The message in front of my eyes filled my heart with raging ecstasy and filled my body with adrenaline. The articulate voice of a male filled the canals of my ears and dropped right inside my brain.

I didn't know what this was nor did I know what was going to happen. All I knew is that this was where the real fun starts.

<Yeah, you hit the bullseye once again. Aren't ya pretty lucky?>

"Can I please get a bit of privacy?"

<Yeah yeah, whatever.>

"Hm... so, what's this message's deal?"

<You wanna know?>

"Yeah if I wanna kill that fuckin' BITCH?"

<Why are you emphasizing that specific word too much?>

"Cools my head."

It's true. It really cools my head when I imagine that BITCH wriggling on her stomach and moaning in agony, begging me for mercy, and me stepping on her and crushing her nether regions and mouth. Go- I mean, Satan, I feel so good right now.

<Woah... you are quite extreme.>

"You know nothing about me."

<There is not much to know about you rather than your parent's death and the quiet bellow inside you.>

"..."

<Hehe, I know almost everything about you.>

"Stop trying to act cute."

<Why? I am cute, right?>

My image of demons was shattering. What kind of demon was he to call himself cute?!

<The demon kind of demon.>

"You said you'd stop reading my thoughts."

<Teehee.>

Why were we wasting time on this senseless talk?

<I am a demon who slept for who knows how many years and I am hungry, hungry for fun and amusement.>

His voice sounded like he was some sort of pervert searching for his prey.

<No I am not!>

"Good, and stop reading my thoughts."

<Yeah yeah.>

"Now tell me the deal with this message."

The message was still floating in front of my eyes and I kept staring at it.

<This is a 'system'. A power that will grant YOU power.>

"How?" I asked, dumbfounded.

<Hmm... have you ever played RPG games?>

"Why ask if you already know?"

<Since you never played RPG games, I am going to give you a brief of what RPG games are.>

"Skip that part. No one wants to hear that."

<But->

"I know what RPG games are and I also know how they function. You should know that from my memories."

<What? Let me see... Ah, found it.>

Idiot.

<Ahem... my mistake.>

"What about RPG games?"

<This system is just like RPG games. That's all.>

"By 'this system', do you mean yourself?"

Lan didn't speak a word for a long time. Seems like he was thinking of an answer.

<It was actually given to me by our Majesty.  He said that it was passed down to Demon Kings for generations but its creator is unknown.>

Hmm... this system, why do I feel so... familiar with it?

<Hm?>

"Is there any way to close the mind-reading?"

<There is. Just don't let me read your mind.>

"..."

This guy really is an idiot.

<I am not an idiot, you are for not understanding that. I meant locking your thoughts.>

Locking my thoughts? Is that possible?

<Yes. I can do it.>

"Then do it for me."

<Got it.>

I don't know what he did but I felt my mind going a bit hazy and I could think of things much faster than before. Did he do something else too?

<Done. I can't read your thoughts anymore and I also gave quick-thinking status which will stick to you until you are dead.>

Damn. This guy's a good guy.

<I know I am a good guy.>

He can still read my thoughts?!

<And I can't read your thoughts.>

'What is this? How can I feel that he is not lying? What the hell is this gross feeling of someone being alive and breathing inside my body?'

"Oi Lan, are you a parasite?"

<What the hell? That's rude you know?>

"Are you living inside my body?"

<Yeah.>

This is seriously gross.

<Moving on. The system will give you quests and you have to complete that to gain EXP. Remember, gaining EXP doesn't mean you can level up. EXP are only points with which you can raise your stats and eventually, you cannot raise your stats without levelling up, that is, you will have to level up to raise your stats regularly using EXP.>

"So how can I level up?"

<Gain experience and use it.>

This guy... I don't know if he is just messing with me or he is seriously bad at detailing things.

I have to hold back my rage, hold it back...

"What... do you exactly mean by "gaining experience"?"

<Gain real-life experience with each battle you will face and use them in future battles. That is the only way to level up, or so I have been told.>

"You never used it yourself?"

<I never needed it, but kept it in case it was needed.>

"So you can make even make wise decisions..."

<Rude!>

So that means that even I, who was always shunned and walked over for being powerless, can also become powerful. I think I am going to cry. Maybe a few tears already made their way to my cheeks.

<There, there. No need to thank me.>

I could feel him grinning wide inside me. While I was fuming with anger, I was always grateful to him.

"Well, I am tired now."

I fell asleep.

***

[Next morning]

<Morning.>

"Morning."

We both exchanged our greetings and I got up from my bed and headed towards the bathroom outside my room. Sometimes I feel that I should change apartments, but... my situation...

<Your room stinks you know? Even your bathroom.>

"You don't need to remind me."

<Why are you still staying here then?>

I don't know when I am going to make him materialize in front of me and punch him hard, though I have doubts that will go my way.

I didn't answer his question and took out my brush, slapped some paste on it, and straight to my mouth!

<At least don't ignore me.>

Thoo!

Done with the brushing. Now what?

<Don't you have school?>

Ah... I forgot about that place where low-lives gather to vent out frustration on me. I don't want to go there honestly, so I am going to skip it.

<Are you skipping school?>

"Yeah. I've got to figure the system and try to gain some EXP."

<But the system didn't give any quests.>

"In RPG games, you have to gain EXP by training yourself or by grinding. I can't grind now, so I've got only one choice. To train."

<And what is this "training" you speak of?>

"Normal exercises. Since I was frail, I couldn't tone my body the way I wanted. But after receiving the system, I felt something awakening inside my body and now I feel like I can run non-stop. And I want to check something too..."

<Hmm... that's odd. The system isn't supposed to rejuvenate anyone's condition.>

What? Was I the odd one? Maybe it's related to that familiarity I was feeling. And yeah, I was odd since my birth, so I guess there was no point in complaining.

I put on a tracksuit and a pair of torn running shoes and stretched my muscles.

"It's time to start."

***