Inside the bustling JMSDF Headquarters in Tokyo, an officer, his face ashen, hurried toward the Vice Admiral. "Sir," he stammered, his voice barely a whisper, "there's… there's been an incident involving your wife."
The Vice Admiral's eyes narrowed. "What kind of incident?" he snapped, his voice tight with barely contained tension.
"She… she was stabbed, sir. At the Shibuya Mall," the officer replied, his voice shaking.
"Get the car ready now!" The Vice Admiral's command cut through the air, and the officer scrambled away, disappearing down the corridor.
The Vice Admiral bolted after him, his heart pounding in his chest. He leaped into the waiting car, barking orders at the driver. "Hospital! Shibuya! And step on it!"
The car roared to life, tires screeching as it sped through the Tokyo streets. Driven by a desperate urgency, the driver pushed the car to its limits, weaving recklessly through traffic. Suddenly, a massive ten-wheeler truck loomed into view. The car slammed into the truck with a deafening crash. The impact was catastrophic. The car crumpled, then burst into flames. In an instant, the Vice Admiral was gone.
...
Tatsuo's eyelids flickered open. A wave of disorientation washed over him. "Where… where am I?" he mumbled, his mind a chaotic swirl. "Am I… am I dead?" He stared at the unfamiliar ceiling. "What is this place? And whose… whose memories are these?" A searing pain ripped through his skull, and he cried out, clutching his head.
A woman, her face etched with worry, rushed to his side. "Prince Tatsuo! What's wrong? Where does it hurt?"
"Prince?" he echoed, his eyes widening in confusion. Then, fragmented images flooded his mind, a whirlwind of unfamiliar faces and places. He was a prince.
"You fell from a tree yesterday," the woman explained, her voice gentle. "You hit your head and fainted."
The door slammed open, and a mocking voice boomed, "Still breathing, useless brother? I thought you'd finally choked on a branch!"
A softer, more concerned voice followed. "Big brother, I was so worried!"
A guard's voice echoed through the room, "The Flame Emperor has arrived!" Guards snapped to attention, and the women bowed their heads.
"Welcome, Father," they said in unison, their voices respectful.
"Ao, Yui, it's good you're both here." The Emperor's gaze fell upon Tatsuo, his expression stern. "Tatsuo, it's time you abandoned this childish nonsense. I'm assigning High Marshal Chang Hui as your personal tutor. He will instill discipline and knowledge in you. Remember, you are the heir to the Hou Empire. I will not tolerate a weak and incompetent emperor! Do you understand, Tatsuo Ryujin?"
The Emperor's commanding presence sent a chill down Tatsuo's spine, a fear that dwarfed even the most intense moments of his past life as a Vice Admiral. He snapped to attention, his voice ringing out, "Yes, Father!"
Ao, Yui, and the guards exchanged shocked glances. The Tatsuo they knew usually met the Emperor's commands with apathetic indifference. A flicker of a smile played on the Emperor's lips.
"High Marshal Chang, this is for the future of the empire," the Emperor said, his voice firm.
Chang Hui saluted, his expression unwavering. "Yes, my Lord."
"Tatsuo, rest now. Your training begins tomorrow. Everyone, leave him to recover. Ao, Yui, let's go." The heavy door closed behind them, leaving Tatsuo alone in the echoing room.
Exhaustion tugged at me, and I decided to risk a nap, despite the lingering confusion. Just as I drifted off, a faint whisper tickled the edge of my consciousness. "Greetings, Master."
My eyes snapped open. Was I hallucinating?
"Master, I am your humble servant. Others call me System, and I am here to serve you!" the voice repeated, clearer this time.
Tatsuo's eyes widened. "What in the world…?"
"Master, with your permission, I would like to display your current abilities."
A translucent screen flickered into existence before me.
[System Interface]
Special Skills:
The Adviser: That's me!Absorbability: Allows you to devour, copy, and learn any skill or knowledge.Frontier: An invisible protective shield.Naming: Grants the ability to name individuals, bestowing titles and strengthening them as subordinates. (Warning: Use with extreme caution.) Magic Skills: None Attack Skills: None Abilities: None
Name: Ryujin Tatsuo
Title: 1st Prince of the Flame Empire
Current Rank: Mortal Ground Realm, 1st Level
Requirement: Acquire attack skills to advance.
Fame: 0
Subordinates: 0
"Master, I am here to guide you to the pinnacle of this world!"
My mind was a chaotic mess. I could only manage a small smile and a shake of my head, a strange sense of gratitude settling over me. "Thanks," I muttered, "I guess I have a system now."
The next morning, a knock echoed through my room. "Young Master," a deep voice announced, "High Marshal Chang Hui awaits you. Training commences at the field behind the castle at 9:00 AM. Punctuality is expected."
"Yes," I replied, "I'll be there shortly. Thank you."
A few minutes later, I arrived at the training field. High Marshal Chang stood beneath the shade of a sprawling oak, a warm smile on his face. "Prince Tatsuo," he greeted, "we will begin with basic sword techniques. I will demonstrate."
Just then, the System's voice echoed in my mind. Master, remember your Absorbability. You can learn and copy anything. Simply activate the skill.
"You startled me again," I said, "but thanks for the reminder. I have a question. Do you have a name?"
"Negative," the System replied. "You possess the Naming skill. You may bestow a name upon me."
"Oh, right," I said, "I'll think of something later."
"Affirmative, Master," the System replied.
Back to training. High Marshal Chang demonstrated the basic sword style. I activated Absorbability. Ding! Attack skill acquired: Basic Sword Style.
High Marshal Chang's eyes widened slightly. "Prince Tatsuo, that was the Basic Sword Style."
"Yes, I think I've got it," I replied, a mischievous grin spreading across my face.
High Marshal Chang's brow furrowed, a hint of suspicion in his eyes. He thinks I'm mocking him. Well, I'll show him. I picked up a training sword and flawlessly replicated the movements he had just demonstrated.
High Marshal Chang was speechless, his jaw slack. He stared at me, utterly dumbfounded.
After a moment of stunned silence, I decided to break the tension. "Master Chang," I asked, "how was it? Any comments?"
He snapped out of his daze, his expression shifting to one of awe. "Yes, Prince Tatsuo, that was… exceptional! Precisely as I… expected." He spoke with newfound respect.
"Master Chang," I corrected, "please, don't be so formal. My father said you'll be my mentor until I've learned everything you know. That could take years. Please, call me Tatsuo. And I have a favor to ask."
"Of course, Tatsuo. What is it?"
"May I call you Master Chang?"
He hesitated, then smiled, a genuine warmth in his eyes. "Yes, Tatsuo."
.