Chapter 2: Crow of Night
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~~~ [START]
Ken's eyes widened as he stared at the blue transparent screen that floated above his body. He was simply in utter shock.
Only a fool wouldn't understand what it was.
In his past life, Ken was a shut-in who did nothing but study in his free time, watch anime, read manga, and immerse himself in novels whenever he felt loneliness fuel his resolve.
How could he not know what it was?
Several hundred anime featured characters with system-like abilities. 500 to 1000 manga, and approximately 2000 light novels.
How could he not know, when he had such vast knowledge?
How did he acquire this knowledge? Some might come to ask? Well, as a graduate from Kami University, he had a vested reputation for being intensely intelligent, which was, of course, highly attributed to his nearly perfect condition of having a photographic memory—something he was fortunate enough to keep after the transmigration.
He would be a complete idiot if he did not understand what was happening.
For the first time in both his lives, Ken had finally become one of them. Those stupid anime characters who gain the abilities of gods but act in stupid ways, or just simply don't have the brains or intellect to fully use their capabilities. And now, that seemingly golden finger was floating right in front of him, like a screen created by magic.
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Twenty minutes passed, and Ken did nothing but analyse the system that was floating right in front of him. During that process, he had mysteriously learned five intriguing concepts.
One: the system was an information carrier, meaning it didn't display Ken's stats or include an inventory section. It revealed only the most relevant information, like templates and abilities.
Two: the templates were like bookmarks, meaning they were required to reach a certain level for the next template to unlock.
Three: Not every ability unlocked at the same time. Each ability was unlocked depending on the percentage of the template in use.
Four: information about abilities and their use was automatically transplanted into the brain instantly.
Five: these abilities could not exceed the potential of the template's original owner. When the potential was reached, the template would become 100%, and then the next one would be unlocked.
Ken, now seated on the cold concrete floor, laughed loudly. Laughter so loud that it made him seem as though he were a madman. Touching his face and slapping his cheeks a couple of times to focus.
He dropped his body backward and turned his eyes to the roof, as if trying to assure himself that it wasn't a dream. Because if it was, he would probably end his life.
Suddenly, as he was about to acknowledge his situation, he felt the loss of consciousness.
"I guess the alcohol is working," he said, moving and positioning his body in a comfortable position, before leading himself to sleep, the cousin of death pending.
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His eyes shot open as his body awoke, his long slumber now taken by the light shining in from one of the broken-down windows.
It was morning, which only meant that Ken had slept the entire night.
Standing up from the concrete ground, Ken turned his eyes to his body, silently observing the bandages he had used to cover his wounds the previous night.
They were now red, clearly stained with his blood, completely changed to where Ken truly wondered how he was even still alive to begin with.
So, he turned his eyes to the counter, where he saw another set of bandages. Moving to the set and opening the box, he used the box's clean bandages to cover his previously blood-covered wounds. He didn't remove the previous bandages that covered them; he just added them on top in an effort to tighten them. And it thankfully worked, considering that he was feeling a considerable amount of pain when he did it.
The sun's light had now entered the interior of the pharmacy, so it was easier to see when compared to the previous night. That was helpful, because right next to the bandages, not far from the counter, was a bottle of 'Carprofen, a remedy for dogs, which was commonly known for being used as a painkiller.
Although it was not specially made for humans, Ken believed that it would still prove effective, judging by the standard of the world he was now living in. A world where some humans were born with animal-inspired features, so he was sure that most animal remedies were made to be harmless for human consumption.
Opening the bottle and drinking a sip, he smiled as the taste reminded him of condensed liquid sugar. It was bitter, but the bitterness seemed durable.
"I guess it really is for dogs," he said, laughing.
Finishing the whole medicine in a chug, he walked to a sliding door, which was not far from where he stood. One that proved to be the only frame of glass that still seemed intact.
Opening it, its interior appeared to resemble the appearance of a wardrobe that hung a bunch of hospital clothing on its roof. Hung in a neat order were its large white coats stationed on the top, and at the bottom, packed in a folded position, were light blue hospital trousers and pants.
Ken turned his eyes to his body, where his now almost completely ruined shirt and shorts made him seem somewhat like a hobo, which he respectfully was.
Without a second thought, Ken stripped naked. Threw his dirty, tattered clothes to the side and carefully put on the doctor's ones. His injuries were too many, but while he moved, he felt no pain. He didn't know why that was or how it came to be, but it definitely sparked an idea.
"Let's take a look," he whispered, excitement evident in his voice. So, he sat on the floor and began to focus.
It seemed that he had acquired a template from a Jujutsu Kaisen character—one who had a variety of skills that ranged from both offensive and defensive capabilities.
So, stretching out his right hand, Ken focused on the energy within himself, moving it from his core to the tips of his fingers.
Then suddenly, as if by magic, a black ball of condensed aura took form. Moving and changing structure with the passage of seconds. Expanding and growing until finally its sphere-like shape took form, changing and turning into a black, abnormally small bird that resembled a little crow.
It was dark black, and its eyes were blood-coloured red, as if a reflection of those that belonged to its master. It stood there, right on top of Ken's palm, completely undisturbed. And from its body, weird black energy was leaking out. It was strangely structured, as if its feathers were entirely made of the night.
~~~ [END]
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Join my PT for extra Chapters ~ p*tr-eon name is DUSK_IS_MEE
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