Bab 4: Chapter 4: System
Kael sat cross-legged on the flat surface of the pyramid's summit, his gaze locked on the two-headed serpent below. The creature slithered with a slow, menacing rhythm, its forked tongues flicking in and out as if tasting the air. From his vantage point, he could see every ripple of its muscular body as it moved in and out of the shadows. His empty eye sockets narrowed slightly.
The serpent had entered the pyramid.
A long sigh of relief escaped him. 'If I were human, I'd be drenched in sweat right now,' Kael thought, his bony shoulders sagging. The dry, warm air of the desert carried no sound but the faint rustle of the sand shifting in the breeze.
"How fortunate... but also unlucky," Kael muttered. His skeletal fingers tapped lightly on the stone surface as he mulled over his situation.
The realization of his precarious position struck him again. The flat, spacious top of the pyramid had saved him from becoming the serpent's next meal. The thought made him glance around, assessing the structure. The rough stone under him was cool against his bones, a stark contrast to the blazing desert sun overhead.
"I need a weapon," Kael said to himself, his voice tinged with frustration. He leaned forward, propping his bony chin on one hand. His other hand idly traced small patterns in the dust coating the stone.
Weapons. That was the first thing any game player searched for. He had no delusions about his vulnerability. He was defenseless, weaponless, and without any clear knowledge of how to survive in this dangerous place. Worse still, magic a potential trump card is utterly useless against the two-headed serpent. The creature's ability to cancel spells rendered magic powerless.
Kael groaned, letting his spine curve as he sank back against the stone. His sockets stared at the swirling void above, thoughts racing. "Let me check my information," he muttered. "Maybe there's something useful."
The faint hope in his voice was quickly replaced by frustration as a realization hit him. "Wait," he whispered, sitting upright. "How do I even access it? Is it even called 'information'? No… what's it called?"
Kael scratched his skull in exasperation. His bony fingers made faint scraping sounds against his head as he tried to recall the correct term. Lowering his head slightly, he thought hard.
"What is it called...?" His bony fingers paused mid-motion. "Ah, yes! It's called a 'System.' Why was that so hard to remember?" He let out a hollow chuckle. "After playing countless games and comics, I almost forgot something so basic."
His skeletal jaw clicked faintly as he grinned. A System! The word sparked a sense of familiarity and relief. In countless games and comics, a System was the foundation of the character's abilities a comprehensive framework governing stats, skills, quests, and level-ups.
"Now that I know the name… how do I activate it?" Kael said aloud, his voice echoing faintly across the empty expanse.
He sprawled back on the stone surface again, his skeletal body making faint clicking sounds against the ground. For a while, he lay there, staring at the hazy void. "Maybe it's like those systems in comics. Maybe you just call it out, right?"
He sat up abruptly, brushing a fine layer of red sand from his ribs. With deliberate movements, he rose to his feet and planted himself firmly. Straightening his back, he mimicked clearing his throat.
"System!" he declared firmly. His voice, though lacking a tongue or vocal cords, carried a commanding tone.
Nothing.
Kael frowned. "System!" he tried again, this time louder.
Still nothing.
Frustration bubbled to the surface. His bony foot stomped against the stone, sending a small puff of dust into the air. He tried again and again, each attempt louder than the last, until his voice echoed faintly into the vast desert. But no matter how many times he called out, the System refused to appear.
Defeated, Kael slumped to the ground once more. His empty eye sockets seemed to burn with frustration as he stared at the sands below. His fingers dug small grooves into the dust. "Why isn't it working?" he muttered bitterly.
He sat there for a while, his mind circling endlessly. Finally, a new idea sparked. "Maybe it doesn't require saying it out loud," he mused. "Some systems in comics activate by thought..."
Kael straightened his spine. He adjusted his stance, brushing imaginary dirt from his nonexistent pants. Closing his sockets, he focused his thoughts, his skeletal fingers stilling at his sides. 'System.'
Seconds passed. The wind brushed softly against the pyramid, the only sound in the oppressive silence.
When he opened his sockets, his gaze darted around expectantly. Nothing. Not even a glimmer.
"Huh." Kael scratched his skull. "I thought I did it right…"
Time dragged on as he mulled over different ideas, each one more far-fetched than the last. Frustration built once again. "I hate this place," he growled. "First Jay, now the System. Why does everything hate me?"
He kicked the ground in irritation, sending more sand scattering. Exhaustion finally overtook his anger, and he let himself collapse on the ground once more. His skeletal hand stretched out lazily, as if reaching for something invisible. His thoughts drifted aimlessly.
"how can I do this... How can I activate this.
.." he whispered. His fingers curled slightly as if grasping an imaginary weapon.
Unconsciously, his mind returned to the System. "...System," he murmured softly, almost wistfully.
The air around him vibrated.
Kael froze, his sockets widening. A flash of light erupted around him, painting the pyramid in blinding brilliance. Instinctively, he raised an arm to shield his face, the light burning into his vision even as he tried to turn away.
Seconds passed before the glow faded. Slowly, Kael lowered his arm, his sockets wide with disbelief. Hovering before him was a translucent blue screen, glowing faintly against the dark surroundings.
His jaw slackened. "It worked," he whispered in awe. His voice was low, reverent. "The System..."
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