[DING!]
[User's Position Path Has Been Confirmed.]
[System Binding to Host... Success.]
[System Notice: Path Updated: General → Catcher]
His throat tightened.
Was this real?
Ryan sat up in his bed, rubbing his eyes. The blue, transparent interface hovered steadily before him.
"I got a system? Like those in the novels I've read?" Ryan thought to himself.
Before he could further question his reality, another message appeared.
[System Activation Gift is being prepared...]
[Initializing base compatibility...]
[Awakening Dormant Potential: 4%, 37%, 68%... ]
[Complete.]
"Dormant potential?"
[Ding]
[Title Acquired: Absolute Genius]
[Commencing Body Reconstruction to optimize host for current positional path...]
Ryan barely had time to react before a strange warmth surged through his chest. His limbs tingled like they were being pulled and stretched from the inside. He was in pain. It felt like his body was burning on the inside.
He gasped, gripping the edges of his bed as a powerful sensation washed through his muscles. He could feel heat traveling down his arms, torso, and legs. His breathing became shallow, clenching his teeth as hard as he could to endure the pain.
After what felt like hours, the pain finally subsided. Ryan slumped backward onto the bed, chest rising and falling in silence.
"What the hell was that?"
As he tried to understand what he had just gone through, he could feel his body feeling much lighter. He felt like he could punch a hole through the wall - but of course, that was all but an illusion.
Ryan got out of bed to test a few exercising stances, and to his surprise, his body felt much lighter than he had initially thought. It felt like he could fly at any moment, but before he could continue testing his new body. A calm, gender-neutral voice from inside his head spoke.
[You went through a body reconstruction, allowing your physical body to be tailored for a catcher.]
Ryan blinked, lost for words.
[I am your AI, a part of the system activation gift.]
"An AI?" he said.
[Yes. I exist to support your growth as a catcher through training. I am speaking with you temporarily because the system has been recently activated to answer your questions.]
"Temporarily? What do you mean by temporarily? Can you read my thoughts?"
[Only what you direct at me. I operate on conscious command related to training. As I mentioned, I am here to support your growth as a catcher. I will only speak when it comes to training, I will not be accessible otherwise.]
He took a deep breath. His vision felt clearer, more focused. When he waved his hand, he could sense the subtle motion of his fingertips. He lifted a baseball from his desk and tossed it into the air. His hand caught it with precision he didn't expect.
He glanced at his desk, then slowly stood and stretched. His back didn't crack — no tightness in his legs. The soreness from earlier is completely gone.
"…What even is this?" he whispered.
[Title: Absolute Genius. A compatibility trait based on your innate but previously dormant potential. It will passively enhance your recovery, perception, and muscle control. You now possess a body and mind designed for high-level baseball. You can inspect the details by simply thinking of the title.]
At the mention of the title, Ryan did as he was suggested and thought about his title. What followed was a brief description of the title and its effects after the dormant potential in his body was awakened.
[Absolute Genius]
[Passive Effects Granted:]
- Enhanced Physical and Mental Recovery
- Accelerated Baseball Knowledge Absorption & Reflex Growth
- Perfect Body Control & Tracking Ability
He grinned. "That... sounds OP."
[You were only given the potential. It will be useless if you don't put your hard work into improving. If you become too complacent, the system can deem you unworthy and revoke everything you were given, erasing your memory of its existence.]
Ryan broke out in cold sweat hearing that. He didn't want his memory to be wiped, and he finally got his chance to reach for his dreams. There is no way he will slack off when everything was handed to him.
He decided to put his worries into the back of his mind and went to bed, but had a hard time because of his excitement about his new chance.
The next morning, Ryan woke up before his alarm, and for the first time, didn't feel tired.
Ryan stood in front of the mirror, examining his new body. Defined muscles now traced his frame, a clear improvement from before. He took in his reflection — jet-black hair, hazel eyes, a lean but athletic build standing at 170 centimeters. The reconstruction hadn't just enhanced his strength. It had refined his appearance, making him even more handsome.
"I feel amazing."
His mind was sharp, and he remembered every pitch, every catch from yesterday with perfect clarity. Even the way his mitt felt on each ball, the different spins — they were crystal clear in his memory.
He looked at his hand, flexing it, and grinned.
[Today marks the beginning of a new training plan. Based on your position and long-term goals, we will begin with catcher-specific fundamentals.]
"Wait, right now?"
[Optimal gains begin in the early hours. I recommend beginning mobility drills in 15 minutes]
Ryan blinked. "You're serious."
[I am incapable of joking. Training will now be tailored daily. Do you have access to equipment or a private area?]
Ryan glanced outside. His family's backyard wasn't huge, but it had grass, space, and a fence. It was more than enough to practice.
"I've got somewhere."
Downstairs, Ryan jogged into the backyard while his parents were still asleep. He wore compression shorts and a sleeveless hoodie, already stretching as he walked out into the cool morning air.
[We begin with balance and lower-body strength. As a catcher, knee stability and hip mobility are key. Begin with squat holds — 60 seconds.]
Ryan got into a squat position. It felt... easy. His thighs were strong and solid beneath him. He held the position. One minute passed.
[No strain?] the AI asked.
"None."
[Add vertical jumps, three sets of 15.]
Ryan did as he was told. He could feel the muscles screaming for help, indicating the effectiveness of the exercise. He was jumping in place and landing steadily. The more he moved, the more he felt in control. Like his joints were cooperating exactly how they should.
He kept going. Lateral hops, crab walks, glove-hand speed drills, tracking exercises using tennis balls, AI instructed him to bounce off the wall while catching them mid-air. It wasn't glamorous, but it was technical and valuable training in fundamentals.
[You are responding to the transformation exceptionally well,] the AI said.
[Your recovery rate will allow daily training with minimal fatigue. Would you like to begin skill acquisition next?]
"Skill acquisition?" Ryan questioned.
"Catcher techniques. Framing, blocking, throwing footwork, and so forth."
"Yes! I was looking forward to this all morning." He said.
"But, before we continue. Do you have a name? I can't keep calling you AI. It feels too distant."
[I don't have a name.]
"How about I give you one? How does Nex sound?"
[Understood. My name will be Nex from now on.]
"Alright then, Nex, I look forward to working with you." Ryan smiled.
Back inside, Ryan watched dozens of catcher training videos, breakdowns, and game replays. As he watched, he felt enlightened and couldn't wait to try them out.
He could see everything. How the catcher adjusted their mitt subtly to steal strikes. How they signaled pitch calls based on batter stances. How they shifted the weight for framing.
By the time his parents were up and eating breakfast, Ryan had watched different videos for a while.
Later that afternoon, Ryan and Andrew went back to Slugger's Den. Ryan hadn't told his dad anything about the system. He needed to see if the difference he felt... was real.
They entered one of the bullpen cages outside, where it was quieter.
"Ready?" Andrew asked, tossing him a mitt.
Ryan nodded. "I'll catch. Mix it up."
Andrew blinked, amused. "Mix it up? You know, I'm not a pitcher."
"Oh, right. I forgot someone was getting old." Ryan responded.
"Hey! Who are you calling old? Just for that, you better be ready, I won't go easy on you. I can't throw different pitches, but fastballs are not a problem."
Ryan grinned, "Come at me!"
He crouched to take his stance, just like the catcher he saw yesterday. His hand didn't shake. His balance was a little shaky. He hadn't completely adjusted to being a catcher.
PAH
The fastball came straight into the mitt.
Andrew raised an eyebrow. "You've been practicing?"
"Just a little studying, nothing too crazy," Ryan said with a smile.
"Sure doesn't look like just studying. You've improved a lot from yesterday, and your stance looks better. It's still a bit lacking, but it's better.
"I guess I'm a fast learner."
That night, Ryan lay back in his bed and looked up at the ceiling.
"Things can change really quickly, huh. It's just a matter of time until I reach the top now." He thought.
He put his arm up as if he was going to grab the ceiling, clenching his fist.
"This is only the beginning."