Energy Eater - Chapter 8 - What can the System do? (Patreon)

[Wa….]

[…..ng]

[Warning]

[Warning]

[User Cassandra must wake up.]

The System’s voice woke me up, but I still felt really tired.

“What? Why?” I asked out loud with a groggy voice, my jaw no longer stuck. 

[User must use the skill {Body Regeneration} immediately.]

“Why?” I still felt woozy, being woken up out of nowhere wasn’t fun.

[User currently has internal bleeding. System was unable to identify the issue before user started sleeping. Without the use of the skill, user will bleed out.]

“Ok, ok. Tell me how I use that skill so I can go back to bed,” I groaned, trying to shift my position, but I felt really weak. Maybe I was still tired from the previous day.

[Think about the name of the skill {Body Regeneration} with the intention of using it on user's stomach.]

“Right, right,” I mumbled and thought about the skill. It took me a while. When using {Compression} I would focus on the pole, but with {Body Regeneration}, it wasn’t as simple as focusing on my body. Only once my mind went towards the idea of regeneration. How blood would coagulate forming a scab and then heal over time that the skill finally triggered. And that was one of the weirdest feelings I ever felt in my life. Something left my body by going inside it. There was no other way to describe that. It is as if the layer of skin from my organs peeled off and started moving around without any pain.  

I tried to go back to sleep, but that sensation was too weird. With yet another groan, I sat up, but a sharp pain on the side of my stomach woke me up completely.

“Ouch. What the hell?” my hand was holding the left side of my stomach as if that was going to help with the pain.

[That is the location of the internal injury. A part of your small intestine ripped open yesterday. System was unable to recognize the danger before user slept.]

“So you can also tell me where or how I’m hurt?” I asked.

[System is aware of everything the user is aware. Including situations that are known to user’s body but not to user’s mind. Due to the user’s increased value of Body, System was not prepared to identify such a small wound. As the wound became unable to heal itself naturally, the risk of an internal hemorrhage became a reality.]

“Yes. The answer is yes, then. Right?”

[Correct. However, there are limitations. Some wounds, diseases, and conditions might not be recognized as an issue to be solved. For instance, autoimmune diseases. Once user’s Body increase, System will be better equipped to recognize threats to user’s body.]

I frowned, reading the message, “Wait, that’s the second time you did that. What is the difference between body and Body, with a capital B?” 

[Body refers to the attribute that can be enhanced by System. While body refers to user’s physical form.]

Hearing that, I reached out to the crate. Thankfully, it was right by my side. Using my left hand, I carefully tipped over the jug of water in the open waterskin to fill it. Once it had enough for maybe a cup I started drinking greedily. Eating now might be a bad idea. However, I needed water more than ever before. 

After finishing, I refilled the waterskin again, but the bout of thirst was completely gone, which felt odd. If anyone were to stay hours without water, they would be parched even after sleeping. In fact, there were days when I felt that exact effect, and a single cup of water was never enough. Yet… now it was. Even if I were to consider the liquid energy that I drank from the Eater as water, this still felt really odd. 

“Ok, let’s get into it. At least is a way to stop me from thinking about what is going on in my gut. What is that Body you are mentioning.”

[That is one of the attributes present in user’s status screen.]

“I have a status screen? Like a video game?”

[Correct.]

“Can I see it?”

[User can access the status screen by simply thinking about it. Just as it does when it communicates with System.]

“Ok… Status?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cassandra Ydorf - Level 5
Mutations: Enduring Heart
Tier 0

Mind 1 - Body - 6 
Energy - 4    Energy - 0/3

Skills - 4/4
Quick Tier 1 Evolution - Passive
Energy Storage  - Passive - 1 Energy
Body Regeneration - Active - 1  Energy/ 10 minutes
Compression - Active - 1 Energy/ 5 uses
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

“Ok…. I am going to need you to explain everything to me. This is... a lot to take in.”

[Understood. The status screen shows user’s name followed by the level. The level currently represents the percentage of user’s body that was enhanced with system particles. Each 10% increase will increase the level by 1.]

“And when I reach 100% or level 10, it will be over? That’s the limit?”

[Incorrect. Once level 10 is reached, user will return to level 1 but become tier 1 instead of tier 0. This will convert the system particles into tier 1 system particles. The total amount of SP in the user's body will be equal to 10% of the original quantity. However, doing so will increase SP’s capabilities and in turn do the same for System and user.]

“Then I get to level 10 again, reset, rinse and repeat?” 

[Incorrect. The upgrade from tier 1 into tier 2, and all subsequent upgrades have a different set of rules and requirements. System is able to explain those rules now. However, even if this explanation is given now, it is likely that System will be required to share that knowledge once more in the future.]

I frowned, was this System messing with me again? Saying I was too stupid to understand.

“Why do you think that?”

[User mentioned being overwhelmed multiple times since first coming into contact with System. This suggestion was made to avoid causing such effects.]

“Oh…” I couldn’t say anything against that. It felt… sweet? The system was either looking out for me, or just trying to avoid wasting its time. Either way, any annoyance I had towards that comment vanished, “Thanks. So let’s focus on the status. We have my name, level, then mutations. What are those?”

[Mutations represent unique alterations suffered by the System Particles that exist in user’s body. Said mutations can only happen in extreme conditions when skills are not being used to influence the results.]

I felt some pressure in my stomach, as if someone had stuck a finger inside my bellybutton, but ignored that, focusing on what the System was talking about, “Then why did I have one? Didn’t you say that I only survived because of skills?”

[Due the circumstances surrounding System' integration, the particles became a part of user before any skill was applied. Mutation was generated in the moments where user’s mind was going through the effect know was ‘life flashing before your eyes.]

“So I got that because it took a while for me to accept you?”

[Correct.]

“Right, and what does it do?”

[Just like opening the status windows, user is able to analyze individual parts of the window by calling them as if user was calling System. User does not need to speak out loud in order to do so.]

‘Like this? Enduring Heart,’ I said in my mind, the same way we talked the night before. Only now I realized that there was daylight hitting the entrance of the cave. I should try to see if there was anyone around once I could move.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Enduring Heart

Increases regeneration and healing skills as the body’s condition becomes more critical. A testament to unyielding resilience, this title shines brightest in dire moments.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

‘Oh… ok…hum,’ that last part felt weird. Unyielding resilience that shines in dire moments? Was the System a bit of a poet?

[User seems conflicted. Inquiry: What is the issue?]

‘Nothing. I get what it does. Makes it harder to kill me, in essence. But… I don’t know if I love the way it’s phrased. Don’t be mad, but it feels a bit cringy. And that is not good,’ I admitted knowing this might be a problem. Then again, if I was going to have a room mate in my own mind, I didn’t want to have to lie to it. 

[Acknowledged. System can provide variations of the description. Would user like for variations of title description?]

“You can change that?”

[Mutation description was created by System once mutation was analyzed. Modification is possible since it is a new mutation. However, once a new description is accepted, it cannot be changed later on.]

“Ok, that’s good, I don’t like the whole ‘Shines brightest in the dire moment.’ Like it’s a fine flair, but it sounds very pretentious,” I could hear how nit-picky I was being, but it was also a way to know how much I could customize this system. Not to mention that it was a good way for me to distract myself from some of the bigger and scarier questions that were already floating in my mind. The last thing I wanted was to become a puppet controlled by the Eaters. 

[Acknowledged. Generating alternatives for mutation Enduring Heart.]

[Boosts regeneration and healing powers as the body’s condition worsens. Symbolizing steadfast resilience, this mutation excels in dire circumstances.]

[The tougher the situation, the faster you heal. This mutation proves you bounce back like a champ when the going gets tough.]

[Improves healing and regeneration the closer the body is to critical condition. Reflecting strong resilience, this mutation shines in tough times.]

“How about we mix a bit? The first line of the third, and the second of the second,” 

[Acknowledged. System presents the new description of the mutation Enduring Heart]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Enduring Heart

Improves healing and regeneration the closer the body is to critical condition. This mutation proves you bounce back like a champ when the going gets tough.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

“Yeah, that sounds fun. I like the idea of this. Even if the mutation part still makes me feel weird. Can we change that too? In games or stories that have a system, things like that are titles,” the idea that this was something created by the Eaters was still gnawing on my mind. I knew that wouldn’t go away, but this was just a reminder. Right now, all I wanted was to distract myself for now. Once I knew more about my situation, I would worry about that. 

[Acknowledged. Mentions of Mutation have been changed to Title.]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cassandra Ydorf - Level 5
Title: Enduring Heart
Tier 0

Mind 1 - Body - 6 
Energy - 4    Energy - 0/3

Skills - 4/4
Quick Tier 1 Evolution - Passive
Energy Storage  - Passive - 1 Energy
Body Regeneration - Active - 1  Energy/ 10 minutes
Compression - Active - 1 Energy/ 5 uses
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

The System went on to explain the differences between Body and Mind, but that was pretty intuitive. Body made my, well, body, stronger. Organs worked better, muscles could handle more weight, bones were sturdier, healing was easier and quicker. All the expected benefits that making one body stronger would bring. Mind, on the other hand had a bit more nuance to it. For one, it would help me think faster. Or at least process information at an accelerated speed. Another benefit was a better control over the System Particles. The benefits would be pretty minor for now since I barely understood what I was doing, but eventually, that would make the skills considerably stronger.

There was also a decent amount of overlap. The brain was part of the body, so increasing Body would also have some effect on it. While increasing Mind would help the brain better control the other organs. Basically every 10 points in Mind would give the same benefit as 1 point in Body, and vice versa. That would create a situation where I never had to worry about not being able to use my new abilities to the fullest because of an imbalance of attributes.

The logic behind all that was simple, even if unbelievable. The SP would be attaching themselves to either my body or my mind and helping with whatever task that part of me had to do. Each particle would be floating nearby one of the molecules that created my cells and doing… something. That something would, in turn, make me stronger.

After that conversation the feeling of something moving inside me vanished. The skill was over and it did feel like my body was better. Even the pain I felt in my back for sleeping in the floor was now gone. Pushing off the ground, I stood up and walked towards the entrance of the cave. There were still a lot of questions to ask the system, but now it was daytime. maybe I could see someone outside. A sign or something that could show how Pops and the others survived. 

After taking a couple of deep breaths, I approached the opening and took a look at the forest beyond the cave. To the right, I could still see a column of smoke going to the sky. That should be the ruins of the village that still burned thanks to the explosion. Or maybe it was the missile that Pops salvaged. I still had no idea what it actually was. There was something called nalpalm that, supposedly, burned like crazy. Could that be what caused the explosion? But there were no signs of people. The watchtower had even collapsed and the places where we would put up flags to communicate were still empty. However, that wasn’t all. To the south, directly in front of the cave but still a few hundred meters [yards] ahead, I could clearly see some trees moving. And not the kind of sway caused by the wind, but the motion that would be created by an Eater as they walked across the forest. It wasn't just a single spot either, but three of them, all close to my location but none moving towards me. A loud sound of metal grinding against bark echoed through the forest. More two sources of the same noised joined in not long after, that came with the yelps of an animal, maybe a boar who was caught by one of them. Its cries where replaced by a sickening squelch as the monster had its meal.

The only thing I could do now, is head to the side entrance of the cave. The one that led to a small terrace outside. Brining my clothes along and the rope to set up a clothesline as I continued to ask more about my status.

“System, can we keep going? I understand what Mutations, well Titles, are now. Mind and Body also make sense to me. But what’s about those two mentions of energy?”

[Energy refers to the amount of skills user is able to have at any given time. While Energy is a value representing the current amount of energy available to user. The energy necessary for motor functions and production of additional SP.]

“Ok, no, fuck that. We could change from mutation to title, can we change the names of those things too?” I heard my voice echoing in the cave a bit and stopped. Worrying that the sound could attract something, I decided to continue this conversation in my mind.

[It is possible to change the names of the values.]

‘Great. First, open my status screen.’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cassandra Ydorf - Level 5
Titles: Enduring Heart
Tier 0

Mind 1 - Body - 6 
Energy - 4    Energy - 0/3

Skills - 4/4
Quick Tier 1 Evolution - Passive
Energy Storage  - Passive - 1 Energy
Body Regeneration - Active - 1  Energy/ 10 minutes
Compression - Active - 1 Energy/ 5 uses
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

‘Right. Since the first Energy mention is actually how many skills I can keep, what if we call it Skill Slots?’ the tunnel was a bit longer than I remembered, but I could finally see the light from the sun on the other end.

[That name cannot be used for the Energy attribute.]

‘Why not?’

[The term Skill Slot makes a reference to a physical slot where the skills would be placed. That is not how System operates. Using such name would likely cause confusion for user.]

‘But I’m the one suggesting that. I’m not going to get confused,’ I frowned.

[That name cannot be used for the Energy attribute.]

‘Ok, then let’s try something else. Using the word skill will be confusing, and you don’t like slots. So… Memory? Like, you can only keep 4 skills in your memory? And I don’t mean that you can’t remember things about more than 4 skills, but since I can only use 4, I assume that’s my limit. Right?’ maybe putting the blame on me instead of it was the way to go about this. The system seemed upset about me changing those names.

[Acknowledged. Attribute Energy will be renamed to Memory.]

‘Next up. The second mention of energy. That’s kind of like the mana in video games, isn’t it? The fluid resource that I spent and gain back to cast skills again. Can’t we change it to Mana?’

[Mana is not a concept with basis in reality. Fantasy concepts can be used as terms of attributes or other facets of System. However, according to user’s memories, each story defines mana differently. Hence, the use of said name will cause confusion.]

‘Even if the concept behind it is not the same everywhere. Like how mana actually works, the idea of mana is generally the same. I don’t see how that would cause any confusion,’ I huffed while walking back to the cave proper. Being naked out in the open wasn’t my idea of fun, and I didn’t want to risk losing one of my blankets by accident. At least my underwear should be dry before sundown, maybe even the shirt.

I checked my status again and saw a change, ‘My energy was 1, why is it 2?’

[User has the {Energy Storage} passive skill. Once Energy drops below maximum, energy can be transferred from the storage to the Energy reserve every 10 minutes.]

I took a sip of water, not because I was really thirsty, but just because I wanted to do something, ‘So that’s the 1 Energy mentioned after the passive?’

[Incorrect. The Energy number after the passive represents the amount of Energy required to maintain the passive. While said passive is active, the maximum Energy value is reduced by the amount reserved.]

‘So my maximum Energy is actually 4?’

[Incorrect. The maximum Energy is 3. But the passive reserve a total of 1 Energy, making the effective maximum Energy user has available to use to be 2.]

‘Ok that needs to be clearer. Can’t you add a value for the reserved Energy?’

[Acknowledged. Showing revised information.]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cassandra Ydorf - Level 5
Titles: Enduring Heart
Tier 0

Mind 1 - Body - 6
Memory - 4 Energy - 2/3 (1 Reserved)

Skills - 4/4
Quick Tier 1 Evolution - Passive
Energy Storage - Passive - 1 Energy
Body Regeneration - Active - 1 Energy/ 10 minutes
Compression - Active - 1 Energy/ 5 uses
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That felt better. Taking some more jerky I watched the trees moving in the distance, still painfully aware of the danger that represented. Even so, my stomach growling, forcing me to focus on more pressing matters. I should have a proper meal now.