The Cheat Seed

"Her trauma won't even have the choice of holding a candle to yours"

.....

Marcus held back his gasp. A guardian before him went insane because of her trauma... and now the system said her trauma won't even hold a candle to his?.

'What did I even go through?'

Marcus couldn't do anything other than think that to himself.

Of course, as the system said, he won't remember anything because they were locked up by the system. So instead of worrying more about it, he turned towards the door.

His eyes ran through the door in front of him. The fastened door, for him and in reality, looked like the answer to everything running inside his mind.

The way it was chained and locked just proved how indispensable the knowledge on the other side would be.

"System?..."

"Yes, Marcus?"

Marcus drew in a whiff.

"Do you think... you'll have to self-destruct too?"

"Ah... The answer to that question would depend on how you deal with what's coming"

"...."

"Of course as a system, I must ensure that my user doesn't cause trouble for others... At least that's what my originator says."

"We system... are not allowed to abandon our user, especially if they go mad because of our incognizance"

"...."

"That's what my originator said... It's not like I care for you or anything... but after what I've heard from you, it does make sense... we system are somehow parasites. Parasites that coexist with its host...."

"Simply... you can't survive without us, at least not in this world where power matters, and we can't survive without you, not according to the rules we were injected with."

............

"Living in a stone wouldn't be fun at all, you know?"

The system grinned at Marcus.

It was rolling inside his thoughts, but now he knew... now he knew why his system amassed emotion. He wasn't sure about it before but the first time he met the system in this mysterious abyss, it seemed to carry sympathy for him... and it seemed to carry guilt.

But from what he had understood about systems from his academy, they were supposed to be just 'default' entities that originated to support humanity through daily life. Now what 'default' was, he didn't know. It was another topic that was never entailed in the books.

Even though that was what he learned about them, he was now having a change of mind after he heard what the system had to say.

It was true that his system was different, it was a CHEAT SYSTEM. A system speculated to be just a fantasy and nonexistent back in his world. The only myth in which it transpired is in the legend of 'THE FLAME EMPEROR'.

Even though it was called a myth, the legend of the emperor was still believed to be true, at least by most of the inhabitants, and that was the only reason why it was taught to the children.

But as he reminisced about the random events that happened in just 2 mere years of his life, Marcus was starting to realize, that he had begun to question 'Reality' itself.

Momentarily, doubting reality wasn't what he had to do... it was way out of the picture... because he just remembered something else.

It was just a vague memory but he just remembered something that could hold the answer to why his system carried emotions.

If he remembered it correctly, right now... he was 100% integrated with his system.

Just like what the system had said, it would slowly evolve to being synonymous with him. That meant, his system would gradually yet steadily become human, just like him.

And what did humans possess which distinguished them from insentient organisms?.

EMOTIONS.

"Marcus?"

"Ah yes?."

Marcus shook his thought off. The system was calling out to him, it gestured towards the huge door in front of them.

Before it spoke, the system drew in a quick gasp of air. Just like any human would do if they were nervous.

"It's time to harden my heart... or whatever I have beating inside me... and ask you this Marcus..."

The system shifted its hand towards its chest and felt its heartbeat...

No, The system shifted 'his' hand towards 'his' chest and felt 'his' racing heart. The system had eventually realized what it felt like to be a human. He felt weak. Yet he bolstered his serenity and continued his speech.

"Are you ready to go through the hidden file?"

"huuuuuf... YES LET'S SEE IT!"

'HAHAHA!! Little do you know my gullible system... I have a skill perfect for this!!... or does he know about it?... coz he's my system... Whatever... I won't self destruct and that's what matters'

Marcus schemed inside his mind. He had thought of it minutes ago, while the system was explaining to him about the guardian who went nuts.

He had planned on using 'Master Of Tranquility' or 'MOT' to his benefit. It was perfect for, considering what the system had said, TRAUMA.

Master Of Tranquility boosted his attention, ultimately propelling his heart and mind to serenity. He had already thought the entire situation over and over in his mind thoroughly.

Marcus would have held on to his smug smile...

.......if it weren't for his system.

"I've got the confirmation from my user, Marcus please step forward, closer to the door please... I'll be confiscating your powers. Good luck. Please don't make me kill you."

[Marcus Stares Motherfuckerly]

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN BY CONFISCATING MY POWERS??"

"Yes, I'll be confiscating your powers so that the procedure is fair. I am sorry Marcus, I have to respect the rules as well"

"I can only commandeer your power inside this realm of hidden files... that is sadly what my data exhorts me to do so"

"Shit... Shit"

All of his brilliant strategies were just in vain. Marcus, he was uncertain, now he had to undergo it by himself. He had to endure whatever the system was going to throw at him without his powers and... with his fragile human body.

"I hope you survive this as well Marcus"

The system's words were followed by a blinding light that emerged out of his body. Marcus's eyes glowed white and white mist escaped through his mouth, nose, and ears.

Just as the last wisp of white smoke vacated out of his senses, Marcus fell on his knees. His body felt vulnerable, it was as if his life force was sucked out of him.

"The powers have been restricted... Activating 'BoltLock' "

"What's ... *spat* ... that?"

Marcus spat out phlegm as he stammered.

"My data says that 'The BoltLock' was created to restrict the physical movements of the user. From the previous experience of the guardian going mad after regaining her hidden memories, this new power was injected into the system, so that we made sure history didn't repeat itself"

"....."

"We are only able to restrict the user's power till the memories are regained. Just a second after the memories, we lose control over the user's power and it returns to them. We lose this human form as well"

"From there it all depends upon the user, if the user goes mad, the system self destructs, if the user survives through it, then it'll be a big plus to the system."

"....."

Huge chains appeared out of nowhere as they wrapped Marcus's limbs together. A gasp left him as he levitated into the air and went still. His body was dormant but his consciousness existed.

He wanted to scream out questions. But he simply wasn't able to speak. Whatever this 'BoltLock' was, it was too overpowered.

"Now if you'll excuse me, Marcus"

A window popped before the system.

The system randomly began clicking on the window tab. From the angle Marcus was chained, he was entirely obstructed from observing what his system did.

"It's time to open the door."

"......"

"The door to the hidden files..."

The system's voice faded into his ears.

....

...

...

...

"The door will open in..."

"3..."

"2..... "

"1..... "

*FLASH*

.................