-First Person Pov-
The morning sun filtered through thin curtains, casting streaks of golden light across my small bedroom. I was sprawled on my bed in some weird position, tangled in a blanket that had half-slipped to the floor. My brown hair was a mess, sticking out at odd angles. Frizzy, as usual.
Posters of superheroes and anime decorated the walls. A cork board pinned with notes hung near my desk, and the SIGNED joker playing card was tacked right in the middle.
My iPhone on the windowsill started buzzing. Loudly.
I reached out to grab it, turned my head, and opened my groggy eyes. Then I looked at the time.
"Oh, shit!"
I sat up and rushed toward my closet, nearly tripping over my blanket in the process. I started frantically searching through my clothes before finally grabbing a pair of dark blue jeans and a black T-shirt from the floor. Threw them on messily. Didn't bother smoothing out the wrinkles.
Grabbed socks from my dresser. Snatched a white sweater from my bed and stuffed my phone and keys into its pocket. Slinging my backpack over my shoulder, I darted out of my bedroom door.
Rushed into the bathroom. Toothbrush. Paste. Brushed as fast as humanly possible.
Front door. Shoes from the rack. Locked the door behind me and dashed down the stairs, almost tripping on the last step before sprinting to the bus stop.
Thank God I made it. Mom would've kicked my ass if I was absent again.
I weaved through the crowd of people waiting for the school bus, exhaling visibly. My breath formed a faint mist in the chilly air. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I started playing some dumb mobile game to pass the time.
Then I caught a fruity scent.
I glanced around. Zack. Sneakily taking a hit from his vape, the device tucked discreetly in the sleeve of his black sweater.
I rolled my eyes and turned back to my phone.
Moments later, the bus pulled up and stopped. The doors opened. I stepped inside, made my way to the third row, and settled into my seat, placing my backpack beside me.
Then I froze.
Fuck. I forgot to take my medicine.
The bus door closed.
---
[Time Skip]
The day went by pretty quickly. Boringly.
The bell rang. I started getting up, packing my backpack as I exited the classroom and made my way to the lunchroom.
A hand landed on my shoulder.
Who? Oh. It's Benji.
"Yo, dude, you see the fight yesterday?"
My eyes narrowed slightly. "Another one? How the hell do you have beef with someone when the new semester just started?"
Benji just shrugged. "Idk, but it was these two girls, and they just kept pulling hair. When a teacher got involved, she got the shit slapped out of her. It was fuckin' hilarious. I'll send you the video."
I stopped listening as soon as he said "idk." Who says that out loud?
Before I could say anything, I heard another voice.
"Did you actually just say 'idk'? You're an actual bot, dude."
I turned. Cole.
"Yo bro, thought you were gonna skip," I said, dapping him up. "How did that plan turn out?"
"How do you think?" Cole responded dryly.
We joined the crowded lunch line. Of course, Benji started talking again.
"Y'all seen that Terryology stuff? I might have to get on that low-key. Bro's hella smart."
Me and Cole just looked at him like he was an alien.
He kept going. "Don't look at me like that. I'm serious. Did y'all see that Joe Rogan podcast? Like, it made sense and—"
Cole cut him off. "Just stop."
Benji nodded in defeat as we grabbed our lunch. We sat down and had the most "intelligent" conversation our brains could muster.
And, of course, the one who started it was Benji.
"Y'all tryna play Marvel Rivals today?"
"Sure."
"Yup."
Me and Cole both agreed.
Benji continued, "Yo, I'm finna play Luna Snow again. On God, she's bad."
I just nodded.
Cole said, "I like Squirrel Girl better. I like thick women."
"Of course you would," I said.
Cole just smiled.
Benji looked at me. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing..."
"Uh huh..."
I just smiled and raised my hands. "But hey, I like thick women too, alright."
---
[Time Skip]
After school, I did my homework, played with the boys, and went to bed.
When I checked the time, I saw it was two in the morning.
Tomorrow's already here. But I need sleep.
I felt my heavy eyes close as I pulled the blanket over my head.
---
-Third Person-
A light blue rectangle appeared in front of Alex as he knocked out, slightly illuminating the room. Words began to appear on the screen.
[System activating. Soul, mind, and body fusion commencing...]
Alex stirred uncomfortably in his bed but didn't wake up.
Tomorrow is gonna be different. Tomorrow is gonna be better.
---
-First Person Pov-
I woke up and immediately realized I needed to rush again.
But I felt... calm about it.
I put my clothes on. Took my pills. Grabbed my keys. Grabbed my phone. Exited the house. Walked down the stairs.
As I started heading toward my bus, I froze.
Are those... bars on top of their heads?
Above every person waiting at the stop, there was a small colored bar. Red. Yellow. Green. Some had icons I couldn't recognize.
The bus came. I ran to the stop.
Am I dreaming? My body feels light.
I entered the bus in a daze and sat down.
[Attention user. Would you like to enter the tutorial now?]
I visibly flinched as a glowing blue square materialized in front of me.
The person next to me didn't even notice.
What the fuck...
"Yea?"
The person next to me looked at me confused. I didn't really care.
[There is no need to speak, user. I can hear your thoughts and respond to them. Now, as for my introduction I'm your System. I've scanned your memory, so I know you're familiar with the concept.]
That's awesome. But also a serious invasion of my privacy.
[Don't worry, Alex. I only want what you want.]
...Okay then.
Show me what you can do.
---
The blue square expanded, and text flooded my vision. I leaned back in my seat and read.
[System Features:]
[Dimensional Travel] – The Ultimate System traverses the user through the Omniverse at random for certain sets of time and integrates them into these universes by generating a false identity and a full background that fits seamlessly into that reality's timeline when needed.
[Dungeon World] – A system feature that allows the user to enter another world that has an abundance of resources and monsters that spawn from nothing. Unlike Dimensional Travel, users can visit the dungeon world whenever they want.
[Gacha] – A Universal lottery function tied to the Ultimate System that allows the user to earn a random Item, Skill, Character Template, or Power. 1 Gacha Point is earned every 24 hours. 20 Points are required for one Gacha Spin.
[Quests] – The Ultimate System will assign the user quests based on their interests and needs, giving what it deems to be a fair reward. Rewards can be Gacha Points and Exp, Items and Exp, or Skills and Exp.
[Inventory] – The Ultimate System can store an unlimited number of items in itself and extract any number of those items for the user's use at any point in time instantly. When an item is somehow lost, it instantly returns to the Inventory.
[World Map] – The System gives the user a map that shows all the locations they have been to before, with icons for classifications: red for enemies, yellow for strangers, and green for allies or friends.
[Fast Travel] – A teleportation system accessible via the World Map. To access a Fast Travel location, the user must have been at that location before. Fast Travel is disabled when in active combat.
Okay, that's useful.
[Protections:]
[Ability Lock] – None of the user's abilities (supernatural or not) can be copied, stolen, or destroyed. The user is immune to any effect that would replicate their powers.
[DNAless] – Any piece of DNA that leaves the user's body instantly becomes blank with nothing to track. Blood, hair, skin cells, saliva. all of it.
[AntiMind] – Makes the user immune to mind control, mind reading, and emotion manipulation. Blocks all mental attacks.
[Soul Anchoring] – Makes the user immune to all soul-based powers. The user's soul cannot be manipulated, observed, absorbed, destroyed, trapped, sealed, or converted.
Wow. That's a lot of protection.
[System Stats:]
Level: 1
EXP: 0/100
Health: 100/100 (1 recovered per minute)
Stamina: 100/100 (1 recovered per minute)
Mana: 100/100 (1 recovered per minute)
Physical Strength: 1,125 lbs
Speed: 17 MPH
Mana Strength: 1,125 lbs
IQ: 115
Crit Chance: 0.1%
Crit Modifier: 20%
[Stat Points Per Level Up: 3]
Strength – Modifies lifting and striking strength.
Endurance – Modifies Maximum Health, Physical Resistance, and Healing Rate.
Charisma – Modifies others' disposition toward user and physical looks.
Intelligence – Modifies Skill EXP Rate, Crit Percentage, and IQ.
Agility – Modifies Stamina, Stamina Regen Rate, and Overall Speed.
Luck – Modifies Good Luck and Critical Hit Chance Percentage.
Magic – Modifies Mana Cap, Mana Strength, and Mana Recharge Rate.
Why are my stats so high?
[My fusion with you brought you to a mid-to-high human level.]
Really? That's pretty dope.
On the other hand... Mana? Does that mean I can cast spells? Like fireball?
[Yes. However, only if you've learned the spell from the System or obtained it through the Gacha. Mana is mostly used to fuel mystical or magic-related abilities. You can also enhance your physical abilities with it.]
Aww.
[Sorcery:]
Mana – Mana is not a singular energy source but rather a group of different energies used by sorcerers and spirits to fuel their sorcery. It can attack non-solid, magic-based forms and damage them.
Mana Manipulation [Lv.1 EXP 0/100] – The ability to control the flow of Mana and channel it to carry out certain functions—techniques and spells.
-Mana Output – User can unleash low levels of Mana with attacks. A single swing of a Mana-charged fist can make a small shockwave.
-Mana Reinforcement – Improving muscle performance with Mana allows the user to increase speed, agility, durability, and strength.
-Low Mana Control – User can control the destructive force of their Mana with low accuracy, control, and precision.
-Mana Perception – The ability to sense and see invisible supernatural creatures.
[Skills:]
Perfect Body [MAX] – Grants a body that allows the user to take fatal injuries and still move normally. Injuries take shape and apply negative status effects (does not allow dismemberment). After sleeping in a bed, restores HP, Mana, and cures all negative status effects.
Perfect Mind [MAX] – A skill that comes with Perfect Body. Allows the user to calmly and logically think things through. Maintains a peaceful state of mind and protects against mental illnesses.
Observe [Lv.1 EXP 0/100] – Reveals target information: max HP, max MP, remaining HP, weaknesses, attributes, status, background, and emotions.
[Racial Abilities: Human (Variant Human)]
Indomitable Spirit [Lv.1] – Immune to fear and despair. When health drops below 10%, triggers an Adrenalic Surge that temporarily boosts all physical stats by 2x.
Adaptive Ingenuity [Lv.1] – 15% bonus to learning speed and skill EXP. When exposed to a new environment, ability, or power type for the first time, gain 10% resistance to it for 10 minutes.
Social Resonance [Lv.1] – Charisma-based skills are 20% stronger. In group settings, morale buffs are 1.2x more effective when user is present.
Jack of All Trades [Lv.1] – May use any weapon, tool, or skill seen at least once at 50% effectiveness.
Survivor's Resilience [Lv.1] – Natural regeneration continues even under status effects. Status effect durations are reduced by 25%.
Momentum [Lv.1] – Every 30 seconds in combat, all stats increase by 2% (stacks up to 20%). Ends when combat ends.
[Meta Abilities: N/A]
[Inventory: Empty]
I sat there for a long moment, staring at the blue square.
Well. That's a lot.
[If you're not happy with the low level, you can start leveling up by completing quests or killing creatures. Would you like to start a quest right now?]
—————————————
I completely forgot I started this.
So I decided to restart as I saw many problems in my first version.