3 Electrifying Kicks #3

I felt my eyes twitch at the inconclusive reply. "How about yes or no?" I said. "It's a fucking yes or no question, isn't it?" I added in an annoyed tone.

[Responding with a simple yes or no would be oversimplifying the situation. It's more complex than that]

The system responded, its tone as cryptic as ever.

I sighed in resignation. "Fine. Then give me the long answer," I said, pausing as I waited for a reply.

[We, as in the Universal Network System, and you, dear user, are responsible for the crisis event currently taking place in Metropolis City, albeit indirectly]

The system revealed, its words hitting me like a ton of bricks.

I felt my face unconsciously harden at those words, and a surge of frustration coursed through me.

"I knew it! Superman is so going to throw my ass into the Phantom Zone, or worse! Black Gate!" I said, my mind already envisioning a grim future where I would be sharing a cell with some face-eating lunatic.

[Such a future is hard to envision, though you should hardly be relieved. Your future prospects are still grim, dear user. Unless you listen to me, that is]

"You must have some balls to ask me to do your bidding after dragging me from my couch and tossing me armageddon?" I hissed, frustration seeping through my words.

I stood up, whatever, and whomever I was speaking to had a face so I could point my finger at their nose. "What's to stop me from sprinting to the nearest hero and spilling everything? Maybe then, I can finally get rid of you, whatever the hell you are!" I declared, my tone defiant.

[Besides the fact that the Justice League members wouldn't give you the time of day while combating these empowered invaders?]

The system's retort left me feeling a knot of frustration tighten in my chest, but I held my tongue.

[Or the fact that you'd likely meet an untimely end before even finding a willing ear?]

The strength in my stance wavered, and I miserably slumped my torso miserably onto the desk. "I bet you don't have any more to say!" I said weakly as a final act of defiance, still not resigned to my fate.

[That is a foolish wager. Aside from your survival, you have much to gain by utilizing the system's function]

The system retorted, its words resonating with a sharp sense of urgency.

[Even if, by some miracle, you manage to survive this crisis without my 'help,' the user would still be stranded in a dangerous world without money, identity, or any prospects for the future. Not even a pair of shoes]

My silence was a begrudging acceptance of these words, my eyes twitching with annoyance at the stark reality.

[Sooner or later, you'll either end up dead, begging on the streets, or in a prison cell]

"So, death, homelessness, or imprisonment? Fantastic options," I sighed in resignation, not particularly keen on delving deeper into the system's grim predictions. "And you've got all the solutions to my life's problems, do you?" I asked sarcastically, my tone dripping with annoyance.

[Negative. The Universal Network System encourages user independence and rewards exploration]

I scoffed at its response, considering the utter chaos around me, but the system went on, seemingly unperturbed by my incredulous reaction.

[Originally, the Tutorial function wasn't part of the system's features, but given the unexpected circumstances of your transmigration, it was added as an emergency function]

The system explained, devoid of any concern for my predicament.

Resigned to my fate, I let out a heavy sigh. "Alright, fine. I'll play along... at least until I can figure out how to get out of this mess," I reluctantly agreed.

"But make no mistake, I don't trust a word you've said. I won't be your puppet, whatever your game is!" I stated firmly. "This is a one-time thing, just to get myself back on track," I concluded firmly.

The system's response was composed, almost serene.

[That is entirely up to you, dear user. As long as you emerge unharmed from this situation, you are free to decide your course of action]

A notification prompt popped up shortly after.

[However, I believe there's a significant misunderstanding regarding the purpose and functions of the system]

I rolled my eyes in disbelief. "Right, of course... I'm sure you had a perfectly altruistic, undisclosable reason for yanking me out of my cozy apartment and dumping me into a warzone," I retorted sarcastically. "Let's just get this charade over with," I added with a hint of annoyance.

Without hesitation, the system responded promptly.

[As you wish. Please provide your consent to initiate the Tutorial]

I shrugged nonchalantly. "Fine. I consent to start the Tutorial," I stated. As I finished speaking, the system's interface appeared before me, resembling the previous display.

However, this time, all menu options were grayed out except for the point exchange. Soon, a new notification materialized in my vision.

[For the purpose of the Tutorial, you've been granted 500 points. Please proceed to the Point Exchange menu to continue]

Nodding to myself, I accessed the Point Exchange menu. Currently, only three options stood out, not grayed out and positioned at the top of the list:

Points Exchange:

Available Points: 500

Enhancements:

Improved Persuasion Skill - 200 points

Mystery Pair of Shoes (Crisis at Metropolis event limited item) - 150 points

Metropolis City Intel (Crisis at Metropolis event limited item) - 150 points

Checking out the options in the system menu, I got another notification interrupting my browsing fun.

[Please proceed to purchase the Improved Persuasion Skill.]

I squinted at the screen, feeling a bit rebellious. Instead of following the system's orders, I decided to mess around a bit. I clicked on all the grayed-out options, fully aware that it wouldn't change a thing. Surprise, surprise, nothing happened.

Persistently, I kept on clicking, waiting for some kind of reaction from the system. After a bunch of futile clicks, the system responded with a message that was just a series of dots.

[...]

Seriously? I couldn't help but smirk.

Feeling satisfied with my victory of annoying the system, I went along with its original instruction. I hit the "Improved Persuasion Skill" button and watched my points drop from 500 to 200 in a flash.

Right after, another pop-up appeared.

[You have received the Improved Persuasion Skill]

[Improved Persuasion Skill: Have you ever wanted to sell ice to an Eskimo? Well, now you can! This nifty skill enhances your ability to persuade others by implanting muscle memory on how to sound more convincing]

"I think a gun would be more persuasive in this situation... but oh well..." I muttered. "This does sound useful..." I added, and before I even began to imagine scenarios of how I would use this power, the system shattered my dreams.

[However, be warned: while it gives you the suave suitor vibes, it won't come up with the right words for you. You'll still need to dig up those silver-tongued phrases yourself. Think of it as having all the slick moves for the dance floor but having to freestyle the actual dance routine]

My face scrunched in disbelief at the description. "Yeah... I'm sure my introverted, work-obsessed self will magically find the right words to make someone jump off a bridge if I wanted to," I muttered, my tone laced with irritation.

Sure, I had a loud mouth and a knack for comebacks, but I mainly used my considerable gifts to annoy everyone around me. Charming people, tough? Not exactly my forte.

The system, seemingly unphased by my skepticism, pressed on with its instructions.

[I'm sure you'll manage. Please proceed to purchase the Mystery Pair of Shoes]

The state of my socks was lamentable enough, and the prospect of stepping on a glass shard and getting a Tetanus infection was exactly appealing, so I didn't need to be told twice.

Heh, Tetanus. Funny how a word like 'Tetanus' could provoke both concern and a grin—mature thoughts, indeed. Setting my immaturity aside, I went ahead and bought the Mystery Pair of Shoes.

Just as before, my available points vanished instantly as a mysterious box materialized on the ground before me from thin air.

I eagerly tore open the cardboard box and found a pair of seemingly ordinary, uninspiring black sneakers. Lifting them up for a closer look, I couldn't help but chuckle at the unremarkable appearance. Lo and behold, a description of the item popped up on my system interface.

[Storm Walker Shoes: These lackluster sneakers sport an electrifying twist—providing the user immunity to shocking surprises by absorbing electricity and hoarding it like a battery. Oh, and they come with the ability of sniffing out electrical sources like a nosy neighbor snooping for gossip]

[Stored charges can be used to enhance your running speed and leap height, and any extra electricity will be safely channeled into the ground]

Another system notification blinked, delivering a warning before I could even for my thoughts on the item.

[Disclaimer: While these shoes might make you speedier than The Flash (if he was on a 99% sale), they won't turn you into a tank nor increase your brain's processing power]

...

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