Chapter 3 Clarity

As Kenji slowly regained consciousness, he could immediately discern from the hard pattering on the ground outside that it was raining. His bones groaned as he tried to push himself up, only to be met with a searing pain in his head. He grimaced and took a deep breath, trying to ignore the pain as he struggled to sit up. Guessing he must have overexerted his bones he laid his head back on the floor and pondered for a few moments.

As he lay there, Kenshi made a vow to himself that he would do whatever it takes to survive and find a way back to his world, even if it meant unraveling the mystery of his curse mark and the AI chip. He knew that his journey would not be easy, but he was determined to face it head-on.

He jolted when he suddenly remembered the A.I. chip.

He quickly sat up and tried tapping his curse mark before the same monotone voice rang out in his ear.

[MAIN AI UNAVAILABLE: BASIC FUNCTIONS AVAILABLE]

"List options," he muttered softly.

[OPTIONS: Analyze: Automatic, Prediction: Automatic, GPS(Power intensive): Off, Basic Query: On, Night vision: Automatic]

[REMINDER: POWER LEVEL IS 10%. BELOW 5% RESULTS IN IMMEDIATE SHUTDOWN OF HOST'S BODY. RECOMMENDED TO FIND SOURCE OF ENERGY TO REMEDY POWER DEFICIT]

Kenji frowned at the reminder of his low power level. He needed to find a way to restore power to his soul before his body shut down again.

"Food that a skeleton would consume," he pondered for a moment before coming up with a revelation.

"Bones?" he said aloud.

[CALCIUM. ACCEPTABLE.]

With the clock ticking down, Kenji began running towards the inner depths in the cave. However, he was soon surprised when he realized that his level of control over his body was just as good or better than when he was a human.

"Explain my physical improvement, A.I. chip!"

[A.I. CHIP AWAKENING PROMPTED HOST STRENGTHENING PROCESS]

Kenji's eyes widened in surprise. So the A.I. chip had not only saved his life but also improved his physical capabilities.

With a newfound sense of determination, Kenji raced through the cave, his senses heightened by the A.I. chip. As he navigated the twists and turns of the dark caverns, he kept his eyes peeled for any sign of bones.

Finally, he stumbled upon a pile of bones, and his heart leaped with joy. As he examined them, he realized they were the remains of a small animal. It wasn't much, but it would have to do.

The bones were aged and brittle, and Kenji had a hard time breaking them down with his weak jaw. He knew he needed to find a way to strengthen his jaw muscles, but he had no idea how.

Kenji took a deep breath and bit into the bones, gnawing at them with all his might. The bones weren't as hard as he expected as long as he started with the weaker ones. They must have been aged and broke easily, allowing them to be consumed without crushing them. He felt a surge of energy as the calcium entered his system, and he knew that he had bought himself some more time before finishing off the rest of the bones.

Luckily, that was enough for now.

[SOUL STABILIZED. RECOVERING ENERGY]

Kenji sighed and rested for a few moments, he contemplated his next move. He needed to find a more substantial source of calcium to increase his power levels and strengthen his body further. His mind raced as he tried to come up with a plan.

Suddenly, a sound caught his attention. It was a faint rustling, coming from further within the cave. Kenji quickly stood up and turned towards the sound. As he moved closer, he could hear the sound more clearly, and his heart quickened with excitement. He could sense that there was something alive in the cave, and it could potentially provide the calcium he needed.

Kenji cautiously approached the source of the sound, his senses on high alert. The rustling grew louder, and he could now make out the sound of scurrying feet. He followed the noise, inching closer and closer until he reached a small opening in the cave wall.

Peeking through the gap, Kenji's eyes widened in surprise. There, in front of him, was a small colony of rodents. The animals were running around, collecting food, and interacting with one another. Kenji realized that these creatures could provide him with the calcium he desperately needed.

Without hesitation, Kenji squeezed through the gap and into the rodents' lair. The creatures immediately sensed his presence and started to scatter in all directions. But Kenji was quick, and he managed to catch a few large ones, both wriggling in his hands.

With his powerful jaws, he crushed the bones of the rodents and consumed them. He felt the surge of energy once again as the calcium entered his system, and he could feel his body getting stronger.

Kenji then focused his eyes on his arm, gripping a stone within his bony hand he attempted to crush it but was frustrated that he could not even exert half the strength of a normal human.

"A.I, my progress is much too slow. Tell me a method to increase my strength quickly."

[MILK IS AN EXCELLENT SOURCE OF CALCIUM, HOST IS ALSO RECOMMENDED TO CONSUME COLLARD GREENS]

Kenji nodded expectantly, but taking account of the pros and cons, he knew that remaining in a weak state was worse than taking the risk in trying to get milk to achieve strength.

After all, how hard could getting milk be?

With a newfound sense of purpose, Kenji quickly made his way out of the cave, his senses heightened by the A.I. chip. He moved quickly through the forest, his bony feet barely making a sound on the wet ground.