00001. It could be worse. (Patreon)

Another day, another chapter. Let me know what you think about it. Also I still need to make the cover art.

Diego woke up from the faint light that shined into his eyes. He let out a yawn as he stretched his whole body, before he froze. Something was wrong, his bed felt terrible for some reason and his five thousand count bed sheets were gone?

Diego started wiping the sleep from his eyes as he sat up in bed. When his eyes finally opened, a glowing neon blue box blocked his vision with the word “Welcome” on it.

[Welcome]

He closed his eyes for a few seconds before he opened them again, but the box was still there. He rubbed his eyes once more but nothing changed. He wanted to push the box away so he could see properly. But once his hand touched the box it passed right through it.

Diego studied the window for a few moments as he said to himself, “Is this some kinda hologram?”

Since the box didn't want to disappear, Diego concentrated and took in his surroundings. It seemed to be a run down cabin, with mud brick walls and a floor that resembled terracotta tile. A thatched roof rested above his head. While a rustic table and chair sat in front of a small fire pit near the only door. Diego glanced around a bit more and through the dim light of the dying fire, he could tell it was still dark outside.

He focused back on the glowing neon blue box in front of him and said, “You're really getting on my nerves, just go away already.”

A moment later the box finally faded from his vision before a new one appeared and read.

[Congratulations and thank you for becoming a system host! I am your system monitor, I help keep your system functioning properly. Currently you are being integrated with the base system. Once completed I will find an appropriate program type for your use and begin the memory consolidation with your new body. Does the host have any questions while basic integration is underway? Note: Mental and verbal commands both work.]

Diego thought about it for a few moments before he asked in his mind, ‘I remember agreeing to get a system, but what do you mean new body and memory consolidation? Did you forcefully steal someone else's body and put me in it?’

[Host’s old body wasn't a suitable container for the system and was destroyed in the backlash. Emergency protocol saved the host's soul and looked for a new container. Unfortunately the host's original reality couldn't handle a system user, so the system and host were transferred to another reality where integration with the system would work.]

The box disappeared and was replaced with another that read.

[As for the host’s new body, it was compatible with the system and no longer contained a soul, so the system helped you claim the body. The system will also integrate memories from the former host to make transition into the new body and world easier for you.]

Diego frowned for a moment as he thought, ‘So getting the system killed me? Why would you offer me a system in that case and how could getting a system cause me to die?’

[I am only the monitor, I do not know why you were chosen. As for the host's old body, it could not sustain system operation and malfunctioned during system install, causing catastrophic failure of the old body.]

‘So you just found some dead person and gave me their body?’

[That is correct, your new body also stopped functioning, however with integration of the system, the body was restarted and the system fixed minor issues with the body's functions. Your bodily functions are currently running at one hundred percent, life expectancy is around one hundred and fifty years without starting on the path of cultivation or factoring in outside influences and help from the system. Note: Sudden death can occur, please be aware of your surroundings.]

‘Wait… Cultivation? You brought me to some kind of death world full of cultivators? Are you trying to kill me?’

[Again, I did nothing to you. I am just the system monitor. As for why you were brought here, systems only work in environments like this, so please try your best!]

Diego glanced around the rundown hut he was in before he thought, ‘Couldn’t you have at least placed me in the body of some young master or anyone with money?’

[Host was given the best body available.]

Diego let out a sigh. He was trapped in debt in his last life and for some reason this life looked like it was going to be worse. After a few moments he thought, ‘How long till this integration thing finishes?’

[Approximately 5 hours remaining, the system suggests waiting in a safe place while integration finishes.]

Diego glanced around the hut before he thought, ‘Might as well stay here since I have no idea where I am and no idea who’s body I stole.’

Diego shivered a little from the cold before he glanced down at himself. He was in what passed for underwear, well what he assumed was underwear. He looked towards the fire pit as he thought, ‘I better make sure I don't freeze while I wait on you to finish. Also can you make the boxes a little smaller and back them away from my face?’

[Confirmed. Testing in progress, which option works best for you?]

Ten numbered blue boxes were displayed in front of Diego with different sizes. Diego looked over each one before he thought, ‘Number six looks good, use that one but move it back another few inches.’

[Confirmed.]

After he got out of the bed, Diego walked over to the fire pit. He glanced inside it for a few moments before he tossed a few cut logs into the fire and spent the next few minutes making sure they were lit. After he warmed himself up a little, he moved the table and chair out of the way, then dragged the bed frame closer to the fire pit. He also found clothes in a small chest that was at the foot of the bed. So he removed them from the chest and laid them out over the thing that passed for a mattress.

After he sat back down on the bed, Diego watched the fire for a while before he thought, ‘System let me know when the process is finished.’

[Confirmed.]

Diego spent the next few hours as he laid on the uncomfortable bed with his eyes open lost in thought. After a while, he rolled onto his side before he watched the flames as they flickered and danced while the silence of the night was broken by the irregular crackle and pop of the burning wood.

[Process is finished, host is currently awake. No need for wake up call]

‘Yeah, it turns out it’s hard to sleep when you’re told you’ve died and your soul was transferred into a new body, in a completely different reality than your own. I really feel like I should be having a panic attack right now, but I barely feel anything at all.’ Diego thought with a frown on his face.

[Host’s emotional state is being suppressed by the system currently. Once integration is complete and you have settled into a proper system. Then the host’s emotional state will slowly go back to normal and you will be in control of your emotions again.]

As the box faded away a new one appeared that read.

[It was found that if left unchecked, a new host with a system integration in progress would not last more than a few hours before complete mental breakdown. Luckily only two hundred thousand test cases transpired before the issue was patched!]

‘Yeah, lucky… So what happens now? You need to find me a program type? What does that mean?’ Diego thought.

[I will search through the system database and find a system that is compatible with you. Please note being compatible with a system doesn’t imply satisfaction with the system chosen.]

Diego frowned as he thought, ‘Why wouldn’t I be satisfied with a system that’s compatible with me?’

[Humans are fickle creatures.]

‘Mmmm… Fair point… Wait, you're not human?’

The message box seemed almost offended as it read.

[I am a system monitor, of course I am not human.]

Diego just shook his head before he thought, ‘Fine. Let's just move onto the next part. How do we start?’

[Host will need to go into sleep mode for the process to finish. Would you like to begin?]

‘Sure, let's get this over with.’

[Starting in 3. 2. 1….]

[Memory transfer and sync in process]

[Beginning search for system]

[Ultimate Scheming System, Compatibility 68%…. System in use]

[Master of Untold Daos, Compatibility 13%…..System not suitable]

[God of Cooking, Compatibility 92%….. System in use]

[Shameless Young Master, Compatibility 62%…. System in use]

[Pharmacist System, Compatibility 31%…. System not suitable]

[Black Tech Internet Cafe System, Compatibility 49%… System not suitable]

[Pillar of the Sect System, Compatibility 23%…. System not suitable ]

[Junk Swindler system, Compatibility 63%… System in use]

[Pill Master System, Compatibility 71%… System in use]

[Drunken Master, Compatibility 69%…. System in use]

[Unrivaled Master System, Compatibility 49%… System not suitable]

[The Innkeeper System, Compatibility 50% … System in use]

[The Sovereign of Artificers, Compatibility 51%.... Not in use, download system? Yes/No]

[Yes]

[System downloaded]

[System install underway]

[Installing Addons, Apology-Gift Expandable-Inventory Upgradable-Learning-System]

[Install finished, checking system integrity… Stable]

[Waking up host]

Diego opened his eyes and was greeted by faint light creeping under his door from the rising sun. After he sat up in bed, Diego glanced around the shack that was his new and yet old home as he thought, ‘Man this place is a dump compared to my old apartment. Then again the rest of this village isn’t much better.’

Diego lifted up his hand and looked at it for a little while before he thought, ‘This is so weird, I now have memories from a life that isn’t mine, but feels like it was mine all the same. Will this disconnection go away, or am I stuck like this?

[Once the host begins cultivation, memory dissociation will fade. Estimated time until memories are no longer causing host dissociation is 1-3 months.]

[Congratulations! You are now the host of The Sovereign of Artificers.]

‘Ummm, thanks, I guess. What kinda system is this anyways?’ Diego thought.

[Host, please start the system to find out.]

Diego rubbed the back of his head as he thought, ‘I thought it was already running? Do I just say start now or something?’

[The Sovereign of Artificers is now starting]

[Thank you for choosing The Sovereign of Artificers, please wait while a full body scan is in progress.]

Diego’s eyes widened as he said out loud, “Wait, I could’ve chosen my own program for my system? Why didn’t you let me know beforehand so I could make an informed decision and maybe pick something like the spear king or sword god? The Sovereign of Artificers sounds like a crafting system.”

[You were given a program based on your memories from your original life. Programs are more compatible with hosts, when selected this way. Although you were not a perfect match for this system it was still over 50% compatible with the host. A Sovereign of Artificers is a master craftsman, but isn’t cooking also a craft?]

‘I didn’t think about that. Still, how much of a match was I with this system?’ Diego thought with a frown.

[Host had a 51% compatibility with the selected system!]

“How in the fuck is that compatible! It’s barely over fifty percent! How am I going to survive in this world or are you really trying to kill me?” Diego yelled at the screen that hovered in front of him.

[Host do not worry, this system is upgradable and will learn at the same time. With usage the system can change and adapt to the host. The more you use the system the more it will change, till the host is completely satisfied.]

At the bottom of the message was tiny bit of text in size one font that read, [Message from system admin Satisfaction of the host is neither guaranteed nor needed.]

Diego squinted his eyes as he tried to read the bottom text as he thought, ‘What the heck does that last bit say? It’s too small to read.’

[All text uses standard arial font size 11. Would you like me to change it?]

‘Are you playing with me? You really didn’t write some tiny text at the end of that?’

[I did not add anything in a different size font.]

Diego let out a tired sigh as he thought, ‘Fine, whatever.’

[Scanning complete, loading profile]

[Please enter name, leave blank to use host bodies name]

Diego started to type in his name before he stopped and left it blank. He was in a cultivation world, Diego would be a little weird to use here and he couldn’t think of a good name to use.

[Name accepted]

----

Name: Ming Zhi

Gender: Male

Age: 15

Karma: Neutral

Status: Farmer

----

Cultivation: None

Constitution: None

Bloodline: None

----

Cultivation Technique: None

Dao comprehended: None

Martial Arts: None

Movement Technique: None

Divine Art: None

Mystic Arts: None

----

Skills: None

Inventory Size: 1 Meter Cubed

----

System Level: 1

System Experience: 0/500

Artificer Points: 0

----

[!!!Please start cultivation to unlock more system functions, skills and levels.!!!]

Diego glanced over his info before he thought, ‘System, why was I tossed into this body? He has almost nothing besides this little hut and some farmland, which looks like it has seen better days. He doesn’t have any friends, while his family is already dead. Heck if it wasn’t for the village leader and his son coming by some times to visit I would think this kid was a hermit.’

[Host is correct, this body was chosen because of the unique situation of the previous host. It has been found that trying to reincarnate a host such as yourself into the body of an infant does not go over well. With most host’s having no real connection to their family members. Most host’s over a certain age limit will be given a new body much like the current host.]

‘I guess it’s good to be old then. Also can we change how we talk to each other? How about a name change? Calling you system all the time and being called a host will get on my nerves. Oh, do you have a voice mode too? Reading all the time might be a little hard if I am around other people.’

A deep baritone voice replied in his head, [Voice mode active, please note only you can hear my voice. Verbal replies to me around other people will make you look crazy. A name change is possible, what would the host like to be called?]

‘Great, let's go with the kids name Ming… Actually it’s Zhi… Might as well get used to it. As for you, let's call you Buddha since you seem to know everything.’ Zhi thought.

[Thank you, Zhi. Although I do not know everything, I will use the name Buddha from now on.]

‘Great, so now what?’

[Congratulations, you have received an apology gift!]