Joshua laid on his bed, feeling the exhaustion from the long day. With the moon softly illuminating his room, he decided to complete the final study of Martial arts to create a style that suited his body. This was the last step he needed to take.
Despite his weariness, Joshua rose from his bed and quickly finished the study, effortlessly completing the task. Now fully prepared for sleep, he closed his eyes and began drifting away, until suddenly a mechanical voice startled him awake.
[System activated!]
[Congratulations! You've been successfully bounded with the 100th century fighting machine system.]
[Criteria: Study all one hundred and eighty Martial arts 100 times.]
A blue holographic projection appeared before him. Curiously, he touched the projection, which felt like a phone screen.
"What is this 'fighting machine system'?" Joshua pondered aloud.
[Checking the user body for any anomalies…]
[The system discovers, the user is suffering from a peripheral artery disease.]
[Initiating absolute healing…]
[This process would take twelve hours.]
"Is this some kind of scam? Who are you, exactly?" Joshua wondered aloud.
The system remained silent in response, leaving Joshua uncertain if he was dreaming. Eventually, he drifted into a deep sleep.
The next morning, Joshua's alarm blared, jolting him awake. He got up and followed his usual routine, dressing up as his younger brother, Quinn, entered the room.
"Good morning, Joshua," Quinn greeted politely.
Joshua looked at his brother's beautiful brown eyes and smiled. "Good morning, Quinn. I hope you had a great night?"
Quinn returned the smile. "Absolutely! The best. How about you?"
Joshua felt a sense of confusion as he recalled the events of the previous night. "Seems like it was just a dream. But you know, it would have been amazing if that system actually existed," he sighed.
"Well, tell me all about it when you come back. I won't be able to return home with you today. Oh, and mom is calling downstairs," Quinn informed him.
"Breakfast is ready! What's on the menu?" Joshua asked eagerly.
"Your favorite, and I'm finished with the Jeet kune do encyclopedia I borrowed," Quinn replied proudly.
"Quinn, if you had the chance to practice any of the martial arts you've studied so far, which one would you choose?"
"Definitely Krav Maga, Jeet kune do, ITF Taekwondo, Systema, and kickboxing," Quinn responded without hesitation.
Together, they left the room and carefully descended the stairs.
"Why choose those deadly martial arts?" Joshua asked curiously.
"They can be applied in various situations, whether in sports, self-defense, or life-or-death scenarios," Quinn explained.
Joshua affectionately rubbed his hand through Quinn's hair. "I see. That's why you're my little brother."
Quinn chuckled. "Just you wait, I'll prove it to you."
"We'll see," Joshua repeated, sharing a warm bond with his brother.
Joshua, Quinn, and their mother gathered around the dining table while their father, who had an early work shift, had already left. The table was set with a delectable spread, and they eagerly began enjoying their meal. Quinn, however, seemed in a hurry as he hastily consumed his food.
Finishing his meal quickly, he stood up suddenly and warmly said, "Have a great day, Mom and Joshua! I don't want to miss walking with my friends!" A gentle smile adorned his face, and his backpack danced on his back, reflecting his excitement to join his companions.
Joshua and their mother both waved Quinn off, bidding him goodbye. Once Joshua finished his meal, he delicately picked up his walking stick and slowly rose from his seat, ready to say his farewells to his mother.
Just as he approached the door leading outside, he heard his mother's voice. Sorrow was visible on her face as she inquired, "How has your leg been?" It pained her to see Joshua struggling with his condition, and she wished it hadn't happened.
With determination shining through, Joshua replied with a smile, "I'm moving forward, Mother. I promised it would never hold me back."
His mother nodded silently, tears streaming down her cheeks. She reached into her purse and handed Joshua five dollars.
Joshua was initially hesitant, but he knew he had to collect the money to ease his mother's mind. "Thank you, Mother. I will put it to good use," he said gently as he made his way out of the house.
His mother wept after Joshua departed, before eventually returning to her chores.
As Joshua walked down the alleyway and reached the roadside, he hailed a taxi. The driver noticed Joshua's hitchhiking gesture and came to a stop.
"Melville High School," Joshua stated softly.
"That'll be five dollars," the taxi driver responded.
Joshua glanced at the money he held, realizing it was exactly the five dollars his mother had given him. Frustration tightened his grip on the money, leaving it crumpled and damaged. "And here I thought I would have lunch at school today," he sighed. "Let's go," he said, entering the taxi.
The taxi began to drive off at a comfortable and reassuring speed, causing Joshua to lean back against the seat. He lowered the rear door glass of the taxi slightly, allowing a gentle breeze to enter. This brought some relaxation to Joshua, as he hoped not to arrive at his destination too quickly.
Observing Joshua through his interior rearview mirror, the taxi driver noticed his relaxed state and couldn't help but smile. Finally, the driver had achieved the desired comfort for his passengers.
However, Joshua's sudden reaction caught the driver off guard, leaving him perplexed. Joshua exclaimed loudly, "Not again!" Startled, he heard the mechanical voice once more and saw the blue holographic projection.
[Congratulations! The user's peripheral artery disease has been successfully cured. The user can now explore the 100th century fighting system.]
"Hello there! Is everything okay?" the taxi driver asked, displaying concern on his face.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I hope I didn't startle you. By the way, have you noticed any blue screen in front of me?" Joshua questioned.
"No, I can't see anything except for you," the taxi driver responded.
"Okay, thank you. And once again, I apologize for startling you," Joshua expressed sincerely.
"No problem at all," the taxi driver reassured him.
Joshua pondered, "Clearly, it's something only I can see," he concluded.
"What are you?" he whispered gently.
[After establishing a connection with the user, the system detected peripheral artery disease rather than a deficient sense.]
"So it implies that I'm obviously not deaf. Well, what a sarcastic system," he whispered softly to himself.
[The user interpreted the situation based on their understanding, and I am able to perceive your thoughts. Therefore, whispering has proven to be unnecessary.]
With determination, Joshua gritted his teeth and silently pondered, "Now I am curious about your purpose!"
[The user has been chosen...]
Interrupting, Joshua asserted, "My name is Joshua, not 'the user'!"
[Apologies for the misconception. Joshua was chosen due to his vast knowledge in all aspects of martial arts. Thus, I am here to transfer your brain's neural pathways relating to martial arts into your body's reflexes.]
"So you're saying you have cured my disease?"
[Indeed, the user no longer suffers from peripheral artery disease.]
"Does that mean I will regain the ability to walk normally?" Joshua asked, curiosity etched on his face.
[That is correct. However, the system's objectives extend beyond walking alone.]
"What do you mean by 'system objectives'?"
[Joshua, you are currently too weak to receive detailed information about the objectives. Receiving such knowledge prematurely could lead to immediate adverse effects or even death.]
Surprised, Joshua asked with fear gripping him, "How weak exactly am I?"
The taxi driver checked on Joshua once again through the rearview mirror, silently thinking to himself, "It seems he was simply too relaxed and started experiencing illusions."
[Simply say the activation phrase 'Profile'.]
"Profile!" Joshua exclaimed.
Instantly, an interface appeared, displaying comprehensive information about Joshua.
[My Fighting System - User's Info]
Name: Joshua Stephen Level: 1
Age: 18 SP: 0
Gender: Male Coins: 50
Occupation: The Contender Exp: 10/100
HP: 10/10
Shop: purchase anything within the system and users capability.
[System Stats]
Intelligence: 99,999/10
Strength: 5/10
Agility: 2/10
Stamina: 7/10
Vitality: 10/10
Martial Arts: None
[System Allies]
- [Ally 1 Name]
- Relationship: [Relationship Level]
- Special Abilities: [Ally Abilities]
- [Ally 2 Name]
- Relationship: [Relationship Level]
- Special Abilities: [Ally Abilities]
Info: System allies undetermined.
[System Enemies]
- [Enemy 1 Name]
- Threat Level: [Threat Level]
- Weaknesses: [Enemy Weaknesses]
- [Enemy 2 Name]
- Threat Level: [Threat Level]
- Weaknesses: [Enemy Weaknesses]
Info: System enemies undetermined.
[System Missions]
1. [Mission 1 Name]
- Objective: [Mission Objective]
- Progress: [Mission Progress]
2. [Mission 2 Name]
- Objective: [Mission Objective]
- Progress: [Mission Progress]
Info: Mission locked.
"Whoa, whoa! This is amazing, just like in the manhwas I read," Joshua exclaimed, unaware of his actions.
The taxi driver began to observe Joshua from the corner of his eye. "Damn! I thought I had a well-behaved customer, only to discover he's a weirdo."
"I'm sorry, something interesting just popped up on my phone," he explained with a smile while scratching his hair.