Unexpected call

[Daily quests complete.]

<I'm done… That was hard…> Erik wasn't used to doing such physical activity. Even working on the farm wasn't exactly this hard, most of all because he worked different muscles.

"Status."

A screen appeared before his eyes.

—Status—

[Host Information]

NAME: Erik Romano

AGE: 16

POWER LEVEL: 8

SYSTEM LEVEL: 1

EXPERIENCE: 30/100

DNA POINTS: 30

HEALTH: 120/120

MANA: 10/10

{Attributes}

STRENGTH: 3

INTELLIGENCE: 6

DEXTERITY: 4

ENERGY: 1

Available attributes points: 0

{Powers}

[Biological Super Computer Powers]

-Brain Crystal Manipulation

Brain Crystal Power Strengthening

(Allows the gaining of the energy attribute points.)

(LOCKED)

(LOCKED)

(LOCKED)

(LOCKED)

(LOCKED)

-DNA Manipulation

DNA Strengthening

(Allows the gaining of the Strength, Intelligence, and Dexterity attribute points)

(LOCKED)

(LOCKED)

(LOCKED)

(LOCKED)

(LOCKED)

-Analysis

(Gives the host information about his surroundings, plants, creatures, and ores.)

-Brain Information Injector

(It allows the injection of information directly to the brain. Based on touch)

-Device Manipulation

(Allows the host to manipulate electrical and mana-driven devices. Based on touch)

[Host's Powers]

Plant Growth: Fσ1E-RANKED (This power allows to make plants grow faster. The speed, the quality, and the size of whatever the user targets depend on the amount of mana used.)

—End Status—

(A.N: The status will be shortened when it becomes too big. I will take the descriptions off.)

Erik observed his thirty DNA points as if he were looking at a stash of cash. He only missed seventy to reach his goal. There was hope.

<Not so much for my physical appearance.>

Erik was not athletic. He had no visible abs because of the poor but cheap food he was used to eating, but he wasn't fat either. Hours and hours of work on a farm were meant to have an effect on him, and they did.

Yet he was relatively good-looking. <Too bad girls do not want me because of how useless my brain crystal power is.>

Erik moved his shoulder-length raven black hair to the side. They were full of sweat; some of it ended up trickling even in his chocolate brown eyes.

<I need to take this slow…>

After wiping the sweat from his body with a towel, Erik slumped onto one end of his old sofa, resting his back against the armrest.

<I will rest a little and then go take shower. Then dinner, last, sleep. The sooner I go, the can complete my daily quests…>

He couldn't wait. After having rested a little and staring at his worn-down apartment for some time, he stood up.

<Time to clean myself.>

Yet the screams of some drunkard shouting in the streets grabbed his attention. He went to check on the only window in his living room.

Living in a less affluent part of the city, Erik's apartment building was surrounded by unsavory nighttime activities.

The constant flow of people on the streets after dark made him feel uneasy, especially considering kidnapping was frequent here.

Before he could head to the shower, his phone rang. Erik grabbed it, observing the cracks on the screen courtesy of Logan and his friends. Luckily, it worked fine.

— Caller: Benjamin Kaminski. —

That was his father's best and oldest friend, and also the person who was taking care of him right now. Not as much as Erik hoped, but he was still the only positive presence in his life.

Benjamin Kaminski was a busy man. Being a high-grade military officer, he was often outside of New Alexandria. Whenever he could, the man went to visit Erik.

Erik stared at the screen for a few seconds and let out a deep sigh. Despite his less-than-stellar mood, he always tried to sound cheerful when talking to Benjamin. Forcing a smile, he answered the phone.

"Uncle Benjamin!"

"Hey Erik, how are you? Cheerful as usual, uh?"

Erik didn't want to bother Benjamin, so he kept silent about the bullying he faced.

"I'm doing great, by the way," the man added.

"Yeah, things are going well."

It was not true, at least not yet.

His uncle was quiet for a moment. He probably knew about Erik's troubles, but didn't want to push if he wasn't ready to talk. After thinking for a bit, he asked, "Is there anything you need?"

Erik struggled to answer Benjamin's question. He wanted to complain about his unfair life but refrained.

"I need nothing, but thanks, uncle Ben."

After a few moments of silence, Benjamin said, "I was thinking of paying you a visit."

"What? When?" Erik said.

This was unexpected.

"Now that you mentioned it, it had been over a month since the last time."

"Yeah, sorry about that. Is tomorrow good for you?"

Erik was slightly conflicted; he still had a lot of bruises from Logan's beatings. However, he missed the man.

Besides, the following day would be Saturday. There was school, but he could always skip it.

"Yeah… why not?"

<I need to do something about the bruises…>

There was a brief pause, which was then broken by Uncle Ben.

"So why don't we meet up at noon? I'll bring you to a fancy restaurant."

"Yeah, that would be great!"

"Good."

Erik and Benjamin talked for a bit longer before ending their call. After hanging up, Erik sat back on his couch, feeling mixed emotions. He was happy about seeing Benjamin, but he also felt unsure.

Erik's life became complicated lately because of the system. Yet he didn't want to pass on this chance.

Erik then went to shower, then to eat. After dinner, Erik went to bed, eager for the next day to start.

"How could you do that?" Logan's mother slapped him.

Logan remained silent. There was nothing he could say anyway to keep him out of that mess. His mind was blank. He didn't know whether he wanted to cry or scream.

Logan's father remained silent.

The mother continued shouting at Logan. She had stopped hitting him, but bruises were already visible on his skin.

"I swear, Mom, I didn't do it on purpose!"

"It doesn't matter. You damaged the school, and now we have to pay back the damages!"

"Mom..."

"No, shut up!"

Logan knew his mother could easily get angry. Talking more might make things worse. So he kept his mouth shut and waited for his mother to calm down.

As the seconds ticked away, Logan started wondering where his friends were.

Eventually, the screams subsided. "You're forbidden from seeing Orson and Conal."

"WHAT?! MOM, PLEASE!"

"NO! Logan, can you understand how grave the situation you put us in is? Besides, you probably ruined your future because of what you did. What if you won't get job opportunities after the military service because of this stupid stunt you pulled?"

"Then I will simply stay in the military!"

"And fight the thaids?!"

"Why not? Isn't this our duty as citizens of Frant?"

Logan's mother looked at her son with incredulity. "Do you even hear yourself when you speak?"

"Yes, yes, of course. I am aware of my stupidity," Logan said. He hated her for this.

His mother looked at him, frustrated and tired.

"Look, I'm sorry, but please let me hang out with my friends again. "

"They are troublemakers," his mother said.

It was then that his father intervened. "Honey, don't you think banning him from seeing his friends might be a bit extreme?"

"Are you on his side now?"

"I'm not, honey."

Logan knew he had done something he shouldn't have, but he couldn't stop wondering if all of this was too much.

"We are only concerned about you, sweety."

Their concern for Logan was genuine, but their methods of showing it were misguided and often harsh.

"You need to learn some discipline, Logan," his mother added.

Discipline. Wasn't he disciplined enough for his parents' liking?

"Now, go to your room."

Logan obeyed, but sleep escaped him that night. He tossed and turned, his mind racing with anxious thoughts. As he stared at the ceiling, questions plagued him: Had he truly fucked up his future? And more puzzling still, how had that incriminating video spread throughout the entire school?