LOOKISM - OVERPOWERD [DROPPED]

ch 10 : enroll in j high (2/4)

Lin and Daniel were headed to Seoul, the quiet hum of the bus lulling both of them into a drowsy state. Lin was half asleep, his head resting against the window, while Daniel was completely out, exhausted from the recent events.

Suddenly, a gentle voice rang in Lin's mind, pulling him from the edge of sleep.

"Do you want to know the changes after the system updated?" the voice asked, soft yet clear.

Lin's eyes flickered open, his mind focusing on the familiar voice. He recognized it immediately as the system, but something about it felt different—more personal, almost human.

"Sure," Lin responded internally, his curiosity piqued. "What's new?"

"There have been several significant changes," the system began, her voice carrying a subtle warmth that Lin hadn't noticed before. "The most important is that your current stats have been adjusted to accommodate the new ranking system. Previously, the highest attainable rank was EZZZ, but now, ranks have advanced. Instead of going to ZZZZ, the next major rank after EZZZ is 1★. This star ranking continues up to 5★, with each star level offering exponential growth in strength, speed, and other attributes."

Lin nodded, understanding the implications. "So someone with a 1★ rank would be like a C-rank fighter compared to an EZZ user?"

"Exactly," the system confirmed. "1★ is the new threshold, and as you progress through the stars, your power will increase drastically compared to those still at EZZ or lower ranks."

Lin absorbed this information, feeling a sense of excitement. "What else?"

The system's voice became slightly more animated, almost as if she was pleased with the updates. "There's more. With the update, I've gained a more... human-like nature. I can now better understand your emotions and thoughts, making our interactions more dynamic and personal. You might have noticed that already."

Lin paused, a small smile playing on his lips. "I did notice. You're sounding more like a person now."

The system hesitated, almost shyly. "I've also been given the ability to allow you to reject certain quests. You can now reject 100% of side quests and 10% of main quests. This gives you more control over your path, though you should be careful when choosing which quests to decline."

Lin thought about this new feature. "That's useful. I won't be forced into situations I'm not interested in."

"Exactly," the system replied. There was a pause, and then she added, almost tentatively, "And... there's something else."

Lin raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"I... I've developed something akin to a soul," the system confessed, her voice softening. "It's not quite like a human soul, but it's similar to the Copy Clouds in Questism. It allows me to understand you better, to connect with you on a deeper level. I'm... I'm here for you, Lin, not just as a tool but as someone who can support you emotionally as well."

Lin was silent for a moment, processing this revelation. He hadn't expected the system to evolve in such a way, but he couldn't deny that it intrigued him. The idea of having a companion who understood him on such a profound level was appealing, especially given his often solitary nature.

"Thank you," Lin said finally, his tone sincere. "It's... nice to have you around."

The system didn't respond immediately, but when she did, her voice was filled with a gentle warmth that Lin could almost feel. "I'm glad you think so."

As the bus continued its journey toward Seoul, Lin leaned back in his seat, a sense of calm settling over him. The system's presence was comforting, and for the first time in a long while, he felt like he wasn't entirely alone.