Kael leaned against the bathroom sink, still trying to wrap his head around the glowing blue system window hovering in front of him.
He had died. Been reborn. Got his own place. And apparently, a cheat code.
"The Sacred Gear Creator System… That's like, straight out of a gamer's dream."
His green eyes flicked over the menu again.
[Attribute Selection]
• Strength
• Magic
• Support
• Speed
• Defense
• Hybrid
[Core Theme Selection]
• Dragon
• Time
• Shadow
• Light
• Weaponry
• Elemental (Fire, Ice, etc.)
• Space
• Divine/Demonic
• Custom (Enter Concept)
Kael rubbed his chin, thoughtful.
"Hybrid sounds the most flexible. If I'm going to survive in a world where literal gods and dragons throw hands, I'll need options."
He tapped [Hybrid] without hesitation.
[System: Hybrid attribute selected. Balanced growth between Strength, Magic, and Support capabilities.]
"Alright… now the theme."
He scrolled past some of the tempting options.
'Dragon' is iconic. But maybe too obvious. Time is cool, but probably overcomplicated early on… Weaponry is sick, but maybe too narrow. Shadow…'
His finger hovered over [Custom], a grin forming.
"What if… I make something that adapts? Like a gear that changes form based on the situation. Something reactive."
He typed into the custom field:
(Adaptive Arsenal.)
System confirmed:
Custom theme : Adaptive Arsenal
Description: A unique Sacred Gear that evolves based on the user's combat style and environmental factors. Capable of manifesting different weapon forms with varied magical and physical enhancements. Synergy Bonus: Increases compatibility with copied techniques and balance states.
Another ding! echoed in his ears, and a detailed UI popped up.
Sacred Gear Created: [Versa Arma] – Adaptive Arsenal
Grade: ??? (Scales with experience)
Type: Weapon Transformation / Hybrid
Current Forms:
• Form I: Sharp Form (Lightweight sword with wind magic affinity, speed boost)
• Form II: Bulwark Gauntlets (Heavy fists with reinforced defense, impact force)
• Additional forms unlock with combat experience.
Kael blinked. "…It gave me two weapon forms right off the bat? Damn."
Another line appeared beneath the gear description.
[Unique Trait: Sync Core - Can temporarily replicate abilities or effects observed from other Sacred Gears.
Requires system analysis.
Cooldown: 48 hours]
He let out a low whistle.
"Copy other Gears? Not steal—just mimic for a bit. That's sick."
He could already imagine the chaos. Borrowing Boosted Gear's multiplier, then swapping to a tanky gauntlet form. Maybe even mimicking Divine Dividing's halve ability for a moment. He'd be a one-man army with enough creativity and data.
His heartbeat quickened.
The gear hadn't even manifested physically yet, and he already felt power humming beneath his skin.
But before he could test anything…
Rrrrriiiing!
The sound of a phone buzzed loudly from the desk in the other room.
Kael stumbled out of the bathroom and checked the phone. A message glowed on the screen.
Message from: Irina Shidou
"Hey, Kael! You better not ditch school again! Homeroom starts in 20 minutes! Meet me at the front gates!"
"Irina? Wait—like that Irina?"
He stared at the contact photo. A cute girl with long chestnut hair smiling brightly.
Bits of memory floated up again. Childhood friend. Church girl. Moved away years ago. Just recently came back to Kuoh.
"Yup. Definitely that Irina." Kael scratched the back of his head. "If she's here, then that means Xenovia might not be far behind. And that also means I'm officially in canon territory."
Time to move.
He grabbed his uniform, threw it on haphazardly, and checked himself once more in the mirror. Black hair still a mess. Green eyes full of fire.
"Alright, Kael. Let's not die a second time."
As he stepped out into the morning sun.
[Daily Objective: Attend Kuoh Academy. Interact with a Sacred Gear user.]
Reward: +1 Form Unlock Progress.
"Guess even systems want me to socialize, huh?"
He smirked.
Time to meet the devils.