I had known for a very long time that I was no one special, that I was normal and was destined to live an otherwise normal life, just like my parents. Maybe, if I was lucky, I'd hit it rich with crypto and get to live lavishly for the rest of my life, but I doubted it. But, I figured that was fine. It was more than fine, in fact. My life now was pretty good. Sure, my parents weren't multi-millionaires or anything like that, but we weren't buried in debt, we had our own house, a car, I had my own room, we ate three times a day, and we even had a cat. I was a bit lonely, being an only child, but that was fine. My dad worked as a head-nurse and mom ran a beauty salon of some kind; both of them being migrants from India. Over all, life was good. Life was more than good, actually.
But it was just... normal, I guess. Nothing wondrous – nothing fantastic, nothing magical. And so, on most days, considering I didn't join any clubs in school or had a lot of friends, I spent a lot of my time playing fantasy RPGs, re-watching the Lord of the Rings, or reading fantasy novels. It wasn't that I was anti-social or anything like that. Sure, I didn't have a lot of friends at school and I was pretty much known as the biggest nerd in the university, but I wasn't an outcast, either. People invited me to parties and gatherings, even trips. I didn't drink or smoke, but no one gave me shit for it. I've even hooked up with a few classmates once or twice.
Like I said, life was good. Sure, it was mundane, but a lot of good things happened to me. I had loving and supportive parents, and a relatively bright future ahead of me. I even took up a degree in Microbiology, because my dad wanted me to be a doctor and, all things considered, becoming a Medical Professional wasn't the worst thing in the world. I had pretty good grades as well, which I owed to the fact that I spent most of my free time either reading and enjoying fantasy stuff or just outright studying. I, quite literally, didn't have a thing to complain about.
So, at eighteen years of age, I could say that things were honestly pretty good. Sure, I was normal and mundane, but there were probably billions of people who'd kill to take my place. I was lucky. Nothing magical or wondrous in my life, but I was already resigned to that. Being a perfectly normal teenager with my whole life ahead of me, living in a house in Portland, Maine, in the United States of America, was honestly a pretty sweet deal.
I was normal. And I definitely wasn't the guy who'd expect to see anything supernatural or out of the ordinary in his life, not even once. In fact, after I turned fifteen and tried for the last time to meditate and summon some kind of inner power from myself, I'd given up on the idea of magic entirely. So... why the fuck was I floating in an endless void and looking up at a gargantuan... something that made absolutely no sense to me.
Greetings, Amir Azad, I am Perry Anatinus, youngest member of the Guild. And, through a completely arbitrary method of picking, I have chosen you to be the bearer of my prototype system, which I modeled after my first Universe. Rejoice, your mundane existence is finally at an end; though, to be honest, your world is already quite colorful. And worry not, Amir Azad, you might've been chosen at random, but I am not nearly as uncaring as my seniors as to include no criteria; it won't take you too long to understand and wield the power I've deigned to grant you.
What? What the fuck's going on here?
War-Summoner System Booting in 3...2...1
System Activated!
Name: Amir Azad
Title: War-Summoner
War Points: 500
STR – 5
DEX – 4
VIT – 5
Active Skills:
Passive Skills:
[Gamer's Body] – Allows you to train your physical stats to reach heights far beyond what should be physically possible.
Damn, if those were my physical stats, then I was weak as shit. Not surprising, however, since I barely ever went to the gym and neither did I have any sort of interest in sports, like my parents. I ate healthy, though, stayed away from simple sugars and made sure to consume a balanced combination of fruits, vegetables, and white meat. So, I guess my Vitality stat could be lower.
Hello, this is your System speaking. I'd like to introduce to you the basics of the War-Summoner System, designed by Junior Guild Member, Perry Anatinus. The War-Summoner System, in essence, allows you to summon artifacts, characters, armies, and a whole host of other things from different Universes beyond this one, by purchasing them with War Points, which you can earn by accomplishing hidden feats and quests; additionally, most summons will be locked at the start, requiring you to perform hidden quests to unlock. You can also spend War Points to upgrade your physical stats, though this isn't recommended at low levels. The maker of this system has already inputted a starting universe for you to pick and choose from, his home universe of Warhammer 40k!
I honestly have no idea what Warhammer 40k is, but I pretty much understood how the System worked immediately. I still wasn't entirely sure how I felt about all of this and, truth be told, I still wasn't entirely convinced that this wasn't just a weird dream and that I'd wake up and not remember any of this. But, something at the back of my head whispered and told me that this was not, in fact, just a dream. Still doubtful. However, if this was all real, then... then this was exactly what I'd been waiting for my whole life, something out of the ordinary, something wondrous and magical. And I've read enough Gamer Fics to understand just how monumentally big this was. With this kind of power, I could become the world's first superhero or, as a lot of edgy gamer fics typically did, a conqueror.
Before any of that, however, my first goal should be to become intimately familiar with my System.
A list then appeared before my eyes, a floating screen that had a bunch of names for things that I did not recognize. They were cataloged into Tiers, starting from F-Tier to S-Tier. The only one Tier I could purchase anything from, for now, was the F-Tier. And, even then, F-Tier had hundreds of things that I could choose from, ranging from things that looked like weapons and armor, to outright... people? And even vehicles. This shit was wild. I couldn't afford most of it, however, and filtering the list to the stuff that I can afford with 500 War Points yielded only three items.
[Frag Grenade, 250 War Points] – Standard-issue frag grenade for Astra Militarum infantry. Pull the pin and throw.
[Laspistol, 300 War Points] – A smaller, handheld variant of the Lasgun; still incredibly deadly in the right hands. Pull the trigger and watch as your fleshy enemies are reduced into a cloud of red.
[Lasgun, 450 War Points] – The standard-issue infantry weapon of the Astra Militarum; unleashes potent beams of energy that can vaporize a man's torso in a single hit.
Still amazing, no matter what. Though, everything else on the list was, unfortunately, too expensive for me. I'd eventually get them, I knew, because that was how these things worked. Progression was the name of the game.
As Junior Guild Member Perry Anatinus is ironically not fond of the Gatcha System, you will, instead, be given a choice as to your first free Gift – a welcoming bonus, if you will. You can only choose one of three; so, choose wisely. This gift will stay with you for the rest of your journey.
Lesser Mark of Isha – Grants minor healing abilities at the cost of stamina. Grants the active skill, [Isha's Mercy].
Lesser Mark of Khaine – Enhanced martial arts abilities and boosted physical stats. Grants the passive skill, [Khaine's Wrath].
Lesser Mark of Vaul – Minor boost to crafting and general creativity. Grants the passive skill, [Vaul's Blessing].
Huh, interesting. These were... very different from each other. However, being around my father, who was a medical professional, and being someone who was studying to be a doctor someday, I knew what I wanted immediately. So, I chose the Lesser Mark of Isha... whoever that was, because being able to heal people opened up so many avenues. Sure, the fact that was a minor healing ability meant that it probably wouldn't be curing cancer anytime soon, but if my hunch was right then the ability should develop the more I used it or if I chose to spent War Points on it.
You have chosen the Lesser Mark of Isha!
You have received a new skill!
[Isha's Mercy] Level 1 – Touch a wounded target to accelerate their body's natural regeneration. Current rate of enhanced regeneration is 500% faster than what is natural. (Use of for a total of 60 seconds to level up)
A flood of knowledge surged right into my brain and I knew immediately how to use the skill and for how long I could use it with my current VIT. Five seconds. I had 5 VIT, which meant I could enhance someone's healing for five seconds before I ran out of steam and had to rest. That also meant that, as of now, it was pretty much useless. However, it didn't say that I couldn't use myself as the target. So, in theory, I could prick myself with a sterilized needle over and over again, while also healing myself over and over again, to grind the skill.
Yep, definitely gonna test that.
Of course, I'd also need to increase my VIT, since it was pitifully low. That meant exercise, right? So, as much as I hated it, I gotta start jogging again. If nothing else, mom would appreciate a jogging companion early in the morning, I think. STR and DEX... well, I guess I could sign up for a gym membership and start lifting. I had the funds for that. DEX was a little trickier, but I suppose I could start polishing my climbing skills in the nearby woods. Not sure how to increase it, otherwise.
Hello, Perry Anatinus here; it looks like you're all set. Remember, your goal, as a Gamer, is to entertain yourself and to entertain the Guild. Don't worry, there will be no outside interference of any kind, after this. Once your game starts, you're on your own. Just remember, your world is... far more fantastical than you might think; there are gods, angels, demons, dragons, fallen angels, monsters, mythical beasts, and all sorts of fantastical things just keeping to themselves. My advice? Grow stronger. These beings will eventually take notice of you, no matter what you do; it is inevitable. So, it is in your best interest to start training or, as my fellow Gamers used to say, grinding, so that you will not find yourself flatfooted when they come knocking at your door. Good luck to you, Amir Azad, and Ave Imperator.
What? This world wasn't just mundane?
And then, the darkness receded and I found myself lying in bed, sweating all over, just staring at the ceiling. The fact that there was still a screen floating right above me essentially confirmed that the whole thing had not been a dream. I had powers now. I had the potential to become far greater than I could've been. And so I had the duty to nurture that potential, especially since... Perry Anatinus, the gracious maker of the System of Power that I now had, essentially revealed to me that this world, Planet Earth, was far more than met the eye. And I had to be ready for that.
I sat up and turned to my wall clock. It was still 10:00 in the evening. I'd slept way earlier than normal, it seemed. That was good, because it meant I had time to grind my first skill all night long. So, I stood up, walked out of my room, and made my way downstairs. Dad kept a bunch of medical supplies near the kitchen. I took a single syringe, whose needle I then removed, and went into the kitchen itself to boil some water in a pot. Mom was probably upstairs, asleep. Dad usually came home around 1:00 am, after his shift.
Once the pot began boiling, I placed a fine strainer just low enough to be half-submerged in the water, before dropping the needle in. After about ten seconds, I pulled the strainer up and grabbed the sterilized needle. Good enough. Because I was gonna be doing this shit all night. I then pricked my left thumb, drawing a tiny droplet of blood. And then, I used [Isha's Mercy]...
And almost immediately wobbled to the floor as a wave of exhaustion and nausea washed over me. "Shit."
That hadn't even been five seconds. Award Quote ReplyReport253
I took a few deep breaths, trying to steady myself as the wave of exhaustion and nausea slowly receded. Five seconds had been too much. But after a few moments, I felt like I could stand again. Carefully, I got back on my feet and leaned against the counter, staring at the tiny droplet of blood on my thumb.
"Okay, let's try this again," I muttered to myself.
Pricking my thumb once more with the sterilized needle, I activated [Isha's Mercy] again, this time aiming to sustain it for just a bit longer. I felt the familiar warmth and tingling in my thumb, but I focused on keeping it going without collapsing. One second passed, then another, before I felt the wave of exhaustion hit me again. I quickly deactivated the skill and sank to the floor, breathing heavily.
Two seconds. I managed to sustain it for two seconds this time. Not great, but better than before. And now I knew my limit. I needed to rest for about five minutes before trying again.
Sitting on the cool kitchen floor, I let my mind wander. The knowledge from the system had integrated so seamlessly into my brain that it felt like second nature. I understood the mechanics, the stats, and the importance of training. If I wanted to stand a chance in this new reality, I needed to get stronger. And that meant grinding my skills.
Five minutes later, I felt ready to go again. This time, I pricked a different finger, not wanting to overuse my thumb. I activated [Isha's Mercy] and held on for as long as I could. Two seconds. Another wave of exhaustion, but this time it was a bit more manageable.
I repeated the process over and over again, resting for five minutes between each attempt. Each time, I pricked a new finger, switching hands when necessary. The process was slow and tedious, but I could feel myself improving, little by little. After what felt like an eternity, I finally reached the total of 60 seconds of healing time needed to level up the skill.
[Isha's Mercy] leveled up!
[Isha's Mercy] Level 2 – Touch a wounded target to accelerate their body's natural regeneration. Current rate of enhanced regeneration is 600% faster than what is natural. (Use of for a total of 90 seconds to level up)
I couldn't help but smile at the notification. The increased healing power was a significant improvement, but I knew I had a long way to go. Leveling up the skill now required 90 seconds of total healing time, and I could only sustain it for two seconds at a time. It would be another grueling grind, but I was ready for it. Tomorrow morning, however, I was joining mom on her jog. I needed to level up my VIT as quickly as possible.
Feeling a bit more confident, I decided it was time to make my first purchase. The [Laspistol] was 300 War Points, and although it would leave me with only 200 War Points, it seemed like a worthwhile investment. I navigated through the system's interface, selected the [Laspistol], and confirmed the purchase.
The [Laspistol] materialized in my hand, its weight both familiar and foreign. It was a strange, deadly-looking weapon, and I felt a strange sense of power holding it, but it definitely looked like a pistol – no doubt. I had no idea how to use it properly, but I figured I'd learn in due time. For now, just having it was a comfort.
Exhaustion finally caught up with me. Between the repeated use of [Isha's Mercy] and the mental strain of navigating the system, I was utterly drained. I stumbled back upstairs to my room, sending the [Laspistol] into my [Inventory] as I did. My mind was spinning with possibilities, plans, and the realization that my life would never be the same again. But right now, all I could do was sleep.
I woke up to the sound of my alarm blaring. Groaning, I reached out to silence it, the memory of last night rushing back. The [Laspistol] in my inventory, [Isha's Mercy] now at level 2, and the knowledge that my mundane life had taken a sharp turn into the extraordinary. I sat up, rubbing my eyes and stretching. Today was the first day of the rest of my life. It was almost difficult to believe, honestly, knowing that I'd been perfectly normal... not even twenty-four hours ago. That I could simply will forth the [Laspistol] from my [Inventory] and into my hand was proof enough that it'd been all real. Everything else from now was going to be real as well.
I got dressed quickly, donning some of my most comfortable sports clothes, which I had not worn for years now. Honestly, with how sedentary I lived, I was lucky I didn't grow fat and jiggly. And so most of my old clothes still fit my pretty well. Mom was usually out the door by six for her morning run, and I didn't want to miss her. As I headed downstairs, I could hear her bustling in the kitchen.
"Morning, Mom," I said, trying to sound as casual as possible. I succeeded, I think.
Mom looked up, surprised. At the age of 42, I gotta say my mom looked great. Dad often said that a lot of younger guys often hit on her, thinking she was still in her twenties. Well, she took care of herself. I knew that, aside from her morning runs, mom also attended a gymnastics class in the afternoon. If she had stats, then she'd outclass me by miles. "Morning, Amir. You're up early."
"Yeah, I figured I'd join you for your jog," I said, grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl that we kept close to the front door. Not sure why, honestly. But, hey, dad often said that fruits made for the best snacks.
Mom raised an eyebrow but didn't question it. "Alright then, let's get going. Time's a wasting."
We stepped out into the cool morning air, the sun just beginning to rise. The neighborhood was quiet, save for the chirping of birds and the occasional car passing by. We started at a slow pace, and I matched her stride, trying to focus on my breathing. See, this was why Maine was way better than the big cities, like New York; the air in here was clean and cool. The one time we visited New York City, I cringed every single time I breathed in, because good god did that city stink like shit.
"You okay, Amir? You're not usually one for morning runs," she said, glancing at me as we made our way down the street.
"Just trying to get into better shape," I replied, already huffing. "Thought it'd be nice to spend some time with you too."
She smiled, and we fell into a comfortable silence as we ran. The rhythmic pounding of our feet on the pavement was almost meditative, and I found myself thinking about my next steps. Increasing my VIT was crucial, and these runs would help. I also needed to find a way to improve my DEX and STR. Joining a gym was an option, but I'd have to figure out the best way to utilize my time and resources.
After about thirty minutes, we completed our circuit and returned home. I was winded, but it felt good. Mom patted me on the back. I checked my stats.
STR – 5
DEX – 4
VIT – 5+(1)
Somehow, I understood immediately that the +1 to my VIT meant I'd have to actually sleep first before it became a part of my actual stat. I... didn't like that, but that was honestly still supernatural compared to the development of other people. And, unlike them, my fitness won't deteriorate if I decide to pig it out for a few months. So, I'd sleep tonight and, tomorrow, my VIT would be six.
"Good job, Amir. Keep this up and you'll be in great shape in no time." Mom said, smiling as she patted me on the back.
"Thanks, Mom," I said, catching my breath. "I'll definitely keep it up."
With the run out of the way, I headed back to my room. I had classes later, but I had some time before they started. I decided to check the system for any quests or tasks that could help me earn more War Points. I opened the interface, the familiar screen hovering before me.
Welcome back, Amir Azad. Would you like to check your Daily Quests?
Huh, that was new. I confirmed, and a list of potential tasks appeared. Most were vague, but a few stood out:
Assist in a Medical Emergency – 100 War Points
Win a Physical Competition – 150 War Points
Discover a Hidden Secret – 200 War Points
The first quest seemed the most achievable with my current skill set, especially since I knew a lot about basic medical treatment and First Aid from dad. The others would require more physical prowess or sheer luck. For now, I decided to focus on any opportunities that might arise throughout the day.
After a quick shower, I grabbed my bag and headed out to the university. The day was typical, classes and lectures passing by in a blur. Nothing special. Most of my friends were absent, because I suddenly remembered, just now, that there had been a party last night that I did not attend, because I didn't feel like it. I kept my eyes peeled for any potential emergencies, but everything seemed normal. By the time my last class ended, around 2:00 pm, I was starting to feel a bit disheartened.
No big deal, however, since Daily Quests would always be there. That was the whole point of them. They didn't give out a lot of War Points, but I could always rely on them to be there for a constant supply. If I didn't accomplish any of them today, then that was fine. It was only my first day as a Gamer, after all, and no one was coming after me just yet. Still, being able to help in a medical emergency would be nice.
As I left the campus, lost in thought about the missed opportunity for a Daily Quest, I heard a commotion near the parking lot of a nearby restaurant, which was maybe two blocks away from the University itself – hadn't even noticed how long I'd been walking. A small crowd had gathered, and there were urgent voices. My heart raced as I made my way over, hoping this could be the opportunity I needed.
Pushing through the thin crowd, I saw a young woman on the ground, clutching her ankle and wincing in pain. A guy, presumably her boyfriend, was kneeling beside her, looking worried.
"Someone call an ambulance!" he shouted.
I stepped forward.
"I can help," I said, my voice steady. "I have some medical training."
He looked at me, desperate. "Please, she twisted her ankle really badly. We were just walking, and she tripped."
I nodded and knelt beside her, assessing the injury. Her ankle was swollen, but there didn't seem to be any open wounds. This wasn't a situation where [Isha's Mercy] would be appropriate and, honestly, at its current level, it wouldn't be useful for anything; she needed proper first aid, not weird magic. Her ankle was visibly swollen, and she winced when I gently palpated the area. There were no obvious signs of deformity or open wounds, which was a good sign.
"Okay," I said calmly, "Let's get her sitting up gently. Can you help me support her?"
The boyfriend nodded, and together we carefully helped her into a seated position against him, ensuring her injured leg remained elevated.
"Can you tell me where it hurts the most?" I asked her gently.
She winced again, pointing to the outer side of her ankle where the swelling was most pronounced.
"Right here," she said, her voice strained.
"Alright," I said, thinking quickly. "It looks like a sprain. We need to immobilize it and apply some cold therapy to reduce the swelling. Do you have anything cold we can use?"
The boyfriend quickly rummaged through his bag and handed me a bottle of frozen water.
"Perfect," I said, taking the bottle and wrapping it in a small towel handed to me by a bystander. I placed the makeshift ice pack gently on her ankle, ensuring it was positioned correctly without putting too much pressure.
The girl relaxed slightly as the cold began to numb the pain.
"Thank you," she murmured, her relief evident.
"Just take it easy," I reassured her. "We'll wait for the ambulance to arrive so they can assess it properly."
I maintained conversation with her to keep her mind off the pain, reassuring her and monitoring her condition closely. The boyfriend stayed close, visibly relieved that help had arrived.
When the paramedics arrived, I briefed them quickly on the situation and the initial treatment provided. They nodded appreciatively and took over, checking her vital signs and conducting a more thorough examination of her ankle.
As they prepared to transport her onto the stretcher, the girl managed a weak smile.
"Thank you so much," she said gratefully. Beside her, the boyfriend nodded at me, smiling. "You really helped."
"It was nothing. Just be more careful after this, yeah?" I nodded and smiled, feeling a surge of relief and satisfaction. While it wasn't a magical ability like [Isha's Mercy], being able to assist in a real medical emergency was immensely gratifying. I'd never done it before, honestly. No... more accurately, I would not have done it before, even if the opportunity presented itself. I would have walked away after telling myself that it wasn't my problem.
A notification popped up in my vision:
Quest Complete: Assist in a Medical Emergency – 100 War Points!
War Points: 300
I watched as the ambulance drove away, feeling a mix of emotions. Helping someone had felt natural, almost instinctual, and seeing the gratitude on her face made it all worth it. It was a reminder that even in this new reality of stats and abilities, the basic human desire to help others remained unchanged. Huh, you know what? I decided right then and there that I was going to be this world's first super hero, become my own planet's version of superman.
Sure, it'd definitely attract attention – both human and supernatural. But... well, fuck em.
I, Amir Azad, was going to be the symbol of hope.... just as soon as I had enough stats to become superman. Award Quote ReplyReport233denheim4/7/2024Reader modeNewAdd bookmark Threadmarks VulcanRider4/7/2024Add bookmark#13Simple but good introspection, curious to see Vali enter the picture Award Quote ReplyReport6Dyliokhan4/7/2024Add bookmark#14I, Amir Azad, have a dream Award Quote ReplyReport16Drakeborn5/7/2024Add bookmark#15Interesting beginning. Will he join a faction (cough devil cough) or will he be original and start his own faction (god-emperor style)? I enjoyed the first two chapters let see where it will go. Award Quote ReplyReport6martin5/7/2024Add bookmark#16thanks for the chapter and for writing. Award Quote ReplyReport1Doccer7/7/2024Add bookmark#17Wonder if it creates Daily quests on likely scenarios he can run into? Award Quote ReplyReport1Threadmarks Chapter 3: New Threadmarks denheim11/7/2024Add bookmark#18The first thing I did when I woke up was check my physical stats and, true enough, the +1 I gained from jogging with mom had been fully integrated into my VIT. So, now, my stats were...
STR – 5
DEX – 4
VIT – 6
Still pretty bad, all things considered, but not so bad since I now knew how to raise them. It'd be a pain, of course, since exercise was the only way forward, for now, but it'd be worth it. It meant, however, that sleeping – or just resting – was a crucial mechanic to my growth, which... I guess was fairly realistic, since physical gains and improvements, quite literally, required sleep. It was why a lot of athletes took melatonin to maximize their sleep and rest. I don't think I needed that, but the point remained.
In terms of the System itself, the expenditure of War Points to increase my stats was, for the moment, extremely expensive. I'd been experimenting with my interface last night and found the conversion chart. Essentially, I'd have to spend 500 War Points to increase one physical stat by one point. So, quite literally, that jogging session I had with mom was worth 500 War Points. But, that wasn't all I learned. See, the price per Stat increase doubled each time I purchased an actual stat point. So, increasing my STR by 1 point, costing me 500 War Points, meant I'd then have to spend 1000 War Points if I wanted to purchase yet another increase. The same was true for all Stats.
So... yeah, nah; I couldn't afford any of that just yet.
Basically, the System was telling me that, for now, my best bet was to just exercise my ass off.
There were, however, purchasable items that could somewhat bypass this, because Combat Drugs were apparently a thing I could get my hands on – provided I could afford them. The top three were: [Serpentin], [Nightmarish Power], and [Unnatural Vitality], and each of them had the same cost of 1500 War Points. [Serpentin], once injected into my blood stream, would give me a one-time permanent DEX boost of 20 points. That was a lot, honestly. [Nightmarish Power] was for STR, while [Unnatural Vitality] was for VIT, both boosting their respective stats by 20. These three drugs were amazing, but – of course – they were expensive and I could only use them once, after buying them. So, I was definitely going to purchase them when I could afford them, but I think – for now – it was better to just focus on building up my physical stats the old fashioned way.
It was 4:00 in the morning. No gym was open and I honestly didn't have any weights available. And I certainly didn't want to just fall asleep again and waste time. I felt refreshed – more refreshed than usual, honestly, which meant that sleep and rest were now affected by the System, which was good. That said, I... no longer wanted to just play video games and watch movies on my computer. I had two hours of me-time before I could join mom on her morning jog. So, I spent all that time trying to do as many push ups, sit ups, and squats as I could. I found, quickly enough, just how hilariously unfit I actually was. Still, I pushed myself to the brink, a pool of sweat forming underneath me as I finished a grand total of thirty push ups, twenty six sit ups, and fifty squats... in two hours.
The results, however, were... interesting.
STR – 5(+1)
DEX – 4(+2)
VIT – 6
More than interesting, it also felt really good to be rewarded, but – honestly – I didn't think body weight exercises had anything to do with dexterity, until I realized that they did, in fact, have everything to do with dexterity, just not in the way I expected. DEX measured my overall skill in doing things that involved fine bodily control. For instance, while it did involve strength to perform, I found that form had a far greater role in push ups. Not that mine was great by any means, but I guess that was how the system made sense of it. Whatever the case, that was some pretty good progress. Though, I suppose it'd soon get to a point, wherein I'd no longer receive any stat bonuses from simple body-weight training. But, I could just switch to using weights at that point.
After that, I showered, got dressed in running clothes, and went downstairs. Mom was already standing by the front door when I got down. She didn't ask me anything this time. We went out and jogged for 40 minutes, ten minutes more than last time, before coming home. I still felt like shit the whole time, wheezing and seeing my life flash before my eyes, but I soldiered on and even got a pat on the back from mom for my trouble. What mattered more than anything, however, were the results.
STR – 5(+1)
DEX – 4(+2)
VIT – 6(+1)
All things considered, progress was really good. For now, [Isha's Mercy] was so hilariously difficult to work with that I decided not to grind it just yet as pushing myself to brink every five minutes seemed like a recipe for disaster. Perhaps, once I attained a VIT of 15 or more, I'd start grinding [Isha's Mercy] again, but – until then – it was going to sleep. And, besides, with my low VIT, the skill was pretty much useless. A 600% increase of natural regeneration, which I could only sustain for three seconds without falling unconscious, meant I'd only be moving their self-healing forward by like eighteen seconds, which was fucking nothing, unless I was treating a needle wound, maybe.
My daily quests remained the same.
Assist in a Medical Emergency – 100 War Points
Win a Physical Competition – 150 War Points
Discover a Hidden Secret – 200 War Points
So, it was probably safe to assume that they were going to stay the same every single day. Assuming I somehow was able to discover a hidden secret every day, that meant I could gather pretty much 450 War Points every single day, without having to worry about the Hidden Quests or Secret Feats. Though, 450 War Points, in the grand scheme of things, was nothing. The middling stuff in the F-Tier had costs up to 100k War Points. And that was just F-Tier. No, at the end of the day, the Daily Quests were nothing more than helpers to get me started. The real shit was to be made from Hidden Quests and Secret Feats.
Not that I knew how to accomplish any of them, considering the Hidden and Secret portion of their names, but I suppose I'd stumble into them eventually.
After eating a breakfast of fruits and some poached eggs, I took a shower, got dressed, and just walked to the University. My friends, Benjamin and Terrence, Ben and Terry for short, would be attending today, no doubt still nursing terrible headaches from their hangovers. Party animals, the lot of them.
I arrived on campus just as the sun was beginning to bathe the buildings in a warm, golden light. The air was cool and crisp, a typical early morning in Maine. Students milled about, some hurrying to early classes, others lounging on benches and grassy areas, enjoying the calm before the rush of the day.
I headed to the usual spot where I met up with Ben and Terry, near the main entrance of the university. As expected, they were both there, looking a bit worse for wear. Ben, with his blond hair tousled and dark circles under his eyes, gave me a weak smile as I approached.
"Morning, Amir," he said, stifling a yawn. "You missed a wild party last night."
"I bet," I replied with a grin. "But I had other things to do."
Terry, a tall guy with a perpetually relaxed demeanor, nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you said that last time. You're always so serious, man. You should have come. Would have been fun to have you around. Some of the girls asked about you. Ben and I still aren't sure why women are interested in your scrawny as at all."
"Maybe next time," I said, though I doubted it. My priorities had shifted drastically since yesterday, and partying was low on the list. Though, admittedly, hooking up with hot women was always a good time. But, once again, I had other priorities for now.
We walked to our first class together, talking about the usual stuff—classes, assignments, and the latest campus gossip. It felt good to be with friends, even if my mind was constantly drifting back to the System and the tasks ahead. I knew I had to stay focused on my studies, but balancing that with training and questing was going to be a challenge.
The first class of the day was a lecture on European History. I tried to pay attention, but my thoughts kept wandering. I wondered how long it would take me to build up enough War Points to buy one of those combat drugs. The idea of boosting my stats by 20 points in one go was incredibly tempting. But I needed to be patient and methodical.
After the lecture, we had a break, and I decided to check the System again. The boys and I, as usual, found a quiet corner in the library and opened the interface.
Welcome back, Amir Azad. Would you like to check your Daily Quests?
I confirmed, and the familiar list appeared. No changes. I closed the interface and leaned back in my chair, thinking about how to tackle the day. Assisting in a medical emergency seemed like the most likely quest to complete, but I couldn't just wait around for someone to get hurt. Winning a physical competition was out of the question for now, given my current stats... or was it?
What counted as winning a physical competition in the first place? Well, I just had to test that, right? "Yo, Terry; I'm bored, let's arm wrestle."
Terry dropped the book he was reading, something about Genetics, and shrugged. "You're bored? Not surprised, but eh, why not?"
"I don't know, man, arm wrestling seems kinda fruity to me," Ben said, leaned his head back against a stack of books behind him – an old stack of books, covered in dust. It'd probably been there since before any of us were born. "Two guys, holding each others' hands and staring into each others' eyes - fruity."
"Shut up," I said. He had a point. "I'm bored."
Terry was weaker than me, which was honestly quite a low bar to somehow fall under. And he also didn't care about winning. More than anything, this was an experiment.
We set up the arm-wrestling match on the library table, our elbows pressed into the wooden surface, hands clasped. Terry had a smirk on his face, clearly not taking this seriously, which was exactly what I hoped for. I glanced around, making sure no librarians were watching—last thing I needed was to get kicked out for disturbing the peace.
"Ready?" I asked, my grip tightening.
"Born ready," Terry replied, the smirk widening.
Ben counted us down, "Three... two... one... go!"
I pushed with all my might, feeling the strain in my arm immediately. Terry put up a little resistance, but it was clear he wasn't using his full strength. I managed to push his hand down to the table in less than ten seconds.
"Wow, that was... underwhelming," Ben said, yawning.
"Yeah, yeah," Terry said, rubbing his arm. "You win, Amir. Congrats."
I felt a small surge of satisfaction and quickly opened the System interface, eager to see if my little experiment had paid off.
Daily Quest Completed: Win a Physical Competition – 150 War Points awarded!
Yes! It worked. I grinned, feeling a rush of excitement. It wasn't much, but it was a step in the right direction. I'd need every point I could get if I wanted to make real progress. And that brought my total collection of War Points up to 450 – not bad, I guess. More than that, however, was the stat point bonus that I wasn't even aware of until I checked my actual stats.
STR – 5(+2)
DEX – 4(+2)
VIT – 6(+1)
Oh yes. Look out Terry, I'm about to arm wrestle you every single day, until I get strong enough to arm wrestle against Ben and win. Fuck it. Once I get strong enough, I might just wrestle someone like Eddie Hall.
"What's with the creepy smile?" Ben asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Just... happy to win for once," I said, not wanting to explain the whole System thing to them. Not yet, anyway. It was still too new, too uncertain. "And happy to know that there's at least one person who's weaker than I am."
Terry snorted.
"Let's celebrate your great and noble victory with some food," Terry spoke in a deadpan tone. "I'm starving."