[Daily Quest: 1/5]
[Contents: make controlled movements with all four limbs]
[Rewards: +1 Strength]
Hmm, so what you're telling me is that I can increase my physical strength by completing this Quest? I wondered. Deciding to test out if what I was seeing was real, I tried to move all four of my limbs. However, I was only able to barely shift my arms. Pouting, I tried again.
This time, I managed to actually hold up my arms and legs for a second. However, when they fell back down, I was left completely exhausted. Panting, I looked back at the Quest Screen.
[Daily Quest: 1/5]
[Contents: make controlled movements with all four limbs]
[Rewards: +1 Strength]
[Complete]
Suddenly, I felt a little stronger and some of my energy was restored. Smiling, I then tried to see if I had a Status Screen I could open. I first thought the words, but when that didn't succeed, I tried to say it.
"Gah (Status Screen)," I mumbled. A yellow screen popped up in front of me. Looking it over, I saw that it was exactly the information I had been wanting.
[Name: Charles Wheaton]
[Species: human]
[Occupation: none]
[Level: 1]
[Stats: Health (12), Stamina (07), Ki (10), (Strength (06), Agility (05), Constitution (05), and Intelligence (05)]
[Title/s: none]
[Skills: none]
[Transformation/s: none]
[Spirit/s: none]
I understand most of what's said here, but there is some stuff I don't get. But I should probably be able to figure it out with some experimenting, I thought. However, the Quest Screen changing interrupted my thoughts.
[Daily Quest: 2/5]
[Contents: drink milk]
[Rewards: +1 Health]
Not sure of what to think about my new Quest, I just put it out of my mind. Closing both the Quest Screen and the Status Screen, I then realized how safe and contented I felt laying here in my new mother's arms. Smiling, I closed my eyes. However, Mother then pulled me closer all of a sudden. Opening my eyes, I saw what she was trying to do.
Closing my eyes again, I did what she wanted. After drinking my fill, I let go. Once Vanessa was covered again, I opened my eyes. The Quest Screen then popped back up.
[Daily Quest: 2/5]
[Contents: drink milk]
[Rewards: +1 Health]
[Complete]
Smiling, I could feel the change in my body. However, since I was now full, I began to feel sleepy. Mother also began rocking me, which added to my sleepiness. In no time, I had fallen asleep in my mother's warm, safe arms.
* * *
When I woke up several hours later, I saw that I was now being hold by Father. Looking up at him, I saw the twinkle in his eyes. Turning, I saw that Mother had fallen asleep. Eyes widening, I realized what Arthur was up to.
"Gah-uh (No, don't)!" I pleaded. But Father didn't understand me, or just didn't care, because he threw me into the air. When I landed in his hands, I once again felt incredible nauseous, but I somehow kept myself from throwing up. A moment later, the Quest Screen popped up.
[Daily Quest: 5/5]
[Contents: don't throw up after being thrown in the air]
[Rewards: +1 Constitution]
[Complete]
Well, I didn't expect this. It almost makes that stomach-dropping experience worth it, I thought. Feeling my body toughen up, I also realized that the nausea was fading away. Smiling, I was feeling incredibly happy about my most recent Quest Reward. However, my father took it to mean that I had enjoyed being thrown.
"See, you like it! I don't know what Vanessa was talking about earlier," he said as he threw me again. Once again, the nausea rose up in me, but it wasn't as bad as before. It was much easier this time to keep myself from throwing up. However, Father wasn't done yet. He repeated the action several more times. But I received an unexpected gift from my father's unwelcome actions.
[Surpassed physical limits]
[+1 Constitution]
Ooh, that's pretty cool. Guess it's important for me to surpass my limits then, I thought with an amused look on my face. However, I decided to check the Quest Screen again since I had currently only complete 3 of 5 Daily Quests, which had been 1/5, 2/5, and 5/5.
[Daily Quest: 3/5]
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
[Contents: roll over]
[Rewards: +1 Agility]
Okay, that seems simple enough, I reasoned. Luckily, within a few moments, my father decided to put me on the floor.
"Come on, crawl! You can do it!" Arthur whispered excitedly. However, instead of trying to crawl, I instead tried to roll over. After a few tries, I managed to do it. Laying there on my back, I smiled up at him. "Well, I suppose that's a start."
Arthur chuckled and picked me back up, cradling me in his large arms. Looking over, I checked out my Quest Screen.
[Daily Quest: 3/5]
[Contents: roll over]
[Rewards: +1 Agility]
[Complete]
I then decided to go ahead and immediately swap to the next Daily Quest.
[Daily Quest: 4/5]
[Contents: lift head]
[Rewards: +1 Stamina]
Certainly seems doable, I thought. Straining my neck muscles, I struggled to lift my oversized baby head. Eventually, after several tries, I managed to lift my head almost half an inch. Putting my head back down, I took a deep breath to recover my energy. I then looked over at the Quest Screen again.
[Daily Quest: 4/5]
[Contents: lift head]
[Rewards: +1 Stamina]
[Complete]
However, what I didn't expect was the message that popped up next.
[All Daily Quests complete]
[Completion Reward: +10 XP]
Huh, seems that when I complete all of my Daily Quests, I get XP as a reward, I realized. That should be very helpful for leveling up, at least at first. I wonder how much XP it takes for me to level up.
However, I decided not to think about that and instead tried to surpass my limits like before. I worked out the best I could in my tiny newborn body, lifting my head up over and over again. Eventually, I got a message like before, telling me that I had surpassed my limits and gained +1 Stamina for doing so. I tried doing it again, but no matter how many times I lifted my head, I wasn't gaining any more Stamina points.
Must be a one per day sorta thing, I thought. Sighing, I then rolled over a bunch until I got a +1 Agility message. Then I moved my arms and legs until I got a +1 Strength message. However, I couldn't gain another Health point unless Mother fed me again, and I was okay holding off on that one. Realizing that there was only so much that I could accomplish due to my age, size, and capabilities, I just laid there on the floor, content to wait for tomorrow.
* * *
Nine days later, I was lying on a play mat at home. I sucked on my foot, pretending to be a normal baby. However, what I was really doing was thinking about my important decision.
Just earlier, I had completed my Daily Quests and got my completion reward, +10 XP. However, I wasn't expecting to level up immediately after. Since I now leveled up for the first time, I was finding out what happens when I level up.
[Level increased to level 2]
[5 stat points acquired]
[1 Skill point acquired]
[Can spend Skill points to buy or upgrade Skills]
[Can select one of three Skills]
[Skills Available:
Oh, looks like I get to choose one of these techniques. Well, using my knowledge of different anime, manga, and novels, it seems like my three options come from the novel I Am Loaded With Passive Skills, the anime Dragon Ball, and the novel Wu Dong Qian Kun, I recognized. So, which one should I go with? I know
And then there's
It was a difficult decision, but eventually, I was able to decide. I picked the most logical of the three, assuming that I would get the chance to pick them again in the future. Clicking on
Is this what it feels like to have Ki running through my body's pathways properly? I wondered. Closing my eyes, I tried to imagine myself flying. Opening my eyes back up, I saw that I was actually hovering a few inches of the ground. A message then popped up.
[
Nice, I created my own Skill! It's good to know that I can do that, I thought. Focusing on the newly created Skill, I started soaring around the room. As I was flying, I didn't notice Arthur and Vanessa walk in. They stood there dumbfounded for several minutes, just watching. However, Father was the first to recover and react.
"Our little boy is already using magic! Look, Vanessa, look! He's a genius!" Father shouted. Turning around in midair, I finally realized they were there. I flew back to the ground and laid there, trying to act cute. However, my father walked over and picked me up. "As soon as you're old enough, we're gonna send you to an academy where you can properly learn magic!"
"Arthur, isn't that a decision we need to make together?" Mother asked, crossing her arms.
"Oh, yes, of course, I just figured that if he was good enough to be flying around at ten days old, then we should send him to an academy," Father replied, completely flustered. However, Mother just laughed and walked over to us. She took me from Father and held me tightly in her arms.
"I'm teasing you, Arthur. I actually agree with you," she told him. "However, maybe we should have him tested, just to see if he really is the genius we think he is."
"But we just saw him flying. Only high-level mages can use flying magic," Arthur argued. "How could he not be a genius?"
"I'm just saying, let's have him tested so we know what his potential is before we act all crazy," Vanessa reasoned. "Besides, you have to at least be four years old to be tested, but you can only enter an academy once you're thirteen or older."
"Alright, fine, we'll get him tested when he turn four. But I'm expecting him to get at least an A+ rating on the test," Father replied.
"Please don't place such high expectations on him, Arthur. We need him to know that we'll love and support him regardless of whatever rating he gets," Mother said, exasperated. "Either way, let's just drop this for now, okay?"
"Okay, I'll drop the subject," Father told her. He then walked out of the room, sighing. Mother then put me back down and patted my head.
"Oh, Charles, I also would love for you to be a strong mage. I mean, all parents want their kids to be exceptional. But I also just want you to be happy, and like I told your father, I will support and love you no matter what, and I'm sure he will too. He just carried away when he saw you flying," Mother said to me, assuming that I didn't know what she was saying. However, I had of course fully understood everything she and Father had said earlier.
Don't worry, Mom, your son will be exceptional, just like you and Father want, I thought. However, I just started playing with the toys around me. I didn't want them to know that I wasn't actually a baby mentally, that I was an eighteen-year-old boy.
Either way, I was now determined to get the highest score ever recorded when I get tested in four years.