Seeing the translucent screen monitor the moment he opened his eyes, Marty immediately jumped off the bed.
[Hello, Marty! I apologize for startling you. The RELIFE GAME will officially commence at nine o'clock. Please ensure that you are ready, having completed any necessary preparations such as eating and bathing before the time. If there is anything else you need to do, it is advisable to do so before the game begins. If you have any concerns, please ask me through the keyboard.]
It was still half past four and Marty did have a lot of questions, so he pressed the blue button to take out the keyboard and he began to type.
[Heyy, Ive got lots of questionns. Cant we just communicateee in my hear. Like in web novels, thyy takke so long to typpe!]
"Damn, these typos." He complained but pressed the send button anyway. An aerial keyboard you couldn't feel at all was almost impossible to use without your head exploding in frustration.
[Yes, it is indeed possible to communicate inside your head, but it's important to note that speaking out loud is still necessary, as telepathy isn't included in the abilities I possess. With that in mind, would you still like to proceed?]
Reading this, Marty couldn't help but grumble inwardly. 'Ugh! Why does this system have to sound so much like an AI?'
He typed [yes] and as soon as he pressed the send button, his ears started to ring. The sound was piercing, like a high-pitched whistle paired with the crackling of a TV static.
"Hello, Marty! I am System Andrea," a clear, robotic female voice echoed in his mind. The ringing in his ears subsided almost instantly.
"How do I use the ability?" He asked right away.
"To activate the ability, you must find a comfortable and quiet place where you can focus without distractions. Take a few deep breaths to calm your mind and body. Once you feel relaxed, take a deep breath and hold it. Focus on keeping your eyes open without blinking for the entire duration of holding your breath. Visualize the energy within you and channel it to enhance your vision. And after all these are accomplished, release your breath and blink gently after the ten seconds are up. Would you like to try it?"
Without hesitation, Marty immediately answered, "I would love to but you will have to tell me the side effects first."
"As your system, I want to ensure that you understand the restrictions and the possible side effects. Remember that this ability is limited to two uses per day and can only be used for two choices questions. Therefore, if you decide to utilize the ability now, you will have one more opportunity to use it today. Be sure to keep track of your usage to maximize the benefits of this ability while staying within its limitations.
"Also, using this ability may cause increased sensitivity to light and cognitive strain. Unlike the offensive type abilities like turning your hand into a bazooka, sonic scream, or pyrokinesis, precognition has little to no side effects."
Marty sat on the corner of his bed, thinking for a while before saying, "I'd like to use it now but I have one last question regarding its usage. I pretty much understand that to use it, I must hold my breath and not blink yada yada. But how do I set the two choices? Must I tell it to you first or what?"
"I'm sorry for the oversight. You need not tell me. You can simply think about it or say it aloud."
After hearing the system's response, Marty couldn't help but feel excited. 'It's a shame it isn't offensive and is also limited to only two uses per day. But depending on how I use it, it could easily become overpowered,' he thought.
"I'll try it," he said. "There is something I'd like to decide on."
"Good luck! If you need any assistance, I am here to help."
Marty then pressed the black button to dismiss the screen and tried to ruminate over the question he was about to ask. He had been thinking about it since entering the dorm.
Since it was made clear early on that they will be playing a game with their lives on the line, he had been thinking a lot about whether to go solo or team up with the other participants. On one hand, going solo will give him the freedom and he could take all the credit for his work but on one hand, teaming up with others could bring new perspectives and skills to the table. It was a tough decision to make.
And so, following the system's instructions, he took a few deep breaths, calmed himself, and when he was certain he was ready, he held his breath and didn't blink his eyes.
Then all of a sudden, the world around him faded into a haze. The air crackled with energy, and an otherworldly sensation washed over him as the plain white room seemed to distort and shimmer.
Marty held his breath and resisted the urge to blink while continuing with the mental countdown. It was harder than he expected with all the things happening all at once.
He could faintly hear a kid's hum from the distance and as the ten seconds came to a close, an explosion of red flooded his vision and after that, he could see a vision of himself.
He was alone chopping trees, making a makeshift tent, fighting with an odd–looking animal that seemed to be inspired from the myths and legends before everything turned upside down and before he knew it, his body had exploded into a bloody mess.
It was then replaced with him sleeping with the crappy silhouettes of two people. They were traversing the lush forest before the vision changed into the three of them facing something that looked like an explosion from a nuclear bomb along with two more crappy silhouettes behind them.
When the ability deactivated on its own, Marty was already covered with sweat.