With each movement her legs ached, her tendons begging for relief. Yet, with only the barest glint of pain in her eyes Alenes continued her stretches, each day looking to go further and further. She didn't know what stat flexibility fell under, but in the end, it didn't matter, for all of them needed to be increased. 'A week, and not a single stat increase. I should have expected it when I saw such low what I believe to be caps, but it's still surprising.' A grunt of exertion slipped from her mouth as she moved out of the stretch just as her legs ached too much, and before she was about to push her body too far.

'But just because the stats haven't increased doesn't mean I haven't noticed a difference, it's just that the gaps between stats are too much. Yet, it's strange. I feel stronger every day at what should be considered a ridiculous rate. I move faster, my movements flow easier, and yet - it's almost like something is siphoning away my progress, not all of it - just most.'

DING! Hidden Information learned. The system takes the majority of physical or spiritual development, holding it back to explode at the correct moment for optimal stat growth.

For a brief moment, she stared baffled at the willingly offered information, before she dropped to a push-up position with a grin on her lips. 'Well, that answers that question. That certainly assuages some worries of a warp daemon sucking up my physical energy or something.... assuming the system isn't a warp daemon. If the Deep theory is correct, it's 100% a Warp Entity, which is horrifying, and it's almost certainly something that deserves to be in the Black Cells. But, hopefully, it's not as bad as the Daemon's. My best hope to not get utterly fucked is to never tell anyone about the system, which sucks because there are some really fucking smart people in this galaxy.' Throughout her internal monologue, she slowly went through a set of push-ups, and when finished with that set flipped onto her back and began to do crunches. 'Not much I can do if the system decides to do something nefarious, but it's worth some attention. Anyways, system what's the rate of progress on the skill-sheet update I asked for?'

Instead of a response, all she got was a floating red and gold box, with both her combat skills and general skills combined, with some changes.

Basic Life Skills: Adept Discipline: Novice Meditation: Adept Anger Inducement: Adept Prayer: Novice Hand to Hand: Novice Mental Shield: Novice

Going over the updated non-Psionic skills, she nodded. 'Good, exactly what I wanted. All the various life skills that I can't care about individually are now Basic Life Skills, my religion skill is fucked off out of my view, and now I don't have to see that I'm good at taking pain every time I try to use my system. Overall, a good change. Was weird that some of those basic skills weren't hidden in the first place, after all, I don't have a breathing skill, moving skill, lifting skill, etc.' Letting out an amused huff, she swapped back to her stomach and began push-ups once more. 'Last set of push-ups for the day. It's strange, but I feel lighter and happier now that the only skills I see are the ones I care about. Human nature is truly a curious thing.'

It was as Alenes mused about human nature, having gotten distracted from her previous thoughts before asking about the skills update progress, that she froze. A warm sensation crawled about her body, not alien - not ethereal. No, it came truly from deep inside of her. It surged from through her body, through her soul. It felt as if all of a sudden she could bench a car, run a hundred kilometers, and then punch out a million Xeno back-to-back. Hell, she felt like she could wade through a plague world and come out unscathed! Yet, through it all - she was not enthralled like when that Daemon tried to seduce her. Her mind was clear, and she had full control. Even as wave of heat after wave of heat suffused her body, she remained calm enough to stop her push-ups and position herself in a sitting position.

This was not a seduction. It was not a trick. She knew it, and the system confirmed it.

Congratulations! Your strength is now 0.1/0.5

Hidden Quest: First Gains has been completed. Reward: Gain 1 status point. Every night when you sleep for the next five years you will be ethereally transported to do one of the following. You have one week to select which option.

A. Adamus Clave training.

B. Schola Progenium schooling.

C. Live on Catachan.

"Holy shit." Her whispered words contained both awe and fear. Adamus Clave - the Temple that taught swordmaster assassins, and to some - only thought to exist during the Dark Age of Technology. The age when humanity was technologically at its peak when space, time, and reality itself had slowly begun to be their bitch. Schola Progenium, it was just about the most well-rounded-basic training in the Imperium, and it even had some specialized training. It was the type of school that shipped out the people for the Imperium. Diplomats, Scholars, and the like - sure. But also future Sisters of Battle, Storm Troopers, and Commisars. The elite humans. Then of course Catachan. Just about the biggest fucking hell hole in existence, and just by living there, you had a decent chance to become one of the best fighters in all the galaxy, at least for humans.

All of them were great choices. All of them were also incredibly deadly, highly likely to shatter a human psyche, and were some of the most sadistic training a human mind could come up with. 'Of course, the Schola Progenium should be easier than the other two, and probably much more systematic for things like ruling, army tactics, and the like. Then again, in the case I ever get forced into doing the Imperium's Psyker or Space Marine training, choosing Adamus Clave or Catachan would be excellent. Plus, as a lone Psyker that at any moment the Imperium could send the Black Ship after, being a master swordmaster AND assassin would be great.' It was a tough choice, that would for years, decades, or possibly even centuries and millennia to come influence her. Luckily - she had a week to decide. 'Mhm... any of the choices I'm going to need more willpower to survive, so I'll definitely need to use my points there again. But, just in case it increases during this week I shouldn't use the status point yet. System: stats status please.' Did she need to see her main status? No! Was she practically vibrating in glee at the anticipation of seeing that dreaded '0' gone? Emperor yes!

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

Physical: 0.1/0.5 Movement: 0.1/0.6 Reflex: 0.2/1 Willpower: 0.7/1 Psyker: 8.25 Status Points: 1

Alenes stared at the sheet for a self-admittedly disturbingly long time, before a hint of confusion crossed her face. "Now, why exactly is this Status Point "1" shouldn't it be 0.1?" It was a curious observation of hers, that she hadn't caught onto the two times she got status points, but now that she stared at it for so long, was truly a question that confounded her. After all, the status point didn't GIVE her 1, merely 0.1. 'Strange. Is there a way to get more out of status points? If so, I'd love to be able to save them, but... I have a feeling that the system won't just stop increasing my Psyker potential without my permission, especially considering it's the one stat I can't increase. I need to keep using them to max out my willpower as soon as possible. If what I felt the last time I did it stays, then the difference between each 0.1 in willpower is obscene. Honestly, I haven't had any increases in stats besides it and Physical, but just those two the difference has been immense. Psyker... had the biggest reaction, but I honestly don't feel too different, but then again it's drastically higher than everything else.'

She let out a breath of air and slowly calmed down her mind and thoughts. 'I have time to think, but for now, it's just about time to start dinner. Cousin should be getting back from guard duty soon... not that anyone has told me what he's actually guarding against!'

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

A confused look was plain to see on Alenes face as she gently tugged at the sleeves of her nightshirt. 'This definitely used to be longer.' A glance downwards had both of her eyebrows raised. 'Huh, my pants too. Wait a second...' Lifting up her sleeping shirt, she stared at her stomach, then towards her arms which she flexed. 'Oh! Physical does change my body. Wait...' A brief momentary flash of horror crossed her face before she quickly controlled it. 'I'm... I'm sure I won't become a three-meter-tall titan like the Primarchs. Right? Well, it's not that bad I guess if I do, at least I'll have reach on people?' Even though she thought that the hesitation and resistance spread across her face were obvious. 'Well, I guess dresses are going to be stupidly expensive now.' With a forced smile on her face, she stopped lifting up her shirt and walked on over too her bed. 'Right, enough of the future, it's time to focus on the now! Mental Shield it's time for you to make progress on PURPOSE!'

Plopped down in the center of the bed, she quickly began her typical process of meditation. Dozens of minutes passed, before finally, her conscious thoughts shifted and warped. 'A great bonfire that fights off the insidious cold.' Inside of her mind, a flickering flame appeared, roaring like an inferno, before shortly after dying down. 'A stalwart wall, rebutting the forward charge of Chaos.' A great stone wall appeared, it flickered in and out of existence before it suddenly vanished. 'Not enough, again.' Time, and time she imagined the wall, before finally...

Combat Skill: Mental Shield has reached MAX Progress for Novice. Activate information transfer for Mental Shield?

Sweat dripped from her brow, her shirt was slick and her hands clammy. Yet, a broad smile appeared across Alenes face. 'Yes! Initiate the transfer.' Knowledge bloomed within her. Dozens upon dozens of lessons taught by an unknown teacher. Their harsh whispers seeped theory after theory, practical application after practical into her mind. Each second her knowledge not just about Mental Shields, but the mind in general bloomed. A long minute passed, before blue weary eyes for a brief moment brimmed with immense knowledge no child should have. Minutes passed like this before her eyes turned to normal and her body slumped. 'Amazing...' Although her thoughts were slow and tired, it was not enough to stop her sheer amazement. It was as if in that one minute she had spent years learning at the hands of a master. 'Is it like that for all skills? If so...' There was a hint of anticipation in her eyes at the prospect. 'Imagine, years upon years of lessons! This knowledge should let me get too Adept, maybe even Professional in it!'

The potential for that was absolutely amazing. 'If I can get to the Professional level at Mental Shields, surely that would mean every random Daemon that breathes wouldn't be able to fuck with me the next time the System increases my connection to the warp, right? Wait, if I get a skill that's called 'Soritas Training' or 'Officio Assassinorum Training' then...' Her breath hitched, and her pupils dilated in sheer glee. 'Would I be taught every specialization in the Soritas? Would I be taught every single Clave/Temple's training?' The prospect of that was enticing... but also horrifying.

What kind of monster could be created if they became a Master of everything the Soritas or Officio Assassinorum had to offer? 'It's horrifying, and I'm not sure I could live through it, I would at least come out severely changed. But... it would also secure my safety. If I could max out my stats, or even get them higher than max before the Imperium finds the planet, then I might be able to secure my safety just through sheer skill.'

Quest Gains: Secure your safety. Before the Imperium finds you, reach 2 Strength, 5 Movement, 15 Reflex, and 10 Willpower. Reach Professional Level ????.

Bonus Goal: Spread the word of the Emperor, conquer the Planet, and clean it of Xenos, Heretics, and Daemonic Cults by the time the Imperium of Man finds it.

Reward: +1 Psyker (Max of 16), +5 Status Points, ???? Updated

Bonus Reward: +1 Psyker (Max of 16), +5 Status Points, ???? Titles Shown, Cosmic Secrets, One of Two books from the Hidden Library.

Failure: Don't.

'System.... WHAT THE FUCK?!?'