Kaito sat there, still stunned by the glowing flashes of blue and violet that swirled around the book before it suddenly appeared in his hands. The energy felt... otherworldly, almost like the book itself was alive. He blinked, unable to fully comprehend what had just happened. His mind raced, but all he could do was stare at the book, still processing the event.
He cautiously brushed his fingers across the cover, wiping away the dust, revealing its name in glowing, elegant text: "Infinite Leaf."
"Woah..." Kaito whispered under his breath, his eyes wide with awe. He flipped the first page of the book, his heart racing as he anticipated what would come next.
Suddenly, an old voice echoed from the pages.
"Hey, kiddo."
Kaito jumped, his eyes darting around, searching for the source of the voice. He looked left, right, up, and down, but there was nothing. The room was empty, save for Aiko sitting nearby, who hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary.
"Kiddo, look here."
Kaito blinked. "Where?" he asked, confused.
Aiko glanced over, raising an eyebrow. "Brother? You talking again alone?" she asked, her voice creeping with concern. "That's kinda creepy."
"I'm not," Kaito quickly responded, trying to sound nonchalant, though he was just as puzzled. "I'm not talking to anyone."
Aiko stared at him, clearly unsure whether to believe him. "Alright, if you say so..."
Realizing Aiko wouldn't be of help and not wanting to sound crazy, Kaito excused himself and hurried to his room. Once inside, he closed the door behind him, taking a deep breath. The only thing in the room was the book — and the strange, undeniable voice.
"Where are you?" Kaito asked, his voice slightly hesitant.
"Here," the voice replied, clear as day.
Kaito's eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait, so... you really are a talking book? I thought I was losing my mind." He ran his hand through his hair, shaking his head. "Maybe the system's messing with me...?"
[System: I'm not, the book is actually talking. To be honest, I'm surprised too.]
Kaito couldn't help but laugh nervously. "So, this is real? I'm not dreaming or something?"
[System: Indeed.]
Kaito flopped backward onto his bed, letting out a dramatic sigh. He was still processing the situation, trying to make sense of it. He rolled around, unsure of how to deal with his overwhelming surprise.
[System: Get up.]
"Yeah, yeah..." Kaito muttered, barely getting up off the bed before the voice cut through the air again.
"Kiddo, get up."
Kaito froze again, his mouth dropping open. The book was speaking to him like it was an old friend. He got up slowly, still trying to wrap his head around everything. "Wait, system," he asked, voice shaky. "Are you sure this talking book is going to make me stronger?"
[System: Yeah, I guarantee it.]
"Believe me, kiddo!" the book chimed in, sounding almost too confident. "I've trained warriors stronger than you!"
Kaito rolled his eyes but felt a small spark of hope. Maybe this crazy situation was going to work in his favor. "Alright, then... how do I get stronger?"
Aiko, still outside his room, could hear him talking again, but this time it sounded even weirder. She hesitated for a moment, then decided to investigate. Was her brother really talking to himself? She pressed her ear to the door, eyes wide with concern. "Should I call an exorcist...?" she muttered under her breath, shivering slightly.
Meanwhile, Kaito, ignoring his sister's concerns, excitedly opened the book again. A new prompt appeared in front of him, one that made him blink in surprise.
Quest: Do not breathe for 5 minutes.
Reward: +10 Stamina (if completed), 20k yen (if failed)
Kaito stared at the prompt, his mind immediately reacting to the ridiculousness of the challenge. "Wait, what?" he blurted out. "Is this really the kind of training you're talking about? Is this going to make me stronger?, old man"
The book's voice crackled, sounding amused. "Yes, it will. And don't call me old man. Call me Master!"
Kaito paused. "Master? You want me to call you 'Master'?" He sighed, holding up his hands in mock frustration. "Fine, fine. I'll call you Master, but I have a condition."
The book scoffed. "What, you think you can make demands of me, kid?"
"Yeah," Kaito said confidently. "Add another option — if I fail, I should get 100k yen."
There was a long pause before the book reluctantly agreed. "Alright, you win. I'll accept your condition."
Kaito grinned. "Perfect."
With the terms set, Kaito jumped to his feet, eager to start the challenge. The voice from the book continued to echo in his mind.
"Good luck, kiddo. Don't fail or you'll regret it!"
Aiko, who had been standing quietly outside the room, overheard the last part. She was starting to feel even more creeped out by her brother's strange behavior. "What's going on in there...?" she muttered, deciding she might need to keep an eye on him just in case.
Kaito took a deep breath and prepared himself for the impossible task ahead holding his breath for five minutes. This was definitely the start of something weird, and he couldn't wait to see how it would all unfold.