"It's been a week since I woke up and I should be getting discharged today..."
Jin was getting ready to leave the hospital and he was also gathering his thoughts, his life after getting out of the portal changed immensely, he was still tired from the countless things that happened to him throughout the week.
'During those times I discovered some things, First I figured out that my body completely healed and the mechanical parts were nowhere to be found.'
'Another thing I discovered was the "Mission" feature of this system, everytime I'm tasked with something whether its significant or not the system assigns me that task with a reward at the end.'
5 days ago
The general visited Jin, the cold look from her eyes seemed to have diminished, she was forever thankful to Jin for completing something that had given many people nightmares from the death of their and her loved ones.
"Mr. Jin, do you mind if you could get us some coffee?"
The general asked to see if Jin had any trouble with his new limbs, the general felt conflicted she knew that it was the only way for Jin to live, yet she also felt that Jin was being tortured mentally due to him losing his powers and humanity because of the operation.
"Can't you get them yourself?"
Jin answered sarcastically as the general's look suddenly turned dark.
"Ok ok, why so serious?"
He said with an unserious tone.
Suddenly Jin was startled, he stopped in his tracks as he gazed at this phenomenon, he was surprised, another blue hologram appeared in front of him, this time it wasn't his status, it was something else.
[Mission Accepted: get 2 cups of coffee]
[Reward: Exp, Common Key]
[Penalty(On failure): None]
"Hm? What's wrong are you ok?"
The general asked thinking that something had gone wrong with his robotic parts.
"It's nothing..."
Jin answered with his eyes locked onto the hologram.
'What is this? This has never appeared before...was this triggered by the general's request?'
And yet again Jin's mind was filled with many questions, his life has completely changed after this system appeared.
"So? What are you waiting for? Get going or do you want me to extend your stay here for another week?"
The general said with a threatening look on her face.
"I'm going, why are you so impatient anyways, a moment ago you seemed like you were worried, now you're threatening me..."
Jin said before leaving the room.
'I should complete the mission and see what would happen first.'
After Jin got coffee and went back to his room to give one to the general the system updated his mission.
"Took you long enough."
[Mission completed, Rewards given]
A bronze key appeared in Jin's hands.
"You know the least you could do is say thanks..."
Jin jokingly said, with an expectant look on his face, after waiting since the general didn't have a reaction at the bronze key that suddenly appeared he was sure of it.
'Anyways I guess this can't be seen too'
"Whatever, I'm gonna be straightforward, are there any problems with the parts?"
The general asked.
"No, It feels as if they're my real limbs."
Jin said as he laughed.
"We're really sorry, we had no choice."
The general's look turned dark.
"Nah, I said it's fine."
The general looked at Jin.
"Did you really not notice? You're abilities disappeared and your physical strengths went back to that of a normal human."
Jin sighed heavily as his gaze wavered slightly.
"I said it's fine, I'm just going to get them all back!"
He said cheerfully.
"Even in this situation how can you still be joking! You're the greatest soldier in the world! What about the remaining disasters and calamities!"
The general scolded Jin.
Suddenly Jin's smile faded, his tone got serious as he looked at the general.
"I guess everyone else has to fill in for me for now...and speaking of disasters and calamities, The one from mission-7 was weird...I've never seen anything like it before."
He said with a serious look on his face as he reported the events that happened to him when he was in the portal.
After hearing this the general also got serious, Jin had never called calamities nor disasters "weird' she was worried.
"Keep going."
"The environment there was very similar to earth...except everything was in ruins and the time dilation there was also unusual, although 4 days passed here, for me it was almost 4 months."
"Everything there was in ruins, the sky was blood red and monsters filled not only the land but also the sea."
With each word Jin's face turned pale.
"The most disturbing part was that...those monsters were all dead and only their hearts were missing leaving their bodies rotten."
"Yet surprisingly a few kilometers from the portal were live animals, I discovered them a week after I entered and my supply of food was almost out."
"I made that place my temporary base, and for the next 2 months I searched for the calamity, during those 2 months I discovered the skeletons of past soldiers..."
"Including myself, the trainees and you...from that point on I was sure that mission-7 foreshadowed the future, and for another month I searched for the calamity."
"And finally, after 3 months and 5 days of searching I found it."
"It was a mutant made with several other calamities to the point that I couldn't figure out what they were."
"Surprisingly it wasn't that hard and I killed it, the problem was after that...the dead monsters and soldiers suddenly rose and kept swarming at me, I was several kilometers away from the portal."
"For a whole month I fought for my life there and yet they kept getting up and after I finally got back to the portal and as if it was a sick joke made by someone I noticed a crystal heart behind the portal after I broke it the undead turned to dust and I survived, I passed out for a few minutes before I finally went out."
After telling the general everything Jin left out a heavy sigh as if he finally let go of a huge burden.
"If what you said that it could've been a foreshadowing of the future then it definitely must not be ignored! I'm sorry Mr. Jin but I have to report this immediately."
The general said as she hurried back.
"Ok, this isn't something that can just be ignored."
Shortly after their conversation the general hurriedly went back to HQ to report it.
"Now that she's finally gone I can figure out what this key does..."
'I discovered yesterday that this system was sentient and I could ask it questions.'
"Oi system, what's the purpose of this key?"
[Common keys can be used to unlock level 1 administration categories such as stats, abilities, and knowledge.]
"As an admin what's my level currently?"
[Your current level is 2 your Status has been updated]
{Status}
Name: Jin Grandfeil
Sex: Male
Race: Human
Admin Level: 2
[Locked(Can be unlocked with "Common Key")][Locked]
[Locked(Can be unlocked with "Common Key")][Locked]
'Hm...I can unlock two new features...'
"System what do these locked features do?"
[Restricted Access, Not allowed]
Jin was disappointed yet this was still within his expectations.
"Just as I expected, then could you give me a hint on which one do I currently need the most?"
[That might be possible...]
The "System" hesitated, at this point Jin got suspicious whether the system was actually an A.I that there was someone behind it.
[At your current situation the first one would be the most beneficial.]
"Ok, thanks."
'Just now...did the system just hesitate??'
Then Jin first put his worries aside, he thought about how to use this key.
"Wait, how do I use this key?"
[Simply hold it near the locked feature and a keyhole will appear]
'That's simpler than I thought.'
Jin then used the key and unlocked his first "feature", a brilliant bright light shone throughout his room, Jin, for a second was blinded by the light as the system announced the feature he unlocked.
[Congratulations "Attributes" has been unlocked.]
{Status}
Name: Jin Grandfeil
Sex: Male
Race: Human
Admin Level: 2
Attributes: Quick Thinking, Undead Dominion
[Locked][Locked]
"It's very similar to abilities, and Undead Dominion interests me."
"Did this come from the crystal heart?"
Jin hesitated, he was skeptical of this attribute since it came from something inside the portal he expected it to have side effects.
Then Jin noticed that something was wrong.
"Wait, come to think of it my body began feeling very natural after this system awakened."
"Don't tell me!"
Just as Jin expected after examining his body it had completely healed and the mechanical parts were nowhere to be seen.
What confused him more was that no one noticed including him.
'Is this one of the system's effects? Does no one notice that my body has completely healed??'
"What happened?! System what happened to my body?"
[Your body has been fully healed by {Restricted Access} and the mechanical parts have been absorbed to create the dormant ability "Metal Body"]
"So does that mean that one of the locked categories are abilities? Thanks."
[W-wait no! That was an error...]
After seeing the message, Jin realized his suspicions were true.
"HA! I got you, I knew it you weren't just a sentient A.I there's someone controlling this system right?"
Jin said as he grinned, just like a child his eyes was full of curiosity.
"What are you exactly? How were you able to change my body this much??"
[I apologize but this information is also restricted at your current level.]
"Do you mean that when I get a high enough level I can know more about this system?"
[Correct!]
-----
Back to the present
"Ok I should be good to go now."
Jin was finally discharged as he rushed out the hospital.
Jin was relieved, he was still not over the fact that he had actually survived that "Hellish" place he gazed at the sky, even though he was still suspicious of the system he was thankful to it for helping him this much.
"Where should I go next?"
[He pondered deeply]
The system teased Jin as he continued to narrate his actions.
"Stop that."
[:)]
Jin sighed.
"I'm too lazy to go back to HQ, I guess I'm going back home, It's pretty close from here I can just walk home."
As Jin was walking back home he asked the system a question.
"Is it possible for me to assign myself missions?"
[Yes, though simple tasks will not have rewards.]
"Simple tasks is too vague can you tell me the minimum?"
[No. That's for you to find out ;)]
"..."
"That's annoying."
After a few minutes of walking Jin finally arrived at his house.
"Haaa, It's been so long I've been doing missions for too long."
Jin took a deep breath as he entered his house.
'Now that I think about it I really didn't care about my house since for years I stayed on hotels for missions...'
Since Jin was the best soldier for years He had a lot of saved up money to upgrade his house.
[Are you planning on buying another house?]
"Yeah, I need a personal gym to get back my strength."
Jin knew that if he went to a public gym everyone would recognize him and people might find out that he had lost his powers, Jin was the beacon of hope for everyone he had saved several hundred millions of people from monsters, had people found out about him losing his powers chaos may ensue.
[...I can help with that.]
"How?"
[I can replace your house to your preferences right now, this is only a one time thing though.]
"Are you sure? There won't be any penalties for this?"
[Nah👍, well for me there are some.]
"Eh that's your problem and you already offered to help."
[You're underestimating my powers are you? Watch this.]
Then after the system said that Jin's house that was right in front of him turned into dust, and slowly another house was being built at that moment.
"Can other people also see this?"
Jin asked.
[No, to them this house was already here from the start.]
"That's pretty convenient."
Although Jin said that his doubts grew, he'd never expected something this powerful embedded in his body.
After a few minutes of waiting Jin's new house was done.
[Tada! A 3 story house with furniture and a personal gym at the 3rd floor! I also mixed in some materials in building the house so it should be pretty sturdy.]
Jin was thankful to the system but too much kindness has never been purely because of good will, Jin knew this from his past experiences.
"Why are you doing this though? You're expecting something back aren't you?"
[No, surprisingly I've just taken a liking to you.]
"Ew, just so you know I'm not into A.I."
[...You didn't even say thanks.]
"Ah my bad, thanks I guess."
[Wdym I guess, are you serious?? I literally just built a free house for you.]
Jin laughed.
"I'm kidding, Thanks."
He said warmly.
To Be Continued