His status appeared across his retina:
Name: Tatehan
Level: 1
Species: Human (Enhanced)
Knowledge: 20/100 [+5]
Repair points: 7/100
[Abilities]
• Gravity Manipulation – Level 1
He decided the increase in knowledge must have come from what he learned during the fight.
The lights came back on. All the holographic dummies had already withered, and the sections that had extended from the walls slid back. In less than three seconds, the place was back to how it was before.
The pilot seat that had been tossed aside in whatever crash had landed the spaceship here was now upright again. For a split second, the thought of raising it up almost entered his mind. But then, there was no real place to sit or sleep, and he was already yawning. He didn't know for sure if it was night or day, since the sky here was always orange, but peering through the viewport he noticed it was darker than before.
"[Great fight]," the spaceship's AI said after a few seconds of silence. "[But if this was a real fight, there were chances a normal enhanced human would have taken that would have ended you.]"
Tatehan wanted to mumble a reply, but the AI cut him off unknowingly.
"[Nonetheless, you tried your best. For a first fight, it was impressive. The only thing you have to work on is your speed and instinct. Your body has been designed to predict some movements, but I don't see you doing that.]"
Tatehan nodded in the affirmative.
"Thanks, I'll try to improve."
Feeling hungry, he decided to ask, "What do I eat? I'm starving."
"[Well, there are scraps of food you can manage till tomorrow. Snacks, actually. The crash severely damaged the ship, and you'll have to start repairing it soon if you want to enjoy its features. At full capacity, the ship's like heaven.]"
Tatehan also wanted a shower, his body felt itchy, but he already knew the answer. He needed glowing rocks from carapace monsters to activate the other modes.
He still wasn't happy that training mode had been the first to unlock. Even though it had just helped him with his fighting techniques, it wasn't what he needed most right now, or at least that's how it felt to him. From his understanding, casual mode should have been the best: a toilet, a living space, maybe even TV and popcorn.
---
That night, Tatehan had potato chips for dinner. He wouldn't actually call it dinner since it wasn't sustainable, but it was manageable. He slept on the floor with only a blanket handed to him by the spaceship's AI.
It took him some time to drift off. He had been yawning and stretching after training, but lying on the cold floor, staring at the ceiling, sleep wouldn't come.
Loneliness crept in. Half a day without human contact and he already felt like an alien himself. The AI had at least wished him goodnight before going silent.
The ship's lights dimmed, more dimly than before.
Tatehan thought a lot that night. Mostly about his girlfriend and his dog. Being in this new body, he should have inherited its memories, but his mind was blank. All he could think about was his past life: his father, his mother, and Cassandra.
Her name alone made him sigh. Cassandra, the only girl he had ever dated. Stunningly beautiful. To him, she was like a goddess.
Life could change in seconds. One moment, he had been on Earth, trying to save Cassandra and his dog. The next, he was stranded on Mars, with an enhanced body, in a spaceship with a battered radio.
Crazy stuff.
When sleep still wouldn't come, he picked up the radio and flicked it on.
Static hissed at first, loud, crackling, hard to hear. He shook it, realizing there was no antenna, and finally, it caught a signal.
Tatehan had no idea what to expect. Radio stations on Mars? The idea sounded ridiculous.
Then a voice came through:
"[After the death of the Red Space Dragon and the destruction of Earth, humans have taken refuge on Mars. Now, after years of terraforming, they have found a way to live here. No one thought it was possible. All humans now have systems, ability-granting ones. Powers that make them superhuman.]"
Tatehan sat upright. It was history, an old broadcast, maybe.
"[I am John Beckham, and join me as I interview the humans of the Awakening Institute.]"
Footsteps followed, the man walking.
"[With me here is Nathan, an awakener with abilities and a superhuman body. So tell me, Nathan, how did you survive Earth?]"
The boy replied:
"[My parents are rich. Not meant to brag, but as soon as things went bad, we hid. After the space dragons died in the war they started, the surviving humans gained systems and abilities. Well, I didn't get mine right away. I awakened mine through the Awakening Institute, they help students awaken with magic-like methods.]"
Tatehan squinted. He had been given his by the Red Dragon spaceship, but some humans had to awaken theirs?
"[So what is your ability?]" the interviewer asked.
"[Super strength.]"
Static hissed louder, forcing Tatehan to lower the device. Then, suddenly, the voice returned:
"[Years later, the Awakening Institute fell into chaos. Some humans with darker abilities formed a rebellion and fought against the good side. The Awakening Institute was reduced to debris, and the rebels seized control of the west of Mars. Their leader, drunk with power, now seeks anything to maintain it.]"
The static roared again.
And then, a warning voice:
"[He knows where the Red Dragon spaceship is, and he is keen on finding it. For now, it lies in an isolated zone filled with dumb monsters. But soon, he might find it.]"
Tatehan froze.
People wanted the Red Dragon spaceship?
Why hadn't the AI told him this? Why did it come from a radio instead?
The device went silent. Tatehan dropped it beside him and finally forced himself to sleep.
Tomorrow, he would demand answers.