Chapter 4: System Online
The factory was quiet this early in the morning.
Not silent — the cicadas outside buzzed like summer electricity, and the occasional clank of tools echoed from far corners — but peaceful. The kind of peace that let a person think.
He stood alone beside an old motorcycle chassis. Rust spotted the frame. The engine had been stripped down. It was just a hollow shell — much like the factory itself.
He touched the steel frame, letting his fingers trail the curve of the rear fork, and sighed.
In my last life, I looked at this and only saw a broken machine…
Now, I see potential.
As if responding to the thought, a sudden pulse echoed in his head.
A sharp, cold ping.
Then—
Ding!
[System Activated.]
Welcome, Host.
Memory Enhancement Protocol: Online.
Cognitive Mechanics Interface: Initializing…
Scanning environment… Compatible machine structure detected.
He staggered back half a step.
The hell?
A glowing panel blinked faintly in the corner of his vision — translucent, like a floating screen only he could see.
[SYSTEM: INDUSTRIAL ASCENT]
Skill Unlocked: Photographic Memory
🧠 You will now instantly recall all visual data with perfect detail.
📚 Studying blueprints, circuits, and schematics will have enhanced retention and comprehension.
🕒 Long-term memory degradation eliminated.
Skill Unlocked: Mechanical Insight I
🛠️ Simple machines, motors, and mechanical assemblies will display structural breakdowns upon observation.
🔍 Weak points, inefficiencies, or missing components may be highlighted.
⚙️ Complexity currently limited to Tier 1 devices (bicycles, basic motorcycles, fans, etc.)
His heart pounded like a piston.
This… this is real?
His eyes flicked back to the frame — and for a split second, thin blue lines outlined the structure like a 3D blueprint. Data swam in the corner: material type, weight distribution, part compatibility.
One line glowed red.
A weak weld on the rear swingarm.
He leaned closer, brushing away dust with a rag, and saw it — a nearly invisible crack along the weld line.
It was real.
And it had already begun.
He sat down, back against the factory wall, heart still racing. The hum of old memories buzzed louder now.
In my last life, I spent weeks trying to memorize motorcycle diagrams… and I still failed the technical entrance test for vocational school.
Now… one glance, and I can recreate a whole schematic from memory.
A grin crept across his face, slow and sharp.
Thank you, Heaven, for giving me another shot.
This life, he would rise.
One bolt, one gear, one breakthrough at a time.