"Host! Host! Wake up!"
A cute, childish voice filled with distress could be heard repeatedly.
"Host?"
Nudging the woman lying on the floor, the system couldn't help but cry.
When it finally took form, it had been excited to meet its host. However, what awaited it was her cold body lying motionless on the floor.
"Host! Host! Please don't die! How can you leave me behind? We haven't even done any tasks yet! If you're dead, they'll kill me! Huhuhu!"
The tiny, furry ball kept pressing itself against the young woman's neck, as if trying to give her the warmth it clearly didn't possess.
"Host. Host, please don't die. Huhu!"
It continued shedding non-existent tears.
"M*fr. Who's dead? Stop cursing this goddess."
The young lady mumbled, turned to her side, and continued sleeping.
"Host! You're alive! That's great!"
The furry ball leaped up and down, unable to contain its excitement.
"Host, I'm System 333, your personal system guide! I'm the first of my kind, and you're the first tasker. We're clearly meant to be! Host, I'm so happy!"
The furball giggled.
Seeing that its host still wouldn't wake up, it couldn't help but persist in nudging her.
"Host, wake up! You've been asleep for eight hours!" the childlike voice said.
"Five more minutes," the lady muttered.
She was clearly at the climax of her dream. She had to persevere and see it through to the end.
Realizing that she was still fast asleep, the system tried even harder to persuade her.
"Host, an adult human can only sleep for seven to nine hours. Sleeping too much is bad for your health."
"Host?"
"I'm a holy ghost," she mumbled.
"Host? Come on, rise and shine!"
The little guy kept babbling whatever came to mind, finally blowing the fuse in someone's head.
"One more word, and I'm gonna sew your mouth shut!"
An angry, muffled voice came from its host.
The little guy shivered.
How could its host be so fierce? It only wanted her to wake up and stay healthy. Huhuhu!
The system continued to weep but didn't dare make another sound. It had sensed the evil aura radiating from its host just moments ago and was terrified.
It didn't doubt that she would actually sew its tiny mouth shut.
All it could do was wait for her to wake up.
Four hours later.
A certain someone finally awoke from her slumber.
She stretched her limbs while still lying on the ground and yawned to her heart's content.
She had to say, that was the best nap she had ever had.
She sat up languidly, rubbed her eyes, and looked around, clearly having no idea where she was.
Ever since becoming a ghost, she had been teleported here and there. This particular perk no longer excited her.
So, while pondering her situation, she finger-combed her messy, waist-length hair and wondered where she was and what she was supposed to do.
"Host! You're finally awake!"
An excited voice trotted over.
System 333 had actually been watching its host the entire time. It didn't have much of a choice. The space was bare, and the only things that existed there were its host and itself.
Hence, it had decided to observe its host throughout the entire time.
It noticed that its host was incredibly good-looking, like an angel it had once seen in its database. It concluded that its host was the most beautiful person in existence.
It simply couldn't reconcile the fact that its angel-like host possessed a devil-like aura.
Just thinking about her evil stats made it tremble.
Sensing that its host probably wouldn't sew its mouth shut anymore, it decided to make its presence known.
She froze, looked at the black thing bouncing toward her, and seriously considered whether she should swat it away or not.
Sensing danger ahead, the furball decided to stop at a safe distance.
Before it could speak again, it finally heard its host consciously address it.
"What the hell are you?"
Her brows furrowed as she glanced at the talking... whatever that thing was.
"Host, I'm System 333!"
A jolly voice answered.
"333?"
The girl suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Tell me, System, should I call you Halfsie or Evil-chan? Pick one."
She asked playfully.
She crossed her legs, rested her chin on one hand, and twirled a lock of her hair with the other.
This soot-like furball was quite amusing.
She decided to take special care of it.
The system suddenly felt goosebumps.
What had just happened? Why had it suddenly become scared?
"No! I don't want to choose!"
Hey! Even a baby system had its temper, you know!
"No?"
She squinted her eyes rather dangerously.
"Well, you do remind me of that cocci they lectured us about in Microbiology. Should I call you Cocci? It kinda suits you. You look like a deformed, ugly version of that bacterium."
What followed was a soft laugh, as gentle as that of a sweet young lady.
The system's warning signals kept flashing on and off inside its head.
It needed to abort the temper tantrum it had just launched!
It couldn't be helped. Its dignity was at stake.
"Host! Host! I'll choose! I'll choose!"
An eager voice practically pleaded with her.
There was no way it would let its host name it after a bacterium. It was way too cute for that!
"I choose Ev—"
However, before it could finish announcing its choice, its fate had already been sealed.
"Halfsie it is."
She smiled and raised her hand toward it.
"Come, little Halfsie."
Her gentle expression and soft voice almost coaxed the furball into leaping onto her palm without a shred of dignity.
It knew its host truly had a place for it in her heart.
It enjoyed the cool, soft surface of its host's palm. However, before it could finally heal its little, scarred soul, its host delivered another critical hit.
"Now tell me, why do you look so hideous? Hmm?"
Her other hand was clearly petting it, so why were her words so unsafe for its little heart?
It wanted to cry.
Pity it didn't even have tear ducts.
"Host! How can you say that? Huhu!"
The little guy was utterly aggrieved.
"My form is a reflection of what you think evil looks like," it explained pitifully.
She looked at the golf-ball-sized, soot-colored creature resting on her palm.
The short hair covering its body was as fine as spider silk, giving the little guy the illusion of floating in midair.
It had no limbs, but it did have a pair of tiny, squinted eyes that were red as rubies.
It didn't even have a mouth.
So how on earth could it talk?
And yet, it mumbled so much!
"Is that so? Well, that form isn't domineering at all."
She paused as if considering something.
"Can I imagine you in a different form, then?"
"I don't know, Host. There's insufficient data about that."
Halfsie reported earnestly.
Hell, if it could have a more domineering appearance instead, it would choose that form in a heartbeat.
Who wanted to be a ball of black cotton as the very embodiment of evil?
It wasn't even convincing in the slightest!
Just look at how its host bullied it, and it hadn't even been a day!
The thought of being stuck with her for eternity made its imaginary balls hurt.