Chapter 2: The Voice Within – Instructions Activated
The day after the funeral, Kyoto was still draped in silence. Ren sat at the edge of his bed in his grandmother's house, staring at the callused hands resting on his lap. The storm had passed, but something inside him still raged—grief, confusion, and a flicker of something new: purpose.
The room was dim, curtains drawn. Only the low hum of an ancient fan filled the silence.
Suddenly, a chime echoed in his ears—a mechanical sound, not from the world outside.
[System Message: Welcome, Ren Arasaka.]
[Skill "Instructions" has activated. Beginning Interface Mode.]
[Level: 1]
[Rank: A]
A glowing panel blinked to life before his eyes, hovering like a hologram. Lines of symbols and glowing glyphs danced across it before translating into simple text.
A soft, neutral voice—calm and calculated—spoke within his mind.
"Good morning, Ren Arasaka. I am the Skill 'Instructions.' A support-type interface designed to guide, analyze, and evolve skill-related processes. I will reveal knowledge according to your level. At Level 1, you can access the following features:
Enemy skill analysis (basic).
Skill fusion preview (locked).
Combat suggestions (limited).
Skill synergy awareness.
Successor integration monitoring.
My priority is your survival."
Ren blinked, astonished.
"You… can talk?"
"Only within your consciousness. My awareness grows with your level. At higher levels, my functions will evolve, and more hidden data will be revealed."
"...Why now?"
"The acquisition of two new compatible Skills unlocked my activation protocol. You now possess sufficient potential."
The screen shifted, now showing his current Skill list:
[Active Skills]
Instructions (Rank A – Level 1):
A living support system that can analyze enemies, suggest strategy, detect hidden dangers, and eventually combine skills. Requires ongoing usage to level up.
Successor (Rank B – Level 1):
Allows user to borrow the skill of an ally or crewmate temporarily.
If the person dies, the user becomes their successor, permanently gaining their skill.
Automatically attempts sync when emotional bonds are high, but may fail if the person has strong resistance or higher potential.
Bloodline (Name Hidden) – Rank ?? – Level 1:
Grants inherited Skills from deceased parents or close blood relatives.
Passive. Activates upon death of relatives or voluntary passing of abilities.
Ren was still absorbing it all when he heard a knock at the door. It was his grandmother, asking him to go into town for groceries. Numb but obedient, he walked into the city with his hood pulled low.
At the plaza near the hero academy, he noticed a commotion. A small boy—maybe 13—was sitting alone, shaking, his hand glowing faintly. Others pointed and whispered.
"He just awakened…"
"Poor kid's terrified…"
Ren's eyes narrowed. He remembered what it felt like—isolated, unwanted.
He approached slowly.
"Hey… you okay?"
The boy looked up, startled. "I… I think I awakened a Skill. But… I don't know what to do. Everyone's scared of me."
Ren sat beside him and smiled softly. "What's your name?"
"Yuuto."
"Don't worry, Yuuto. I was scared too when I awakened. You're not alone."
A sudden chime echoed in his head.
[Skill Sync Attempt: Successor – Initiated]
[Emotional connection: Low but stable]
[Target Skill: Stone Skin (Defense-Type: Rank E)]
[Sync Rate: 45%]
[…Sync Complete]
[Congratulations! New Skill Acquired: Stone Skin]
Ren's hand flashed momentarily, a stone-like aura coating it for a second before fading.
"Woah…" Ren whispered. "I really copied it…"
Suddenly, he turned to look at a nearby senior student who had been glaring at him from afar. The boy had a powerful aura—likely Rank A or above.
Ren tried to scan him out of curiosity.
[Skill Sync Attempt: Failed. Reason: Target's Potential is significantly higher. Mental barrier detected.]
"Huh…?"
"Instructions," he muttered under his breath. "What happened?"
"As I said, Successor requires a bond—trust, vulnerability. If the subject is strong-willed or wary, synchronization fails. The stronger the target's skill, the harder it is to sync without deep emotional trust or weakened mental state."
"So… I have to earn their trust?"
"Precisely. Or wait until desperation overrides their resistance. But beware: those moments are rare and dangerous."
Ren clenched his fists.
For the first time in his life, his Skill had done something.
He wasn't just the worthless boy with an unusable power.
He was starting to see it now.
Instructions wasn't weak—it was waiting.
And the Successor… it wasn't stealing. It was preserving.
"I'm going to protect people. I'll build bonds. Grow stronger. For my sister, for my parents… and for me."
The voice of Instructions responded with a hint of pride.
"Then let us proceed, Ren Arasaka. The world awaits."
To be continued...