On his way home, Eric rode in a different car than before—the one he had arrived in had been used to escort Akari back. Now, he sat inside a spacious SUV, the seat reclined slightly, allowing him to relax as the city lights flickered past the tinted windows.
'System, can I combine all the lucky strikes into a single, stronger one?' Eric thought, silently hoping for a favorable exchange.
[...Why, of course. You can most definitely do that,] the system replied, its tone laced with subtle sarcasm.
'Really?' Eric responded, narrowing his eyes at the screen.
[NO!!! You cannot! Are you dumb? Do you not see that it's called a 'lucky' strike? It wouldn't be luck if you already knew you'd get a good one, would it?] the system snapped.
Even though it was just text on a screen, Eric could practically feel the system's exasperation.
'Geez, why are you so mad? I swear, you get snappier by the day,' Eric thought, deciding not to waste any more energy entertaining the system's attitude.
