Chapter 4: Morning

The morning after the party

A loud noise wakes up Kuro as he sits up, looking to the side he saw a single scroll vibrating, the scroll is colored black, with accents of silver. Touching the scroll a jolt went to his body, with his vision being filled with notifications. Already used to this phenomenon Kuro looks at the logs as he found more options have been unlocked.

[Adapting technology, removing inferior systems. Upgrading connection..]
[Advanced technology detected. Copying. Strengthening security. Combining packages. Low-level AI installed.]
[Assimilation complete!]
[Activating AI]

"Good morning owner. What can I do for you?"

Surprised by the voice speaking in his mind, Kuro is scared of the unknown entity residing in his mind.

"What are you? And how are you even talking in my mind?"

"Answering query. I am an assistant AI from the combination of Earth and Remnant's technology. Due to assimilating with the scroll, the emergency package from earth has been repaired enough that enables the creation of an AI. This unit is using the device's innate functions to communicate with the owner"

This existed back on earth? Kuro thought as he struggled to think about the situation.

"So, are you alive? Or what's it called, sentient?"

"Negative, This unit can only assist the owner with controlling the phone. This unit can only be upgraded when in the presence of an advanced AI."

"Just call me Kuro. So, what can you do?"

"Acknowledged. All programs have been equipped with this unit's AI, so this unit is able to use it with your instruction. Mentally call out an app in order to use it."

Mentally calling the browser, Kuro's vision is now showing the webpage, before, to control the soul-bound phone, he needs to physically use the device to access its apps. Now, he can use it without touching it, making it convenient. Searching through the web with only his mind gives him a bizarre feeling. Turning it off he looks at the device.

"So I can't call this a phone or a scroll anymore, I should give it a name. I'll call this Grimoire. Hehe, a modern spellbook in a sci-fi fantasy world."

"Acknowledged, this device is now called Grimoire."

Putting the Grimoire in his soul, he freshens up and prepares for the training later in the afternoon. Hearing a knock, the door opened and Ruby was seen in her usual signature cape, her face looking excited.

"Kuro, it's time for breakfast, let's go downstairs!"

Ruffling her hair, Ruby pouts as they walk down the house, on the table, it looks like he and she are the only ones left. She explains that both Yang and Taiyang both went to Signal Academy for her first year and her dad's job as a teacher.

"How about you Ruby? Do you have school?"

"Ahh, mine starts next week, so we have more time to play! I always play alone when dad and sis go outside for school, Uncle Qrow always gives me a book then goes out when we're the only people left in the house. But now I have someone to play with."

Ruby looked a little lonely after saying that, and Kuro felt anger at the man responsible for this.

"Man Qrow you really messed this one up. I'm going to give him an earful when I meet him."

The table also contains a letter from Yang, saying that the boy can use the kitchen to cook for himself and Ruby if they ever get hungry, and some spare lien in case they go to town.

"So, what do we gonna do today Ruby?"

"Let's play in the living room! Since you have a new scroll, you can use it as a controller for the TV. We have so many games to play like Huntsman Fighters or Weaponsmith Simulator, or that old racing game dad used to call a classic."

They play in the living room, along with Zwei chilling out in the background after he was given treats, the two are getting heated during the match, and as the girl defeats the boy in a cheesy move, he bitterly admits that she is a better gamer than him.

"Hahaha, so this is why sis goes so hard in video games, it feels good to win every time."

Looking at the smug girl, Kuro thought his laptop have games unfamiliar to her and could get an unfair advantage. Thinking about it, will he let ruby experience some of the earth's culture? Yes, he will, these are the only thing left to remind him of earth and want to share it with others. Using the scroll as a controller numbs the hands, looks like ergonomics for scroll gaming haven't popped here, probably due to aura healing any minor injuries.

"Grr.. using this type of controller is very new to me. How about we play on even grounds, Ruby?."

Ruby, getting overconfident in their battles, agrees to his proposition, knowing that she could beat him in any game.

"You can never beat me in Weaponsmith battles. I accept your challenge!"

Kuro goes up and begins thinking about what kind of game they will play as Ruby cleans up the place.

"Ruby's strength comes from her insane reaction speed, and her creativity in real-time battles making it hard to counter her in fast-paced action games, how about a more strategic one."

Picking up the bag, Kuro looks linger at the drive containing this world's story as he goes back to the living room. Ruby is petting Zwei as he lets out content sighs. She noticed the bag and recognized it containing one of the weird materials. She wants to ask about it until Kuro began introducing his device.

"So this is a laptop Ruby, and within it are games and movies from my village. It's like a scroll but more powerful."

Ruby notices it looks similar to one of those devices she saw at the library, ones used to connect to a more extensive database, that is where she got information about weaponry and admires them.

"Ohhh, it's like a personal terminal! Those are really expensive and usually have the same functions as scrolls, so we never bought them."

Starting up the laptop, it displays the usual Windows logo as he typed in his password, the background showing a picture of his family. Ruby notices Kuro looking at the screen with longing and determination, feeling bad about him, she gives him a berry.

'Have a strawberry! It's my favorite food and it always makes me happy whenever I feel sad. I'm sure they're great people and would love for you to be happy too Kuro."

"Thanks, Ruby"

Opening a folder showed a lot of games, surprising Ruby, as even they don't have that many games, picking a suitable one from strategies he found Civ. He challenges her to a battle, as she was too young to understand armies and tactics, Kuro brutally conquers her nation and won, He lets out a noise of victory as Ruby admits defeat.

"That game was surprisingly complex, even more than Remnant: The Game, who knew that fighting without aura could be so different, and you got a lot more? I've never heard of this company, they should be popular since this one is good."

Sweating from his brow, Kuro uses the village excuse to divert her suspicions away.

"Really? I thought it was a normal game for strategy. This game came from my village."

Believing Kuro, Ruby wants to play something more exciting and looks like his laptop contains lots of them.

"What else do you have? Maybe something a little less time-consuming, that took a few hours."

Looking at the clock it looks like they fought for 2 hours, accepting that it took so long, Kuro went back and searched for a family-friendly game, he grins as he found the most famous friendship breaker.

"Another one of those local companies?"

"Yeah, so anyway this is a game called Mario Kart….."

A few minutes later

As Ruby was angry as she was about to finish 1st place, a blue shell was approaching her character, hitting her, making her lose and the boy taking over her position.

"STOP THROWING THE SHELLS"

"Hah, I win!"

The two look at each other and laugh as they have a great time playing with each other. As the clock passes 11 am, Ruby wants to eat some meals.

"I'm hungry. Do you know how to cook Kuro!"

"Yep, lemme look at the fridge."

Placing his laptop back, he goes to the kitchen and opens the fridge he found some leftovers he found yesterday, and he used those to create a meal.

As Kuro was cooking in the kitchen, Ruby looks at the bag containing the grey metal she found yesterday, unable to curb her curiosity, she goes and grabbed the wire in her hands, marveling at the unusual warmth it was giving off, as she was fiddling with the wire, she accidentally puts her aura into it, making the wire shine into bright red with a small flash of silver escaping her eyes.

[Warning! Magic-user detected!]

Authors Note:

I decided that this story would be 1/4 slice-of-life and 3/4 adventure.
Let's get Kuro relaxed and get some form of training til he goes out of the starting area.