The First and The Last

Notification

Congratulations! You are the first to be chosen among your people to participate in the Five Seasons! This must mean a god had their eye on you before the announcement! For being favored beyond the rest of your species, you have received the following benefits:

Title: The First

+10% experience gained

+2 to all stats

+10 distributable stat points

My eyes widened as I saw the prompt. Achievements like this were unique to a single person or group of people who accomplished something great, and they were always what separated the strongest chosen from everyone else. It was at this moment that I realized that I could become just like humanity's heroes, just like everyone I looked up to who fought for our survival to the very end. Except this time around, we won't lose. I swiped away the notification and looked at the next one. It was another achievement, except this one was better than just being The First.

Notification

Congratulations! You are the last of your species. As such, you must have endured a great deal of suffering to get to this point. 999,999 of your comrades died, leaving you alone to fight for the survival of your species. For your tenacity that allowed you to survive this long, you have received the following benefits:

Title: The Last

+20 to all stats

+50 distributable stat points

Active Ability: The Last Stand

[Casting Time: Instant] [Cooldown: 24 Hours] [Duration: 60 seconds]

On the brink of death, you continue pressing on. When you are about to die, you become immune to all damage for 60 seconds, and all your stats are doubled. Once this ability has been triggered, it cannot be used for another 24 hours.

As I swiped away the notifications, my status window updated the new stat additions granted by The First and The Last titles. My body surged with the familiar energy of the system, and I felt strengthened. My muscles became visibly larger, and it felt like I grew taller as my body started to adjust to the stat increases.

I flexed my muscles with excitement and swung my fists around to feel the increased stats. "I got 17 levels worth of stat points... Granted with two titles alone..!"

A series of fireworks exploded outside, only adding to the good mood I was in. Compared to the past, the me right now was already so far ahead that it would take other players at least several weeks to catch up. Satisfied, I checked my stats to confirm my new abilities.

Ronan Wilde

Race: Human

Class: None

Level: 1 [0/100]

Stats

Strength: 27 (Low-Tier)

Agility: 27 (Low-Tier)

Vitality: 27 (Low-Tier)

Mind: 27 (Low-Tier)

Spirit: 27 (Low-Tier)

Distributable Stat Points: 60

Skills & Abilities:

The Last Stand [Epic]

"Right now, I think it would be best if I just threw everything I have into agility. It's probably the most important stat at this level, and everything else will come in due time. If I raise my agility to high-tier before going into the first season, I can outrun our competition."

After allocating my stats, I gave them a second look before hitting confirm.

Stats

Strength: 27 (Low-Tier)

Agility: 87 (High-Tier)

Vitality: 27 (Low-Tier)

Mind: 27 (Low-Tier)

Spirit: 27 (Low-Tier)

Distributable Stat Points: 0

Confirm the stat distribution? [Yes/No]

I selected yes and felt my body become as light as a feather. I looked down and watched as the muscles in my legs tensed and pulsed as the energy from the system was flowing through them. The muscles visibly grew to twice their size and then shrank as the muscles condensed into a more suitable form for agility. The same happened to all the other muscles in my body as well. After the surge of energy subsided, a blue notification screen popped up again, obstructing my view of the status window. "What's this?"

Notification

Congratulations! You are the first of your species to achieve a High-Tier in any of your stats! For being so dedicated to a stat that you have given it your all before any of your species, you have received the following benefits:

Title: Fast Growth

+2 additional distributable stat points when leveling up

I pumped my fist into the air with excitement as I read the notification. "I can't believe it! Now I'll have a 20% stat difference above everyone else! With this, I am officially a bug that the system needs to patch!"

I shadowboxed the blue status window for a minute, filled with excitement for the ass whooping I was going to give our competition in the first season. My excitement died down as I felt my phone vibrate and heard a familiar jazz beat ringtone I hadn't heard in almost three years. It was my mom calling. I held the phone in my hand, stunned as I recalled the way she had died three years ago.

"Not this time. I won't let you die again, I swear."

After letting the phone almost ring out, I finished collecting my emotions and picked up the phone.

I didn't speak for a few moments after I answered the call on my phone. It has been years since I heard my mom's voice, and I guess I was a bit nervous. I almost forgot what she sounded like. My face lit up as I heard her on the other end of the call, and I couldn't suppress the huge smile that had forced its way onto my face.

"Hi hun, happy New Year!"

Her voice sounded a little muffled and fuzzy, probably because her connection wasn't good on her end. I could immediately tell that she had been on her cell phone service and not on Wi-Fi.

"Hi mom, Happy New Year! Are you on Wi-Fi?"

She responded, still fuzzy on her end but still clear enough for me to understand. "Oh, I forgot the password again. I reset my phone because I got another one of those scam calls. After it reset, I haven't been able to get the Wi-Fi back on!"

A single tear rolled down my left cheek as I felt the warmth of our casual conversation. I wanted this moment to last forever—this simple moment where no one's life was at risk yet.

"Mom, you can't just reset your phone every time you get a scam call! Everyone gets those now; I get one every couple of days."

"I know that," she said. "But it doesn't hurt to be cautious. My signal is starting to cut out; make sure to call me later."

"Okay, mom, but if I don't call..."

I paused for a moment, knowing tomorrow I'd be sent to the first season.

"Actually, I will call you. I'll call tomorrow at 11:30; you better pick up!"

"Okay, hun, I'll pick up. Love you!"

"I love you too, mom. Be safe!"

I hung up the phone and stared at the picture of my mom on the screen.