As Quinn was busy on the Online Marketplace, Tsukuru took this opportunity to perform a full "systems check" of his System, now that the digital copy of his mother had recalibrated it.
He flicked his finger up, causing the System's UI to appear with its usual "bell chime". Like usual, the row of four icons appeared. The one for his "Profile" Tab, his "Summon" Tab, his "Quests" Tab, and his "Shop" Tab.
'Well, at least that looks normal,' Tsukuru thought. He then pressed the "Profile" icon. It lit up, and a small ring surrounded it. His Status Window appeared to the left of the icon, and the Profile Tab's "Sub-Tabs" menu appeared to the right. Like usual, it had three rectangular bars going down. Each bar had an image in a square at the front, followed by a label. Going downwards, they read "Inventory", "Skills", and "Equipment".
However, Tsukuru stared for a moment at the icon for the "Skills" tab. It was an open, hardcover book, angled upwards. The book appeared to be opened to its center, and several small, four-pointed stars were floating above it, appearing to be flying out of the pages.
'Huh, did the icon for the Skills Tab always look like that?' he thought. 'That's kinda amusing.'
Seeing how all Abilities were learned from Ability Books, the icon for the Skills Tab, being that of a book,was quite fitting.
Tsukuru clicked the bar for the System's Inventory. As it opened up, it looked exactly like how it always looked.
'Looks normal,' Tsukuru thought, before dismissing the screen and returning to the System UI. 'What about the Skills Tab?' he asked, pressing the second option.
However, this was the firstmajor change that he could notice in the System. The screen had a rectangle with a light-blue outline in the upper-left corner. It read "Skills" in a digital font. There was another rectangle with a light-blue outline in the lower-left corner, which read "Skill Points: 0" in the same digital font.
In what would be the "upper-right quadrant" if the screen were split into four segments, there was a thick rectangle with a light-blue outline. In the upper-right corner of that rectangle, there was a light-blue image that was an exact copy of the strange microchip that gave him his System. Starting at the bottom half of the rectangle, there were the words "System Skills" written in a bold, digital font that scrawled across the bottom half of the rectangle.
The rectangle also had a set of four light-blue lines extending from it. Two extending from the top, one from the right side, and one extending from the bottom.
The line extending from the right side of the top extended along one-third of the way across it to the right of the rectangle. The line went up for a short distance before then curving towards the left and continuing. It led to another rectangle, this one both thinner and longer than the larger one. The extending line connected with the new rectangle's far-right corner. This new rectangle read "Scan - Lv. 1" in that same, digital font.
Extending out from the middle of the right side of the "Scan - Lv. 1" square, there was a short line leading to another box. This one was slightly smaller and longer than the "Scan - Lv. 1" square. This new box was labeled "Auto-Lock - Lv. 1".
The line extending from the right side of the "System Skills" rectangle traveled for a short distance before connecting to a rectangle labeled "Mini-Map - Lv. 1."
The line extending from the bottom of the "System Skills" rectangle extended from the dead center of the square. It went down a short distance before then turning and heading towards the right. It is connected to another rectangle. This one was labeled "Inventory - Lv. 1".
Finally, the last line, the one extending from the left side of the "System Skills" box, extended along one-third of the way across it to the left of the rectangle. It traveled for a short distance to the left before connecting to a rectangle labeled "Auto-Recovery Mode".
There was another light-blue line extending from the left of the "System Skills" rectangle, right along the middle of its left side. The line traveled towards the left side of the screen until it reached the "halfway point" along the top of the screen. Then, it rounded downwards and went straight down. It connected with a light-blue circle in the dead center of the screen, having a light-blue "DNA Strand" icon in it.
'Looks like I have System Skills now,' Tsukuru thought, as he pressed the box for the first Skill, the one labeled "Scan - Lv. 1". Instantly, a smaller System screen appeared, overlaying the Skill Tab,
[Scan - Lv. 1
System-Exclusive Skill
Passive Skill
The System will automatically "scan" whatever you are looking at, providing you with information about items, people, and objects.
No Energy Required
You can only "scan" one target at a time. The System will only give you basic information.
Level-Up Requirements: Reach Lv. 20]
Tsukuru's eyes widened as he instantly realized what this "Skill" was. It was his System's "Scanner" function that automatically activated whenever he looked at something.
He then clicked the box to the immediate right of the "Scan" Skill, the one labeled "Auto-Lock - Lv. 1".
Just like with his "Scan" Skill, a small System screen appeared.
[Auto-Lock - Lv. 1
System-Exclusive Skill
Passive Skill
The System will automatically "lock-on" on targets, guaranteeing 100% accuracy.
No Energy Required
You can only "lock-on" to one target at a time.
Level Up Requirement: Reach Lv. 20]
Tsukuru's eyes narrowed as he read the Skill's information.
'Seems like my 'Auto-Lock' System feature got a downgrade,' Tsukuru thought. 'I've always been able to lock onto multiple targets at once.'
He then turned his attention towards the rectangle to the right of the "System Skills" rectangle. The "Mini-Map - Lv. 1" Skill.
[Mini-Map - Lv. 1
System-Exclusive Skill
Passive Skill
The System grants you a Mini-Map that tracks the presence of those around you. Allies are marked with Green, while hostile threats are marked with Red, and neutral entities are marked with Gray.
No Energy Required
Level Up Requirement: Reach Lv. 20]
Tsukuru then turned his attention to the Skill at the bottom of the "System Skills" rectangle. The one labeled "Inventory - Lv. 1".
[Inventory - Lv. 1
System-Exclusive Skill
Active Skill
You can store nonliving matter within an extradimensional space that only you can access. While stored within this space, matter is kept in a form of stasis, keeping it in the same state it was when it was first put into your Inventory. Once an object has been placed in your Inventory at least once, you can always place it back in at any time, regardless of location or distance. You can only place objects smaller than yourself into your inventory.
Only objects smaller than yourself can be placed in the System's Inventory.
No Energy Required
Level-Up Requirements: Reach Lv. 20]
Tsukuru's eyes narrowed in irritation upon reading the new SIZE LIMITATIONS of his System's Inventory.
'Looks like that 'Shadow Space' of Quinn's is superior to my System's Inventory, now,' he thought bitterly. He remembered how Quinn's Shadow Space would enlarge to accommodate the size of objects of significantlylargersizes.
Finally, Tsukuru turned his attention towards the last rectangle connected to the "System Skills" rectangle. The one attached to the left of the top of it. This one was labeled "Auto-Recovery Mode."
[Auto-Recovery Mode - Lv. 1
Active Skill
System-Exclusive Skill
Allows the user to recover their HP by consuming Health Potions without removing them from the System's Inventory. If the user's HP is reduced to 5, Auto-Recovery Mode will automatically activate.
You can only consume Minor Health Potions using Auto-Recovery Mode.
No Energy Required.
Level-Up Requirements: Reach Lv. 20]
Tsukuru narrowed his eyes.
'It seems like all of my System's built-in functions have turned into Skills,' Tsukuru thought. 'That might actually be a blessing in disguise, because it seems like that means that they can Level Up now.'
It was at that point that Tsukuru heard Quinn talking. Quite loudly at that.
"Tsukuru!"
Instantly, Tsukuru's eyes widened. He snapped his head towards Quinn.
"Huh?" he asked, his concentration now broken. "Do you need something, Quinn?"
Quinn's eyebrow raised in confusion.
"What…what are you doing?" he asked.
Tsukuru glanced backdown at the System. There was still an entire section of the Skills Tab that he hadn't checked yet. The bottom of the screen that contained the Skills for his actual Ability.
"Oh, nothing major," he replied in a nonchalant tone, glancing away from the System screen and back towards Quinn. "When I reached Level 10, and my System AI was unlocked, it kind of…recalibrated my System. I was just checking out all of the changes."