"What?"
Sami stared at the profile, stunned. He swallowed as he read the words displayed on the holographic screen.
While he was still going through them, Joonas's voice whistled in his head: "Sweet god. This Vel dude awakened a seriously crazy derivative."
Sami arched a brow. "That's what you noticed first? Shouldn't you be wondering how the hell this stuff knows that I transmigrated?"
Joonas snorted. "Pfft, priorities, dumbass. Who cares how it knows? Maybe the tech in this world is just that advanced?"
Sami's brows furrowed. 'Could technology really be advanced enough to detect transmigration… and know that I'm Choi Sam-woo and not Vel?'
He shook his head. He didn't really buy that. But then, after a moment, he decided to shove that thought aside and study his profile.
His eyes fell on the derivative.
Derivative: [Multiplicity]
Derivative description: [This derivative operates on the principle that two or more can exist or be derived from one. As such, it grants the derivator the ability to create multiple personas of himself, each with unique traits and attributes tied to their nature.]
"Woah… yeah, you're right. This Vel dude really did awaken one crazy derivative," Sami muttered in awe. Then his eyes widened slightly. "This is it! This explains where you came from, Joonas. You really are my persona."
"See… told you," Joonas interjected, his voice dripping with smugness. "Though, I'm not just a persona, boy. I'm the best part of us."
Sami gave a wry expression, then shook his head and went back to reading the profile.
Derivative rank: [Seven]
"Seven?!" Sami blurted, eyes wide. He hadn't even realized he'd slammed both hands on the table in his shock. The rush of excitement was so great that for a second there he nearly sprang up to his feet.
Well, his excitement was understandable. After all, derivatives were ranked from one to eight. The higher the number, the greater the growth potential of the derivative. Most derivators only managed to awaken derivatives ranked three or lower, while the major agencies were built on those with rank fours and fives as their foundation. But a rank seven… even just shy of the fabled eighth rank, it was a rarity so profound that only a handful in the entire world had ever awakened one.
Joonas chuckled, a sinister sound that made the hairs on the back of Sami's neck stand on end. "Taking over the body of an unlucky fellow with a concept object that grants a rank-seven derivative… ha! How lucky are we?!"
Sami facepalmed, deciding it was best not to comment on that.
He brought his hand down and his gaze drifted back to the holographic screen.
Personas: [2]
He arched a brow in confusion. "Huh? Why is it saying two personas? Isn't Joonas the only persona?"
Just then, the Personas section expanded, revealing the names of both personas.
Personas: [Sami - Main Persona], [Joonas]
'Oh… I'm also counted as a persona?' Sami's eyes drifted to the descriptions.
Sami: [This is the main persona, the one from which all others are derived. It is the embodiment of the true self.]
Joonas: [This is a psychopathic persona born from the main persona's rage. It embodies aggression, impulsivity, sadism and the darkest instincts of the true self.]
Sami shivered as he read Joonas' description. 'Holy shi... This explains a lot!'
At that moment, Joonas irritated voice echoed. "Why am I being labeled a psychopath? I'm not! I'm just uh… rational. I don't let emotions cloud my judgment like… most people."
Sami rolled his eyes. "Isn't that exactly what a psychopath would say?"
Joonas didn't answer. After a few seconds, he gave a loud dismissive "Tsk."
Sami ignored him and went back to reading the profile.
Current derivative attributes: [Choose Persona to view attributes.]
Sami raised a hand to the mic on his headphones, then uttered, "Pull up both."
The holographic screen flickered, and a new page popped up.
Sami: [The main persona commands the concept of multiplicity in personality, allowing for the creation of a new persona after every EST evolution.]
Joonas: [This persona commands the concept of multiplicity in object forms, allowing him to transform a single object into its multiple forms.]
Upon reading Joonas' attributes, both of them blurted out simultaneously, eyes wide.
"What? You can do that?"
"What? I can do that?"
Sami ran a hand through his hair, still trying to process what he had just read. Joonas, on the other hand, sounded downright thrilled. Then Sami's thoughts drifted back to his own attributes for a moment.
'What is an EST evolution? And how many personas can I create in total?'
He rubbed his chin slightly. 'Also, how does Joonas' attribute work exactly? If it's what I think it is, then… it's absolutely crazy stuff.'
After a moment, he shoved the questions aside. 'I'll have him test it out later.'
Then his gaze drifted back to the screen.
Traits: [Choose Persona to view traits.]
"Pull up both."
The display blinked, and new data spilled across the screen.
Sami: [Enhanced Situational Awareness.]
Joonas: [Enhanced Combat Adaptability.]
'Oh… not bad.' Sami straightened slightly on the stool.
Traits were not exactly abilities but rather innate traits of a person that had been enhanced after awakening. Of course, his enhanced trait looked great, but what made him giddy was that, from what little Vel knew about derivators, most had just one innate trait enhanced. Sami, however, could have many, as each of his personas had an enhanced trait.
A large grin tugged at his lips as he thought about the traits. Enhanced Situational Awareness probably meant a boost to his perception, observational skills, and maybe even instinct, while Joonas' Enhanced Combat Adaptability sounded like a boost to his fighting skills.
Sami nodded to himself in satisfaction, still grinning as he rubbed his chin and turned back to the screen. He was about to read the next part of his profile when the cook returned, carrying a large bowl of noodles and steaming broth.
"Here you go." The man set it on the table. Sami stared at it as the man turned and disappeared back into the kitchen.
At first glance, it looked… not bad. A bit plain, though. Sami only hoped it would taste better than it appeared.
He clasped his hands lightly and bowed his head out of habit, murmuring in Korean, "I'll eat well," before picking up the chopsticks.
After the first bite, his face scrunched into a frown. Somehow, it tasted even worse than it looked. 'Aissh! How hard is it to cook noodles!'
Joonas laughed, then said mockingly, "Fifteen hundred vey down the drain, brother."
Sami clenched his teeth. "Oh, shut it please."
He forced himself to slurp another mouthful with effort. Then he eyed the rest of the food and muttered through clenched teeth, "Am I going to have to be eating shit like this from now on?"
Joonas chuckled mockingly. "Hehe… this is actually a luxury, you know. You're going to have to get used to worse. People in this sector eat only synthetic foods. Unless you wanna spend a lot of money… money that you do not have, you're gonna have to join them."
Sami sighed. 'What a life.'
Still chewing, he glanced back at the holographic screen hovering above his communicator on the table.
EST: [3%]
EST points: [1/10000]
'What is this EST? …And wasn't it 4% just a minute ago? I could swear it was. Is it… decreasing?'
Sami frowned as he dug through Vel's memories. There was nothing on EST or EST points.
He waved the chopsticks in his hand vaguely at the hologram. 'I'm exhausted. I'll check that later.'
Then he continued eating.
A few minutes later, only the broth remained in the bowl. He lifted it to his lips and began drinking, but just then, a sketchy looking man walked into the noodle store, drawing Sami's attention from the corner of his eye.
The man wore a black hooded jacket and a black cap that obscured most of his face, especially in the dim lighting. He moved to a stool away from Sami and sat down, pulling his cap lower to conceal his features even further.
Sami set the bowl back on the table, licking his lips while keeping the man in his peripheral vision. For some reason, his instincts were screaming that this newcomer was bad news.
He looked at the empty bowl, then made up his mind to get out of here. Picking up the communicator, he turned it off and pocketed it. Then he stood, put his hands in his pockets, and began walking briskly away from the store.
Not long after stepping out into the busy night street, a few meters from the store, he stopped and looked back in its direction. 'What's wrong with me? Why am I being so paranoid?'
He lifted a hand from his jacket and scratched his hair… then rubbed the back of his neck. "Hey Joonas, we're heading to Vel's apartm—"
He froze mid-sentence. At that moment, he saw the man who had entered the noodle store step out and walk briskly in his direction, pulling his cap lower while keeping his other hand in his pocket.
'What the…'
Sami took a cautious step back, his gaze instinctively shifting to the right, where another man was approaching from across the street. This one, too, wore a black hoodie and a cap that obscured his features.
Swallowing hard, Sami turned left and spotted a third man advancing toward him. Just like the other two, he wore black as well, but his face was hidden behind what looked like a black gas mask.
Sami suddenly felt a bad premonition.
'Who are these people?'
He immediately turned on his heel and began walking away as fast as he could manage, muttering under his breath, "Hey Joonas… I have a feeling we're about to get caught up in some really crazy situation."
But Joonas didn't respond.
"Joonas?" Sami called again, but still, there was only silence.
"Hey! Are you there?!"
Joonas jerked awake. "Huh?"
He yawned, replying groggily, "Jeez… I think I dozed off for a moment. Everything good? You seem uh… panicky."
"Sorry, but I don't think now's the time for a nap," Sami replied under his breath as he cut sharply into a narrow street crammed with dingy bars, run-down motels, and the glow of a petrol station on the corner.
"Why? What's happening?" Joonas asked.
Sami didn't reply immediately. After walking a few meters, he glanced back to see that the three men had followed him into the street. Just then, a blaring honk from ahead snapped his attention forward, and he jerked sideways just in time to dodge a speeding motorbike.
"Watch where you're going! Don't just stop in the middle of the road, gonk!" the rider yelled over his shoulder.
But Sami barely registered it. "Shit. Those guys are really coming after me."
Joonas's voice echoed. "Then run, dumbass!"
Sami gritted his teeth and broke into a sprint, weaving between potholes, trash bins, and people as the sound of hurried footsteps closed in behind him.