When Adam woke up. He felt his body was already back to normal. No more aching, heavy or stiffness.
"How long have I been sleeping…" He asks his System while stretching his body lazily on the bed, not feeling like waking up yet.
[20 hours 12 minutes and 48 seconds.]
"That long?" Adam was surprised and immediately rose from his bed and stared at the screen in his sight.
[Host's body is being repaired by the remnants of Nanomachines lingering inside Host's body. If Host has the ACE Suit on, the repair duration would have taken 15.3 times less.]
"What? You should have told me that… But nevermind, I wasn't in any urgent business anyway." Adam yawned and suddenly felt a sharp pain from his stomach that growled like an angered beast.
[The repair increases the consumption of calories from Host's body. The System recommend Host to eat something more nutritious than junk food that lacks nutrients and calories or Host's muscles will be cannibalized by the Nanomachines.]
"Again… you should have told me that earlier." Adam grumbles and doesn't have the will to even argue with the emotionless AI that governs his System function and goes ahead to buy food.
Soon, a large amount of food appeared on his bed. A whole crispy roast chicken, two bowls of salad, a barbeque platter, a lot of garlic bread and garlic soup. As for drink, he still has the half finished jug of orange juice in his Inventory. His body had quite the craving for meat as explained by his System.
As he devours the food, Adam navigates to his Inventory and curiously looks at the last three strongboxes.
"May I ask what are the possible 'things' that Strongboxes can give?" Adam asks while stuffing his mouth with the melt in the mouth smoked brisket that puts joy on his face as he guzzles down those heavenly meat.
(My stomach growls as I write. Never in my life have I tried BBQ. Too expensive to buy or make. Instant noodles are my staple diet. Fuck, even my fictional mc eat better than me.)
[The rewards range from all units owned by all Factions but no living beings. It can range from T-Dolls to mechs like Cyclops, Hydra, Aegis, Ares, Minotour, etc to vehicles like Typhon, Gustaf, etc.]
"Cool…" Adam recognises few of the mentioned names but Typhon! Does he have a chance to get that?
Adam paused from eating for a moment and clasped his hand, praying to all deities out there especially those associated with luck. He even bribed them, promising to make 'offering' in later date before he open all of the strongboxes
Dinergate
G41
Agent
Adam had no idea what he got or how good it was. For G41, Adam has a guess it's a T-Doll which he is very grateful for. The other two, Adam, have zero clue.
(G41 my raifu.)
Looking at his inventory, Dinergate is a quad pedal robot with a laser gun mounted on it. G41 is a blond wolf girl with heterochromatic eyes of blue and red wearing… questionable and tattered white clothing. Agent is also humanoid, looking like a stereotypical strict maid with stern expression plastered on her face.
"I guess that counts as lucky…" Adam is unsure with what he gets and focuses on finishing his food before taking another shower because it's a habit for him to take one before beginning his day.
He put on his Suit later which felt clean. He worried if his sweat and grime would stick on it but his System told him all of his gear will be repaired and returned to pristine condition when returned to the Inventory. Then he equipped his Special Force Helmet and Pants, Hardplate Vest and Boots and lastly his Dragonfly Glove.
The mismatched gear felt unpleasant in his eyes and he wondered if there was a way to fix it. To his surprise, there is. The System agreed to create a special slot for him to equip armor that has no other benefit other than being cosmetic. He equipped the Special Force Vest, Gloves and Boots to restore his appearance so it matched.
Nodding pleasantly in front of a mirror while inspecting his look, Adam felt ready to bring out the units he just received, starting from Dinergate.
The robot immediately appeared in front of him, exactly like how it looked in the Inventory. It lowers its hind leg and looks at Adam with its large red eye. In his opinion, it looks like a CCTV camera with legs and a laser gun attached.
"Do you understand me?" Adam asks.
This time, it straightened its hind legs and lowered its front legs repeatedly as if it was nodding. Then it starts running in a circle around Adam before rubbing its body against his leg.
"It's a goddamn dog with a laser gun." Adam picks it up and lifts it up to his eyes. He instantly fell in love with it.
What's more amazing than a lone man with his four legged companion venturing in a new world. What is a man without their loyal companion?
Perhaps feeling the emotion of Adam, it wiggles it's front leg and the laser gun tail thing excitedly.
"Yes. You are now my buddy. Together, nothing can stop us." Adam place the excited robo doggo on his shoulder which quickly nuzzle at his head or helmet.
"Do you want a name?" Adam ask and received an excited nods.
"Hmn… I'm not really good with giving names. How about Eric? Name of my best friend?" Adam suggested.
Eric nods, happy with his new name. In fact, he would be happy regardless of what name Adam gave him.
"Good. Glad you like it. Now, our other companions." Adam opens his Inventory and is ready to bring out G41. But he felt an unsettling feeling in his gut for some reason.
The blond girl with hair long enough to reach her feet, appeared with her eyes closed. Once she opened her eyes, she immediately introduced herself.
"I am G41. Master, please take me home, I'll work hard!" Her large blue and red eyes look at him adorably which give him the urge to pet her head and pinch her cheek while calling her a good b- girl.
Then her eyes shifted and looked at Eric. Her eyes immediately become sharp and her ears become rigid as she glares at the robo dog with a low growl emanating from her throat. Eric also stood stiff on Adam's shoulder, ready to defend his territory.
The two look like two dogs viciously staring at each other, ready to rip each other's gut apart which Adam quickly puts an end to.
"Bad girl. No one is fighting on my watch." Adam quickly diffuses the situation.
G41 immediately looked heartbroken and desolated like a kicked puppy. Her eyes watery and her ears flopped as she looked at Adam with fear.
"Ah, don't throw me away, Master. I promise to work hard." She begged with tears until she felt a hand placed on her head, rubbing her hair and comforting her.
"I'm not throwing anyone away. Just no infighting. You are both my companions. Also, no picking fight. I'm looking at you Eric." Adam turn his head to Eric that stood proudly on his shoulder as if gloating his victory against the G&K scum. Eric immediately lower it's head? body?
"Good." Adam nods satisfyingly after the two is pacified.
G41 rushed to Adam and hug his body happily while rubbing her face on his chest, inhaling his scent deeply and satisfied. Adam shrugs thinking maybe G41 have dog or wolf? wolf-like behavior of sniffing people to identify.
"Now, our last companion." Adam brought out Agent.
"I am Agent of Sangvis Ferri Industries. I am at your disposal from now on, Master. Although, I would appreciate it if you do not take my word literally." Agent spoke emotionlessly as she introduced herself while her eyes shifted between Adam, Eric and G41. The last one made her frown a little but that's all her reaction was.
"Hmn. Are you a T-Doll too?" Adam wondered if his hand still continued to rub G41's head to pacify her after he felt some hostility and fear from the way she immediately hid behind him and peek at Agent.
"I am and a superior one compared to the inferior trash the Griffin had." She answered without a hint of hostility in her voice or any change in emotions as if she was simply stating the fact.
"So, where are your weapons?" He asks curiously as G41 had her's slinged at her back while Agent had none.
Agent seems to catch on to what Adam was curious about and reach of her skirt before lifting them up which made Adam flinch in surprise to guard his eyes but the gap on his fingered glove leave little to believe his initial intention.
Adam immediately saw what's hiding under the skirt… four thin cannons that look like laser cannons hiding under her skirt.
"*Cough* That's enough… you can let down your skirt." Adam ordered awkwardly and shyly, which beat the entire purpose of wearing his full gear, trying to look imposing. After all, the initial impression is important and the Agent just ruined it.
"Ahem. Anyway, nice to meet all of you. My name is Adam White." Adam introduced himself this time.
"I already have all Master's information downloaded into my Neural Cloud. So, I believe the introduction is unnecessary." Agent interrupted Adam.
Adam then looks at G41 and Eric to ask if she is also the same. Both nods which made Adam relent and skip the introduction.
"Alright then. We will skip the introduction."
Then Adam turns to his System, asking for him to be returned back to his world.
"Well, be prepared. We are going back to my world." He wanted to stay home but he still didn't have any permanent residence considering he is basically lost in a forest.
—————
(A shorter chapter. To wrap up the introduction of the new companions. Admittedly, only Agent was my initial plan for companion. Then I consider G36 for the rivalry and best maid. But I later slash that idea because such rivalry is difficult to write. So I settle with G41, my raifu and toss in Dinergate cuz why not. A man needs his four legged companion.)
(For the following arc, I will focus on Remnant for quite a while. To flesh out the main world's situation. Since Adam is meant to fight Zombies and naturally he would be fighting a Zombie outbreak.)
(Also, I'm sure most already can guess the identity of the body Adam's soul is occupying. I wonder how I should approach it. Either embracing or denying it. The original owner of the body is written off as dead. Considering where he was found, a green forest. Very far away from home.
Embracing is not so much in my favor. I prefer denying his identity. That would result with more drama especially when they see what 'Whitley' had become, an 'amnesiac' mercenary with new companions fighting the outbreak on the frontline. A completely different and unrecognizable person.)
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