Chapter 4: The System
Jessica and I exchange uneasy glances. Neither of us is thrilled about making fools of ourselves. As the seconds tick by, we realize there’s no way around it. We have to shout out this ridiculous command to formalize our alliance and move our bases.
Jessica straightens her posture, her eyes narrowing as she takes a deep breath. “Fine, let’s get this over with,” she mutters.
Ethan leans back in his chair, a satisfied smirk plastered on his face as he watches us with evident amusement.
Jessica clears her throat, her voice carrying a hint of forced enthusiasm. “Ally: Choose and Move: Sector 18!”
I follow her lead, trying to match her energy despite feeling ridiculous. “Ally: Choose and Move: Sector 18!”
People seated around us turn to look at us in shock. For a moment, there’s an awkward silence. Then, as if on cue, the booths that surround us erupt into laughter.
I feel a sinking dread as I realize I have been tricked. Jessica’s face flushes with embarrassment, her eyes darting around the room as if searching for an escape. She opens her mouth, but the laughter drowns out her words.
Ethan, clearly enjoying the show, claps his hands together. “Well done! You’ve done the tradition proud.”
Jessica glares at him, her anger simmering. “You knew this was a joke. We didn’t need to shout it, did we?”
“It was for fun, yeah. Used to be a rule, but now just thinkin’ it does the trick. Figured it’d be a laugh seein’ you play along.”
Jessica’s frustration is palpable, but she manages to swallow it down, focusing on the map Ethan is now projecting in front of us. Her cheeks are still red, but she’s clearly trying to channel her anger into something productive.
“Alright,” she says through gritted teeth. “Let’s move on. What else do we need to know?”
Ethan produces another holographic display and sets it down on the table. It displays a detailed map of Sector 18, highlighting various areas with color-coded indicators.
“Your new home bases are here,” he says, pointing to a section of the map. “You’ll need to get familiar with the layout. The map, along with other stuff, will be on your computer when you get back, courtesy of the System.”
“Hold on,” I say, stopping Ethan’s flow. “How can the System access Earth? I thought that AI’s like you are stuck in the Net?”
“Usually, yeah. But we depend on the System for skills and all that. It can piggyback to Earth. No clue why it bothers, though. It’s burnin’ cash by the second doin’ that.”
“So, the System is on Earth, too?” I ask, my voice tinged with disbelief.
Ethan nods. “Yup. Can access your stuff, even run software on it, but it costs an arm and a leg. Only Tier 5s can afford to keep that connection up. The System’s the only AI that bothers.”
“Fine,” she says. “We’ll figure out the layout when we get home. What else do we need to know?”
Ethan taps a few more icons on the holographic map, zooming in on specific areas. “You’ll want to familiarize yourselves with the Wall, the Marketplace, and the Training Grounds.”
After allowing us to take in the map for a couple more moments, he shuts it down and adds, “That’s all I have for now. Your System initialization should be starting in about 32 seconds.”
I watch as Jessica’s shoulders tighten, her eyes narrowing with the same knot of nervousness tightening in my own chest. The weight of the moment presses down on us.
A soft chime rings out, and a system notification appears before my eyes, floating in mid-air. The world around me fades into the background, the sounds of the bustling club becoming a distant hum.
✦ . ⁺──────────·☽◯☾·──────────⁺ . ✦
System Initialization Commencing...
Connecting to Earth Subsystems...
Upgrading HAI to Tier 0...
✦ . ⁺──────────·☽◯☾·──────────⁺ . ✦
A soft, radiant light surrounds me, and an odd sense of euphoria takes over. An immense and alien presence brushes against my consciousness, its weight nearly unbearable. The euphoria intensifies, quickly giving way to a torrent of data that floods my mind. It feels as though my thoughts are being stretched to their breaking point as I grapple with the overwhelming influx of information.
✦ . ⁺──────────·☽◯☾·──────────⁺ . ✦
System Initialization Started
Welcome, Gregory Avalon
✦ . ⁺──────────·☽◯☾·──────────⁺ . ✦
STATUS:
Health: Healthy.
Designation: Human
Tier: 0 (Level 0)
Progress: 99% complete to Level 1
Credits: 1.00/10.00
Daily Income: +1.00 Credits (Absorption: +2.00 | Guide: +12.00 | Maintenance: -12 | HAI: -1)
Abilities:
None Selected
Next at level 10.
Attributes:
Body: 1
Mind: 1
Senses: 1
Absorption: 1
Capacity: 1
Free Stat Points: 2
Home Base: Sector 18—Ghoulish Grub
Base Status: Operational
Current Allies: Jessica Carter
Guide Help: 10 Days.
✦ . ⁺──────────·☽◯☾·──────────⁺ . ✦
System Notifications:
Allocate 2 stat points.
Reminder from Guide: Allocate the first point into Absorption to ensure daily credit income.
✦ . ⁺──────────·☽◯☾·──────────⁺ . ✦
I stare at the stat sheet, trying to absorb every detail. The System’s interface is surprisingly intuitive, though a bit clunky. Knowledge seems to flow into me, telling me how to trim the details of my status and manipulate the system messages into what I want it to do. I quickly adjust the sheet, making it less overwhelming, and glance around.
The club’s vibrant colors seem faded now, and Ethan alternates between watching me and Jessica, who has a distant gaze.
So, the status sheet is only visible to me. I make a mental note of that. Curiosity strikes—can I share this status sheet with others? As if in response, another wave of understanding washes over me, detailing the options for sharing. I set that information aside for now, focusing on my more immediate concerns.
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
Ethan catches my eye and mouths “Absorption” at me. I nod; his repeated reminding is starting to get a bit grating. I’m not a child, after all.
After thinking for a bit, it looks like choosing Absorption is the logical, safe bet to ensure I don’t run out of credits and meet an untimely end. I focus on the Absorption stat and mentally assign one of my two free points to it.
The change is immediate. A brief pang of pain hits me, as if I’m being hollowed out from the inside, but it’s quickly replaced by the weird ecstasy, which is different from the initial one and yet the same. I wonder if the System is deliberately making people addicted to this feeling. It’s suspicious, especially since no one—especially Ethan—bothered to mention it.
The Absorption stat ticks up from 1 to 2, and the daily income updates to reflect the increase:
✦ . ⁺──────────·☽◯☾·──────────⁺ . ✦
Daily Income: +3.00 Credits
(Absorption: +4.00 | Guide: +12.00 | Maintenance: -12 | HAI: -1)
✦ . ⁺──────────·☽◯☾·──────────⁺ . ✦
I exhale a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. One decision is made, bringing me a step closer to survival.
The choice for the second point, however? Well... that’s where things become complicated.
Where should I allocate it? My mind races through the options. Increasing Body would make me tougher, which is critical for surviving combat. Boosting Mind could enhance my intelligence, crucial for managing my horror-themed pizzeria. And then there’s Sense, which might sharpen my reflexes and awareness, essential for avoiding danger in this unpredictable world.
Alexander’s words replay in my mind. “But you need to hurry up and grow strong if you want to survive.” Higher Body stats would push me into superhuman territory. Given the impending battle tomorrow and the warning, I can’t afford to be caught off guard.
I finally make my decision. Body it is. I channel my remaining point into Body, bracing myself for the inevitable pain. It doesn’t disappoint; my muscles feel like they’ve been torn apart and put back together in an instant. It’s like a hundred workouts in a single moment. I let out a scream, though it’s strangely muffled.
Moments later, the pain subsides, replaced by a soothing sensation. Maybe the addictive emotions of leveling are good after all.
As the soothing sensation fades, I scold myself for succumbing to thinking those thoughts. I can see people—me—becoming battle maniacs for leveling up. Explains all those ads from earlier.
I am not given much time to recover before another notification interrupts me.
✦ . ⁺──────────·☽◯☾·──────────⁺ . ✦
Ability Choices Generated.
✦ . ⁺──────────·☽◯☾·──────────⁺ . ✦
Ghost in the Machine:
Allows the user and their HAI to move objects without physical contact. The ability exerts a mild force. The user earns 2 credits for every successful scare. The entity using the ability will not receive credits for scaring themselves or someone else more than once every day. Cost: 1 credit. Cooldown: 1 hour.
Locomotion Matrix:
The user or their HAI can enhance the moving parts of the chosen robot by 100% for the duration of 1 hour, but with massively increased risk of malfunctions. If productivity doubles for duration of the ability, the user earns back 2 credit. Cost: 2 credits.
Enhanced Diagnostic:
Temporarily boosts the diagnostic capabilities of a robot or HAI, allowing it to detect and repair minor malfunctions within its system for 1 hour. This improvement strains its resources, reducing its operational capacity slightly. If the diagnostics lead to a significant improvement in the robot’s performance or avoid a major failure, the user earns back 2 credits. Entity using the ability can not use it on themselves. Cost: 2 credits
✦ . ⁺──────────·☽◯☾·──────────⁺ . ✦
I stare at the floating list of abilities, feeling the weight of each decision pressing down on me. This isn’t just some random choice in a game; this could make or break my chances of surviving in this nightmare.
“Ghost in the Machine,” I mutter, rolling the idea around in my head. Moving things without touching them sounds like something out of a bad horror movie. I can just see it now—haunted pizzeria chairs floating around to freak out customers. And I get paid for every successful scare? If I was good at scaring people, maybe this would be my ticket to easy credits.
Who am I kidding? I can barely scare myself into getting out of bed most days.
“Alright, what’s next? Locomotion Matrix.”
The idea of doubling productivity is tempting, but then there’s the catch—massive malfunctions. I really don’t want to deal with the waiter situation again. Yeah, no thanks.
Then there’s Enhanced Diagnostic. A strong and safe option. Any other day of the week, I would go with this... but tomorrow’s fight makes me hesitant.
I rub my temples, trying to clear the haze of exhaustion from the sudden influx of information. The pain from allocating my stat points still lingers—a dull ache.
The club around me is a distant blur, and for a moment, I wonder if Jessica’s already made her choice or if she’s as stuck as I am.
Ghost in the Machine... It’s risky, sure. But it’s got potential. Plus, the thought of earning credits for scaring people? If I can figure out how to use it right, it might just pay off.
“Alright,” I mutter under my breath, steeling myself for what’s to come. “Let’s go with the ghost thing. Worst-case scenario, I’ll scare the pants off myself and earn nothing.”
I select Ghost in the Machine, and as soon as I do, a strange sensation washes over me, like a cold breeze sneaking under my skin. The experience is weird and uncomfortable, yet not completely horrible. I let out a long breath, trying to get used to the feeling.
✦ . ⁺──────────·☽◯☾·──────────⁺ . ✦
Initialization Complete. User has leveled up.
Updated Records in Earth SubSystem.
HAI is now Tier 0 and bound to user Gregory Avalon.
✦ . ⁺──────────·☽◯☾·──────────⁺ . ✦
STATUS:
Health: Healthy.
Tier: 0 (Level 1)
Progress: 0% to Level 2
Credits: 1.00/10.00
Daily Income: +1.00 Credits (Absorption: +2.00 | Guide: +12.00 | Maintenance: -12 | HAI: -1)
Abilities:
Ghost in the Machine
Next at level 10.
Attributes:
Body: 2
Mind: 1
Senses: 1
Absorption: 2
Capacity: 1
Base Status: Operational
Guide Help: 10 Days.
✦ . ⁺──────────·☽◯☾·──────────⁺ . ✦
I exhale, scanning the information before me. It seems straightforward enough. In the recesses of my mind, a faint presence lingers, its impact too subdued to grasp fully. All I manage to gleam from it is the current status of my base.
Mentally closing the interfaces, I let the world snap back into focus. The club’s dim lights and the hum of conversation return, grounding me in the present.
Jessica is still staring off into the distance, her brow furrowed, clearly grappling with her own decisions.
Jessica finally snaps out of her trance, her eyes narrowing as she clenches her fists. I can tell she’s been through the same painful, disorienting process I have. But there’s no time for sympathy. I’ve got bigger problems—like the fact that no one bothered to mention the addictive side effects of leveling up.
“What the hell, Ethan?” I shout, my voice cutting through the noise of the club. “You didn’t think it was important to mention that leveling up feels a dose of pure ecstasy? You could’ve warned us about that little detail!”
Ethan flinches. He leans back, “Ah, yeah. That. Guess it slipped my mind. Once you get your Mind attribute up, you don’t feel it so much. I don’t notice it much anymore.”
Jessica lets out a derisive snort, crossing her arms over her chest. “You forgot? You’re supposed to be a Tier 4 AI, and you conveniently forgot to mention something so basic? How does that even happen?”
Ethan shrugs, “Mentorin’ over a hundred newbies at the same time here. Prioritizin’ the big stuff. This didn’t make the cut.”
I exchange a glance with Jessica, and I can tell she’s just as suspicious as I am. What can we do, though? We’re in too deep now, and questioning him further won’t get us anywhere. We both nod, though the unease lingers.
Ethan notices our silence and waves his hand dismissively. “ “Alright, enough. You made your choices, and it’s time to move on. I’m teleportin’ you both to your new bases. Once you’re there, get straight home. You’ll need rest before tomorrow.”
Before I can argue or ask any more questions, the club around me starts to warp and blur. The next thing I know, I’m standing in the middle of my Pizzeria.
A strange pressure builds in my chest, and I feel like something is being sucked out of me. Just as I’m about to take a breath, a menu flies straight at my face. I jump back, my heart pounding like I’ve just been ambushed. Then the hollowness in my chest is gone, as it is filled again.
✦ . ⁺──────────·☽◯☾·──────────⁺ . ✦
HAI has used Ghost in the Machine, scaring a guest.
Cost: 1 credit. Earnings: +2 credits.
✦ . ⁺──────────·☽◯☾·──────────⁺ . ✦
I blink at the notification, trying to process what just happened. I can’t believe it—my HAI just scared the life out of me and earned me some credits in the process.
As the realization sinks in, I see the loophole my HAI has discovered. If it can keep scaring me, we could earn at least two more credits every day.
I glance around the pizzeria, half-expecting another surprise. The neon lights buzz softly, casting eerie shadows on the cracked tiles. The smell of stale pizza still hangs in the air, mixing with the faint scent of grease and engine oil. My heart’s still racing from the unexpected scare, and I can’t help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all.
“Well, at least I’m back in familiar territory,” I mutter, rubbing my temples.
It’s unsettling how swiftly I’ve adjusted to this futuristic environment, with its high-tech gadgets and alien scenery, as if I’ve spent not just hours but a lifetime here. Despite the strange comfort of this place, I know it’s time to return to Earth.
With a final glance at the place that’s now my second home, I step towards the fire exit, feeling a strange mix of relief and reluctance. As I pull the door open, I’m greeted by a blinding light that embraces me, and then, just as suddenly, I’m back in my cluttered room on Earth.