[Ding!]
[Timeline fully restored. Due to parallel multiverse theory, entities around the Host may experience déjà vu, jamais vu, or feelings of displacement. Host, please do not be concerned.]
The system, now with voice permissions activated, finally responds to his question in Miku's voice.
But Yuu grows increasingly irritated hearing it. He can't help but click his tongue: "What's with 'no need to worry'? Can't you also erase the déjà vu? This half-assed approach is like a middle-aged man peeing—after finishing, it still drips a few drops."
[…] The system doesn't react to his crude words, or perhaps chooses to ignore them, opting to stay silent.
Yuu somewhat understands the nature of this damn system, but for his own sake, he still asks:
"I won't hassle you about the rest, but there's no issue with Yukinoshita Haruno, right? No sudden drama where she remembers me and drags me to get married, right?"
[No. Just as the Host's feelings of love for her have been completely erased, the previous target's memories have also been fully wiped.]
"Tch, thank goodness."
Despite the firm answer, Yuu can't help but scratch his hair in frustration.
(Why are other people's systems always silent, reliable, and good companions, but mine's so pathetic, like a defective product?)
(Can't you show the same decisiveness and dominance you had when giving out rewards?!)
Unfortunately, he's already forced onto this pirate ship. There's no escape now. Thinking too much will only give him a headache.
Yuu temporarily sets it aside, tidies the living room, and heads upstairs.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
After calming down at the inn and putting on makeup, Haruno drives aimlessly.
From the city center to a residential area, she passes a red brick wall covered in children's graffiti and old posters of local candidates from ten years ago.
Though nothing special, she unconsciously stops the car. As if visiting an old haunt, she looks around, lost in thought.
"A familiar feeling… Did I come here as a kid?"
She doesn't know. She always feels her IQ drops a few levels, only able to answer "I don't know" to every question.
With slight frustration, she returns to the car, leaning against the door.
Her hand, holding the wooden comb, rests on her chest. Under the midday sun, Haruno gently closes her eyes as if napping, her long eyelashes trembling.
This warm feeling radiating from deep within her heart… It's so familiar.
Unconsciously, Haruno shows her first genuine smile of the day, filled with relief and happiness.
After a long moment, she turns, gets into the car, and leaves the place without regret.
"…This is just the first stop."
Looking at the familiar road ahead, though quite far from her home yet feeling like she's passed through it dozens of times, Haruno presses the gas pedal hard, muttering with sharp eyes.
"I'll find it, I swear!"
On the front passenger seat, the colorful painting on the wooden comb glimmers with sunlight, like a flower blooming on a bright day.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
There's nothing to do after eating. Plus, the system keeps him from studying in peace. Playing a game is perfect for passing the time.
Yuu visits Sora's room briefly. After making a promise to play Monster Hunter in her room tonight with his console, he finally gets the virtual reality device Kouichirou gave him.
Its official name seems to be NERvGear, shaped like a boxing headguard, but with extra data cable ports.
After setting everything up according to the instructions, he doesn't seek out experiences from others who've played the game. He puts on the helmet, lies on his bed, and prepares to enter the game.
"Holographic virtual reality game, huh… This is really intriguing."
With his Gaming (Expert Level) skill, Yuu gives a faint smile, not the least bit nervous. He closes his eyes and shouts: "Link Start!"
A stream of data light flares in the darkness. The sensation of lying in bed quickly fades, and his entire body feels as if it's suddenly in a gravity-free space, every movement of his limbs feeling strange.
Yuu looks down at himself. In this login space, he's just a glowing body with four limbs.
The manual states that the machine captures brainwave instructions sent to the physical body, recording them into the virtual body. Touch, smell, hearing, and taste can be fully replicated, achieving a 100% immersive experience.
He swings his arm and can't help muttering, "Impressive, but isn't this dangerous? If someone tampers with it, doesn't that mean entrusting your life to the machine?"
"System, if I get controlled by this machine, will you save me?"
Facing this sudden question, the system pauses briefly.
Then, its voice rings clearly in his mind, no different from the real world.
[This machine poses no threat; the Host can use it safely.]
Yuu pats his chest in relief, grinning like an irresponsible ranch owner: "Hooray, you're finally useful!"
System […]
After confirming that even in the virtual world, the system and its abilities remain active, Yuu creates a new account and immediately selects the only game available.
His glowing body feels pulled, rapidly approaching a giant floating city, then sucked into its lowest layer.
The screen flashes, and Yuu sees a familiar character creation interface, unable to resist raising an eyebrow and smiling enthusiastically.
"Gender… Making a cross-dressing character sounds fun. Not that I'm planning anything, just want to test how realistic this game is."
"Then the face… Make it super handsome? Or deliberately ugly? Don't main characters in online games often lower their looks by 30% but still end up so handsome people can't look away…"
"Nah, better not."
After much chatter, Yuu enters the name "Yuu" uses his real-world appearance and gender, and chooses to enter the game.
Confident enough in himself, he sees no need to tweak appearance parameters.
In an instant, the gravity-free sensation vanishes, and the pull of gravity returns to his body.
Yuu looks around, tugging at the cloth clothes he's wearing, then steps on the grass with the tip of his shoe, plucking a blade of wild grass, sniffing it, chewing it, and spitting it out.
"Sora was right; the realism of the five senses deserves to be called a Second World…"
Compared to the empty system space, though slightly less realistic, the elements here are richer and more engaging.
But he wonders if emotions are replicated too…
A bold idea flashes through his mind. Yuu holds his chin with one hand, gazing at the Western-style town ahead, then sinks into thought.
"First… try fighting monsters to earn money?"
As for what he'll do after earning money… ahem, that's hard to say.