Darkness surrounded Adam, a tangible void that threatened to swallow him whole. He felt weightless and incorporeal, as if he could vanish at any moment.
He was trapped in a state beyond his comprehension, his body gone, his senses muted. All he had was a strange instinct.
"So this is death," he thought.
He had so much more to do and so much more to see. But now it was all over, the young man thought back to his life, a jumbled mess of memories.
Adam made mistakes and suffered setbacks, but he had always persevered. He had played his cards the best he could, and that was all that mattered.
"If I could do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing," he said to himself. "I did my best, and that's enough for me."
As Adam waited for the end, time went by—how long exactly he had no idea—hours, years, decades, he couldn't tell.
'Floating in an empty void for the rest for enternity? bit anti-climatic if you ask me, but I can't complain; it sounds better than hell, and I have no doubt that if it existed, I would definitely be heading there.'
'Still, I can't help but feel like my death—no, my life in general—was a bit strange? a brain mutation that had never been seen before? What are the chances of that?'
Also, that technique? I never gave it a name; I always thought it was some super-focus ability that my mutated brain gave me, but now that I think about it, it can't be that simple.'
'I can't forget the body of Mike; did I really do that? Could I have some alternate personality or something similar to Eliot in Mr. Robot? Did my brain mutation cause that too?'
'That reminds me, John. Seeing your friend's brain explode can't be a nice feeling. I hope he got out alright.'
'Last but not least, the sensation I felt right before I died and that robotic voice—what on earth was that? Did it kill me, or was it the curse? Though I couldn't tell what the fuck was happening—that sight, that sensation—if I could experience it again...'
Suddenly the void around him began to ripple and distort. With a bright blue glow, a slowly revovling majestic cube adorned with strange symbols appeared before him.
Accompanied by the noise of an electric spark, a monotone and robotic voice echoed in his thoughts.
*ZZAP*
[ SYSTEM ADVISES HOST TO INCREASE IQ ]
'Huh?' It was then that he remembered the voice in his head before he died.'Who? no what..? What are you? And what the hell are you talking about? increase my IQ? If you haven't noticed, I'm dead.'
[ INSUFFICIENT IQ ]
[ SYSTEM ADVISES HOST TO INCREASE IQ ]
[ SYSTEM ADVISES HOST TO INITIATE AI ASSISTANT ]
'Insufficient IQ? calling me stupid? Heh, you're not wrong. '
[ AI ASSISTANT ACTIVATION ]
[ PROCEED? ]
'No response... Well, fuck it, I'm already dead. It can't get any worse than this'.
'Proceed'
[ >>COMMAND RECEIVED <<]
[ INITIATING AI ASSISTANT ]
[ RECALIBRATING THE HOST'S IQ ]
'..You don't need to rub it in.'
[ > Welcome Host to IQ System < ]
A lovely, feminine voice that would have made Adam's heart beat faster if he were still alive resounded out.
'IQ system? What the hell is that? system.. system... where have I heard this before? Oh yeah, in those novels, often the main character would have some sort of system to help them grow stronger as they leveled up; they were pretty overpowered too.
Hold on... Why would a dead man like me get a system? could it be?'
[ Affirmative: The host is currently undergoing a reincarnation cycle. ]
Unable to digest this information, Adam went into another pyschotic episode.
*HEHEHEHE* SO IT EXISTS?! SUCH A THING?! reincarnation? I can't believe it, a second life.. I can't wait...
I don't know who the creator of this universe is, but allowing Adam Raymond to live a second time is a disastrous blunder.
'With a system as well! Oh heavens, to give this genius something like that is too much; the creator must be very confident…'
'But who are you? Or what are you? What do you mean by IQ? Will you make me smarter or something?'
[ Yes/No ]
[ Systems IQ is vastly different from the meaning of IQ in the host's oringinal world, 'Earth'.
looking through host memories..
In Hosts previous world, IQ was relative to humans, but for the sake of explanation, we will include both humans and animals.
There are two types of intelligence. Both general and specialized. Most humans fall into this general category.
While the majority of animals are specialists,
Ravens are said to be the most intelligent birds. They have been observed solving intricate tasks, such as pulling a thread with meat tied to it. Ravens can also recognize faces and advise others not to attack people with whom they have had negative encounters.
Ravens are better than humans in some types of pattern identification, according to research.
They will also summon wolves to them in order to open the skin of carcasses (something they cannot do alone). They will then distribute it.
Say, for example,
How vast would the difference be between a raven with 100 IQ and a raven with 1,000,000 IQ? (If one could exist) be? The answer is minimal; having a higher IQ would only make the raven better at doing what it already can; once the requisite IQ is achieved to achieve its purpose, the remaining IQ would be obsolete.
Both humans and animals have a limit on their IQ; to pass that point would mean certain death, as most brains aren't developed enough.
System IQ, however, has no such limit; currently, the host doesn't have enough IQ to understand the meaning of the system's existence.
But in 'layman' terms, if IQ on earth was one's intelligence relative to other humans,
Systems IQ is relative to ?????!!!!**]
[ ERROR ]
[ ERROR ]
[ WARNING ]
[ WARNING ]
[ WARNING ]
At that moment, Adam felt a majestic presence engulfing him, peering into him with a perennial gaze.
'Damn it! Is it the creator? As expected, a second life is too much after all!'
[ ***** INTERFERENCE DETECTED ]
[ INITIATING PROTOCOL ]
[ SYSTEM SHUTDOWN ]
He always wondered what would happen after death. He believed in a higher power, but he had never imagined that he would be given a second chance at life.
But now, as he stood there surrounded by this ethereal glow, he knew that anything was possible.
The creator's gaze was both piercing and compassionate. It seemed to see right through to his very core. Adam felt all his secrets and flaws laid bare.
Under the boundless gaze of the one he believed to be the Creator, he felt both excitement and extreme fear simultaneously. He cowered under the otherworldly aura while another part of him grew more unsettled as time passed. While one side of him itched to run away, another part was eager to trade blows.
After what felt like an eternity to Adam, the entity, seeming to discover nothing, faded away, leaving not a single trace of his presence.
....
.....
.....
[ >> SYSTEM BACK ONLINE << ]
[ SYSTEM ADVISES HOST TO INCREASE IQ ]
'Yeah, yeah, bring the lady with the nice voice back'
[ AI ASSISTANT ACTIVATED ]
'I still have a lot of questions, but it seems the current situation is a bit complicated. Let's focus on the future.'
'Alright, what can you do exactly, System?'
[ Again, the host will naturally receive the answers to any questions the host may have once the host has sufficient IQ. To avoid misinterpretation, the system advises the host to reincarnate first, then explore the system's abilities. ]
' OK. Next, System, do you know what I will be reincarnated as?
[ human/humanoid Most likely
Though low, the chances of reinacarnating as another species are not zero; however, the unknown variable 535 and its combination with the host soul may cause some variation. ]
'Unkown variable 535? What is that?'
[ The host lacks the required IQ; however, the system believes there is a 97% probability that unknown variable 535 is the cause of the host's brain mutation. ]
'WHAT!?!
...Does that mean my curse will follow me into my next life as well?'
[ If host is referring to the brain mutation, it may or may not have a different result as the host will be in a body different from that on earth; however, Unkown variable 535 is intertwined with the host's soul; separation would mean destruction. ]
Hearing this, Adam fell silent, not knowing what to think at this moment.
'Destruction? like death?' Would I reincarnate again?'
[ Close but not quite, Currently, the host's physical body has perished, but thanks to the system's support, the host's soul was able to remain unaltered while also retaining the host's memories.
Normally, a soul from a weak planet, such as the host's original world, would be too fragile to handle resistance and would lose all memories when undergoing reincarnation, but the system speculates this was possible for the host due to unknown variable 535 strengthening the host soul whilst on earth; however, when the soul is 'destroyed,' the host simply ceases to exist, resulting in true death. ]
'..Do you have any idea what it is?'
[ Presently no, the system has decided that the unknown variable 535 is a unique existence on par with, if not above, the system, and that despite the fact that it caused host brain mutations in the prior life, unknown variable 535 will more than likely be helpful to the host.
Nevertheless, once Host has sufficient IQ, separating from unknown variable 535 will not be impossible. ]
'How?'
[ Unable to answer; host does not have the required IQ ]
'...no matter. As long as there's hope. I failed in my previous life. The next will not be the same. Resolved, he was going to ask another question when he felt a type of change in his being and surroundings.
' Seems like it's time, my second life. How will I start off? born as a rich young master of a merchant family? or the Imperial King's second son? Maybe the grandson of an archmage? Hehe, anything with a silver spoon will do.'
....
...
....
....
Gusts of wind whipped through the ancient pine forest, their needles dancing like ghostly fingers against the night sky. The air was alive with the sounds of the jungle, from the thunderous roars of lions to the hissing of snakes.
The heady scent of pollen and exotic plants permeated the air, creating a vibrant tapestry of aromas.
On this ordinary night, the rhythmic clip-clop of horse hooves echoed through the forest. Emerging from the shadows was a magnificent white stallion, its sleek coat gleaming in the moonlight.
Astride the beast was a petite woman, her cloak billowing behind her like a black sail. Her hood was drawn up, but her long, raven hair cascaded out, framing her ethereal blue eyes.
"Forgive me, my child," she whispered, her voice breaking with sorrow. Tears streamed down her beautiful cheeks as she gazed at the newborn in her arms, sleeping peacefully.
She took a few deep breaths, steeling herself for what she must do. With a trembling hand, she inscribed a rune on the child's cloth.
Then, gently, she placed the baby in a basket and set it down on the soft grass.
She kneeled beside the basket, her fingers lingering on the child's soft skin. She kissed the baby's forehead one last time, then whispered,
"Go forth, my child, and find your destiny."
She stood up and turned away, her heart heavy with grief.
Walking away from the basket, she turned her head to look at it once more before proceeding to open a spatial gate, which shortly disappeared after she entered.
A few moments later, a hunched-back, thin old guy with a wrinkled face draped in ragged robes coated with mud and soot ventured over to the basket, his long gray hair swinging in the breeze.
'Spatial Qi? Which expert could it have been? As far as I know, in this Neatu province, apart from beasts, there are only me and a couple others of such level; this Qi, however, I have never felt before,' he thought to himself while stroking his long gray beard.
'How heartless, leaving an infant in a place like this'
And at that moment, the newborn opened its eyes.
Adams POV
'Woah.. this is weird, this feeling, I'm in a baby's body? Compared to my previous one, this one feels so weak; I can barely move, and my thoughts feel slower. I can't describe it, but it's weird, and there's a sort of energy I can feel in me; it's different, definitely something that wasn't on earth.
'A real fresh start huh?'
Putting all my focus into trying to stay awake, I managed to slightly open my eyes.
'Huh, who is this old man? And where the hell am I?! Where are the beautiful maids, The Elegant Queen? Is this a forest? What the fuck?! Have I been abandoned already?
...Is this fate?'
This changes nothing; I'll climb my way up by relying on myself, just like I did in the past.
In this life, I will experience everything—all that I couldn't do in my last life. I will have true freedom this time, and in order to have that, I must be strong.
'But could this old man be my father? He's nothing but skin and bones! Looking as if hes already one step in the grave, where could he possibly find the vitality to conceive a child? But this old man has a strange air around him.'
"Ho? His eyes seem to hold intelligence, and such a thick congenital Qi..." The old man said softly.
"I've decided you shall be my disciple."
He gazed at the baby's dark blue eyes, which held an unquenchable curiosity. Then remained silent for a moment, his mind racing with thoughts.
Finally, he raised the newborn out of the basket and held him close. Then, with a powerful blast of energy, he launched himself into the sky, breaking the sound barrier with ease.
The old man levitated beneath the starry night sky, holding the baby in both hands. He elevated the child higher and higher until they were both bathed in the silvery moonlight.
In a commanding voice, he spoke:
"You shall be called Zhìhuì."
.....
'What the hell is this old man saying?, sounds a bit like Chinese.. nevermind that, what the fuck is he? This hunchback can fly! *hehe* It seems my luck is not so bad after all.
'This world must have superpowers, and this old man must be the royal family butler who has certain special tastes; otherwise, I can't see why he would dress like a beggar.'
'But who am I to judge?'
'I wonder where we are going now, back to the palace? That must've been some sort of naming ceremony. Mhm, I approve. Such a ceremony is befitting of my genius. Oh, it looks like we arrived.
'Ugh, what is this disgusting stench? Uugh. So mold exists here too. That food had to have been here for decades. Why did the old man bring me here? -.....
.....'
....
....
'Did he just eat out of the garbage...?'