1 Advent of the Information System

Joe was an average joe, so to speak. He had medium to high grades in school, and he never really did anything special. He had no male-female relationships, and it seemed that he would be forever alone.

He had an average, forgettable face, with a medium sized nose, brown eyes and slightly protruding ears. He had regularly styled hair, as in not styled at all, and no eye accessories like glasses, or contacts.

He was laying on his bed, mulling over his life, and wondering if he could've done better in life. He inwardly cringed as he looked upon his middle school memories.

[System descended]

[Searching for suitable host]

[Host Found]

[Assimilating...]

[System Initialized]

Joe heard these voices in his head, slightly surprised, but he didn't think much of it. He had been mulling over some old system novels in his brain, and wondering if they were really as bad as the reviews said they were. He wasn't someone who had hallucinations often, but he dared to dream.

[Host, I am the Information System]

It took a minute for that to register in Joe's mind, as he lay there in shock. There was nothing to really indicate Joe's shock, since he was only having an internal struggle. He didn't really believe in fantasy, although it was entertaining.

[Host, I am the Information System]

It repeated itself, seemingly waiting for a response.

"I'm Joe!" Joe hurriedly shouted.

[...]

[Host needn't shout, as the system can glean your thoughts clearly]

Joe's face flushed in embarrassment, as he realized how crazy he may seem to others, introducing himself to nobody in particular. He made a mental note to not physically speak to the system anymore.

Joe soon had another train of thought however, thinking of the system's uses.

[The System cannot do anything for host related to power]

Joe's brain seemed to malfunction, as most system novels had a system related to an increase of power of some sort.

[The System may only impart information to the host]

[You have been detected as the most suitable host for the System]

'Well, what are the requirements to becoming a host?', Joe inwardly thought.

[Host must be nearly retarded, with fantasies of power to become a suitable host]

'That was rather mean', Joe replied internally. He may only have average grades, but that wasn't possibly nearly retarded right?

[It was merely a basic requirement, as the most suitable host also needs to have the potential to possess strong social bonds, as the host has to gather information]

'Wait, why do I need to gather information, for you, the information system?', Joe asked.

[Host needn't worry. The System can access any information on Earth easily. The System has only descended to gather more information on Earthling interpersonal relationships]

Joe didn't know what to think. He felt somewhat degraded, since all the requirements seemed like a bar, except meant to sift out all the good people instead of the bad people.

Well, what can you do for me system?

[The System can gather information and embed it into your mind. You will not gain instant proficiency though.]

[Would the host like to completely initialize the System?]

'Yes!', Joe shouted internally. Although the system didn't seem very useful to him right now, a system was a system, just as how a rusty knife was still a knife. It could still kill a person given the right circumstances.

Joe felt a blinding light in his face, and blacked out.