After resting in the inn for a while, Aaron, who had recovered a good amount of his stamina, looked at Kiana's terrible sleeping posture and immediately voiced a question to the System that had been on his mind.
*System, I have a suggestion.*
[What? Go ahead. It's your business whether you suggest it, and this System's business whether to accept it.]
*Can you show me the cooldown time for Ittou Shura? I have no idea how long I was unconscious, and the watch I brought with me stopped working after we crossed over. How am I supposed to accurately calculate a 24-hour CD like this?*
[Tester No. 233, I think you should first read this System's note on Ittou Shura.]
[Can only be used once *a day*, concentrating all power into one minute. Once used, the body will weaken rapidly. 'A day' means *each day*, not that you have to wait for a 24-hour CD to finish.]
[It is now the next day.]
*?*
*??*
*???*
*Wait, so your improved version not only removed the mana restriction, but you also improved the CD?*
[That's right. Why be so rigid? The final effect is 'concentrating all power into one minute.' The strength of that minute depends on your power *at that time*.]
*I have a question. What if I use it at 23:58 on day one... and then use it again after the CD resets at 00:01 on day two, would I...*
[Then this System will have to consider looking for Tester No. 234.]
*Thought so...*
[It's common sense. Using this kind of overloading ultimate move twice within ten minutes... you've just drained your body of all its power. The second use would be directly drawing on your life force to fight.]
[It'd be one thing if you were a powerhouse who understood how to fight with life force, but you're a novice who doesn't even know how to convert different energies. If you try to play around like that, you'll burn your own life away before you even get close to understanding energy conversion.]
[Tester, this System is telling you in all seriousness. These buffs, which this System has specially processed and sent to you, are fundamentally methods of energy flow and eruption that this System has analyzed. They are transmitted to your brain, allowing your body to operate according to these optimal formulas I've calculated, and *then* push out that power.]
[Stay steady, don't get cocky. Trust me. If you ever get the idea, 'I've mastered Ittou Shura, so I can try some flashy moves,' this System advises you to abandon that dangerous thought.]
*...Could it be...*
[Yes. Exactly what you're thinking.]
This time, Aaron didn't hear the System's voice. Instead, an image flashed before his eyes.
To put it bluntly, the image was just a caption.
A caption that was all too familiar to Aaron.
[WhyDoYouThinkYoureNo233.jpg]
*Dammit. My dear predecessors... I used to think you just got screwed over a lot.*
*Now it looks like plenty of you were courting death.*
[Oh, right. A quick reminder. Although this System feels that Tester No. 233 doesn't have such strange ideas, this System believes it's better to state the ugly truth upfront than to tear all pretenses down later.]
[This System has always believed that it grants power to the Testers, and the Testers help this System test its integrity. If not exactly like-minded companions, we should at least be allies in a mutually beneficial relationship.]
[This System believes both parties are equals, and thus this System will respect the Testers. But at the same time, please show some respect for this System. Don't try to do things like exploit bugs.]
[Once this System determines that you are insulting its intelligence, this System will choose to...]
*...Obliterate me?*
[I already told you this System isn't as brutal as that orb of light. At most, I'll just stop giving you any hints from that point on. Everything will be strictly business. You can mess around however you want. If you die, this System will immediately pop champagne and find the next one.]
*...Sometimes I wonder, are you really just a System?*
*You're so full of emotion, you seem more human than human.*
[Who knows? Besides, what era is this? Why can't a System have feelings?]
[Automata can have dreams, demons can represent love... and you're making a big fuss just because this System has some emotions? Tester No. 233, your worldview is truly lacking.]
*...Damn, that comeback... even more human.*
*But whatever. A System that can snark back is definitely better than some cold, mechanical voice.*
Sensing the System had no intention of chatting further, Aaron walked over to Kiana's side and rapped his knuckles hard on her bedside table.
"Ahhhhh, I'm gonna be late... oh, it's you, Aaron."
Looking at the companion she had just met yesterday, Kiana rubbed her sleepy eyes, only slowly remembering.
She had temporarily said goodbye to the peaceful life she had only just managed to obtain.
She was now in an incredibly dangerous place.
"How long did I sleep..."
Kiana froze as she watched Aaron pull a toothbrush, toothpaste, a rinsing cup, a face towel... and even skincare products, makeup, and face wipes from his storage space.
If she'd only thought Aaron was a little *overly* cautious when she met him yesterday...
Today, just as she was fully realizing what a dangerous new world she was in, Aaron's actions suddenly dragged her right back to her daily routine.
*No... the stuff Aaron bought is even better than what I usually use!*
*Dammit, it must be nice to be rich.*
*And... this guy is actually pretty thoughtful, preparing all this stuff.*
"Hurry up. We're leaving as soon as you're washed up."
"Yeah, yeah..."
*Sigh. I know the situation is urgent, but rushing a girl while she's getting ready...*
*No, my bad. I shouldn't be thinking about such trivial things right now.*
*Even if Aaron hadn't mentioned it, I can't afford to think like that.*
*Because ever since I woke up, I've had this bad feeling.*
*It feels like... something has been watching us from far away.*
*Those useless gluttons I saw when I entered the city... no, it's definitely not them. They couldn't possibly give off this kind of pressure.*
*Could it be... while we were resting...*
*Has a new enemy... already appeared?*
............