3 Gaining Time

"Hup, Hahh!!"

"Jumping course has been corrected by 10% strength."

"Hah, already telling me I'm not doing good. This is promising."

As he was having his mental quarrel with the system, Karl hit an object mid-flight and started spiralling towards the ground, latched on its back. Just as they were about to hit the ground, he felt the system tugging his left arm back, sending the humanoid he was riding right under him before ground impact.

*THUD* *CRACK*

He had landed three hundred meters downhill in a small forest on the outskirts of the burnt village.

"Hostile appears dead. Please absorb genetic material to enhance lifespan."

"AARGGHH, MY ARM, I THINK ITS BROKEN!!!"

"Please absorb the target's genetic material to enhance lifespan."

"I don't care about that now. How do I fix my broken arm, you dumb program!"

"We advise the host to refrain from referring to the System as 'dumb' or any other undermining insults, as the host's conscience is fused with said System."

"DAMMIT, I can't even insult you now. That's rubbish!"

"We remind the host to absorb the target's genetic material to enhance lifespan. Lifespan can also be expended to heal minor injuries and non-lethal wounds."

"Ahh, you should have started with that. How do I 'absorb' his genetic material, then?"

"Host needs to consume blood or flesh of the target. Other methods, such as direct blood contact on the host's skin, can be used, but is not recommended, as the host would have to bathe in the target's blood to absorb enough genetic material."

"That's DISGUSTING. Isn't there another way? Like, I don't know, blood to blood, maybe?"

"Option is viable, but would require the host to cut himself deep enough to bleed and have direct contact with the bleeding foe."

Deciding that would be his option, Karl cut open his wrist and the Tamarain's and stuck them together. He immediately felt a suction coming from his wrist as if it was siphoning the blood.

When he looked, he realized why. It was indeed sucking the blood from the body's wound. He slanted to the side and vomited; the sight being too much for him to bear.

"Sufficient consumption attained. Primary activation of blood nanobots achieved. The host has gained an extra six months of lifespan. The total tally is now six months and six days of life expectancy. Would the host like to heal broken arm, slit wrist and a fractured rib? Price would be three weeks of lifespan."

The moment he had slanted to the right, he had felt the broken rib. Probably, the adrenaline had kept him from feeling it before, but now, it was EXCRUTIATING.

"Yes!" he shouted.

"Healing is in progress. Please remain still for thirty minutes. Three weeks were deducted from the total lifespan—new tally: five months, one week, and six days.

"New threat detected, three slow-moving scouts detected. Please remain still to avoid detection."

"How? They're a hundred meters away. They will surely find me in half an hour."

"Negative, System has acquired a longer detection range by reaching higher lifespan. The detection radius is now three hundred meters. Hostiles are sweeping at a pace of nine meters per minute. Detection can be avoided if remaining immobile."

"Fine, but you better be right. Remember, if I die, you die."

Remaining low to the ground and as still as he could be, Karl waited out the thirty-minute healing process. When his interior clock rang, he decided it was time to run for it.

He had asked the System to make a sweep for anything that could enable him to escape.

The System had pointed out a weak electrical signal, which it assumed was a vehicle battery. If the battery was fine, the chances of the vehicle being fine were high, too.

Taking his breath, he sprinted out of the clearing and headed straight for the signal. When he passed the tree line, he saw what looked like the light of salvation.

A military hummer. And it looked fine!

Good thing, too, as his pursuers had locked onto him and were closing in fast. He made it to the humvee just as his 'fans' made it out of the tree line.

They were all equipped with jetpack-looking backpacks. They flew straight into the air and started firing at him with plasma rifles.

With them being still quite far away, he was not threatened with being shot, at least for now.

After four tries of starting the humvee, its engine finally roared to life. Stomping on the accelerator, he fled in the opposite direction of his assailants.

A few moments later, he noticed he wasn't losing his tail. Quite the opposite, they were gaining on him.

"System, can't you do something to help me lose them? Their shots are getting better, and we might get hit!"

"Agreed. If the host permits it, we could take over briefly to lose tailing assailants, as the host's driving skills are sub-par."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, SUB-PAR. SCREW YOU AI, I BET YOU CAN'T EVEN DRIVE!!!"

"As mentioned earlier, the System is equipped with pursuit-driving capabilities. We could lose tail faster, as the host is driving too carefully."

"DAMMIT! Fine! You take over, but you better give me control when we lose them. No way you're keeping the wheel on this body."

"Affirmative."

Losing conscience instantly, the System took over and did as told. A little while later, Karl returned to himself in a crashed vehicle, miraculously unscathed.

Wondering what had happened, he vowed to ask the system later. But for now, finding shelter to hide was his priority.

"System, can you find the closest house, shack or cave nearby where it would be safe to hide?"

"Affirmative. The cave is located two hundred meters to the north. No danger noticed on the trajectory there."

"About time we had something without danger. How dangerous has Earth become? This is pure insanity!"

But even as he complained, he started heading toward the cave. His day had been short, yet it felt like it had been the longest day ever.

And that was saying a lot, considering his actual age.