The morning sun streamed through the window, and Kaito groaned as the now-familiar blue System screen hovered in front of him. He squinted, still half-asleep, as the bright text floated stubbornly in his vision. ———————————————————— STATUS
Name: Kaito Sora
Level: 3
Class: Unassigned
Integration Rate: 2%
———————————————————— "Two percent. Fantastic. At this rate, I'll be the first person to get a 'Game Over' in real life," Kaito muttered, shoving the screen aside—not that it ever really went away.
He pulled himself out of bed, staggered toward the kitchen, and made the life-altering decision to have cup noodles for breakfast again. As he slurped the sad excuse for a meal, his phone buzzed on the counter.
It was Yuki, his childhood friend and occasional tormentor.
Yuki: Meet me at the park in 10 minutes. It's about the System.
Kaito groaned. The last thing he wanted was another lecture from Yuki about how he wasn't "trying hard enough." But ignoring her wasn't an option. Yuki had an uncanny ability to show up uninvited if he didn't reply.
Kaito: Fine. Be there soon.
————————————————————
The park was lively as always, filled with joggers, kids chasing after stray soccer balls, and the occasional System-user testing out their newfound abilities. Kaito spotted Yuki immediately—mostly because she was waving at him like a madwoman.
"Kaito! Over here!" she called, her ponytail bouncing as she jumped up and down.
He trudged over, hands in his hoodie pockets. "You know, I'm not hard to spot. You didn't have to yell."
"Quit complaining," she said, grabbing his arm and pulling him toward a quieter part of the park. "We're here to talk about your pathetic stats."
"Good morning to you too," Kaito said dryly.
Yuki ignored him, pulling up her own System screen.
————————————————————
STATUS
Name: Yuki Shimizu
Level: 6
Class: Brawler
Integration Rate: 14%
———————————————————— "Look at this," she said, smirking. "Level 6 already. And my Integration Rate keeps climbing. What's yours again? Two percent?"
Kaito sighed. "Thanks for the reminder."
"Seriously, how are you this bad at it?" Yuki said, crossing her arms. "You're supposed to be completing quests, not avoiding them."
"I am completing quests," Kaito protested. "I delivered breakfast to Ms. Tanaka yesterday. Got some EXP and even raised my Luck stat."
"Oh, wow. Watch out, world," Yuki said, rolling her eyes. "Kaito Sora, future deliverer of mediocre breakfasts."
Kaito groaned. "If you're just here to make fun of me, I'm leaving."
"No, wait!" Yuki grabbed his arm before he could walk away. "I'm serious. I want to help you. If you don't figure this out, you're gonna fall behind. And you know what happens to people with low Integration Rates."
Kaito hesitated. He'd seen the news. Stories about "failure penalties" were everywhere. People who ignored quests—or failed too many—ended up hospitalized or worse.
"Fine," he said reluctantly. "What's your big plan, then?"
Yuki grinned. "Sparring."
———————————————————— New Quest Assigned!
Quest: Participate in a sparring match.
Objective: Win against a fellow User.
Reward: +10 EXP, +1 Strength.
Bonus: Increase Luck by 2 if you win without taking damage.
————————————————————Kaito stared at the quest description, then back at Yuki. "You've got to be kidding me. Sparring with you? That's like throwing a mouse at a tiger."
Yuki cracked her knuckles. "Aw, don't sell yourself short. You're more like… a slightly bigger mouse."
"Comforting," Kaito muttered.
"Come on. You might surprise yourself!"
"Or die trying," Kaito grumbled, but he reluctantly followed Yuki to a clearing in the park.
————————————————————The match started poorly.
Kaito barely had time to process Yuki's movements before she was behind him, tapping him lightly on the shoulder.
"Too slow," she said, grinning.
He spun around, lunging clumsily, but she sidestepped with ease. "Come on, Kaito. Is that all you've got?"
"I don't even know what I've got!" he yelled, swinging wildly.
Yuki dodged again, her grin widening. "You're lucky I'm not hitting back. I don't want to send you to the hospital."
"Generous of you," Kaito muttered, out of breath.
The match ended with Kaito flat on his back, staring at the sky while Yuki stood over him, hands on her hips.
"You're hopeless," she said, shaking her head.
"I'm conserving energy," Kaito said, still sprawled on the ground.
Yuki laughed. "Sure you are. Come on, get up. I'll buy you a drink. You earned it. Barely."
———————————————————— On their way to the nearest vending machine, they passed the park's fountain, where a crowd had gathered. People were murmuring and pointing, and Kaito felt a pang of curiosity.
"What's going on over there?" he asked.
Yuki shrugged. "Let's find out."
They pushed through the crowd and saw her: a girl with silver hair tied in a loose braid, standing at the center of the commotion. She wore a flowing white dress that seemed entirely out of place, and her piercing green eyes scanned the crowd like she was searching for something—or someone.
"Who's that?" Kaito whispered.
"No idea," Yuki said. "But she's got some serious main-character energy."
As if on cue, the girl's eyes locked onto Kaito. She walked toward him with a grace that made the crowd part instinctively.
"You," she said, her voice calm and commanding.
"M-me?" Kaito stammered.
"Yes." She stopped in front of him, her gaze unflinching. "What is your Integration Rate?"
Kaito blinked. "Uh… Two percent?"
A murmur ran through the crowd.
"Two percent?" the girl repeated, tilting her head. "Interesting."
"Interesting how?" Yuki cut in, stepping protectively in front of Kaito.
The girl ignored her. "I am Aria Lyndis," she said, her voice carrying an air of authority. "I believe you and I have something in common."
"Doubtful," Kaito said.
Aria smiled faintly. "You're underestimating yourself. Low Integration Rates are… rare. And in some cases, they hold unique advantages."
"Advantages?" Yuki said skeptically. "Like what? Tripping over his own feet?"
Kaito groaned. "Thanks, Yuki."
Aria continued as if she hadn't heard. "Low Integration Rates allow you to slip through the System's constraints. You're less affected by its penalties—and more capable of bending its rules."
Kaito frowned. "Bending its rules? What does that even mean?"
"Follow me," Aria said, turning on her heel. "I'll explain."
"Wait a minute!" Yuki said, grabbing Kaito's arm. "You're not seriously going with her, are you?"
Kaito hesitated. "I mean… She seems like she knows what she's talking about?"
"Or she's luring you into some kind of weird System cult," Yuki said.
Aria glanced back, her expression unamused. "If you're afraid, you're welcome to stay behind."
Yuki bristled. "I'm not afraid. I just don't trust strangers with cryptic speeches."
"Then come with us," Aria said simply.
Yuki blinked. "Huh?"
"I have no objection to your presence," Aria said. "If you're worried about your friend's safety, you can keep an eye on him."
Yuki crossed her arms. "Fine. But if this turns out to be some kind of scam, I'm punching you both."
"Noted," Aria said, already walking away.
Kaito followed reluctantly, Yuki trailing close behind. He had no idea what he was getting himself into, but one thing was certain: life had gotten a lot more complicated.
And maybe, just maybe, a little more exciting.