Under Leo's questioning, Michael's eyes darted around. He only had the intention to fulfill the wish, but how to actually do it, he really didn't know.
"The only thing possible is to accompany you. As for what to do next, I'm not clear. You're very experienced with combat and training, right?"
This idea had just flashed in his mind. According to the system's information, Leo in his previous life was a holy knight. Though not exactly sure how strong, he surely wasn't ordinary.
Just looking at his training gave some idea. With that small body able to drag that stone clearly showed his strength wasn't ordinary.
"Accompany me? You mean just stay by my side talking and not doing anything else, and you also have no knowledge or experience to speak of?" Leo looked at Michael, confused.
Michael's current body was clearly formed from a mass of smoke, his feet not even touching the ground. It didn't look like he had the strength to interact with the outside world, let alone fight.
"Oh, I forgot to transform my body into a physical form. Wait for me a bit." Michael scratched his head awkwardly, then started contacting the support system.
'System, tell me, what will the physical body be like when appearing? Like my previous body?'
[This depends on your choice. You can have that body, become a child, or become an old man to die quickly.]
[Additionally, you can choose gender. This is for situations where someone wishes to marry you as a wife or have you be their girlfriend.]
[The body, once chosen, cannot be changed until moving to another world. Of course, the body will develop like a normal human's unless the body you use is an ageless body.]
Michael's face darkened. The other stuff was okay, but that flexible gender part was not okay at all.
Thinking of the potential future scenario where some bastard might make that weird wish made his spine go cold.
'Screw that, I'd rather be imprisoned for a thousand years than turn into a woman.'
Michael secretly vowed, determined to never touch that damn feature in this lifetime.
'System, any suggestions? I feel my previous body was really weak. Using it in this world isn't good at all.'
[You're not wrong, indeed your old body placed in this world combat-wise is worthless.]
[Therefore, the system suggests you transform into a child. Age-wise, just matching Leo is fine, too young and you can't do anything.]
'Decided then. Make me a three-year-old child.'
Immediately his body flashed with light, the light slowly contracted to reveal the appearance of a fair-skinned, blue-eyed, golden-haired child. The genie's clothing shrank along with the change in his body.
Leo stared wide-eyed in shock, this bizarre transformation scene made him even more curious about this world.
Since childhood until now, he had only been in this remote village, never had the chance to witness the world. Thinking of those powerful contractors out there made him inevitably yearn.
But he suddenly narrowed his eyes, assessed Michael, then kept shaking his head.
"Thin skin, soft flesh, weak bones."
"You in this form are way too useless."
Michael, who had been immersed in the magical feeling of the transformation, had his defenses shattered by the harsh criticism.
"You damn kid, you think everyone is like you?"
Leo didn't object, he had to train for months to gain the strength he had now. When he was a newborn, he was also weak but not that weak. Perhaps due to the particularities of this world, children's bodies were quite robust.
Looking at Michael, he seemed more like a normal child. But that didn't mean he had no potential for development.
"You said you'd accompany me, then you must train together with me. Otherwise, it means you don't want to fulfill my wish." Leo said.
In his view, the genie fulfilling a wish was a mandatory duty. Michael clearly didn't want to but was forced to follow him.
"Huh?" Michael couldn't believe it, staring at Leo.
That huge rock over there, is that something my weak, feeble body can budge? That's way too demanding.
"You rate me that highly? Aren't you afraid I'll die right here tomorrow?" His finger trembled as he pointed at himself.
"I didn't tell you to train at my level. Everything has to go step by step."
"And your outfit is really strange. Can it change size?"
Leo curiously assessed the clothing. He grabbed it with his hand and tried to tear it, but its elasticity was too good, couldn't tear it at all.
"I don't know either, but probably a perk of being a genie." Michael gave a random reason.
He didn't care much about this outfit, on the contrary, he wanted to find another one. Having to wear the same set of clothes all the time didn't feel too comfortable either.
Leo slung his arm over Michael's shoulder as if they had been close for a long time.
"You know quite a few of my secrets, but I should still introduce myself. For now, my name is Leo, later I won't have a name. And you?"
???
This weird introduction left Michael utterly confused. What do you mean 'for now' have a name? Isn't a name you have now still the same name later?
"Outside, don't call me a genie. My current identity is Michael, an ordinary human, nothing strange."
Michael also didn't want his identity as a deity to be exposed. If caught and studied for divine secrets, it would be very troublesome.
"No problem, from now on we are comrades, true revolutionaries. We will definitely build a paradise for humanity."
Such grandiose words coming from a child's mouth made Michael's eyes widen.
"Why are you dragging me into this? I'm helping you fulfill a wish, not a revolutionary. Don't randomly assign titles to me."
Michael didn't want to rebel, rebelling is troublesome. If possible, he just wanted to negotiate.