Marvel : Copycat System

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After walking for a few minutes, Kai Vale arrived at his family's restaurant — a familiar sight that brought a wave of comfort.

His family's place was a well-known spot in Chinatown, established by his grandfather decades ago. Grandpa Vale had immigrated to the U.S. in his youth, arriving with little more than his cooking skills and ambition. Those skills kept their restaurant thriving, earning respect from the local community.

Kai's family had always been close-knit, even as life pulled them in different directions. His two aunts had married and moved away, leaving Kai to be raised by his grandfather. Under his guidance, Kai learned both traditional Chinese values and the art of cooking. His grandfather had high hopes that Kai would one day take over the restaurant.

But Kai had other plans. He'd studied hard — harder than anyone expected — and earned his way into MIT.

"Guess I didn't want to be stuck behind a stove my whole life," Kai muttered to himself, half-joking.

At the entrance of the restaurant, Kai spotted someone familiar — Lin Yi, his childhood friend. Lin's family owned the grocery store next door. Their grandfathers had immigrated together, one opening a restaurant and the other a store. The two families had grown close, and Kai and Lin had been inseparable growing up.

"Yo!" Lin called out, surprised. "Weren't you supposed to be at the lab today? What happened?"

Kai forced a tired smile. "Didn't sleep well. Kinda messed up in the lab, so I bailed early."

Lin patted him on the shoulder. "Don't stress it. There's always next time. Get some rest, alright? I'll swing by later — we can grab a drink."

"Sounds good," Kai said, grateful for the support.

He pushed open the restaurant door and stepped inside. His grandfather was busy in the kitchen, so Kai quietly slipped upstairs to his room. He placed the laptop and toy car on his desk and locked the door.

"Alright," Kai muttered. "Time to figure out what's so special about these things."

He examined both items closely, turning them over in his hands. Nothing seemed unusual — no hidden switches, no strange markings. Frustrated, Kai sighed and opened the laptop, hoping to find some clue inside.

The screen powered on, revealing only a single program titled **Iris & Voice Registration**.

"Really?" Kai groaned. "This better not be some prank."

He followed the program's instructions, scanning his iris and recording his voice. Minutes passed, and still, nothing happened.

"Great," Kai muttered, "guess I—"

"Host," the system's voice chimed in, "you need to say 'start.'"

"...You couldn't have told me that sooner?" Kai grumbled.

Reluctantly, he took a breath and said, "Start."

The laptop and toy car immediately began to vibrate, their metallic frames shifting and unfolding like complex origami. In a matter of seconds, both devices transformed into small robots — one sleek with blue hair, the other with oversized eyes that scanned the room eagerly.

"Ding, ding! Master confirmed! Master confirmed!" they chimed in unison, bowing like performers on stage.

Kai stared in disbelief.

"System," he muttered, "am I seeing things... or are those Transformers?"

"Congratulations, host," the system announced proudly. "These two are Gear and Turbo. Gear — the laptop — specializes in analysis, research, and data processing. Turbo — the toy car — is an expert in engineering, repairs, and mechanical work. Both are highly intelligent and completely loyal to you."

Kai couldn't believe his luck. The system's gift hadn't just been random junk — these two were valuable assets.

However, his excitement didn't last long.

"Hey! Don't touch that!" Kai yelped as Turbo darted across the room, knocking over a dusty guitar Kai had stashed in the corner. The instrument crashed to the floor with a loud *thud*.

"Stop! Both of you — freeze!" Kai barked, grabbing each bot by the arm. The two robots stared up at him, blinking innocently.

"Alright," Kai sighed. "We need to set some ground rules."

He turned to the system. "What exactly am I dealing with here?"

"Gear is a tactical genius with advanced problem-solving skills," the system explained. "Turbo is an expert in mechanical innovation and field repairs. They are highly capable... but also known for being a bit mischievous."

Kai sighed again. He had a feeling his life was about to get a lot more chaotic.

"Okay, you two," he said sternly, addressing the bots. "Rule one — no breaking my stuff. Rule two — no sneaking off. Rule three — always listen to me, got it?"

The two bots exchanged a glance, then nodded eagerly.

"Good," Kai muttered, rubbing his temples. "Because I have a feeling I'm gonna need you two to survive whatever's coming next."

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