The alarm blares, dragging me out of sleep. I fumble for the snooze button and roll over, blinking up at the ceiling. It's just another Monday, and I'm already dreading it. But then I notice something weird—a glowing blue screen floating right above my bed.
"Welcome, Remos Alpego! System Activated."
I sit up fast, rubbing my eyes. The screen is still there, clear as day, floating in the air. This has to be a dream, right? I wave my hand through it, but it doesn’t go away. The text starts to shift.
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"Level 1: All-round Physical and Mental Abilities +0%. To increase your level, complete quests."
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Quests? What is this, some kind of game? I stare at the screen for a moment before a new prompt pops up.
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"Search Quest? Y/N"
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I feel a nervous flutter in my chest as I whisper, "Search quest." The screen changes, and a soft whirring sound buzzes in my head like some kind of sci-fi machinery.
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"Potential quests in the surrounding:
- Brush teeth for 2 minutes. Reward: +0.1% Increase in All-round Abilities.
Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
- Wash face thoroughly. Reward: +0.3% Increase.
- Take a thorough shower. Reward: +0.5% Increase in All-round Abilities."
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I actually laugh out loud. "Brush my teeth for 0.1%? You’ve got to be kidding me." But... I mean, what’s the harm? I drag myself out of bed and head to the bathroom. If this screen is a hallucination, I’ll know soon enough.
I grab my toothbrush, and the moment I start brushing, a little timer pops up: 2:00... 1:59... It counts down while I go through the motions, and I can’t help but keep glancing at the screen. When it hits zero, a soft chime rings in my head.
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"Quest Complete! +0.1% Increase in All-round Abilities."
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A strange tingling spreads through me, like I’ve had a sudden jolt of energy. It’s subtle, but I swear I feel different—sharper, somehow. I lean closer to the mirror, expecting to see some dramatic change. But nope, same old me, tousled hair and tired eyes.
"Did that... really just happen?"
I don’t wait long to find out. I move on to the next quest—washing my face. Another chime, another little boost, and that tingling sensation spreads again, stronger this time. By the time I finish showering, I feel awake, like really awake, as if I’ve just had the best cup of coffee ever. This can't be just in my head.
I’m still not sure what the hell is going on, but there’s only one way to find out. I grab my backpack and head out the door. The cool morning air hits my face, and everything seems a little more... vivid. Colors seem richer, the sounds of the city crisper. Or maybe I’m just imagining it.
When I get to campus, I pull up the screen again. "Search quest," I murmur. That same whirling noise fills my head.
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"Potential quests in the surrounding:
- Participate actively in a lecture. Reward: +0.5% Increase.
- Run around the track for 15 minutes. Reward: +0.8% Increase."
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I stare at the list. This thing is legit pushing me to improve myself, like a personal trainer for life. I can feel my pulse quicken, not with fear, but excitement. If this is real, and if I keep leveling up... just how far can I go?
I glance around the courtyard. The day seems full of possibilities I’ve never noticed before, and for the first time in a long while, I actually feel motivated. I’ve got nothing to lose, so let’s see what happens when I push myself.
I can’t help but grin. "Alright, game on."
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End of Chapter 1.
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