"AHAAA!! DAMN YOU, SYSTEM!!"
Arlo's ear-piercing scream echoed through the streets of Asakusa. Birds resting atop the traditional Japanese-style buildings, seeking respite after a hard day of gathering food, scattered in every direction, alarmed by his cry. His scream reverberated, alerting residents throughout the area to his agony.
As before, Arlo's outburst drew the attention of everyone on the street. But unlike previous occasions, where curses would spill from the crowd like a fountain, this time, not a single word escaped anyone's lips. A stunned silence blanketed the street, broken only by Arlo's ongoing screams of pain.
All eyes fell upon Arlo, who knelt in a scarlet pool of his own blood. Red cracks spread across his skin, blood oozing from them and staining his clothes a deep crimson. He was trembling, struggling to keep himself upright.
"AHAAA!"
A woman in the crowd shrieked, her scream even louder than Arlo's, breaking the last thread of restraint in the crowd. Panic rippled through the onlookers, and, as if driven by some primal instinct, they turned and fled in all directions, desperate to escape the horrifying scene. What had been a cheerful, lively street was now engulfed in chaos.
[Oh my! Master Arlo certainly knows how to make a scene, doesn't he?]
The system's voice chimed in, no longer in its usual monotone. Instead, it spoke in a melodious, almost angelic tone that seemed to mock Arlo's suffering. To him, however, the voice felt anything but angelic—it seemed more sadistic than any demon's taunt. He wondered if Gyokko's voice would sound more soothing in comparison, though he'd never heard it in person. Arlo mentally vowed to give the system's creator the beating of a lifetime if he ever met them.
After nearly twenty minutes of torment, Arlo's screams finally faded, though the cracks across his body continued to widen. Exhausted and unable to scream anymore, he looked to the sky, his gaze hollow and distant. It wasn't that the pain had stopped; he simply had no energy left to cry out.
'Why aren't these wounds healing?' he thought, a fresh wave of dread filling him as he stared at the sky, his vision blurred by blood.
[There is no need to worry, Master Arlo. This process poses no danger to your life,] the system responded, as if reading his mind, its voice still devoid of any remorse for what it had inflicted. Arlo looked at the message with a haunted expression, his face twisting in fresh terror. He began to wonder if the system really could read his thoughts.
Even the system was briefly confused by how Arlo seemed more afraid of it reading his mind than of the prospect of death. But the surprise only lasted a moment, vanishing as the system returned its attention to its master's suffering. It enjo—felt sorry for what its master was going through.
Arlo endured the agony for another ten minutes until he was finally freed from the excruciating pain. With that, he lost all the trust he'd once had in his so-called "companion" assigned to help him navigate this dangerous world.
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When the hour hand of a grandfather clock in an antique shop on Asakusa's main street passed the 3 a.m. mark, the crazed cries that disturbed the peace of the night gradually came to an end.
Little by little, the broken skin began to merge together, releasing Arlo from his hellish pain after what felt like an eternity. There was no doubt now—Asakusa had become a truly unforgettable place in Arlo's mind, filled with wonderful memories of suffering alongside his "companion."
"Ha… Hah… ha…" With heavy breaths, Arlo looked into the sky after his soul modification, still lying on his back. Above him, the cause of his suffering watched him floating in the sky.
"I always thought they exaggerated… but wow, it's even better than in the show," Arlo murmured, trying to distract himself from the lingering pain he had endured. His gaze wandered upward, toward the rooftops lining the main street. With little air pollution to obscure the heavens, the moonlight bathed the roof tiles in a soft, ethereal glow. However, what truly captivated him was the starlit night sky sparkling above Asakusa.
[Ya, and you completely destroyed it,] the voice he least wanted to hear interrupted, shattering his brief moment of peace and drawing his attention back to the chaos now engulfing the area.
As the voice that had caused all his pain echoed in his head, Arlo lost his moment of tranquility and unleashed all his pent-up anger.
"F*** YOU, YOU PIECE OF S***! YOU SHOULD GO AND DIE, YOU DAMN SADIST! IT'S ALL YOUR—" Ignoring his exhausted state, Arlo screamed at the top of his lungs.
[Dear host, your soul had to be modified if you wanted to live in this world,] the system cut in, interrupting Arlo before he could finish his accusation.
"YOU THINK I'M A F***ING IDIOT?! YOU SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST INFORM—"
[Sorry, host, but please refrain from giving baseless accusations. I clearly informed you about the 'slight pain' at the beginning,] the system replied.
A vein popped on Arlo's head, hearing how the system described his skin cracking open and healing as "slight pain."
'Damn this system…' Arlo held back his words this time, knowing the system would only have more excuses. 'Know this, you damn AI—I'll make you pay dearly for what you've done.'
[Apologies, sir, but I'd like to correct you: I'm not an artificial intelligence but a fully sentient being, just like you,] the system responded, reminding Arlo that it could read his thoughts. Arlo's eyes widened, caught off guard by the realization. But when he heard the words "fully sentient being," his focus shifted.
"Creep…" Arlo muttered, unconsciously hugging himself like a wronged maiden in an old movie. His eyes drifted toward the system panel, which seemed momentarily stunned by his comment.
[Wait a minute, that's not true… And I also identify as a man,] the system protested, offended at being called a pervert. But his response seemed to have the opposite effect.
"Gay…"
The system felt even more taken aback by Arlo's next word. If it had a physical body, it might have had a mini heart attack from being insulted like this.
For as long as it had existed, the system had never felt so ashamed. No one had ever dared to insult it to this degree.
[I AM NOT A CREEP, NOR AM I GAY.]
Now the tables had turned, with the system becoming angrier than its host.
Arlo didn't back down either.
"Creepy gay panel."
[I'M NOT GAY, and I'm not a panel—I'm a SENTIENT BEING.]
"Still gay."
[NO, I'M NOT.]
"Creepy gay bas****. I bet you're into minors too."
[HOW DID YOU COME TO THAT ASSUMPTION?]
With that, Arlo resolved to take revenge for the torment he had endured. After all, as a wise man once said, 'Mental pain is far greater than physical pain.'
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[The system's ability to access Arlo's mind has been disabled.
This function was added for better synchronization between the system and the host.
Are you sure you want to give it up?
With a victorious smile, Arlo clicked "Yes" without hesitation.
[I feel like I got scammed…]
"Shut up, you creepy gay pedophile."
[ENOUGH! I already gave up one of my top authorities. Stop already.]
"Top authority to be a creep."
[F*** you, stop it. I'm not a creep.]
The system sounded almost on the verge of tears after Arlo's relentless insults. Anyone else might feel pity, but the vicious smile on Arlo's face showed he felt otherwise.
'Heh, I'll show you who you messed with,' he thought. Now free from the system reading his thoughts, Arlo was ready to make the system's life even more miserable.