#4: THE DANGERS BEHIND THE QUIET MOUNTAIN (PART 2)
ALI MORRIS woke up in a dazed and full of pain all over her body, particularly on her lower back. She doesn't have any idea how long she's been unconscious, but the moment she looks at her surroundings after she gains her senses, she is stunned when she finds out that it is already dark now. So, how long exactly she had passed out? Ali fell into deep thought until she remembered about the AI system currently residing in her spiritual consciousness. Suddenly, her face darkened as she remembered it being silence and not helping her. She frowned.
"AI, what's the situation? Are you still there?"
Still, no response...
"AI?" maybe after about some minutes had passed, then, Ali heard a ding sound.
[Yes, host. I'm sorry for losing the communication. I've been upgraded now, host. Do you want to check out the goods?]
Ali's brows furrowed and the corner of her lips twitched.
"W-What? You mean, you were upgrading a while ago that's why you stayed silent the whole time?! If that's the case..." she gulped hard. If she needed the help of the AI when she was in a critical situation, what would happen to her if that time the AI was in a dormant or closed door at the moment? She has no choice but to be self-reliant to herself. She sighed deeply out of frustration.
She composed herself for a while and stayed silent.
"AI, show me what you have there." while talking to the AI system, she roamed her eyes into her surroundings one more time. Her forehead wrinkled.
"AI, where's the big phyton?" she was puzzled.
[You mean, your attacker, host? I collected its remains, particularly the energy stone inside its head. That's why I successfully upgraded to the first level. I used its skin for you, host. But I will not explain its use further. You will find out after upgrading to the second level.] The mechanical voice explained. But Ali is already flabbergasted. While the AI system spoke, her mouth remained open. She couldn't believe it!
"S-So, it means, I killed it? H-How-"
[It's supposed not, host. According to my estimation, you only had a 50% accuracy to make it suffer. But due to luck, you successfully eliminate it when you hit its center where the heart is. So, congratulations, host. You are still capable. But right now, if you were going to engage in a fight again, there's a 90% possibility that you will perish.]
Ali's eyes widened when she found out. "I-I'm what?! Am I that weak?" she thought. Her shoulders drooped as the AI system confirmed that.
[But you don't have to worry now, host. You still have me and the goods you will get after upgrading. So, would you like to see it now, host?]
Ali swallowed one after another and involuntarily nodded while her face remained gloomy. She heard a ding sound for the second time, and from her spiritual consciousness, the AI system showed each item in its inventory one by one. Her face brightened up and her spirit revived when she saw some of the familiar and unfamiliar equipment that can be used as weapons, there were also clothes, some kind of protective gear, and so on, but the most eye-catching for her was the box full of nutrients solution packs with different and various flavors.
"W-What is that? Can I eat that? What it's used?" she asked full of expectant.
[Yes, host. These are the foods you can get in my inventory. So, you don't have to collect supplies for the time being. One pack can satisfy your hunger and it's flavorful, although I haven't tasted it.] It even managed to joke after explaining. Ali snorted.
"Alright. So, can you explain to me the use of the weapons you have there? And by the way, how come there's an energy stone inside that beast? Is it really helpful to kill one and upgrade later? If we kill more like that kind of beast, there's a possibility that you can upgrade fast, is that right?" she felt excited all of a sudden.
[...]
[Yes, host. But the more levels you can upgrade, the more energy you will need.]
"Huh? O-Oh, is that so..." her confidence suddenly decreased in what she found out.
[One more thing, host. You also need to increase your fighting combat to use the weapons. With every upgrade, you will get a higher level of advanced weapons, and with that, it also needs a higher mental capacity to use its effectiveness.]
Ali sighed. "Fine! Then, can we still proceed to the top? It's already dark now. What should we do now?"
[Twenty meters from where you were standing, there's a cave, host. It is the big phyton's lair. You can hide and rest there for the time being. It's safe, don't worry.]
"Y-You sure?" she gulped. She was given assurance by the AI system. Carrying the mountain bag that she had thrown away earlier after encountering the beast, she continued walking in the direction indicated by the AI system. The pain in her body was ignored because she was not comfortable staying in the middle of the woods in that condition.
Inside the cave, she found a treasure surprisingly. Maybe she will also be thankful because she encountered the mutant phyton even though she suffered an injury. After all, she gained a lot! There are files of glowing stones but not as valuable as the energy stone that the system needs. But at least it would still help to upgrade it, and in the blink of an eye, the shiny stone that was still attached to every area of the cave spontaneously disappeared from her sight as soon as her hand touched it. Unbelievable!
According to the AI system, she can also use that as ammunition for firearms that she can get in the inventory, and she feels satisfied. But after the glowing stones disappeared, it got darker inside the cave. Ali took the alcohol lamp she had inside the bag. The flashlight in her hand was turned off and the lamp was used to illuminate her surroundings. She took a pack or sachet of nutrient paste from the inventory with barbecue and cheese flavor which is her favorite. Her face lit up after tasting it. And with every swallow, she feels satisfied. She consumed it immediately and was quickly full with just one pack. Before thinking of sleeping inside the sleeping bag she brought, she first studied the weapons or items that were unlocked one by one. Then, she chooses the Machete blade for close combat and a pistol whose bullet is made of spar which is said to help eliminate the level one beast in long range with only one shot. Then she found out that every being she would encounter also upgrades or evolves with each passage of time, and the mutant phyton she fought is now a second-level mutant beast. She couldn't believe that she could kill a second-level creature with only a 12.5-inch army knife which was her only weapon.
To be continued. . .
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When Disaster Strikes: Activating The AI System After Rebirth
Science FictionA Fantasy-Scifi Novel written by RHINELANDER BLURB: Ali Morris is a timid girl but a fighter, due to poverty she became strong with the will to survive. Until one sunny day, the world turned upside down. Is there hope for her w...
