New World

"Eli... Did you just awaken?"

Elijah looked in front of him with shock obvious on his face.

"I think I did."

Startled by unlucky timing and excitement, Eli didn't know what to do.

Class? Who gave a f*ck about class? He was awakened!

Why would he have to follow boring classes when he could now go to a special school with classes about Monsters, fighting, and leveling-up?

This was his chance to make his family proud, and make his family proud he would!

"Congratulations bro! You'll be my first target when I finally become an agent!" Aaron said, waking Eli up from his thoughts.

"What kind of system do you have?"

Elijah was so startled by the interface that he forgot to look what the name of his System was.

Every System was unique, and thus they all had a unique name.

Mason opened his System interface again to look at the name.

[The Thinker System]

[Level: 1]

[HP: 20/20]

[MP: 30/30]

[Quest]

[Stats]

[Skills: Intense Concentration]

[STR: 1 AGI: 1]

[INT: 2 CON: 1]

[CHA: 2 THI: 3]

[Inventory: 0/10]

[Equipment: /]

Mason's face distorted when he read the name.

'What the f*ck do you mean The Thinker System!?'

'What kinda bullsh*t name is that!'

As he kept reading he got even more confused.

'What's THI, it says it means Thinking, but that doesn't even make sense.'

Mason had never heard of a Thinking stat.

Every System was different but they all used the same 5 stats: Strength, Agility, Intelligence, Constitution, Charisma.

But it was now saying he had a sixth stat called Thinking?

"Elijah!" Aaron yelled out.

Eli finally realised that he was still in class and this wasn't the time to be surprised.

He walked out of class without giving half a damn about the teacher's opinion and sat down on a bench. 

He still had a skill that he could check out, so that was what he did first.

[Intense Concentration]

[You're able to concentrate to the extreme as no details go unnoticed.]

[Time: 1 minute]

[Cooldown: Once every 24 hours.]

[Cost: 10MP]

Elijah didn't know what to feel, the explanation was very short but it sounded quite powerful for a first ability. 

Although it had a long cooldown, he would get more abilities in the future as he leveled-up so it was a good start.

People with non-combat related Systems could level-up too, it was just a tad different from killing Monsters.

You can get special quests that involve your System, finishing these special quests can get you EXP to level-up.

Combat related Systems would always have a Monster related quest, and a cooking System would have you make a whole lot of meals.

Wondering what his quest was, Eli clicked on the [Quest] tab of his System.

[Beginner Quest]

[Kill a Tierless Monster]

"..."

Elijah couldn't believe his eyes, his System was considered a combat one?

'How the hell does this even work!?'

'Am I supposed to concentrate on the monster telekinesis-style, the hell?'

As he started pondering on how to kill a monster using concentration, Aaron approached him again.

"So... What's your ability?" He asked.

Elijah had an unknowing look.

"It says my concentration is heightened to the extreme, whatever that means."

"My quests are also Monster related, so it's a combat System."

Aaron started pondering, if it was a combat System the skill had to somehow help in killing a Monster.

They both thought as Aaron finally came to a conclusion.

"Doesn't that mean you can read the movements of Monsters way better while also being more precise in your own attacks? That's a really good ability!" 

Elijah finally realised the potential of his own System.

'No details go unnoticed, meaning that I can see the direction someone will move in before it happens by looking at their body.'

'Maybe it's not so bad after all!'

Elijah said farewell to Aaron as he jogged home, there weren't any busses riding at school at this hour.

'I gotta call my mom' Eli realised as he grabbed his phone out of his pocket.

*ring* *ring*

"Hello, Eli? You usually don't call me while I'm at work."

"Mom, I awaked! It's a combat System as well!"

Samantha was shocked at first and worried right after that.

"A combat System, so you'll have to fight Monsters, that's worrying."

Eli knew this as well, hunting was insanely dangerous if you didn't know what you were doing.

"It's okay mom, I'm planning on going to the outer area of Central Park."

"There's a lot of people stationed there to keep the Monsters at bay and create a danger zone for beginners, like me."

His mother wasn't convinced.

Central Park had been one of the first places where a Monster had been sighted over 30 years ago.

It was now a beginner danger zone thanks to the Players back then pushing the Monsters back.

Even tierless Monsters could pack a punch, though.

She didn't want her son to be a part of the 30% that died early on.

"I'll allow you to go, but I want to see you first."

"When I get home, we'll talk and make some rules about what you can do and can't do."

Eli knew this would happen which is why he headed home instead of directly to Central Park.

"Okay mom, see you in a couple of hours!"

"See you then." Samantha answered.

Eli arrived home and immediately started watching videos about the Central Park danger zone.

He had to know the place and what kind of Monsters lived there, so he had max efficiency.

Eli also needed a weapon, and he had no idea how to get one.

'I'll ask mom to help me, maybe she has a leftover weapon.' He thought.

His mother wasn't an awakened, but she was born before The Apocalypse.

Practically everyone alive had some kind of weapon in their house to fight off Monsters in case they appeared.

While he was watching videos, his mother arrived and sat down with him.

They would now make rules and tomorrow, Elijah would finally have his first encounter with a Monster.