[You’ve successfully started up your family and have gained access to your Starter Pack.]
[Does Host wish to open the Starter Pack?]
"Yes..."
The moment Dan answered, another notification appeared.
[Congratulations, Host! You’ve obtained the Inventory.]
[Inventory]
[Description: As the Head of the Ultimate Family, Host must learn to provide for the needs of his family. The Inventory is one of the crucial abilities required to properly provide for and develop the Ultimate Family especially with the apocalypse fast approaching.]
[The Inventory is a spatial storage space where Host can store items at will.]
[Current Capacity: 50 Cubic Meters.]
[Build and establish a proper stronghold for your family to increase the Inventory’s capacity to 500 Cubic Meters.]
Dan’s eyebrows rose slightly. "A spatial inventory..."
Curious, he asked the system how it worked. After receiving a brief explanation, he decided to test it himself.
He focused on an object nearby and willed it into the inventory.
The object vanished instantly.
Dan’s eyes widened slightly. He then focused on the inventory and willed the object back out.
Just as he had expected, it appeared in his hand.
Dan stared at the object for a moment before a smile slowly spread across his face.
’This is... magical.’
With a spatial inventory like this, carrying supplies would no longer be a problem. He could store things inside it and retrieve them whenever he needed them.
Dan couldn’t help but smile again as he looked at this incredible new ability.
’I can put this to good use..’
He had no idea what kind of resources he would eventually need for the apocalypse, but having a place to store them was obviously better than having to carry everything around.
Another notification appeared before he could think further.
[The family needs some bonding time.]
[Host should prepare for the next minor sign of the apocalypse.]
Dan’s expression changed slightly. ’If the last one was blood rain, what could this one be?’
[System cannot answer that.]
Dan frowned. ’Why? You said you’d answer my questions when asked.’
[System cannot answer due to a restriction imposed by Goddess Aphrodite.]
Dan clicked his tongue inwardly. The system had barely become useful, and there was already someone stopping it from telling him things.
Still, another notification appeared.
[The System can assure Host that, just like the harmless Blood Rain, the next minor sign of the apocalypse will pose no danger to Host or his family.]
[Host may be informed of the name of the next minor sign of the apocalypse, but details concerning the event itself cannot be disclosed.]
’Alright.’
It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing.
’What is this sign?’
[Second Sign of the Apocalypse: Minor Electrical Issue.]
Dan stared at the notification. ’Minor electrical issue?’
He scratched his chin. ’So there’ll be some kind of worldwide electrical blackout? The name is practically self-explanatory. I don’t see why you’d need to hide the details from me.’
[System cannot reveal further details.]
Dan’s brows furrowed. ’You mean it’s not that?’
He stared at the panel for a moment. ’This is a bit tricky.’
Barely three hours had passed since the Ultimate Family System appeared in his life, yet Dan had already become surprisingly accustomed to it.
He hadn’t admitted it aloud, but the system had become rather good company.
At least, whenever he was alone, he could talk to it.
He could ask questions, argue with it, and occasionally even mess with it when he was bored.
The thought almost made him laugh. Then again, despite lying on the bed for quite a while, Dan wasn’t sleepy anymore.
Perhaps everything that had happened over the past few hours had simply made sleep impossible.
Dan tossed and turned for a while before eventually giving up.
He got out of bed, walked over to the window beside it, and pushed it open slightly.
The cool night air drifted into the room. His gaze naturally settled on the house next door.
Sophie and Lily’s home was still brightly lit. He couldn’t see what was happening inside, but simply staring at the familiar house gave him something to focus on while he waited for sleep to finally take him.
Minutes passed and othing happened.
The system remained silent as well, its restriction preventing it from initiating casual conversations unless Dan spoke to it first.
Eventually, Dan sighed. ’System, I know you’re probably some kind of AI, but I feel like you have something to say.’
A notification appeared almost immediately.
[System is not an AI.]
Dan raised an eyebrow.
[System possesses a sentient consciousness.]
[But yes, System does have something to say.]
Dan almost smiled. ’Before you say whatever it is, I have to correct you.’
He leaned against the window frame. ’You’re an AI. AI can be sentient and possess consciousness.’
There was a brief silence. Then—
[System is not an AI.]
[System transcends that classification.]
Dan couldn’t hold it back. He laughed inwardly. ’Whatever you say.’
He had deliberately provoked it, ragebaiting it, and judging by its response, he had apparently succeeded.
More importantly, it confirmed something. Whatever this system was, it definitely had feelings.
Dan shook his head before becoming slightly more serious.
’Anyway, is it possible to remove the restriction on you? You can start conversations and be casual with me. Just don’t go too far.’
[System does not know how Host intends to quantify "too far."]
Dan thought about it for a moment. ’Just don’t do anything that’ll seriously annoy me.’
There was another pause.
[System does not possess sufficient data to determine everything that may irritate or annoy Host.]
[However, System will attempt to remain moderate and avoid actions likely to cause Host displeasure.]
Dan nodded. ’Fair enough.’
Another notification appeared.
[Aphrodite’s restriction has been partially lifted at Host’s request.]
[System can now initiate conversations and make observations.]
[System will attempt to avoid unnecessarily disturbing Host while assisting him in developing the Ultimate Family.]
Dan smiled faintly. ’That’s better.’
He returned his attention to the window. For a while, neither of them said anything.
Then Dan’s eyes suddenly twitched. The lights inside Sophie’s house flickered once then twice.
Then several times in quick succession.
Dan straightened slightly. A few seconds later, every light inside the house went out.
The entire building was suddenly swallowed by darkness.
Dan stared at it in surprise after all his own lights were still working and the neighboring houses were still illuminated as well.
Only Sophie’s house had lost power.
Dan narrowed his eyes. ’Seriously?’
He looked toward the system interface. ’Is this the minor electrical issue you were talking about?’
[Yes, Host.]
Dan stared at the darkened house. ’That’s it?’
[Yes, Host.]
’I don’t see the point of that.’
The system responded almost immediately.
[Host is building the Ultimate Family.]
[A good family should spend time together and support one another.]
[It would be beneficial for Host and his wife to begin developing a proper family relationship.]