[Shhh-shhh-shhh—]
A static sound, much like the interference of an old radio tuning in, suddenly filled Perry's mind. The abrupt noise unsettled him, his brow furrowing as his face twisted in discomfort. He tried to discern the source of the sound but found it hard to make out any clear words.
"Did you hear that?" Perry asked the people around him.
"What sound?" Toto cupped his hand to his ear, listening to the surroundings, but it seemed like he didn't hear anything.
"I didn't hear anything either," Rufus said, pausing his argument with Larkin and listening intently.
"I also don't hear anything either."
Was it just an illusion?
The noise grew closer, and Perry finally began to make out the words, though the sound was so harsh it pained him.
"[Pe—Perry—listen—can you hear me?]"
[I'm—linking—with you—hold on—just a moment…]
Perry gritted his teeth, straining to catch the broken phrases. Seeing this, Toto asked worriedly, "Are you alright, Henry? You don't look too good."
Perry forced a weak smile, trying to downplay the situation. "I'm fine, just a bit of a headache." Although he spoke lightly, he felt a surge of relief inside because he had recognized the system's voice. It hadn't left him after all.
A few minutes later, the system's voice came through more clearly: [Can you hear me now?]
Perry blurted out, "I can hear you!" His outburst was so abrupt that the three others turned to look at him. Realizing he had been too excited, Perry quickly adjusted his tone.
"Hear what?" Toto asked, puzzled.
"Nothing. Just... my imagination."
The system's voice, now calmer and less grating, spoke again: [Don't worry, Perry. You can speak to me in your mind. I can hear you that way too.]
Perry agreed that telepathic communication was more discreet, but the current situation wasn't ideal for a conversation. He needed a way to get rid of the others. Scratching his head and feigning fatigue, he said, "Sorry, I'm feeling a bit unwell. I need to rest for a while. Could I step away for a moment?"
Toto, concerned, rushed to his side and awkwardly tried to support him. "Are you sure you're okay? Maybe you should rest at my place?" Though Toto's short stature wasn't much help, his concern was genuine, if a bit clumsy.
Rufus came over to assist, and Larkin seemed unsure what to do.
Perry gently patted Toto's head. "I'm alright, I just need some time alone. But could you get me some water? That would help."
Toto nodded, still worried but determined to help. "Wait right here. I'll be back soon!" He dashed off to fetch water, leaving behind a trail of concerned instructions.
As soon as Toto was out of sight, Perry turned to Rufus and Larkin with a smile. "Could you guys help me get these handcuffs off? They're really uncomfortable."
"Larkin, you're responsible for this. You took Arno's stuff without asking," Rufus said with a sideways glance at Larkin.
"Alright, it was my fault," Larkin admitted sheepishly, "but Rufus, you should help me too. You have a role in this."
"What? How? This was entirely on you! …Fine, I'll keep an eye on Arno for you while you grab the keys." Rufus sighed, caving in when he saw Larkin's dejected look.
"Really? Great! Let's hurry, Arno's still drinking at the bar, but he'll be back soon." Larkin eagerly grabbed Rufus, and they both sprinted towards the large tree where Arno's room was located.
Finally, Perry found himself alone. He sat down under a tree, placing the basket of apples Toto had given him aside. After confirming no one was around, he began speaking to the system.
"Are you still there, system?"
[I'm here. Didn't expect you to make friends so quickly.] The system's voice suddenly returned, tinged with a teasing tone.
Perry couldn't help but complain, "Where did you go earlier? I called for you several times and got no response!"
[Sorry, the system experienced a malfunction. Five other travelers recently arrived in this world, causing a disruption in the frequency. I had to briefly go offline to recalibrate.]
Perry's eyes widened in surprise. "Five travelers? That many people crossing over here at the same time? That's not normal, right?"
[Indeed, it's quite unusual. Normally, multiple travelers arriving at once would cause a frequency conflict, just like the interference you experienced earlier. This has caught the attention of 'them'. To avoid exposing your presence, I chose to disconnect temporarily. If I hadn't, your brain might have suffered an information overload due to the frequency clash.]
A cold sweat broke out on Perry's back as he massaged his temple. "I don't want my brain exploding or getting caught... Fine, I'll forgive you this time. But do you know where these travelers came from? And 'they' haven't noticed me yet, right?"
[I can't disclose information about other travelers. Similarly, I won't reveal your information to any other system host, as each traveler's mission and system can differ, and some may even be hostile. Since you're in Henry's body, 'they' won't easily notice you, but if someone suspects you're not Henry, that could draw their attention.]
"Got it," Perry sighed, though relieved by the system's explanation.
Suddenly, Perry noticed something unusual and exclaimed, "Wait... Why can I see you now? Has your level been restored?"
He looked curiously at the small blue sphere that represented the system, about the size of his fist. It didn't seem to match the system's voice, which was deep and slightly elegant. "I thought you'd look more... human-like. Your voice doesn't match this form," he remarked, puzzled.
With its usual calm tone, the system replied, [This is the system's default appearance. Once my level increases, you'll be able to change my appearance if you wish.]The blue sphere spun lightly, as if showing itself off.
Raising an eyebrow, Perry asked, "How can I check both your level and mine?"
[Simply think 'Interface' in your mind, and my information will appear,] the system replied, with a touch of confidence.
Perry thought "Interface," and a transparent screen appeared beside the blue sphere, displaying various details.
[System Information
- Level: Low
- Host: ####### (Perry Joyce)
- Skill: Analysis]
He frowned, pointing to the host's name obscured by a string of hash marks. "Why is my name censored?"
[That was your name when I first linked with you. Since you can't remember your past, that part of your identity remains hidden.] System explained calmly.
Perry nodded, thinking for a moment. "How do I see my own stats?"
"[Hold on a second.]" The blue sphere hovered over Perry's hand for a moment before responding, "[It's ready. Just click your name.]"
Following the system's instruction, Perry tapped his name, and a detailed profile appeared on the screen:
[Name: Henry Gilbert (Perry Joyce)
Age: 16
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Level: 22
Specialty: Water Magic
Skills:
- Plant Mastery LV3
- Water Manipulation LV3
- Plant Manipulation LV3
- Plant Surveillance LV2
- Healing LV2
- Water Shield LV1
- Water Blade LV1
Stats:
- Stamina: D
- Magic: B
- Speed: D
- Intelligence: C
- Spirit: C
- Luck: E
- ???
Other
- Money: 250
-Additional information not available at current system level. ]
[Because you're in Henry's body, the profile reflects his abilities.] System added.
Perry's eyes widened, staring at the screen in amazement. "Wow! This is so much clearer than when you described things!" He grinned, pleased by the detailed interface.
Then, squinting, he glanced at the blue sphere suspiciously. "Wait, how did your power recover? I haven't even completed any tasks."
The system floated around him before responding, [While I was separating from you, I linked with other systems. Since this was an unprecedented situation, those systems were in disarray, and I took the opportunity to gather some energy from them to replenish my own.] It sounded rather pleased with itself.
Blinking in surprise, Perry asked, "And no one noticed?"
He reached out to touch the small sphere, but his fingers passed right through its virtual form, leaving him feeling a little disappointed as his hand fell.
Noticing Perry's mood, the blue sphere playfully spun around his fingers, as if to cheer him up. "[Don't worry. I was careful. They won't find out. Even if they do, they'll just assume it's their own system glitch.] With that, the system softly floated back onto Perry's hand.
Watching the little sphere's antics, Perry couldn't help but smile, feeling a small warmth of gratitude. "You're pretty clever, you know that?"
Perry carefully examined both his and the system's information, frowning slightly as he muttered to himself, "Henry is skilled in plant and water magic, huh? But it seems like his water abilities are quite weak." His finger hovered over the skill called "Hand of Cultivation" for a moment, hesitating before finally pressing it. Immediately, a detailed description of the skill popped up.
[Hand of Cultivation Lv3: Easily determines the quality of seeds. Just by touching a plant, you can identify and locate its seeds. Currently, it only works for plants under level 50.]
Perry couldn't help but comment, "This is quite useful for a farmer, but for a chef, not so much." He continued clicking through the other skills, checking them one by one.
[Control Water Flow Lv3: Allows the user to control water. The skill can only be activated by touching water. The higher the level, the larger the body of water that can be controlled. At the current level, you can control water bodies the size of a river.]
[Control Plants Lv3: Allows the user to control plants for attack. The skill requires contact with the plants to activate. Your mental strength must surpass that of the plant; otherwise, you'll suffer a backlash. At the current level, you can control plants under level 50.]
[Plant Surveillance Lv2: Allows plants to act as surveillance. You need to carve an 'X' at the plant's root and drip your blood on it to activate the skill. Currently, it can only be used on plants within a 1-kilometer radius; otherwise, the connection will break.]
[Healing Lv2: Stops bleeding and heals wounds. The skill is activated by bringing both hands near the wound. At the current level, the healing effect lasts for five minutes.]
[Water Shield Lv1: Forms a shield using water elements. Even without water present, you can summon a water shield through magic. The skill is activated by silently chanting. At the current level, it can only block attacks from creatures below level 10.]
[Water Sword Lv1: Forms a weapon using water elements. Even without water present, you can summon a water sword through magic. The skill is activated by silently chanting. At the current level, it can only cut through creatures below level 15.]
After reading everything, Perry's lips curled into a slight grin. "Henry's skills aren't really suited for combat, except for the last two water abilities, which are barely useful in fighting and healing. The rest are pretty much farming skills," he remarked with amusement. He then turned to the system, teasing, "Henry is supposed to be a magic apprentice. Why are his skills so ordinary?"
The system's voice responded weakly, almost apologetic, [I'm sorry, host. I don't know why. I can't access detailed information or memories about Henry; it might be due to my current level limitations. It seems you'll need to interact with others to gather Henry's memory fragments.]
"It's not your fault," Perry consoled, "You're just protecting me, and that's why your power is drained. Although it might be inconvenient, we'll have to manage to avoid being discovered by 'them.'"
[To make up for it, I can explain any information you need. You can ask me to narrate it, or you can just click and check the details yourself,] the system offered, its voice fading at the end.
Perry nodded, half-jokingly saying, "Alright, I'll call you for help when it's inconvenient. So, how about explaining your own skill now? What does 'Analysis' do?"
The blue orb of the system gently circled Perry before responding, [The 'Analysis' function helps to evaluate items and creatures. Items are ranked from SSS to F, each having unique properties and functions. These items include food, minerals, and tools. For creatures, their strength is measured by levels. However, due to my low level, my analysis is currently limited. I can only evaluate items or creatures up to a certain level. I also need to physically interact with the object or creature for analysis, and it takes some time to retrieve the information.]
"So, when you touched my hand earlier, that was to analyze this body?" Perry asked, putting the pieces together.
[Yes. By the way, the highest skill level is 5. Once I level up, my functions will become more comprehensive. Considering Henry's age, reaching Lv3 in his skills is quite impressive—he might be a prodigy,] System added.
Perry grinned, marveling, "So Henry's that skilled, huh? Though he still messes up sometimes, like when he miscast that spell. Wait, spells?"
"System, what exactly are spells? Aren't skills basically the same as magic?" Perry suddenly realized this discrepancy.
[Actually, in this world, spells are required to cast magic. Skills appear after someone has repeatedly used a spell for a long time. People usually gain skills when they level up. Skills don't require chanting to activate.] System explained.
"So Henry got these skills because he's good at plant magic? But I don't know any of the spells right now. This is too easy to find out I not him." Perry worried aloud.
[Don't worry, host. As long as you collect Henry's memory fragments, you'll learn all the magic he knew,] System reassured him.
"Right, but I need learn some spells before leaving. Otherwise, I'll expose myself at Henry's academy. By the way, is there any chance I could avoid going to Henry's academy?" Perry asked hopefully.
[No, Henry has no reason to skip the academy. Leaving his usual environment would only make 'them' more suspicious of you.] The system responded.
"Ugh, I guess running away isn't an option," Perry sighed, shaking his head. His eyes suddenly lit up as he spotted an apple on the table nearby. "Oh will, can you analyze this apple?" he asked curiously.
[Alright.] System replied as the blue orb floated over to the shiny red apple, lightly touching it.
[Item: Apple
Grade: F
Attributes: None
Introduction: It looks the same as an apple on Earth, with a sweet and juicy taste, suitable for direct consumption or use as a cooking ingredient, non-toxic.
Function: Replenishes a small amount of physical strength, suitable for daily carry.
Warning: None ]
Perry stared at the short description on the screen, surprised for a moment, before bursting into laughter. "That's it? No other information?"
The system's voice held a hint of exasperation. [Unfortunately, at my current level, I can only provide basic details. To gain more insight, I need to level up by completing tasks. Besides, it's just a regular apple—it doesn't have any special properties.]
Perry raised an eyebrow, tilting his head. "Alright then, what tasks do I need to complete to level up you?"
System paused for a moment before replying, [Let me check what beginner tasks are suitable for you right now...]