The Kitten

Levi sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the snow-white kitten curled beside him. Its small body rose and fell in steady, rhythmic breaths, embodying tranquility. He had yet to name it. In truth, he wasn't even sure what to make of it.

Weeks had passed since the accident. The once-vibrant home now felt hollow, its silence stretching endlessly, amplifying the void left by his mother. His father had grown increasingly busier, his words sparse, his presence fleeting.

The memory of his mother's voice had dulled into a distant ache, slipping through his grasp like sand. Grief had become a shadow, muting the world's colors, numbing everything in its wake.

He sought solace in the only ways he knew, watching old videos of her, playing games to escape, and retreating into sleep. School felt meaningless. As a freshman in a new town, he had no friendships to tether him, and the thought of forming new ones felt exhausting.

Eventually, he stopped going altogether, drifting through his days in a haze. He spent hours outside, lounging in the garden, swinging by the pond, existing in the liminality between wakefulness and sleep.

Then came the kitten, silent, watchful, inexplicably present.

His father had placed it in his lap one evening with no explanation. "It was in our luggage," he had said, as if that justified anything. Levi had only stared at him, confusion knitting his brow. A kitten, stowed away in their bags during the trip? No one had packed it. No one had even seen it. Yet, here it was.

Levi hesitated before running his fingers through its impossibly soft fur. The kitten stirred, stretching its tiny limbs before blinking up at him with unnatural, vivid blue eyes.

It began shadowing him, mirroring his lethargy. When he napped, it curled beside him. When he wandered the garden, it lounged nearby. When he stared into the pond's depths, it sat quietly at his feet.

Then the dreams started.

Levi found himself standing in an otherworldly expanse, an infinite body of shallow water reflecting a sky of swirling blues and purples. The air vibrated with unseen energy. In the distance, a figure emerged.

As he stepped forward, his breath caught. It was her.

His mother stood before him, luminous and ethereal, her flowing white dress merging seamlessly into the dreamscape. Her chestnut hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her warm, kind eyes shimmered with sorrow.

"Levi," she whispered, her voice delicate, like an echo from the past.

He swallowed hard. "Mom?"

She nodded, her lips trembling. "I'm so sorry, my love. I never wanted to leave you."

His heart pounded. "But… you did. It was an accident, they say."

Her expression wavered. "Yes, it was an accident."

The air around them rippled like disturbed water. "What do you mean?" Levi pressed, desperation creeping into his voice.

She reached out, her fingers ghosting over his cheek. Though there was no tangible touch, warmth spread through him, a bittersweet, aching comfort. "You are stronger than you know. Be strong and live on. Take care of Dad for me, okay?"

His mind raced with questions, but the dream began to dissolve. "Mom, wait! Please, tell me more!"

Her lips curved into a wistful smile. "I will come again, my sweet boy. But until then, listen to the kitten."

Levi awoke with a sharp inhale, his pulse racing. The kitten lay curled against his chest, its blue eyes unblinking, watching him, watching him as though it understood.

Levi lifted it by the scruff of its neck and placed it on his palm, examining it closely. It looked like a normal kitten, except for those unnatural, piercing blue eyes.

"Meow," the kitten called out, tilting its head.

"Don't 'meow' me. What do you know about my mother?" Levi asked, pinching its cheek.

"Meow," the kitten responded before biting his finger.

"Ow…!" Levi yelped.

[Ding!] [System verification successful. DNA matched. Commencing binding.]

A monotone mechanical voice echoed in his mind. The kitten's eyes gleamed, and Levi's vision blurred as darkness claimed him.

The next morning, Levi awoke groggily, glancing at the kitten still curled beside his pillow. He rubbed his temples, trying to make sense of what had happened the night before.

At breakfast, he sat at the dining table, absently stirring his spoon through his cereal. His father entered, his disheveled appearance betraying the effects of the previous night's drinking.

"Morning, Dad," Levi greeted, his voice careful, measured.

His father acknowledged him with a hum, rubbing his temples as the chef placed a steaming bowl of soup in front of him. He took a few slow sips, his expression unreadable.

Levi finished his meal and pushed his plate forward. As he stood to leave, his father finally spoke.

"Wait."

Levi halted, turning back to face him.

"You're behind on your studies," Richard said, his tone steady. "I've arranged for you to be homeschooled."

Levi nodded, his expression unreadable. "Yes, Dad. Thank you."

Without another word, he stepped outside, the kitten padding silently at his heels as he made his way toward the swing by the pond. The little white figure dutifully followed him like a tail. He had long learned that expectations and silence could be heavier than words. 

The Groundskeepers working nearby couldn't help but glance multiple times at the small creature passing by.

From the dining room window, Richard watched, his fingers tapping absently against his coffee cup. He sighed, rubbing a weary hand over his face.

He had never been good at expressing emotions, and now, when his son needed him most, he felt like a stranger in his own home. If he was struggling, how much worse must it be for Levi?

"Can you advise me on this, Jeff?" he muttered, glancing at his personal assistant, who handed him a folder.

"I am sorry, sir. May I suggest taking the young master on a trip? Perhaps shopping or camping?" Jefferson, his assistant and secretary, offered in his thick French accent.

Richard hesitated. "If only I had spent more time with him when he was growing up," he murmured.

But there was no undoing the past. He could only move forward, clumsily attempting to mend what was lost. Even if it meant setting aside his own grief to do so.

The property is a stunning single-family home designed by W. Arnold Harris, nestled in a secluded area of Ann Arbor, Michigan. It spans over 16 acres and includes a private pond covering 1.6 acres.

Levi's favorite spot to be alone is a large sofa swing shaped like a bird's nest. As a child, this was his favorite place to bond with his mom, whether reading books or enjoying afternoon cuddles. But as he grew older, his visits became occasional, and now that she's gone, he lives on that nostalgia.

Today, however, he isn't following his usual routine. He came here to contemplate his latest discovery. An interface has appeared in his field of vision, resembling a video game display showing his stats, quests, and experience values. He recalls last night when the kitten bit him, initially dismissing it as a hallucination. But this morning, while having breakfast, the interface popped up again, strangely similar to the game UI on his PC.

Name: Levi Gray [17]

Race: Human/ ???

Level: 2 [22/100] 

Strength:16/∞

Agility: 15/∞

Mag: 120/∞

Luck: 75/∞

Skills:

Divine Body (SS)

* Rapid Healing -Damage and abnormal status recovery (Passive)

* Adaptive Biology -The body adapts instantly to any environment (Passive)

* Cellular Manipulation -Can modify body cells, age, height, density, and duplication (Active).

Eidetic Mastery; Perfect Memory (SS)ꟾPassive

-Instantly record and recall anything you've ever seen, heard, or experienced.

Thought Acceleration (SS)ꟾActive

-The brain operates at 100x normal speed, allowing you to think and react in microseconds.

Hypercognition (S)ꟾActive

-The ability to process, analyze, and understand complex information instantly. Can solve any equation, master new skills, and predict logical outcomes at superhuman speed.

Language Proficiency (S)ꟾPassive

-Instantly understand and speak any language, including alien or ancient texts.

Dimensional Storage (S)ꟾActive

-One thousand square meters of time-locked dimensional storage for inanimate objects only.

Quest: Fly your AIRWOLF BLACK BELL-222 MODEL ELECTRIC HELICOPTER for 30 minutes without landing.

Time Limit: 2 Days  Penalty: None

Reward: Aircraft Driving Skill (Master Level)ꟾPassive

Description: You can fly any aircraft at (A) Master level proficiency.

************************Note: Ranking systems for proficiency*************************

SS -Grandmaster (Legendary) 

S -Master (Mastery) 

A -Expert (Advanced)

B -Adept (Intermediate) 

C -Apprentice (Basic)

D -Novice (Beginner)

-The average human stat value caps at 10.-

**************************************************************************************** He finally understood why his thoughts became exceptionally clear and organized like a computer data. And why he can readily perceive and pick up minute details that he formerly couldn't perceive. Not only that, all the sticky notes of Chinese characters on his study room can now easily be read and understood.

Levi is now curious about the infinity signs next to his stats, and his race why is there a question mark? Isn't he very much human? He thought.

Levi glances at the kitten beside him. He picks it up and carefully examines it.

"What are you? An alien? A robot?" Levi murmurs, pinching and prodding the kitten.

"Meow!" the kitten protests, scratching his hand and drawing a bit of blood.

"That's the second time… You're really ruthle—" He stops mid-sentence as he watches the scratch heal almost instantly.

"So, this is Divine Body… I'll never get sick or injured again."

"Meow!" The kitten meows, seemingly in agreement.

Levi and the kitten rush back to the house, locking themselves in his room for the entire afternoon. He experiments with his newfound abilities, altering his nails and hair, adjusting his height and age, even growing a beard or wrinkling his skin to appear elderly. He stands before the mirror, shifting his skin tone and hair color at will. By late afternoon, he reads books, scribbles formulas, and effortlessly speaks multiple languages, including French, Japanese, Chinese, Greek, Latin, and Russian.

As the sun sets, Levi has mostly mastered his abilities. He heads downstairs, where his father and another man await.

"Hey, Dad. Hey, Uncle Josh," Levi greets them as they sit by the outdoor fireplace, a chef cooking dinner in the background.

"Look who it is! Your dad was just talking about you. Come, take a look at this." Uncle Josh pats a large box beside him.

"Don't listen to him," Mr. Gray interjects.

Levi smiles and approaches the box. "Freefly?"

"Yeah, go for it," Uncle Josh encourages.

Inside is a sleek, neatly folded drone, the Alta X, as indicated on the box cover.

"Sweet! Thanks, Uncle Josh. I always wanted one, but I was hesitant since I had limited use for it." Levi whistles in appreciation.

"Don't mention it. I know you love collecting remote-controlled aircraft. Who knows? Maybe someday your dad will get you a helicopter or a jet," Joshua laughs, winking at his friend.

"Why not? As soon as he gets a license, I can arrange it," Mr. Gray says nonchalantly.

Really? I should complete my quest as soon as possible then, Levi thinks.

"I guess I will apply, I'm already 17."

After chatting for a while, Levi carries the new drone inside.

"Alex! Isn't that heavy? Let Jimmy carry it," Nana Violet, one of the housekeepers, calls out in concern.

"No, Nana. It's okay, it's not heavy," Levi reassures her.

Nana Violet has worked for the family since before Levi was born. She's married to Jimmy, one of the villa's security personnel, and their daughter studies at UCLA, though Levi has only met her three times.

"Come back down immediately. You have to eat dinner," she instructs in a motherly tone.

"Okay, Nana. I'll be quick." Levi hurries upstairs.

Like his father, who has a garage filled with his own collection, Levi has his own dedicated hobby and collection room, spanning 336 square feet. It features top-of-the-line temperature control and air filtration, a workbench and maintenance area, glass display cases, racks, wall mounts, ceiling compartments, and fireproof storage lockers.

His collection includes:

200+ Small to Medium RC Drones & Planes, 20+ Large-Scale RC Planes, 12 High-End FPV & Cinematic Drones, 10 FPV planes, 23 Helicopters, 32 Concept models, and 18 Turbine Jets & Gas RC Planes housed in a separate 284.17-square-foot hangar in the basement.

Levi only collects functional and operational models, not antiques. Professionals inspect and maintain his collection every six months, ensuring everything remains in pristine working condition, giving him hassle-free time to enjoy his hobby.

Later, at dinner, Levi enjoys saffron risotto with grilled asparagus and pan-seared lamb chops, finishing with a chocolate soufflé.

Meanwhile, Nana Violet tries feeding the kitten, but it only stares at her, turns away, and jumps onto Levi's lap. The kitty does not eat or defecate like other cats, something Levi carefully ensures the housekeepers don't notice.

After dinner, Levi checks the parts of his AIRWOLF BLACK BELL-222 MODEL HELICOPTER for tomorrow's test flight and plugs in the battery to charge. With everything set, he washes up and heads to bed, with the furball curled up beside his pillow.