100 Systems Invasion

19. Careless Alliance

As Amy stopped the car and ensured that Marnie was okay, Seth poured all his scrutinies into the lit-up phone in his hand. “Mind sharing with the class what Ally is?”

It didn’t take long for the System to reply.

[The word is pretty explanatory.]

He heard the blonde girl’s snickers from his left. “It’s not funny.”

“Sure it is,” she said, not sensing the dire situation.

“I got nothing from it, after killing five infectores,” Seth argued.

[No kill detected.]

He read the words again. “Are you blind?”

[Only Systemist and registered Ally can earn from killing infectore.]

The System showed the same message.

Seth grumbled, “Fine, I’m a Systemist, I get it. But the car I am in just killed a bunch of infectores, doesn’t that count?”

[No.]

[Only Systemist and registered Ally can earn from killing infectore.]

“Damn it,” he rubbed his forehead. “Then, what do you mean by Ally?”

[Ally is a Systemist’s registered partner.]

[Invite 3 people to be Ally  and get 9.000 cells for free.]

“Huh?” Seth reread it to make sure he’s not hallucinating. “That’s a lot.”

“Free cells!” Amy exclaimed as she leaned to peer at his phone. The smell of cheap body spray surged in his nose. “Let’s do this so I can be stronger and buy things too in the System!”

Seth already calculated the amount of how much things he could get from the free cells alone. “Does being an ally make any difference?”

[Yes.]

[You will get an assist point from each of your Ally’s kills, and they will have 10% of your statistics.]

“Including all of my balance and future skill?”

[No.]

[Only 10% of your Regeneration, Strength, Speed, Resistance, Technique, and three of your chosen skills.]

“That’s pretty handsy.”

“Right?” Amy once again said in a too-loud voice to his ear. “Why stalling around? I want a revolver. It’s so cool!”

“You watch too many cliché action movies.”

“Novels. All mafia daddies have a revolver in their pants,” she said dreamily, eyes twinkling as if imagining some steamy scene in her head.

Seth didn’t get it, but his ex, Sarah, made the same face when watching a series with a blonde muscled dude only wearing a speedo prancing around the beach. He cringed at the memory, huffing in disgust.

Turning his attention back to his phone, he asked, “What’s the cost?”

[10% damage to your Ally will be reflected to you.]

“Then, I don’t want it.

Amy was quite disappointed. “It’s a good deal, Seth.”

[Are you sure?]

“Yes.”

[You will also unlock a Gift from the System.]

Seth remembered the stats on his phone. The nonexistent skill and gift. It piqued his interest. “What Gift?”

[Absolute Command.]

Seth quickly turned his phone away before the blonde sales girl could read what was displayed there. He didn’t know what that meant yet, but from the sound of it, Amy wouldn’t like it.

“What’s that?”

“Nothing. The System said unauthorized person can’t know,” he lied.

“Seriously?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Then, I guess you don’t want to be my ally?”

Amy hummed, staring suspiciously at him. After a moment of silence, she sighed and crossed her hands in front of her chest. “You better not pull a prank on me.”

“Do I have any time to do that?” Seth sarcastically asked, hoping she wouldn’t smell his bullshit away.

“Fine, do what you want, but if anything bad happen after I become you ally, I’ll kick your ass to hell and back.”

“Pinky promise,” he humored her. After she went slumped into the driver's seat, Seth looked into his phone, making sure she couldn’t read what was displayed on the screen.

[Absolute Command.]

[A Gift to make your Ally do everything you told them to. You can only do it three times to any of your Ally.]

He facepalmed, “Why beat around the bush. You should tell itto me first. I say yes.”

[Consent required.]  

Not wasting any more time, Seth told it to Amy. Apart from the most deciding part, of course.

[Sending request to Amy Palmer.]

[Request has been sent to Amy Palmer. Please check your email.]

“Huh? I haven’t told you my email address.” Upon opening her email, a particularly new one had just arrived from ‘[e-mail],’ and she clicked it.

It looked like a business email, something she used to see from her manager or the head office. Boring font and a completely white background with no single typo in sight. The terms and conditions to be an ‘Ally’ were also laid bare, but she wasn’t the type to the jungle with wordy explanations.

So, she scrolled down the pages, all twenty of them, and went straight to the bottom corner where her sign was needed. She also typed her nickname to use in the System.

And just like that, she gave her consent away.

Dong!

[Congratulations!]

[1 Ally registered.]

[Status]

[This personal Information will be hidden from other Systemists.]

[Full Name: Amy Palmer

Date of Birth: 04-05-2000]

___

[Nickname: Grimrose

Level: 1

Exp: 0

HP: 300 / 300

Regeneration: 0

Strength: 0.04

Speed: 0.02

Resistance: 0.02

Technique: 0

Skill: None]

“I don’t feel anything,” Amy protested, “Did this even work?”

Without warning, Seth gave a hard pinch to her arm. She yelped and smacked his hand away in reflex. “I feel it too, so yes, this works.”

[Need 2 more Ally to get free 3.000 cells.]

They both shared a look, then simultaneously turned their head to where Marnie was silently watching them from the back seat. She was looking back and forth at them before smiling at them. “I want pizza for lunch.”

“After you sign something for me first, okay?” Seth didn’t beat around the bush.

“Sign?” the six-year-old repeated, tilting her head in confusion.

“She doesn’t even know how to sign,” Amy concluded, sighing yet again to Seth.

“You teach her.”

“Why me? You’re her brother.”

“Is it, uhm,” Marnie started, touching her lip in thought, “Daddy thaught me. It’s what adult draw in paper.”

Seth hummed, thumbs busy with his phone. “Yes, something like that.”

“Make her an email address.”

“Already on it.”

“And we should get Wade to be an Ally too.”

“That’s my plan.”

But it wasn’t as easy as they thought.