"Acknowledged," the AI stated, its holographic display shrinking back into the dormant blue glow on the device in my hand.
My focus was entirely on the phone now. On the time Nami had set. On the cafe she'd mentioned.
This world was insane. It was dangerous. Anomalies were popping in left and right. Kazuya might be snooping. The workout was killing me.
But Nami wanted to go on a date. And Kyoko wasn't coming.
What was I even supposed to wear?
I looked down at the clothes I was still wearing from yesterday – just some comfy lounge pants and a t-shirt. The cafe Nami mentioned was near the school, definitely somewhere people would notice what you were wearing. It was 1 PM. I glanced at the clock on the wall. Just past 10 AM. Okay, I had about three hours. Not a lot of time to figure out... date clothes.
My wardrobe, Chizuru's wardrobe, was still a foreign land of skirts, dresses, blouses, and things I didn't even have names for. My old self lived in gym gear, jeans, and plain t-shirts. This required a different skill set entirely.
"AI," I muttered, pulling the AI device back out and letting the hologram flicker on. "I need help. Big time."
The AI's digital face appeared, calm and ready. "Query received. Specify nature of assistance required."
"Clothes," I sighed, gesturing vaguely towards the closet. "I need to... pick something. For a date. At a cafe. Near the school."
The AI's display shifted, accessing data from... where? Chizuru's style profile? Online fashion trends? "Analyzing contextual requirements: 'Date', 'Cafe', 'Proximity to school'. Recommended attire parameters: Casual yet presentable, age-appropriate, weather suitable. Accessing wardrobe inventory."
The AI's display showed categorized images of the clothes in the closet. It felt incredibly intrusive, like a robot sorting through my (well, Chizuru's) underwear.
"Based on inventory and parameters," the AI stated, highlighting a few options on the display, "I recommend selecting one of the following ensembles. Option A: Casual dress with light cardigan. Option B: Skirt and blouse combination. Option C: Tailored trousers and a smart top."
I stared at the options, feeling overwhelmed. They all looked... complicated. And feminine. "Uh... okay. Which one do you think is... least likely to make me look like I'm trying too hard, but also not like I just rolled out of bed?"
The AI paused for a fraction of a second. "Option C, the tailored trousers and smart top, projects an image of relaxed confidence while remaining stylish. It avoids the potential formality of a dress or the overtly sweet connotations of a skirt and blouse combination for a casual cafe setting."
Relaxed confidence. Right. I could try for that. "Okay, Option C it is."
The AI displayed detailed images of the recommended items – a pair of dark, well-fitting trousers, a simple but nice-looking top, maybe a belt. It even showed a suggested pair of shoes. I went to the closet and, with the AI's visual guide on the handheld device, managed to locate the items.
Getting into them was another exercise in careful maneuvering. Trousers felt slightly more familiar than a skirt, but the top had some sort of delicate buttons I almost fumbled into oblivion. The AI patiently guided me through ensuring the fit was right, the top wasn't wrinkled, etc. It took a solid thirty minutes.
I stood in front of the mirror, looking at the reflection. Chizuru Ichinose, dressed in clothes chosen by an AI for a date with a pirate. It looked... fine. Normal. But it felt weird. Like a very realistic costume.
"How do I look, AI?" I asked, half seriously.
"Appearance aligns with selected aesthetic parameters," the AI replied dryly. "Social perception probability of positive assessment: High."
Okay, good enough. Appearance sorted. That was one hurdle cleared.
My mind, free from the immediate fashion crisis, drifted back to the physical. The ache in my muscles was a constant reminder of the 'Odyssey to Strength'. It had been a few weeks now, a relentless cycle of exhaustion and slow, steady progress.
"AI," I said, looking at my reflection, turning slightly to see my profile. "How's the... the physical progress? My body? The analysis you mentioned the other day. How's the muscle gain and everything?"
The AI's display shifted to a new interface, showing charts and graphs that made my old gym tracking apps look like stick figures. "Accessing Longitudinal Physiological Data," the AI stated. "Analysis period: Post-transmigration commencement to present."
Numbers and metrics appeared. "Current body mass: 52.1 kg. Lean muscle mass: 41.5 kg. Body fat percentage: 20.3%."
My old brain immediately processed the numbers. Lean muscle mass of 41.5 kg at 52.1 kg total body weight? That was... incredibly lean for a female body, even an athletic one. My old male body at peak had maybe hit 75kg total with 65kg lean mass, but that was a different frame entirely. For this body, that ratio was nuts.
"Comparison to baseline data for Subject Ichinose prior to transmigration," the AI continued. "Increase in lean muscle mass over analysis period: 7.8 kg. Corresponding decrease in body fat percentage: 5.1%."
My jaw dropped slightly. Almost eight kilograms of muscle gain in a few weeks? And over 5% body fat dropped? That was insane. Even with the 'enhanced aptitude', I didn't think it would be this fast. My old gains were agonizingly slow compared to this.
"Strength metrics based on kinetic output analysis," the AI added, showing more graphs. "Estimated proportional strength increase across major muscle groups: Average 35%. Explosive power increase: Average 42%."
Thirty-five percent strength increase? Forty-two percent explosive power? In a few weeks? This wasn't just enhanced; this was superhuman, at least compared to a regular person. It felt like a cheat code was actively working in my body.
"Odyssey to Strength protocol completion rate: 100%," the AI finished. "Physiological adaptation rate: Exceeding projected models by 18%."
Exceeding projected models? Even the AI was surprised by how fast I was progressing. That explained why the workouts, while still brutal, felt less like torture and more like extreme effort now. My body was responding on an entirely different level.
A surge of genuine pride mixed with stunned disbelief coursed through me. My old passion, my old goals, were actually translating into tangible, extreme results in this new form. I might be trapped in a girl's body in a crazy crossover world, but damn, I was getting strong.
"Wow," I breathed out, looking at my reflection again, seeing the subtle changes the AI's numbers confirmed – a bit more definition in my arms, a flatter, harder abdomen beneath the top. "That's... that's incredible, AI."
"Your dedication to the protocol, combined with your unique physiology, is yielding significant results," the AI stated. No praise, just factual confirmation.
Checking the clock again. 10:50 AM. Okay, still over two hours.
Right. The date. The cafe. The paying.
"AI," I said, feeling a different kind of anxiety bubble up. "Money. I haven't checked... how much real money do I have? Like, yen."
The AI's display shifted again, showing a simple financial interface. "Accessing local currency accounts associated with identity 'Chizuru Ichinose'." A number appeared, accompanied by the currency symbol.
"Current available balance: ¥18,500."
Eighteen thousand, five hundred yen. In my old world, that was... maybe a bit over a hundred bucks? Enough for groceries, maybe a new game, but not exactly a fortune. For a high schooler's savings, it felt reasonable.
But for a "date" with Nami... Nami, who mentioned pirates charging less and asked me if it was my treat...
My stomach sank slightly. ¥18,500. Crepes weren't that expensive, but knowing Nami, she might decide a 'date' involved more than just crepes. Maybe she'd want to hit up an arcade? Or buy souvenirs? Or just order enough food to feed a small crew?
It wasn't a lot, especially if this became a regular thing, or if... you know, any kind of unexpected expense cropped up in this bizarre life. The vast sum of System Points felt like abstract game currency; the ¥18,500 felt painfully, realistically small.
"Okay," I said, running a hand through my hair, the high from the workout analysis fading slightly. "¥18,500. Got it." That meant I needed to be... careful. Maybe gently steer Nami towards activities that weren't too expensive. Or maybe just resign myself to blowing a significant chunk of my savings on this one potentially baffling outing.
10:50 AM. Two hours until the date. Enough time to practice walking in these shoes without tripping, I guess. And to mentally prepare for... whatever a date with Nami entailed.
I looked at the AI device again. "AI, confirm status of Entity 'Lee Yuri'."
"Passive monitoring active," the AI reported. "Entity 'Lee Yuri' remains within the designated park area. Kinetic energy signature indicates continued physical conditioning. No significant trajectory changes detected."
Still exercising. Good. At least that potential anomaly wasn't converging on my location. For now.
I sighed, the sound a mix of exhaustion, anxiety, and reluctant anticipation. This was my life. One minute, monitoring spatial distortions caused by dimension-hopping manhwa characters. The next, worrying about my savings account before a confusing date with a shonen pirate.
I checked my reflection again. ¥18,500. Stronger than I looked. And about to go on a date with Nami.
Okay. Deep breath. Let's see how this goes.