I wake up from my much-needed power nap, groggy and disoriented. The first thing that hits me is the sight of a faint, green mist drifting through my container.
'Ah, crap. They're trying to gas me. What do I do? What do I do?'
Panic sets in, and I squirm in my small glass prison, limbs wriggling uselessly. But then it clicks. The mist isn't coming from the walls or some sneaky hidden vent — it's coming from me.
'Wait, what the hell is this?'
Beyond the haze, Narin and the white-haired girl are still watching me through the glass. Narin's face is practically glued to it. But instead of the usual 'I hate my life' frown, she's grinning. Like, full-on evil scientist grinning.
"It worked. It really worked," she murmurs, pacing like a lunatic. "Finally, I did it."
'Oh no. Oh hell no. What did you do, crazy lady?'
"After all these failures… the one that succeeds has to be untouchable," she mutters, her grin widening.
'Untouchable? What's that supposed to mean?'
My gut twists. Did I mutate again? I swear, if I end up as some blobfish reject, I'm gonna lose it.
And then, it happens.
A wave of green text flickers into my vision, like something straight out of an old-school computer screen. The letters hover, unnatural and glowing, perfectly legible despite the fact that, you know, I don't have eyes.
---
> SYSTEM BOOTING...
ERROR: HOST NAME NOT FOUND
SYSTEM REINITIALIZED
ACCESSING HOST DATA...
NAME: [UNKNOWN]
EVOLUTION STATE: [BASE FORM]
ATTRIBUTE: [RADIOACTIVE]
STATUS: [STABLE]
INITIALIZATION COMPLETE
---
'No. Freaking. Way.'
I know exactly what this is. A system. A literal system. Every isekai anime fan's dream come true.
'Okay, okay. Stay calm. No need to freak out. This is good. This is great.'
If I have a system, then I've basically hit the jackpot. Power-ups, skills, evolutions — this is what overpowered protagonists are made of. Sure, I'm a glorified glow stick right now, but that's a minor detail.
And the best part? No annoying voice narrating my life. Just sleek, emotionless text. It's like a command-line interface. Definitely not the flashiest system out there, but hey, beggars can't be choosers.
A blinking prompt flashes in my vision, like it's waiting for me to respond.
---
> Awaiting Command...
---
'Holy crap. I can interact with it?'
A few obvious commands pop into my head, and sure enough, the text responds like a compliant little program.
---
> STATUS
[STATUS]
NAME: [UNNAMED]
RACE: PARASYTE
ATTRIBUTE: RADIOACTIVE
EVOLUTION POINTS: 0
HP: 30
STRENGTH: N/A
DEXTERITY: N/A
INTELLIGENCE: N/A
WISDOM: N/A
CHARISMA: N/A
CONSTITUTION: N/A
---
I stare at the glowing text.
'Wow. That's… depressing.'
No strength, no dexterity, no intelligence. I'm basically a sentient meat noodle. Fantastic.
'At least I have HP. Not that 30 sounds like a lot.'
Still, my radioactive attribute has to count for something. Right? Maybe I can spit toxic sludge or melt things with my glow. Or explode. That'd be cool.
'Alright, what else can you do?'
The text flickers.
---
> ATTRIBUTE DETAILS
Passive Effect: Constantly emits low-level radiation
Resistance: Immune to radiation-based damage
Environmental Hazard: Prolonged exposure may affect nearby organisms
Status Effect: Mutation potential increased
---
'Oh. That's… concerning.'
I glance down at my body. Sure enough, the faint green mist is still wafting off me. Narin wasn't kidding. I'm basically a walking Chernobyl.
'Awesome.'
But the "mutation potential increased" part catches my attention. I mean, that's gotta be good, right? Mutations mean evolutions. Evolutions mean power-ups. And power-ups mean I'm one step closer to getting the hell out of this tank.
The system isn't done. Another screen appears, and I feel a surge of anticipation.
---
> EVOLUTION PATH
Current Form: BASE FORM
Available Evolutions: 0
Requirements for Next Evolution: UNKNOWN
Evolution Points Required: 5
---
'Five points, huh? Guess I gotta figure out how to earn those.'
It's not like I expected the system to just hand me power-ups. Gotta grind like everyone else. That's fine. I'm not afraid of a little radioactive hard work.
Just when I think it's over, one last screen pops up.
---
> SYSTEM LOG
SYSTEM INITIATED SUCCESSFULLY
EXPERIMENT 3119 CONFIRMED
INITIAL EVOLUTION PARAMETERS SET
SUBJECT STABILIZED
ERROR: INCOMPLETE DATA
FURTHER ANALYSIS REQUIRED
---
'Experiment 3119? That must be me.'
Narin's little victory lap makes more sense now. I'm guessing I was just one of many failed attempts. Classic evil scientist move.
'But now I'm the one that lived.'
A dark satisfaction creeps in. Whatever twisted project they had in mind, I'm not sticking around to find out. If this system is the key to freedom, then I'm gonna milk it for everything it's worth.
'No more tests. No more being stuck in a glass box. Time to play the game.'
The system interface fades, leaving only the faint mist around me. But I know it's still there — waiting.
And so am I.
________________________________________
The system interface vanishes, but the knowledge lingers. A real system. A command-line interface just for me.
'Okay, first things first — let's figure out how this works.'
I mentally prod at the void where the text once floated. Nothing. Not even a spark.
'Great. No fancy HUD. No constant system notifications. Guess I'm flying blind unless I call it up manually.'
I try again.
---
> COMMAND: STATUS
[STATUS]
NAME: [UNNAMED]
RACE: PARASYTE
ATTRIBUTE: RADIOACTIVE
EVOLUTION POINTS: 0
HP: 30
STRENGTH: N/A
DEXTERITY: N/A
INTELLIGENCE: N/A
WISDOM: N/A
CHARISMA: N/A
CONSTITUTION: N/A
---
'Still nothing new.'
But something nags at me — those empty stats. Usually, in games, stats meant everything. And here I am, a literal zero across the board.
'Maybe that's because I don't have a proper body yet. I'm basically a radioactive worm.'
Narin is still watching me, occasionally scribbling into her little notebook. The white-haired girl — Aika, right? — remains unreadable, but I catch her glancing at me every so often.
'She's not like Narin. There's something off about her. Almost like she's… wary.'
Whatever. I'll deal with her later. Right now, I need to figure out how to earn Evolution Points. If the system's anything like a game, then I probably need to fight something.
'Great. Let me just hop out of this tank and throw hands with the nearest monster.'
I wiggle, but the glass walls are as unforgiving as ever. Not even a crack. There's no way I'm busting out of here like this.
'Alright, Plan B. Maybe I can use my radiation somehow.'
The system mentioned a passive radiation effect. I squint — not that I have eyes — and focus on the green mist around me. It's faint, barely visible, but I can feel it. Like a tingling hum beneath my skin.
'C'mon. Work with me here.'
---
> COMMAND: ACTIVATE RADIATION
---
The mist thickens. The once faint green glow intensifies, swirling like fog. A notification pings.
---
> RADIATION LEVEL INCREASED
Low-level radiation: ACTIVE
Environmental Effect: Minor contamination detected
---
'Oh. Oh, that's awesome.'
The fog presses against the glass, and for a split second, I think I see tiny cracks form. Not enough to shatter it, but enough to tell me this radiation isn't just for show.
'Good. Now I have something to work with.'
I let the radiation settle, unwilling to push it further just yet. The last thing I need is to accidentally turn myself into goo.
'Now what else can I do?'
A familiar blink of text answers my question.
---
> AVAILABLE COMMANDS
STATUS
ATTRIBUTE DETAILS
SYSTEM LOG
EVOLUTION PATH
SKILLS (ERROR)
QUESTS (ERROR)
INVENTORY (ERROR)
---
'Skills and Quests are locked, huh? Figures.'
No freebies in this game. Not that I expected any.
'But that's fine. This is how all the best games start. Weak. Helpless. Then, bam — unstoppable.'
Still, I need a plan. Evolution Points are the priority, but with no enemies to fight, I'm stuck. Unless…
'Hold on.'
The system had mentioned something about my radiation affecting nearby organisms. What if I could manipulate that? Maybe even use it to create some… collateral damage?
'Okay. Time for a little experiment.'
I focus again, this time visualizing the mist moving. I imagine it thickening, concentrating, like a dense green cloud.
---
> COMMAND: CONTROL RADIATION
---
A pulse ripples through the air. The mist obeys, swirling tighter, hovering ominously near the walls. The glass creaks under the pressure.
'Oh, yeah. That's the good stuff.'
Another notification pings.
---
> NEW SKILL UNLOCKED
Passive Skill: Radiation Manipulation (Level 1)
---
'Hell yes.'
Finally. My first skill. And it's exactly what I hoped for. I test it further, shifting the mist along the walls. It's sluggish at first, like pushing through molasses, but it moves. The more I practice, the smoother it becomes.
'Alright. Now I just need a target.'
I glance at Narin.
'…Okay, maybe not. Yet.'
But something else catches my attention — the small vents lining the walls of my containment unit. They're narrow, barely noticeable, but I see the faintest disturbance in the air.
'Ventilation.'
Bingo.
If my radiation can spread through the air, it could reach whatever's on the other side. Maybe it'll corrode the machinery. Maybe it'll trigger an alarm. Either way, it's progress.
'Let's see how far this system is willing to let me go.'
---
> COMMAND: INCREASE RADIATION OUTPUT
---
The mist thickens. The green glow pulses. My system eagerly obliges.
---
> WARNING: RADIATION LEVELS RISING
Environmental Hazard: Moderate contamination detected
Nearby Structures: Corrosion detected
---
I suppress a laugh. If I had a mouth, I'd be grinning ear to ear.
'Looks like I'm not just a useless worm anymore.'
This is only the beginning.