[Ding! The Novice Gift Pack has been successfully opened.]
[Congratulations, you have received:]
[Random Talent Card ×1]
[Random Equipment ×1]
[Random Item ×1]
Tanaka Masao blinked, staring at the translucent blue screen in front of him.
"Huh? Seriously?" he muttered to himself, scratching his head. "Why is everything... random?"
A smooth, feminine voice responded in his mind, [It's more fun this way, don't you think? That thrill of the draw?]
He had to admit, the voice had a point.
"Okay, yeah, I get it. Pulling a super rare card is the best feeling." A grin spread across his face. "Alright, let's start with the talent card. Please, please, please... give me something awesome. Like time stopping, or Hypnosis, or maybe even invisibility. Come on, papa needs a new superpower!"
He focused and willed the card to activate.
[Random Talent Card used.]
[Acquired Talent: Life Never Ends, Energy Never Ceases.]
[As long as you're alive, you can keep fighting. (No more worrying about running out of steam.)]
His jaw dropped.
"Wait, what? That's it?" He re-read the description, and a slow, understanding smirk replaced his confusion.
"Oh. Oh! I get it. That's... that's actually perfect." He chuckled, a mischievous sound. "I can definitely work with this. This is a harem protagonist's best friend right here. Nice."
Feeling his luck was on a roll, he moved on.
"Okay, system, don't fail me now. Let's see what's in the random equipment box!"
[Random Equipment used.]
[Congratulations! You have obtained: One set of Mark 85 Armor.]
[The final masterpiece of Tony Stark from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Utilizes nanotechnology for integrated offense and defense. Powered by an Arc Reactor for limitless energy. (Note: This system-provided armour features self-repair capabilities.)]
For a second, he was completely silent. Then, a strangled, excited gasp escaped him.
"No. Way. NO. FREAKING. WAY!" He was practically vibrating with excitement, pumping his fist in the air. "I got an Iron Man suit?! An actual, honest-to-god, nanotech Iron Man suit?! This is the ultimate dream! This is the jackpot!"
He could barely contain himself as he yanked the item from his system inventory. A compact, beautifully engineered metal block, cool to the touch and humming with a faint energy glow, appeared in his palm.
His heart was hammering against his ribs.
"System, how does this work? How do I put it on?" he asked, his voice tight with anticipation.
[Simply place the core unit against your chest. It will handle the rest.]
"Right, right, just like in the movies." With trembling hands, he pressed the core against the fabric of his shirt. It magnetically adhered to him with a satisfying click.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, he double-tapped the center, just like he'd seen Tony Stark do a hundred times.
What happened next was beyond anything he'd seen on a screen. A wave of liquid metal flowed from the core, spreading across his torso and down his limbs in a shimmering, silent wave. It was cool and weightless, conforming to his shape until the helmet sealed over his head with a soft hiss.
Inside the helmet, a HUD flickered to life, displaying streams of data he couldn't begin to decipher.
"Whoa," he breathed, his voice echoing inside the suit. He flexed his hands, the nanotech responding perfectly.
"This is insane. It feels... incredible." He looked around the digital display. "Uh, system? Where's the AI? You know, the 'Good morning, sir' guy (Friday)?"
[This model is not equipped with an artificial intelligence. However, my operational parameters are more than sufficient to provide superior assistance in all armor functions.]
"Oh, okay. Cool. Can you, uh, show me what I look like?"
A real-time feed appeared on the main display. He saw his cluttered bedroom, and standing in the middle of it, was a figure in brilliant red and gold armour. His excitement wavered for a moment.
The suit was undeniably cool, but the person inside it... was unmistakably him. The armour strained slightly around his gut, giving the sleek Mark 85 a portly, almost comical silhouette.
He sighed.
"Oh, man. I look less like a superhero and more like the villain who owns a chain of evil fast-food restaurants. System, can you... I don't know, tighten this thing up? Make it look a little more heroic?"
[Adjusting nanite fit and profile.]
He immediately felt the suit constrict, especially around his abdomen, squeezing him like a tube of toothpaste. On the screen, his waistline began to shrink, sculpting a more classic super hero V-shape.
"Whoa, whoa, okay! Stop! That's enough!" he yelped, feeling a sudden panic that he might be bisected by his own awesome suit. The pressure immediately ceased.
"Okay, note to self: I need to hit the gym before I can rock this thing properly." With a thought, the nanotech receded, flowing back into the core on his chest, which he promptly stored back in his inventory. It was just safer there.
He stretched, his body feeling oddly liberated after the suit's tight embrace.
"Yeah, definitely gotta lose some weight," he grumbled to himself.
Finally, he turned his attention to the last item. The 'Random Item'.
"Alright, last one. What's this gonna be? Some kind of ultimate weapon? A philosopher's stone? Maybe... a Super‐soldier Serum?" he joked.
[Negative. This item is specifically designed to assist the host in generating 'Corruption Points.']
"Corruption Points?" He frowned. "That sounds... kinda shady. What are those?"
[The term 'Corruption' is a broad classification. This system quantifies any significant emotional response—be it positive or negative—generated in others through your actions as a form of 'corruption' or influence. It is a measure of your impact on the world.]
"So, it's like... if I make someone really happy or really angry..."
[Precisely. Now, would you like to use the Random Item?]
"Sure, why not? Let's see what my 'impact on the world' is gonna be."
[Random Item used.]
[Congratulations! You have obtained: Comic ×1.]
"A... comic book?" he said, bewildered.
He pulled it from the inventory. The cover was glossy and full-color. His eyes went wide, and he felt a hot flush creep up his neck.
"Wha— This is— This is that Hypnosis Guidance doujinshi! The really, uh... detailed one! Why would the system give me this?!"
He sputtered, a mix of indignation and embarrassment.
"System! Explain yourself! How is this supposed to help me? So what if the characters in here are 'corrupt'? This is just a drawing!"
[The efficacy of system-provided items is not to be doubted. This will generate Corruption Points. It is guaranteed.]
"Yeah, I'll bet," he muttered, his principles warring with his curiosity. He stared at the cover, his resolve crumbling. "I mean... it is a system item. For the sake of... research... and understanding my new tools... I should probably inspect it. Critically."
He cracked open the book. His eyebrows shot up.
"Whoa. Full colour. And the art is... incredible... uh... detailed."
He turned a page, then another, his earlier objections completely forgotten. A slow, lewd grin spread across his face.
"The system really went all out on the production value... It's like you're right there..."
He flopped back onto his bed, engrossed.
"Heh... hehehe... oh wow..."
The only sound left in the room was the quiet rustle of turning pages and occasional, gleeful giggles.
___
__
[email protected]/Raven_scroll (30+ Advance Chapters)