System Online.
Welcome…
“Well, it wasn’t a dream after all…” I muttered to myself, the reality of my situation sinking in. It took me a few minutes to regain strength in my body, reminiscent of the first time I had experienced the effects of the serum injection.
With considerable effort, I finally managed to sit up on the ground. Beside me, a blinking alarm emitted that same ordinary, antique, and terribly annoying dull ringtone from my digital watch. I recalled that I had no phone at this time of the year, so I had settled for the cheapest yet most reliable option I could find.
It was a digital watch with a touchscreen and a long battery life. And the most important one out of all its features – of course, because it was built by NOKINA, a corporation renowned for creating the toughest devices on Earth. They were often likened to bricks on the roadside, capable of being used to bash anyone’s head. I used to call it extremely handy, as it not only could be used to look for time and accept calls, but it could also defend its trained user from thieves. Multifunction, baby…
I picked up the watch and tapped one of the icons to silence the alarm. Swiping to the side, I gazed at the calendar displayed on the screen, just below the real-time clock. It read 04:30, March 13, 2106 – three years before the nightmare, inducing attack from the Aelor.
Rubbing my forehead, I closed my eyes, feeling a slight headache. Dried blood brushed against my fingers, likely the result of my heavy fall to the floor, headfirst, added by writhing all around in pain. I also felt sticky all over, probably from the sweat.
Looking at my wrist, I noticed that the wannabe, unethical and shameless mechanical spider was gone, replaced by a tattoo that featured intricate strokes and lines, forming a mysterious symbol. It showcased a striking spider image with a gorgeous red jewel on its back. However, anyone with arachnophobia would likely be grossed out by it.
But oh well, who cares? And I gotta admit it this time, it looks really cool.
Wearily gazing at the tattoo, I spoke to it as if it could respond. “So, what are you?”
Soon after, a voice – a young girl’s to be exact – rang inside my head, accompanied by text that progressed alongside her speech.
Welcome, Host.
As the last name integrated into my base from the previous Host's decision, you may call me REN, which stands for Red Energy Nexus.
Do you wish to receive further explanation based on your inquiry?
I narrowed my eyes, curiosity piqued. “Go ahead…”
REN is the designation granted by the previous Host. It was intended to sound cool and feminine, she said. However, the voice has been regulated to mimic that of the previous Host's little sister, who unfortunately had passed away. This was actually done to commemorate her memory…
“Stop, stop, stop. What the hell?” I felt my mouth twitch at the unexpected revelation. ‘Why do I feel like I’m listening to gossip? No, it’s worse. I’m possibly learning about someone’s deepest secrets, thoughts and traumas dumped together all at once.’
“That’s not what I asked. I asked, what are you actually, REN? How did you manage to burrow yourself into my flesh? How did you save me from that blast, and… are you perhaps sending me to the past?” I continued. There were so many things currently swirling inside my head. So much so that my current condition seems to be the most redundant out of all of it.
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Question being processed…
Error…
Error…
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The Host's Authority Level is currently insufficient to provide a complete answer.
Access Denied…
Creating possible answers based on the Host's authority level.
Access Granted…
In the previous event, the system managed to gain enough energy to activate itself by automatically employing the Emergency Protocol. This was to shield the future Host and absorb the blast, which originated from the Quantum Energy Manipulation typically utilized by Sixth Level Advanced Civilizations.
Unfortunately, due to a system malfunction, the shield was breached at the last moment by the Energy Cannon, along with earlier attacks before activation, resulting in the future Host's body being deemed irrecoverable.
Based on the calculated details and the best approach to save the Host and Earth, and considering the limited energy accumulated, the system decided to extract all memories from the future Host body. By utilizing the Last Resort Program, Time Travel was initiated, and the system attached itself to the current Host body in the past.
After transferring all necessary memories, the system is now prepared to guide the Host on the first unavoidable mission: to save humanity from extinction.
It took me a while to process everything I had just heard.
My mouth twitched uncontrollably upon realizing that I was, in fact, my younger self, now infused with the memories of my future self. The truth was, it was hard to believe what was happening to me. Those memories felt so real – the pain of the first serum injection, the near loss of my left hand because of those damned Aelor, and the heat from the Mega Thermal Detonator exploding inside the Aelor spaceship.
And time travel? How was that even possible? Yet, considering the galactic trouble taken to access and identify this spider called REN, which all the scientists still failed to understand, it somehow makes sense. It had shielded itself from that mega blue laser that had rained down upon us, extracted my memories, and even facilitated itself to travel to the past. Especially when it mentioned the part about the advanced civilization.
It successfully sent a shudder down my spine.
‘What the freaky damned is this thing? Don’t tell me it’s something that came from a more powerful green or red alien, then latched itself onto me to survey Earth and humanity, determining if we were even worth the trouble and their precious time to conquer or not. Is it something like that?’ I thought to myself, expecting the AI to be capable of reading my mind. After all, if it could extract my memories, surely it would also know what was in my thoughts right now.
After a few seconds of silence, I finally understood that REN seemed to only respond to the inquiries that were directed to it. Rubbing my forehead once more, I decided to ask more questions. “So, you traveled to the past, attached yourself to me, and transferred all my future memories to my current self? Is that right?”
Affirmative, Host.
“I see. Anyway, let’s start with another question. What do you mean by my insufficient Authority Level?”
The Host can glimpse information through the current status…
“Status? How do I – oh, okay…”
It seemed that REN was indeed, able to read my thoughts, as a glowing, translucent panel materialized at the corner of my vision. It expanded to fill the entire side of my view, and weirdly still insisted with that ghastly, glowing green glow, like some kind of green Halloween theme of flying Duckman from the SpongeJob CirclePants plastered on the Android phone as its features.
The Host can manipulate the size of the screen using hand gestures to widen, contract, or even shape it into whatever the Host wishes.
The advanced integral processor and the current integrated system allow for seamless command processing.
Caught in the throng of this weird nosy-parker of mine, I placed my finger at the very corner line of the display. As I moved it to the side, I managed to make the panel smaller and even reshape it into a ball. I could also zoom in on the words that were written. The truth was, I really wanted to play around with this feature. Who knew? Perhaps, even after assimilating with my future self, the childish part of my current self still heavily influenced how I thought.
At least that was my excuse – though, if Aina had known what I was thinking and what I was doing, she surely would have laughed. Because in the end, my childish, innocent self was still there, no matter how old I ended up becoming. And Aina was the one who truly knew me best.
Next, I focused on the text displayed on the screen…
Status:
Nathaniel Cross (Host #1277)
System Status: Online
Version: Lowest Version (Limited Features)
Energy Level: 45% (Depleted)
Current Authority Level: 1 (Insufficient for advanced access)
Life Level: 1 (Ordinary Human)
Attributes:
- Heartbeat: 72 BPM (Normal)
- Mood: Cautiously Optimistic
- Strength: 11 (Average)
- Intelligence: 15 (Above Average)
- Agility: 11 (Average)
- Endurance: 10 (Base Human Level)
- Dexterity: 12 (Average)
- Willpower: 19 (Uncanny)
- - - - - -
Unlocked Features:
- Mission
- [Locked]
- [Locked]
- [Locked]
…
- - - - - -
Notes:
- REN's Status:
- Limited energy affects the system's capabilities and access to advanced features.
- Further integration and energy restoration are required for unlocking additional functionalities.