Chapter 3: Show Me the Meaning
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As Ed was about to starts fidling with the options, he suddenly remembered something.

Ed: By the way, do you have a name?

[No]

Ed: Does giving a name means something other than just giving a more intimate way to address you?

[Yes, if you think about those power ups and things of the like that you see in the stories that you like]said the system with a somewhat hopeful voice.

Ed: Then I'm not gonna do it.

[...may i ask why?]

Ed: Simple, i’m to fucking weak and i still don’t trust you, so lets leave it to when i’m confortable doing it and both of us can take a better advantage of this “asset”.

[You do have a point]

Ed: OK, leme see Awakening.

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⏪Awakening

(****************)0.8

(****************)0.8

-

-

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Ed: Dear Lord, look at all this information, it’s overwhelming, my head is going to blow, noooooooo.

Said Ed with the most deadpan face and monotonous voice that he could muster.

[.....Yeah well unfortunately i don’t have permission to tell what this is about and why was forbidden to answer any questions involving this matter, SINCE YOUR SO GOOD IN MANIPULATING LITTLE GIRLS]

Ed: Damn right I am.

Proudly proclaimed Ed while looking serious in the mirror like he was talking about something really important.

[.....Why are you so proud of something like that? Do you want to be marked as lolicon? FBI will be knocking in your door anytime now]

Ed: Oh my lovely system, first of all, I have no intentions of being fake with myself. I've made peace with the kind of person I am for a long long time. Plus, Yes lolita No Touch and all that bullshit and most importantly i’m 16, 13 to 14 it’s still loli and is way more acceptable for me than a 30 something so socially speaking, people will not bother me because of that.

[The fact that your most probably right is irritating to say the least]

Ed: Anyway, I already have a few theories as to what this is, but I'm almost 100% sure that my parents are by no means “normal”, and my family tree may have some crazy shit going on.

[....I hate you]

Ed: Yeah, well, get in line, next on the menu, The skill that pays the bills.

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⏪Skills Unique Skills⏩

Novice Capoeira Fighter

Novice MMA fighter

Amatuer 

Amatuer Hunter

Amatuer Kung fu Fighter

Amatuer Pianist

Amatuer Swimer

Skilled Cook

Skilled Gamer

Skilled Cartoonist

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Ed: I thought I would have more skills.

[The only skills to appear are the relevant ones or the ones with high enough proficiency rank]

Ed: I see, can you tell me how this ranking system works?

[Certainly, they are Novice > Amatuer > Skilled > Advanced > Professional > Master, there are other ranks but these will suffice for now] 

Ed: I see, can the layout of the screen be changed? Do these skills evolve in a use to gain experience base? Can I have a percentage by their side so I can check their progress?

[Yes, with some restrictions. Yes, you are right. Certainly, the change has been made]

Ed: Sweet, now let's see what quests do I have.

[Please note, now that you can see your progress in these skils you may notice that you’ll be having some skills with 100% experience, and yet, they still won’t advance to the next rank. The reason is that there’s a threshold from one rank to the next, meaning you won’t simply be getting better by doing “just” the same thing]

Ed:I see, so experimentation is key, well, let’s see my unique skill.

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⏪Unique Skills

Multitasker(15%)

Poker Face(60%)

Polyglot(15%)

Quick learner(20%)

Quick Thinking(13%)

Sharp Mind(12%)

Sharp Senses(5%)

Sharp Tongue(30%)

Stealth(2%)

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Ed: Hey system, was it you that organised the skills sections in alphabetical order?.

[Yes, considering you i thought it would be best]

Ed: My OCD thanks you.

[*giggle*]

Ed: Please elaborate on unique skills, why they are considered “unique” and why they don’t have a rank?

[Well, Unique Skill, are simple skills that don’t have a rank as they are normally harder to obtain and evolve. For instance, you can know more than one language, but if your are only proficient in one, you won’t get polyglot]

[Also, some of them do evolve, but they will become another skill giving additional kinds of bonuses. But since obtaining them is at least 3 times harder than normal skills, evolving them is equally hard if not more]

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⏪Quests

⊙Exercise Everyday ⊟

Running: 1 Km

Horizontal Pushing: 10

Squads: 10

Horizontal Pulling: 10 

 

Reward 1: 1 point in Endurance, Strength and Speed at the end of the weak.

Reward 2: ?????

Reward 3: ?????

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Ed: Well, I may be lazy but I’m sure that I can do more than that in a day, even if I’m not super fit. Why are they somehow lacking considering my physical shape?

[These exercises are not meant to push your limits yet but to get you accustomed to daily exercising. They will get harder later on. Because of the system your stats degradation will be slower then it would normally be but you still have to keep your body in shape]

Ed: Understandable.

Ed started to change his clothes, it was already night and he was alone in the house. Because summer vacation had just started his sister was having a sleepover at her friend's house making plans on what they were going to do for vacation and his mother was a doctor, and well, when did they have much time for anything?

 Although lazy he was a firm believer of “let’s do it already so i can go back to doing nothing” so all his homework was already finished, hence, his lazing around in bed.

Ed: Well, while I finish preparing I’ll put my multitask to good use, let’s see the Titles.

{*ding* Title session has been viewed, unlocking active titles}

{*ding* You can have 3 titles set to active at this moment}

Ed: ???? What does it actually mean?

[Titles all have passive abilities, they can have more than one and even give some active ability/skill. All your titles will be in effect whether they are set as active or not. But depending on the title it may give a reduced bonus whine “inactive” or give a bonus ability while active]

Ed: Nice, is good to know that my gameplay won’t be narrowed down for sake of ”balance”.

[...]

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⏪Titles

⊚Annoyingly Smart ⊟

You have a wit that allows you to take advantage of most situations you are put through. 

You have an easier time discovering a plot that you’re involved in or discerning the true intent of people involved with you which makes them frustrated and irritated.

⊚Emotional Manipulator ⊟

You are experienced in handling emotions, be it yours or others. 

You have an easier time managing emotions.

⊚Little girl Manipulator ⊟

As a connoisseur of the heart of little girls you know how they operate(pervert). 

You have an easier time handling girls younger than you.

⊚Smart Ass ⊟

You may not know everything, but most people would not be able to tell and that’s what makes it even more irritating for them. 

You have an easier time convincing others that you know what you’re talking about when speaking about something that you have no knowledge of.

⊚**********************************⊟

*********************************************************************************

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ed: Oho, A mysterious title of mysterious mystery, wonder what could it….

{*ding* You’ve got voicemail}

{Voicemail set to auto open upon delivery}

{Listen brat, everybody knows that you are smart, too smart for our enjoyment, no shouts, no confused grunt or pitiful attempts of bravery and rebellion or existential crisis. So, at the cost of you discovering more things that would be better left for later I will take upon myself to be the first to say to you.

GO FUCK YOURSELF}

{*ding* End of message}

Ed: ….

[...]

Ed: I better go finish my quest.

[That would be for the best]

Ed: Anyway, set Annoyingly Smart, Emotional Manipulator and Smart Ass as active.

[Right away]

{*ding* Annoyingly Smart was set as an active title}

{*ding* Bônus ability was activated *The Plot Thickens*}

{*ding* Emotional Manipulator was set as an active title}

{*ding*.Smart Ass was set as an active title}

Ed: Sweet, what's that ability? What does it do?

[Sure, let’s see…..Bonus ability The Plot Thickens: You feel the plot, you smell the plot, you are the plot. You Have a sixth sense in detecting an active conspiracy, scheme or somebody’s plan.

Seems like an ability that makes you more sensitive to any kind of conspiracy close to you, it won’t give you any answers, but will give you a feeling that something is going on.]

Ed: Oho, this time keikaku will not go as planned.

[Not quite, even if your titles facilitate certain things for you there will be a lot a variables depending of situations, like, you are not going to be able to guide the emotions of a master manipulator or someone with deep seeded hatred of you]

Ed: Yeah I know I know, I expected as much, sheesh way to crush a man's dreams.

[*giggle*]

Ed: Well, look at that, the miss system is all giddy inside because of one measly win, even your try-to-be-an-AI facade that wasn’t all that convincing at the beginning is already crumbling down now bit by bit. Is this puberty?

[Asshole]

Ed: Ara, we’ve already reached the rebellious phase?

[SCREW YOU]

Ed: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

And, while laughing at his silly antics Ed was already outside of his house, crossing the garden going to the nearby park so he could complete the mission. While the system was musing to herself.

‘Can a being considered a “newborn” with not exactly what could be called a life concept and which have never had alternatives besides what is fated to do question its life choices?.....Well, I can’t really say i’m not having fun either’

[*giggle*]

Ed: What?

[Nothing]

Ed: That was not weird at all.

[You are one to talk]

Ed: Huh, I can after all, it is I, the King of the Weirdos, Sovereign of the Unconventional, Emperor of the What the fuck.

[God of humbleness]

Ed: If you know some way to talk about your good points without looking like you’re bragging, please, do tell.

[Touché]

Ed: Then I'll keep saying in a jokily and overly dramatic way.

And with headphones on so as to not look crazy to his neighbours, or at least more crazy than normal, the duo continued their banther through all the way.

In the park he searched for a place where he could be more isolated, after all he had a negative reputation to uphold. It was not that hard to find a more secluded place since this park had 250 thousand square meters which is a little more than the total extension of Madureira Park in Rio de Janeiro.

(A/N: About 2691 square feet if i’m not mistaken, math is not my forte and that what the converter i found showed me) 

It was a little past 7pm(19h), normally it would be more crowded but since it was the first day of summer vacation it is safe to say that the majority of people had already traveled or at least used the vacation as a good excuse to begin lazing around.

‘Well, this place is fine for now, I'll have to find a more private space to continue my training. I've worked very hard in the image of the neighborhood weird, lazy and unmotivated kid and DAMIT, I’m going to fight hard to keep it.’

‘....Or not, if it became to much a pain in the ass, if I manage to acquire a power to just shut everybody up and make they stop bothering me, i’m sure as hell gonna use it’

With that in mind he made a mental note to explore the forest close by. Then he remembered to test something.

‘System are you listening?’ 

No response

Ed[System are you listening?]

[Yes, what is it?]

Ed[About changing the status windows, am I able to add or exclude options?]

[It will depend on the content and the reason]

Ed[Can you add a memo option?]

[Sure]

Ed[Thanks]

[You’re welcome]

Ed[Not gonna ask why or how was I able to just talk to you in my head]

[I was, but then again, considering is you i’d better just start to roll with it for the sake of my sanity]

Ed[*sniff* My little girl is growing up]

[Yeah yeah go do your quest already]

Ed turned on his music and started his exercises, as he was confident in doing more than the minimum required he decided to test his limit, not his absolute limit but when he started to get too tired or some ache he would stop and go the next in the list. Overall he managed to do at least 3 times the requirement.

{*ding* Daily quest finished}

{*ding* Acquired a small reward}

{*ding* The stats Strength, Endurance and Speed have improved by 0.2}

As he was returning home, these series messages appeared on his vision making he’s eyebrows twitch.

Ed[System, why the decimal? When I look at my stats there is no such thing]

[It was hidden, as I said before there is the degradation of stats that slowly shave of the decimal part which will make you lose the whole stat point]

[It also work the other way around, working somewhat akin to exp points, the difference between someone with 10.1 and 10.3 is negligible at best, but 10.1 and 10.9 will have a more clear distinction but still much as 10.9 and 11, is like in those Xiaxia novels that you like, one is solidifying in your body the other is already a foundation]

Ed[Interesting, can I lose skill xp?]

[You can, but is more of a situational thing, years without using, atrofiation of any major attributes necessary for the skill usage or simply losing a member. In all these exemples, along with lowering the skill rank you can lose xp gained. Be it simply losing it or the xp bar becoming larger as a result of the added difficulty]

Ed[Ok, add the decimals to my stats so i can better manage them]

[Done]

As he was opening the door to his house he glanced one last time at his stats

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Strength: 5,31

Speed: 8,65

Endurance: 10,96

Dexterity: 7,8

Vitality: 8,13

Intelligence: 30,99

Luck:???

----------------------------------------------------------------------

After showering and putting his clothes in the washing machine, he went to prepare a fresh dinner for his mother that would always arrive late on mondays and after eating alone and cleaning everything he went to bed.

Ed[System, tell about full integration]

[Yes, for full integration you only have to sleep, by the time you wake up in the morning the system will be in full effect. The process will be painless since is a simple thing but as your soul will be meddled with for further change you will not be able to keep conscious]

Ed[Ok then, you can start now, good night “system”]

[*giggle* good night “user”]

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