Henry raised a brow at Miley's statement. "Why's that?" he asked, looking genuinely curious.
[Well, speed is how fast you move in a direction… let's say, from point A to point B. It's a linear velocity] Miley explained. [While agility is how fast your body moves and reacts to change directions. Which means you need speed to have an effective agility]
Henry nodded in understanding. "Oh. So how fast I can move in a straight line will definitely affect how fast I can move at all."
[Indeed] Miley agreed. [Speed boosts agility, and agility controls speed. Shall we proceed?]
"Yes, carry on," Henry replied.
[Alright, so moving on to Durability] Miley continued. [It is basically your physical toughness… how much damage you can take before breaking. It's very essential for a speedster to have high durability so as to be able to handle the pressure and friction from running at high speeds]
Henry made sure to take note of that info. "Alright," he said.
[Good] Miley muttered. [So finally, Perception governs your sensory awareness and reaction speed as explained earlier. And Mastery reflects your skill proficiency… how well you can learn and utilize weapons, techniques, and abilities]
Henry took in all the information, letting them sink in. Then he scanned his stats properly and winced. "So… I'm weak as hell, aren't I?"
[By the world standards? Absolutely. Your Strength is abysmal. Your Durability is barely better. The only reason you're even remotely functional is because of your high Agility and Perception]
"Great," Henry sighed. "So I'm a glass cannon."
[More like a glass pea-shooter] Miley chuckled. [It's even a miracle you're still alive]
Henry groaned. "You really know how to boost a guy's confidence."
[I'm simply being honest] Miley said softly. [You need to level up and allocate stat points if you want to survive]
"Stat points?" Henry echoed, noticing the line at the bottom. "I have zero of those."
[You'll gain stat points every time you level up or complete certain quests. You can then distribute them however you like… pump everything into Strength if you want to hit harder, or invest in Agility to become even faster. It's entirely up to you]
"Got it." Henry's gaze moved down to the Abilities section. "So… Enhanced Speed is my main power?"
[Correct. It's your Celestial ability… the core of what makes you a speedster. Everything else branches from that]
Henry frowned at the rows of question marks beneath it. "What about these?"
[Those are locked abilities. You haven't unlocked them yet]
"How do I unlock them?" He asked, already imagining the possibility of wielding multiple abilities in a world where majority only had one.
[By leveling up, completing certain quests, or meeting specific conditions] Miley explained. [The system will notify you when they become available]
"Hmm… that sounds mysterious. I like it." Henry moved to the Skills section and immediately noticed several entries marked as {Locked}. "Same deal with these?"
[Yes. Skills must be unlocked through progression or purchased from the Shop]
Henry's eyes lit up. "Wait, there's an actual Shop? I thought the option was just there for decoration," he muttered in excitement.
Miley chuckled. [There's a real shop] she said. [But we'll get to that shortly]
"Can't wait." Henry focused on the one skill that wasn't locked. "Alright, so what's Accelerated Perception? You mentioned it earlier, but I want the full explanation."
[Of course] Miley said. [Accelerated Perception is a hybrid skill… it operates in two distinct modes]
"Two modes?" Henry repeated.
[Yes] Miley replied. [The first is the Passive Mode. It is always active at a low intensity… roughly 1.3 to 2 times normal perception. It doesn't consume EP, so you don't even notice it's running. But it grants you enhanced awareness, sharper reflexes, better intuition, and a subtle danger sense. Essentially, it makes you more perceptive than an average person without you consciously realizing why]
Henry blinked. "Wait, so I've been using it this whole time?" he asked.
[Yes. It's why you're quick-witted, good at noticing odd details, and able to react faster than most people] Miley explained. [It's a constant low-level boost to your cognitive and sensory processing. And it's not noticeable unless you really focus]
"Hmm." Henry thought back to his escape from the pit, his encounter with the beasts, even his conversations with Jane and Felicity. He had noticed things quickly…subtle cues, inconsistencies, dangers. "I just thought I was naturally sharp."
[You are. But the skill enhances that natural sharpness significantly]
"Cool." Henry leaned forward. "And the second mode?"
[That's the Active Mode. It is the real Accelerated Perception] Miley explained. [When you consciously activate it… or when your body detects imminent danger, your perception jumps to 4.5 times normal, based on your current Perception Index. During this state, time appears to slow dramatically. Sensory data floods your brain at an overwhelming rate. Your thoughts accelerate like a supercomputer. You can read movement patterns, predict trajectories, and act with near-perfect timing]
Henry's pulse quickened. "That sounds incredible," he chuckled.
[It is. But it comes at a cost. This mode drains EP… approximately three points per second at your current level. It also causes significant mental strain like I explained before. You won't be able to maintain it for long, especially early on]
Henry shrugged. "So I can't just spam it."
[Absolutely not] Miley retorted. [Use it sparingly and strategically. Save it for moments when you truly need that extra edge]
Henry nodded slowly, absorbing the information. "Got it. Use it smart, not often."
[Precisely]
Henry exhaled, his mind buzzing with possibilities. "Alright. So to summarize: I'm currently an average and weak beginner speedster with decent perception and terrible everything else. I need to level up, get stronger, and unlock more skills. Did I miss anything?"
[That about covers it] Miley said. [Though there is one more thing you should know]
"What's that?" He asked.
[To level up, you need experience points… EXP. And the fastest way to gain EXP is by completing quests and defeating enemies]
Henry perked up. "Quests? Like in a video game?"
[Exactly like that. The system generates quests for you… some daily, some random, some tied to specific events. Completing them grants EXP, Shop Points, and sometimes special rewards]
Henry's brows raised at a particular word. "Shop Points?"
[Currency for the system Shop. You can use them to purchase skills, equipment, consumables, and more]
Henry's eyes gleamed. "Now we're talking. Let's check out the quests."
He mentally selected the Quests tab, and the interface shifted.
< Quests >
[Objective 1: Run 1 kilometer without stopping]
*Reward: 5 EXP, +10 km/h to Top Speed
*Status: Incomplete
[Objective 2: Lift a total of 100 kilograms]
*Reward: 5 EXP, +2 Strength, +2.5 Stamina
*Status: Incomplete
[Objective 3: Do ten pushups and twenty sit-ups]
*Reward: 10 EXP, +5 Durability, +2.5 Stamina
*Status: Incomplete
None Available
None Available
––––––
Henry stared at the screen. "That's it? Just run a kilometer, lift a few weights, and work out?"
[For now, yes] Miley replied. [Daily quests are designed to be simple and repeatable. As you level up, they'll become more challenging. But this one is perfect for a beginner]
Henry chuckled. "And I get faster just by running?"
[Correct. Every time you complete the running quest, your Top Speed increases by ten kilometers per hour. It's a small boost, but it compounds over time. Miss a day, and you miss that boost]
Henry nodded. "So consistency is key."
[Exactly. Now, as for gaining larger amounts of EXP, you'll need to hunt beasts]
Henry's excitement dimmed. "Beasts?" he asked in dismay. "Like actual magical beasts?"
[Yes] Miley replied. [Beasts are ranked from F to S, with F being the weakest and S being catastrophically powerful. Killing them grants EXP based on their rank. An F-rank beast, for example, gives about twenty EXP. An E-rank gives thirty. A D-rank gives forty. And so on]
Henry exhaled sharply. "So if I want to level up fast, I need to kill a lot of beasts."
[Correct] Miley mused. [But at your current level, I'm afraid you're even weaker than an F-rank beast. It would tear you apart without breaking a sweat]
Henry was stunned by his own weakness. "What?!" he exclaimed. "No way. I can't possibly be that hopeless."
[But you are] Miley scoffed. [You're weak, untrained, and unarmed. You'd be dead in seconds]
"Gee, thanks for the pep talk." Henry mumbled.
[I'm just being factual. If you want to hunt beasts, you need equipment. Weapons. Armor. And some other combat supplies]
Henry sighed. "Alright. But I'm guessing all that stuff is expensive."
[Very. Beast-forged weapons and armor are among the most valuable commodities in this world]
Henry pulled up his wristband's holographic interface and searched for basic beast hunting gear.
His jaw dropped at the results.
A basic F-rank beast sword cost 50,000 credits.
A full set of F-rank armor? 200,000 credits.
"This is insane!" Henry exclaimed. "Who can afford this?!"
[People with money, connections, or guild backing] Miley said dryly. [You, unfortunately, have none of those]
Henry slumped back. "Great. So I'm stuck… and broke."
[Not necessarily]
Henry raised a brow. "What do you mean?"
[You mentioned earlier that your mother is one of the world's most powerful figures. I would assume she has access to significant resources]
Henry blinked. Then it hit him; His mum was a rich tycoon. And on top of that… she had a private armory in the house. According to his memories, it was an underground vault filled with weapons and armor of various ranks.
He sat up straight. "Miley. I think I know where to get some equipment."
[Oh, do tell] Miley sounded intrigued.
"My mom has an armory." Henry muttered.
[Does she now?]
"Yeah. It's stocked with high-grade beast weapons and armor. All I need to do is… borrow something."
[By 'borrow,' you mean steal] Miley chuckled.
"No. It's… I'm just borrowing with delayed notification," Henry corrected.
[That's definitely the definition of stealing]
Henry shrugged. "Well, It's my mom's stuff. And I'm family. So… technically, it's fine."
Miley was amused. [That logic is deeply flawed] she said.
"But it works." Henry grinned. "I know where the armory is. I even know the access code."
[And what happens when your mother discovers something is missing?]
Henry paused. "I'll… cross that bridge when I get there."
[You're going to get caught] Miley added with her usual indifference.
Henry chuckled mischievously. "Only if I'm sloppy."
[Which you will be] Miley scoffed.
"Ye of little faith." Henry tutted. "Will you at least pretend to be supportive?"
[I've known you for less than a day and you've already nearly died twice] Miley pointed out. [So excuse me for having little faith in you]
Henry stood up, determination burning in his chest. "Third time's the charm."
[That's not how that saying works] Miley snickered. [And I really advise you to reconsider]
"Too late," Henry said smugly. "I'm doing this."
Miley sighed. [Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you]
Henry smirked. "Noted."
And with that, he slipped out of his room and headed toward the underground armory.
What could possibly go wrong?