The next day, the residents where so shocked to see Kuya Tonyo, handcuffed, riding a police car.
He looked thinner overnight. With Sharon and the rest, still behind him. Whispers erupted, confusion, but some were already suspicious of him.
Just haven't voiced anything out. And Ate Martha still wasn't back.
"Tonyo, what happened? Why are your handcuffed?" Aling Nena asked.
But Kuya Tonyo was just still. Hollowed out.
"Tonyo, lead the way." One of the policemen grabbed his arm quite roughly.
I was looking at them, quite satisfied. Then I helped Lola Aurora back inside, since the sun was high up.
Moments later, more patrol cars arrived, followed by men with body bags carried in hand.
That means, they've found the victims' skeletons.
By afternoon, they're all back with men carrying six filled bags with tags. And each bag? Each ghosts were following it. They're going to their loved ones now.
Getting buried in each of their respective hometowns.
And news erupted the next day. The disappearances of six women that has been without clues, was now case closed.
[TASK FINAL JUDGMENT HAS BEEN COMPLETED. GAINED +100 POINTS]
Even if I finished the task indirectly, it still was considered complete. Since it ended with the same result.
[TUTORIAL MODE HAS BEEN COMPLETED. BONUS POINTS GAINED +50]
My eyes widened.
"Tutorial? All along it was just a tutorial mode?" I grabbed the system's edges and shook it.
[S-STOP! HOST! I'M GETTING DIZZY.]
I stopped. Immediately.
The system...was dizzy?
"Oi oi. You've got a lot of explaining to do. And I was already suspicious of you, since you sounded smug for no reason." I shook it again.
[MY BAD. JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU FINISH THE TASK.]
"I finished it. Didn't I? Even if I puked more than my fingers both hands and feet combined."
The system and I were in a debate. More like, just me venting my anger on it.
I've gathered points only for it to suck it up. Makes me feel annoyed.
The little guy was with Lola, eating. Yes.. it managed to settle in, like it own the house.
Which was, partly, Lola's fault. For spoiling it. Even offered food first to the duwende before me.
I'm finished the tutorial mode and I was draining the system dry for more information. But some were restricted until I level up.
Which was also my concern.
"Why haven't leveled up? It still shows as level 1." I asked scrolling through the system.
[HOST, YOUR LEVEL IS DEPENDENT ON MINE. WE SHARE THE SAME LEVEL. HOST DOESN'T HAVE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL. YOUR STRENGTH MOVING FORWARD WILL BE BASE ON THE SYSTEM LEVEL. AND CURRENTLY. YOU HAVEN'T UPGRADED ME.]
I flicked the edge again. Because I'm mad. Here I am. Thinking I'm the one who needs to level up. But my own was reliant on the system's level.
"And why did you decide to tell me this vital information, just now? And don't tell me the excuse of because I didn't asked!" I crossed my arms glaring at it.
[....]
Yeah. The system was about to say that excuse alright. And because I cut it off, it became silent.
That day, since it was very peaceful. I locked myself in my room and had a heart to heart talk with the system.
With all my points gathered for the tutorial mode, I managed to level it up.
[USED 500 POINTS TO LEVEL UP.]
[SYSTEM NOW UPGRADED TO LEVEL 2]
[NEW ITEMS AVAILABLE IN THE SHOP.]
[MAP FEATURE ADDED.]
And so much more sections, I was scrolling around. Got new skills, and acquired level up achievement.
And the next few days, I enjoyed the peace and quiet of my life in the province.
The duwende, that now I just figured out the name, was lounging at Lola's rocking chair. Living it's life in such spoiled lifestyle.
And it was just three days.
I felt like Lola Aurora was now treating Millien, like her grandson instead of me.
And Millien was a sycophant. He always praise Lola's cooking. Knowing she holds authority over me.
Well, his just mad. Because when he heard the news of the victims' claimed justice. Even if it was late, he was mad. At me.
Because I hid the fact that Paula and the others were now free from the chains holding them back from crossing over.
And he already signed the deal with me through the system.
He's now my companion. In other system tropes I've read, they have this so called familiar who helps them?
I have mine now.
A companion. And quite unique at that. Not a waifu, which I would have preferred, or a dragon, a mythical beast perhaps.
He's a mythical one. Alright. But in Philippine fork lores.
I'm not complaining. I was just hoping I got an OP familiar too.
Finally, someone like me, was chosen as host, yet it was driving me insane.
Making me face my fears and tutorial mode was already beyond reasons. Other MC had a harem full of big futures, but me?
I had a short moment with 6 women. In their gruesome, disfigured, ghost forms.
My life....
[HOST ARE YOU COMPLAINING?]
"No. I'm just comparing. I have been surrounded with women, just like the other MC I've read. Had a familiar, and a system." I looked at the blue screen, and then at Millien.
Then leaned my head on the table. Sighing so loud that it landed as an insult to both of them. I didn't even get to finish my sentence.
I ran out of energy to do so.
[HOST, YOU'RE UNGRATEFUL.]
"I'm just being honest. I'm 19. And I got a system who tosses me to my worst nightmares. And a scammer at that."
[I DIDN'T SCAM YOU. IT'S ALL VITAL FOR YOUR FUTURE. YOU'LL THANK ME FOR THAT. AND I'LL TELL YOU, I TOLD YOU SO.]
After, that heart to heart talk?
The system treated me like, I'm a child it needed to babysit.