5 Between Shamelessness and Virtue
Azamir awoke with the dawn of the sun filtering in through the blinds of the windows. As his room brightened he looked around and took in details he thought he would want to remember. His family led a comfortable but humble lifestyle so most of the furniture was well used and prefabricated. The scuffs on the wood floor and knicks on the wall reminded him of his time growing up. The most significant part of his room was the handmade desk him and his father had built together.
"The most sturdy things you can rely on is that which you made yourself," his father loved that saying. In this case, he was not wrong either. That desk lasted him 7 years from the day they built it until now when he would end up leaving it for good.
After dressing and packing a few things Azamir turned to the datapad with the contracts pulled up resting on his desk. He knew what he wanted and signed the dotted lines, all that was waiting was for him to accept and send it through the galactic net to start his new life.
After checking on his family and settling some affairs with giving away unneeded and unnecessary possessions he was ready to set off. He tried to convince his mother to let him help pay their family debt but, not wanting to be a burden they wouldn't accept any money sent their way and she insisted on Azamir living a good life. His heart clenched, he felt as if a step out that door would leave his mother to a place she could not recover and he knew she did not want to drag him down with their family. His father was ever-present in bed, and Azamir quietly bade farewell to the man who helped raise him.
Taking a step outdoors with a backpack and a duffle bag he was ready to start his new life. He paused at the end of the porch. A cracking noise could be heard with shuffling footsteps and labored breathing. Azamir turned to see his father standing on shaky legs and a smile that only a proud father could have when seeing their child about to spread their wings.
"son"
Azamir stepped over in a rush to guide his father back to bed but an uncharacteristically strong arm was placed on his shoulder as his father stood straighter for a moment to look him in the eyes.
"Dad? what's gotten into you?"
His father searched his son's eyes for a moment before speaking in a soft breath. "Son, wherever you may go. To the heights of fame and fortune or rock bottom, you will always have a place here to return. Go with the pride of your parents behind you, and return with a story or two for your old man." His father's eyes misted over and clapped him on his shoulder once more and pulled him close for a quick embrace before letting go and taking a step back.
Azamir nodded in silence and disentangled himself from his dad and brushing a tear out of his eye. "I will make you proud, wish me well." His mother exited the door with a few items and fussed over him for a moment before giving him a fierce hug and supported her husband so they could both see Azamir off.
He began the trek back to the magrail station and towards the nearest spaceport. Feeling his resolve solidify he returned to the half signed contract.
(Do you wish to declare debt? _____________) ....
He felt the love of his family and swore to do everything he could to repay them. This was just the first step. He signed the form officially declaring his family's debt as his own, without any doubt he resolved to do whatever it takes to do right by his family and everyone that did him a good turn. He knew that it would be difficult to support himself but there would always be a way forward.
*ding* (Contract accepted, thank you for joining the MRB!)
Without a moment to second guess his decision, the system prompted a message in front of his field of vision.
[Task complete!]
[It is a tough decision to take a leap of faith, it is harder to go with your eyes wide open!]
[Reward 60XP]
*Ding* [System level increased! user stats increased by 0.1!]
*Ding* [Reward update: self-imposed challenges detected. "With great risk comes great reward!"]
[Skill Gained: Analyze] [Trait point available: 1]
Azamir felt a buzz throughout his body and a pleasant feeling washed over him with the notifications. "wow, this could get addictive." With a mutter and a sigh of satisfaction, he looked at the rewards window again. He had not expected to receive an additional award! It seems the system saw fit to reward challenges he took on without being prompted. It even gifted him a skill and a full trait point! Giddy, he quickly opened his stats to see the updated changes.
[Scan complete: displaying status]
[name: Azamir Ternum]
[age: 20 years]
[physical traits]
[Dexterity: 0.8, Strength 1.22, Vitality: 1.1]
[Mental Traits]
[Intelligence 0.9, Critical thinking 1.2, Will: ???]
[Skills]
[Tactics: Beginner 1]
[Analyze: Beginner 1]
Pleased with his gains, he looked at his new skill listed below his tactics and wondered how it worked. This whole system appeared to operate similarly to the virtual computer games he had played at the local arcades and cafes growing up on Ostacre.
"system, display skill descriptions"
[User Query processing]
[Skills: Passive]
[Tactics: user's comprehensive knowledge surrounding basic battle tactics with an emphasis on small units. Knowledge rated at beginner 1 with a total of 5 levels before adept.]
[Skills: Active]
[Analyze: user can prompt the system to analyze any object to gather information relevant to the current situation. An increase in skill level will display more information in greater detail. Skillset at beginner 1 with 5 levels before adept.]
Azamir took in this information with a pondering look, it seems that passive skills referred to useful knowledge he gained in specific areas, and those skills were always in effect! Active skills seemed to function as abilities a character would use in a game on demand. Furthermore, the system spoke in a way that said the abilities can grow. But to what extent he did not understand as the system guide had not gone over skills in much detail.
"System, what are these levels 1 to 5 with beginner and adept? how do those relate to my skills?"
[User Query Processing]
[Skill levels refer to the basic capabilities the user can demonstrate with that skill. Each skill when learned from the start is set at the beginner stage progressing up to the adept stage. Levels 1 to 5 refer to the experience and comprehension the user can demonstrate at that stage until the skill can be evolved or progressed.
Stages start as such: Beginner, Adept, Apprentice, Journeyman, Master, and Legend.]
"interesting," he mumbled to himself. It seems to be no joke that I can make myself stronger like the main characters in virtual novels! Excited, Azamir quickly looked over to the passenger bench next to him and used his Analyze skill.
[Analyzing...]
[Duranium bench]
[its a bench... commonly made for sitting. Not much to see here.]
like a cold bucket of water thrown on his parade, Azamir stared dumbfounded at the message. "Heh, I guess it's not as easy as it seems. Let's try this again."
Azamir looked over at an average man one isle forward and across the magrail car. He used to analyze to see if he could see anything interesting.
[Analyzing ...]
[Race: Human]
[Gender: male]
[Physical traits]
[Dexterity: 0.5, Strength .9, Vitality: 1.5]
[Mental Traits]
[Intelligence 0.9, Critical thinking 0.6, Will: ???]
Azamir almost exclaimed out loud! With this skill, it seemed that he would always be able to know how he stacked up against another person! This skill could be incredibly useful!
He began Analyzing everyone nearby in earnest getting a feel for what information was displayed. He analyzed the woman and small child the next seat over, the dog in the carrier on the luggage rack, and even a mans datapad! Although admittedly he only got the information such as the model and make of the instrument so it was not as if he would become a super hacker anytime soon.
The Magrail slowed at the station before admitting more passengers, there was still quite a ways to go passing several districts before heading to the next city over where the Ostacre planetary spaceport resided.
As the passengers boarded the car Azamir analyzed each one and noted their stats in amusement before noticing a large man with muscles bulging out from the vest he was wearing boarding the magrail car. Intrigued, he immediately analyzed the man.
[Analyzing...]
[Race: Human] [Gender: male]
[Physical traits]
[Dexterity: 1.2, Strength ???, Vitality: ???]
[Mental Traits]
[Intelligence 0.8, Critical thinking 1.0, Will: ???]
That was odd... Azamir frowned at the lack of information this seemed to have given. The strength and vitality stats are completely unknown! This led to Azamir thinking about how the skill worked and its limitations.
"I bet it is because he is much stronger than me, and after a certain amount I cannot tell just how strong that person is!" Azamir nodded and concluded that must be the case. But then he wondered if there was a way he could enhance his skill? He thought about it but steam began pumping out of his ears when he could not find a solution. He checked his system again.
[Scan complete: displaying status]
[name: Azamir Ternum]
[age: 20 years]
[physical traits] [Trait point available: 1]
[Dexterity: 0.8, Strength 1.22, Vitality: 1.1]
[Mental Traits]
[Intelligence 0.9, Critical thinking 1.2, Will: ???]
[Skills]
[Tactics: Beginner 1]
[Analyze: Beginner 1]
"Hmm, maybe if I use that trait point in intelligence? I might be able to think of a way... no how about critical thinking? That is all about solving problems." He debated with himself before deciding that it was better to know than not understand how it works. He quickly selected the trait point.
[User selection: increase critical thinking by 1.0?]
[Confirm: Y/N]
Azamir quickly selected yes and got excited before suddenly feeling pressure in the back of his head and a feeling of dread seeing the message in front of his eyes.
[Confirmed: User stand by for upgrade. Warning, system upgrades of 1.0 are painful! Please bear it!]
Before he could protest, an intense pain that felt as if his brain was expanding and at the same time collapsing on itself before he blacked out in his seat.
[Upgrade Complete!]
