My Tribrid System: More than a Monster

Chapter 122

”So; tell me Ray, do you still want to deny the fact that I have caught you red-handed?”

....

”Ho-How-How did this happen? Wha-What did you do to yourself, Van?” Ray asked amidst a series of stutters as he stared at the incredible sight his friend had just bestowed upon them.

Van’s eyes gradually stopped glowing, reverting back to their former deep green color.

He released his mental grip on the machines, and they powered back down, becoming soulless once more unless he chose to turn them on manually.

With a tired, heavy sigh, he fell back into his chair and just stared at Ray and Kai, the latter of whom was still completely awestruck.

”I honestly don’t know,” Van replied with a weary shrug of his shoulders.

Turning his head around, he grabbed a crinkling packaged bag and ripped it open.

Rummaging through the contents, he pulled out a few items: a hamburger and two lollipops.

He dropped the sweets onto the cluttered table, peeled the white leather-like wrapper off the burger, and began munching on it hungrily.

Finally regaining his composure, Kai stared at the boy in disbelief

.

”You don’t know how it happened? What do you mean? You just manifested an ability, dude!” he shouted excitedly, his voice echoing off the metallic walls.

”Hm?” Van lifted an eyebrow, then let out a soft, dejected sigh. ”Ah. Yeah, an ability. A useless one.”

”Huh?” Kai muttered with raised brows. ”How on earth is it useless?”

Van didn’t reply instantly.

He took another substantial bite of his burger and chewed for a few seconds before lifting his gaze to stare at his friends.

”In this world where danger lurks around almost every corner, what will an ability to communicate with machines help achieve? I didn’t get an ability meant for combat, but instead, I got this?”

”It isn’t all bad,” Ray finally spoke up after recovering from his earlier shock.

”Most meta-humans who are not related to the ancient legacies get abilities which naturally complement their style and inner self. You received one that perfectly matches your brain and your drive for creating complex machinery. Isn’t that awesome?”

Van shot him a skeptical stare before sighing again.

”Right... and how exactly does that help in the heat of battle? Forget the Aberrants for a moment.

I couldn’t even hold my own against Berg when he attacked me. What was I supposed to do with this ability? Turn his watch against him? That’s how useless the power currently is.”

Ray just smiled softly, trying to offer some encouragement.

”You just said it yourself; it’s currently useless.

That doesn’t mean it will always stay that way. I trust you, bro. I trust your big brain to come up with a brilliant use for this to aid you in battle. You always have found a way.”

The burger in Van’s hand was almost finished. Mid-chew, he looked at Ray again and then his expression shifted into a frown.

”... And why is my ’big’ brain telling me that you are desperately trying to shift the topic away from the fact that you have a piece of machinery inside you?”

”...”

Ray just scratched his hair awkwardly at Van’s pointed words.

Truth be told, he didn’t know how he was supposed to reply to his friend’s probing question or even begin to give a logical explanation.

All he truly knew was....

”I got this weird, system-like machine... you know, like those system thingies from video games? Yeah, I inherited something like that. It helps stabilize my werewolf transformation and gives me random quests to complete in exchange for rewards.”

Ray paused, searching his mind for a moment before adding:

”... Also, I don’t know where it came from. But I suspect it originated from that strange rock creature on the train. The timing fits, as I acquired the interface at the exact same

moment as my initial transformation.”

Van had finished his burger and was currently licking his fingers before letting out a silent burp.

He turned back to look at Ray with a knowing expression.

”Already figured that much.”

”Sorry?” Ray cocked an eyebrow in confusion.

Van just sighed and then offered a small, triumphant smile.

”Did you honestly think I wouldn’t notice? Every single time we’re together, I’ve caught you staring into empty space. We could be in the middle of a serious discussion and the next moment, you just zone out.

You look like someone who is either reading a book or staring at an invisible screen right in front of them.

My suspicion and unease peaked yesterday, the day you fought Berg. We went back to our dorm and you drifted off again, staring into thin air.

Your lips were moving like you were reciting text or even talking to yourself. You even clenched your hands a few times and then cackled like a hyena.”

’Ouch.’ Ray thought, feeling a sting of embarrassment.

Van then shrugged nonchalantly.

”So, I called you both over and faked my fall exactly where that rubber spike was positioned, knowing full well you would rush to catch me. That gave me the perfect opening to check if my hypothesis was correct or not. Guess I was right.”

There was a moment of heavy silence as Ray blinked a few times, processing the revelation, before finally shouting:

”Wait. You faked that entire falling incident?!”

Van smirked. ”Yes.”

***

”What?!” Ray shouted in total shock, reeling at the way he had been played like a complete fool.

Kai, who had been listening to the exchange attentively, picked up on a specific detail.

”Are you saying that the spike over there is actually made of rubber?”

Van stood up from his chair and walked toward the spot where the protruding spike was strategically placed.

He reached down and picked it up with ease.

Clenching both ends, Van folded the material double, showing how pliable it truly was.

Ray was at a total loss for words at this point.

”Wow. What a shrewd kid,” Elyon couldn’t help but comment from within his mind.

”...”

At this juncture, Kai didn’t know how he was supposed to react.

Should he fear the fact that Ray had strange, hidden things buried inside him?

Should he fear Van for possessing such a calculating, manipulative mind? Or should he just let everything go?

But through it all, one thing still genuinely confused him.

”How did you even manifest your ability? I recall you having no discernible power when you first entered the Corps.”

”Oh. About that,” Van muttered, then proceeded to explain.

”It mysteriously awakened the day we were tampering with Ray’s watch in order to modify his registered ability.

In the heat of my panic and worry, it just triggered. I suddenly felt a massive rush of information flooding my mind, like a data dump.

Now, whether it has been dormant in me for a while or if the stress caused a late awakening, I don’t know. All I know for certain is that I have an ability now.”

Kai and Ray glanced at each other for a few silent moments before staring back at Van, who suddenly recalled another detail.

”Oh. Also, I’m now officially a grade 3.5 meta-human,” he added, lifting his wrist and pointing his watch at the duo.

They both stared at the display in genuine surprise.