrow.
'This… its life energy. I don't have much left, so please complete a task as soon as possible.' He urged.
'What is life energy and how, I, completing a task will give you life energy? Explain to me so that I can understand better. Otherwise, how do you expect me to help you?' She said nonchalantly.
The system was silent for a while, but she waited patiently for him to answer her inquiry.
'Life energy is an energy that a living being with a physical body has. After a living thing dies, all of their life energy will escape from their bodies. As a result, their bodies will slowly decay.' System explained as best as he could.
She tilted her head. 'You want me to kill people?' She asked incredulously.
'No, host, you won't be killing people. You can choose a task where you won't have to kill if you don't want to. I can also get soul energy once you complete such a task without killing anyone. But there are some planes where monsters also exist. If you kill them, I can absorb their life energy.' He replied hurriedly.
'En' She rubbed her chin thoughtfully.
'What is the standard status of an average human?' She finally asked the questions she wanted to ask the most.
'Its 6. Because of the host's body being in a bad state, the host's physical attributes are lower than half of the average human attributes.' The system informed her.
She went silent.
"My luck is so low, no wonder I had an accident and became paralyzed." Looking at her luck stats, she muttered.
'Then why did you pick me? What requirement did I met for you to pick me? Is it my intelligence?' She asked curiously.
'Intelligence is one factor, the second is the host's calm and rational personality. The moment I appeared until now, I have not detected any emotional fluctuations in the host, nor excitement, neither fear. Except for being slightly curious, the host has been calm this entire time. The third is host's quick adaptable nature, to take advantage of the situation and turn the things into your favor, which is the very reason host became a pro gamer.' He said.
'Um…'
She looked at the bottom of the panel and clicked on the inventory, where a space of 10 slots greeted her. Each slot could store 99 items of the same type.
"It's just like a game." She muttered to herself again.
'I know what other attributes mean, but what are SPIRIT and MIND?' She asked, confused.
'SPIRIT represents your soul strength and MIND your mental power. SPIRIT, MIND, INT, and mana are interconnected. If your soul is strong, you will have high mental power. And When your INT increases, it not only increases your understanding of your mental power but also increases your mana.'
'It's so complicated.' She said plainly, but there was not a hint of complaint in her tone.
She then clicked on the Shop Icon. Shop had only one option of buying but not selling. She went silent for a moment, not because it was empty but because there were too many categories, and too many items and abilities in each category, that she could not find an end to it. From common items to rare to legendary. From common food to spiritual food, bloodlines, mythical beasts and mythical artifacts. From normal guns to space war ships and mechas, costing from double-digit system points to millions and billions. What was even more ridiculous was that she could even buy life span with system points, but it cost tens of millions.
Seeing her own 1000 SP, she became speechless. What could she buy with these 1k SP, she pondered?
'According to the normal standard, shouldn't inventory and shops be opened when I get somewhat stronger? Why did they show up in the beginning?' She asked rather plainly this time.
'What normal standard are you referring to, host?' The system asked.
Should she just say that she had read too many such stories about systems? She pondered then shook her head bemusedly.
'It's nothing.' She answered.
System stayed quiet upon hearing that.
'Can AP (Attribute Points) and SP (System Points) only be earned after completing the task?' She asked an important question.
'Attribute points can only be earned after completing a task. Another way is to make your own physique stronger by working out, but that also has a limit.'
'As for system points, there are two ways.'
'One is to get it after completing a task to get soul energy from a non-killing task which will be converted by me into SP and the second is to kill monsters to get life energy. You will gain experience for killing monsters. Your experience will represent a part of life energy of the monster killed. Another part will be absorbed by me as my share. The experience you will gain will converted into SP.' System explained.
Contemplating, she opened another icon in her status panel. That was a map. Clicking on it mentally, another panel opened up, showing 1 km of area in her vicinity. There was a single blue dot on it that was surrounded by many green dots. She realized that the blue dot represented her and the green dots were the servants in the villa.
'System, What other practical functions do you have other than guiding me?' She closed the map panel and asked.
'I don't have much active ability, host. You have to rely entirely on yourself to complete the task. If you ever need a talking companion, I will be at your service.' The system answered truthfully.
She pondered. 'So you are saying, you are useless?' Nodding, she commented ruthlessly.
'I have read many system novels, in which systems are very annoying. They verbally irritate their hosts or directly pit them in their tasks. But you are very obedient so far, why is that?' She asked, tilting her head.
'First, the traits you described are those of lowly systems. I am "The World Peace System". Please don't compare me to them.' He put pressure on "World Peace" and there was pride in his tone.
'Oh' 'The World Peace System, huh.' 'How great'. There was a slight joking sarcasm in her tone.
'Second, this is a mutual beneficial relationship between us. I need the host to get life energy for me and in return, the host can buy any items in my shop. If I harm you in any way for some temporary gains, I will be harming myself eventually. I am not stupid enough to do that.' He said.
She tapped her index finger on her thigh while in deep thoughts.
'Don't worry, host, we will get along well.' The system assured her.
'I hope so.' She nodded while watching the setting sun. Her black hair swayed with the evening breeze, and the glow of the setting sun created a golden hallow around her entire body.
Her beautiful appearance looked serene in this quiet environment. Like a fairy had descended on earth, creating a scene out of a picture.
The system unconsciously held his breath, seeing such an ethereal scene.
…