P.O.V. Morgan Key Blackwood
I wake up with a splitting headache and the sensation of someone kicking my leg. As I slowly try to stand up and get my bearings, I see a rather fat police officer looking at me as if he's seen dozens, if not hundreds, of guys passed out in the middle of a public park before.
"Parks are public places; if you want to do that shit, do it where you won't bother anyone," the man says eloquently while... Wait... Are those potato chip crumbs on his mustache and belly?
I look around and see the two Pringles cans I ate, empty, but the third one is gone. I'd give a dry look to the cop who clearly finished my last chips, but I'd rather avoid the trouble of dealing with the law in the United States and their officers of questionable morality.
I apologize for the trouble instead of arguing and walk away quickly. As I head down the street, I make sure to open my character screen in front of a couple of people. Given how disinterested everyone is and the dead-fish stares I get, it's confirmed: I'm the only one who can see it.
As I walk like any other pedestrian, I can't help but notice that my clothes feel tight and I've gained some muscle mass. When I check my stats again, I raise an eyebrow. That explains it.
Name: Morgan Key Blackwood
Assimilated Cards: (None)
Assimilation Slots: 3/3
Miles Morales (28%)
Edward Elric (15%)
Killua Zoldyck (4%)
Miles and all the Spider-types underwent biological changes because, after being bitten, their bodies gained the proportional strength of a spider. This affected their physiques, increasing their height and condensing their muscle mass. That's why some, even though they look extremely skinny, have muscles that can lift cars without a problem.
Luckily, Edward's template didn't make me shorter; it just made me identify the elements that make up everything around me. For example: the ground is concrete like almost everything in this city. In a single cubic meter, there is a total of 60% to 75% Silicon Dioxide (S_i O_2), 10% to 15% Tricalcium Silicate and Dicalcium Aluminate—basically industrial cement—15% to 20% water, and 1% to 8% oxygen... Wow. I didn't even remember knowing that much. Credits to Edward for that.
But Killua... that's another story. I don't really feel any specific changes. I try to mentally ask the Gacha System about it, but apparently, it only responds if I speak out loud. To save myself the embarrassment of looking like an idiot in front of a crowd, I head into an alley and stand behind a dumpster.
"Okay, Gacha System... Why is Killua's growth percentage so low compared to the other two?" I ask, though a part of me already suspects the obvious.
[For the most part, it is due to the difference in powers, skills, intellect, and/or energy systems of the characters.]
[Miles was biologically altered. His template grants you all the potential, powers, and abilities he had before his 'leap of faith.' His assimilation is much faster because your physical body is constantly adapting to the modified DNA.]
[Edward is a genius who, after losing his body parts, dedicated himself entirely to the study of Alchemy. What you are absorbing is not just his talent for transmuting without circles, but years of scientific studies on matter and how to alter it. It is a massive information load.]
[Finally, Killua is the most complex. You are acquiring ten years of assassin training: how to move correctly, projecting your killing intent as a weapon, identifying enemy vulnerabilities, and the most efficient way to kill. Then comes his knowledge of Nen and his bio-electricity. Assimilating his mental and physical capabilities takes much longer.]
Reading this, I couldn't help but be surprised by how complex this thing actually is. Part of me thought that just because a character was stronger, it would take longer, but by that logic, someone like Sheldon Cooper could be just as slow to assimilate as Edward simply because of the pure knowledge Sheldon possesses.
"Is there any way to increase the percentage faster?"
[There is: perform actions the character would normally do. With Miles, it would be graffiti, swinging from walls, or catching criminals. With Edward, it's using Alchemy to alter your surroundings. With Killua, it's fighting, assassinating, or using stealth. Acting according to the character's nature accelerates the process.]
A thought crossed my mind: What if I assimilated an H-character like Rance-sama? Would that mean having sex with different women and acting like a shameless bastard would give me massive assimilation gains? My mind snapped back to reality when a voice made me turn my head.
"Okay, pretty boy, hand over everything of value or I'll slash your face." A homeless man, likely a junkie given his chronic shaking and the way he scratches his neck, threatens me with a knife that's scarier for how dirty and rusty it is than for the man himself.
Normally, my old self would be scared and just give him the money. I'm not a martial artist or an anime protagonist; I'm a salaryman who worked ten hours a day. But right now, looking at him, I don't see someone who can give me tetanus. I just see a crazy guy with a bad stance and a terrible grip on his blade.
"Did you hear me? Give me your money or I'll...!"
In an instant, I grab his knife arm. "Huh?"
Crack.
"AAAAAAGGGH!" he screams as I squeeze hard enough to fracture the bone without pulverizing it. He drops the knife; I catch it mid-air and, with a kick to his left leg, he hits the ground. "You're... you're crazy!"
He yells at me while I look down at him, knife in hand. I think for a second and, with a sigh, I throw it with such precision that it sticks into the upper part of a building, far out of his reach.
"Get lost before your hand isn't the only thing I break." The man gives me a hateful look and leaves, clutching his broken hand.
Part of me thought about killing him; it's what Killua would have done. But my parents raised me too well, and my morality prevents me from taking a life, even that of an idiot who tried to mug me. I know this mindset might not lead me anywhere good here, but I prefer to stay as true to my principles as I can.
As I walk away, my stomach growls. I search my pockets for non-existent money and sigh as I check my cards while looking at a nearby cafe. It truly sucks to be poor.
[End of Chapter]