Snap!
Back to reality.
Sai brazenly gripped his sword as the weapon transformed from a massive crimson-blue blade into an average-sized night-black sword.
Using every ounce of strength he could muster, Sai used the weapon as leverage to slowly lift himself off the ground. Heavy pants escaped his nostrils as he painstakingly forced his battered body upright.
"The fuck was that?" Sai asked rhetorically, a baffled expression spreading across his face.
"He said fall… and I just… fell?!"
Sai's arms felt heavy, his knees weak, as he drew ragged breaths while staggering toward the end of the alleyway.
"System! No… that's not a good name."
Sai knew that if he truly wanted to cope with his Tier System efficiently, he would need to communicate with it properly—not merely as an assistant, but almost like a person.
"Hey, what name would you like to be called?" Sai asked, still wobbling from exhaustion, as though his body was still trying to obey the masked figure's command.
Name? the System responded.
"Yeah, a name. You got one?" Sai asked.
Negative. The Tier System has no emotional ties to such frivolities of human nature.
Sai scoffed lightly before continuing.
"Well, would you like one?" he asked, his tone laced with annoyance.
...?!
Affirmative, the System responded after a dramatic pause.
"Hm, let's see…"
"How do you like Rudo?"
...?!
The abrupt silence already told Sai enough.
"Okay, okay. It sounds like a dog's name anyway."
"Let's saaaay…" Sai muttered thoughtfully, lightly tapping his index finger against his chin as his eyes drifted upward.
A sudden beep echoed out.
Beep Bop.
"Aizen. The Tier System would like to be called Aizen."
"Aizen, huh?"
"Okay, Aizen sounds good."
"So, Aizen," Sai began in a soft tone before immediately switching to a frustrated one, "could you kindly tell me what the fuck happened to me back there?!"
Beep Bop.
Gladly. It appears that as soon as the cloaked man pronounced the verb "Fall," your heart stopped beating for approximately 3.45 seconds, rendering your entire body immobile.
"Well, that's a doozy," Sai replied sarcastically, his eyebrows furrowing.
"Wait! I thought I was immune to magic."
The host still nullifies magic.
However, the Tier System—Aizen—detected no trace of mana from that attack. As a matter of fact, I was temporarily shut down as well. All system securities were overridden.
"It must've been that geezer's Tier System," Sai muttered, narrowing his brows as he slapped a hand against his face in disappointment, his eyes shutting in disgust.
"It seems we both need to get stronger, huh?"
Training is unnecessary for the System. The System's security and updates evolve depending on the host's development.
Sai slapped his forehead once more as though he had suddenly remembered the answer to an elementary-school question.
"Riiiight! You told me that when I first got here."
Due to the rigorous training Sai had undergone in his past life, his body became extraordinarily honed after reincarnation. His potential was so monstrous that he could have easily become the most powerful being in this new world. Not only could he nullify magic, but he also possessed the potential to bend space and time itself, crushing everything and everyone beneath his will.
But if all that power had awakened at once, a price would have to be paid.
His life.
Thanks to the psychological glitch within Sai's membrane—which ultimately gave birth to Aizen—his powers were divided and sealed away inside the System in stages ranging from Beta to Zelda, the peak of Sai's power.
As a result, Sai was left only with superhuman abilities, the power to nullify and subtract mana, and the Sword of Artaxerxes.
Before he could regain the rest of his abilities, Sai would need to complete side quests and push himself to his absolute limits in battle, gradually upgrading not only his own stats, but Aizen's as well.
"So it's all up to me, huh?"
"Figures," Sai groaned lazily.
He tightened his grip around the Sword of Artaxerxes—the legendary blade of a Greek combat sorcerer said to be the greatest swordsman to ever live.
Sadly, both the sword's abilities and Sai's own stats had been massively nerfed by Aizen in order to preserve Sai's life. It was necessary.
If Sai died, Aizen would die as well.
As Aizen had stated before, the sword's abilities, along with every other weapon and arsenal sealed within the System, would gradually unlock over time.
But all of that depended entirely on Sai himself.
"Yo, Aizen, could you show me my current stats?" Sai asked wearily.
The familiar beeping sound echoed once more as a holographic screen materialized before him.
Sai Takka
Level: 6
Health: 60/100
Strength: 77/100
Speed: 67/100
Agility: 78/100
Durability: 76/100
"What the…?!"
Sai's stats had declined slightly. It was most likely the result of his recent losses, coupled with the lack of any major growth in his strength and willpower.
Sai scoffed as he climbed a set of wooden stairs leading toward what appeared to be an old dojo—though it looked like it had been cleaned not too long ago.
"I'll take it I'm still on Beta Level, huh?"
Beep Bop.
Affirmative. Each level of strength and prowess possesses divisions—from Beta Level to Zora Level, from Zora to Alpha Level, before ultimately reaching Zelda.
Each stage contains its own ranking system. Some range from Levels 1–10, while others exceed even that.
For now, Beta Level caps at ten, and your stats currently max out at one hundred. Once you cross over into Zora Level, your stats may increase beyond one hundred—to two hundred, or even one thousand.
Be warned. Upon reaching Zora Level, you will gain the ability to detect mana levels.
Their scale ranges from one to one million.
"Wow… that might actually come in handy," Sai commented as he tossed a mat onto the floor and lay down on it. He lit a nearby lamp in preparation for the night's rest.
Casually removing his leather jacket and uniform shirt, Sai stored them—along with his sword—inside Aizen's portal for preservation and maintenance.
All cleaning and repairs were automatically handled by Aizen.
By tomorrow morning, everything would look brand new again.
Wearing nothing but a tank top and plain trousers, Sai collapsed onto the mat.
"Well, I'm off to sleep, Aizen. Goodnight," Sai muttered, already beginning to drift away.
"Oh, and Aizen…" Sai added softly, his voice unusually gentle and submissive.
A beep signaled Aizen's attentiveness.
"Thanks for all your help, man. I mean it."
"You're the best friend a guy could ever ask for," Sai said with a faint grin tugging at the corner of his lips.
You're welcome, Aizen responded.
Sai's breathing soon became steady, showing just how deeply he had fallen asleep.
"Goodnight, Sai," Aizen replied in a low, pleasant tone.
High above the dojo, the masked figure hovered silently in the air, gazing down at Sai's residence.
"In time, Sai…"
"In time."
. . .
The next morning.
Sunlight spilled through the dojo window, shining directly onto Sai's face.
Sai slowly opened his eyes, blinking repeatedly as he adjusted to the brightness.
Something soft cradled his head like a pillow.
Directly in front of him were two large breasts, while his head rested comfortably against a pair of soft thighs wrapped in straps similar to those commonly worn by female anime characters.
Still half-asleep, Sai muttered dreamily,
"So soft… when did Christmas come early?"
A soft gasp suddenly escaped from above him.
"Wait… what the—?!"
Sai immediately lifted his head from the girl's lap.
His gaze slowly traveled upward until the female figure finally came into full view.
It was Maya.
"You?!" Sai asked, wearing with a confused expression on his face.