2025-03-18 00:08:51Chapter 9: Attribute Points
Max took his time walking home from the academy, lost in deep thought. Unlike the morning rush, he wasn’t in a hurry. His mind was occupied, running through everything that had happened during the day and how he could maximize his newfound power. By the time he arrived at his residence, the entire place was empty. Normally, Raiden would have already been picked up by their mother and dropped off at home. Max was used to coming back from school to find him there. Not that it mattered. Without sparing another thought, Max entered his small, dimly lit room and sat on the edge of his old metal tub. Unlike most people who had proper beds, Max had never been given one. His parents decided long ago that he wasn’t worthy of such a luxury, so they had dumped a discarded bathtub in his room—something they had salvaged from a junkyard. For almost a decade, this had been his resting place. His small frame, stunted by years of malnutrition, was the only reason he still fit into it. Despite being older, he was only slightly taller than his younger brother. Shaking off the memories, Max called up the Xeon System interface. --- [Tasks] › Daily › Weekly › Monthly › Yearly --- “Daily,” he muttered. --- [Tasks] › Daily Tasks (1/3): Run 3 kilometers (Status: Completed ✓) Climb 20 meters (Status: 9/20m) Lift a total of 150 kilograms (Status: 0/150) < Completion Rewards: +5 Attribute Points > < Failure Penalty: (Hidden!) To be revealed upon failure > --- Max studied the screen carefully this time. “So I get five attribute points for completing everything… Like a game, I can distribute them where I want,” he analyzed. His eyes narrowed. “And there’s a punishment? Hidden? Why is this system so damn mysterious?” Though he doubted he’d get any answers, he made a mental note to never fail a task. Who knew what kind of consequences the Xeon System had in store? His gaze landed on the climbing task. “I’ve already climbed nine meters?” Max frowned. Then it hit him. It must have been from using the academy staircases. His classroom was on the top floor, and rather than take the elevator—where he could get cornered and beaten—he always used the stairs to avoid trouble. There had been a time when he was jumped inside the academy’s elevator. Since then, he avoided direct contact with the others as much as possible. Initially, he had planned to go to the mountain outskirts of BB City to complete the climbing task, even though the last time he was there, he had encountered that strange and dangerous man. He had been ready to take the risk again, but now, he realized he didn’t need to. That decision, though unintentional, saved his life. If he had gone to the mountains that night, he would have encountered something far beyond his ability to handle. Setting that aside, Max turned his attention to the weightlifting task. His brow furrowed. “How the hell am I supposed to lift 150 kilograms?” Then, realization struck. “Wait… The system is tracking my progress. That means I don’t have to lift everything at once! I can lift smaller weights multiple times until I reach the total.” A smirk formed on his lips. “That makes things easier.” Without wasting time, Max dashed out of his room. Since the house was empty, he moved freely. Stepping into the living area, he looked around. The space felt foreign—he hardly spent time outside his room. It had been so long since he last sat on the couch that he couldn’t even recall how it felt. His eyes landed on the sofa set positioned in the center of the room. It formed an ‘L’ shape, consisting of a two-seater and a three-seater. Max walked toward the two-seater. A regular couch of that size should weigh around forty kilograms—too heavy for him. But considering how cheap his parents were, he doubted it was made of high-quality material. It might be lighter than usual. He noticed that the seats could be separated, which worked in his favor. Max dislodged one section and bent down, gripping it tightly. “Huff—” he grunted as he lifted it. He had left the task progress panel open so he could monitor the updates. --- › Lift a total of 150 kilograms (Status: 16/150) --- A smile crept onto his face. It was working. Max dropped the sofa and lifted it again. Huff! Huff! Huff! Huff! Huff! Huff! Huff! Huff! Huff! He repeated the motion ten more times before stopping. By the time he was done, his arms trembled, and his breath came in heavy pants. He collapsed onto the floor, drenched in sweat. A notification appeared in his line of sight. --- [Daily Task Completed (2/3): Lift a total of 150 kilograms ✓] --- After catching his breath, Max quickly reassembled the furniture, making sure everything looked untouched. He didn’t want to leave behind any evidence. Satisfied, he returned to his room and changed out of his academy uniform, placing it in the small closet behind his tub. Inside the closet, only a single outfit remained—a faded blue jumpsuit. It was his only casual clothing. The material had worn out over time, but it was the only thing he owned. The jumpsuit had a hood and ended just below his knees, giving it an awkward fit. Without hesitation, he slipped it on and headed outside. --- Two Hours Later Max jogged back home, his lips curled in a victorious grin. He barely paid attention to the people around him, even though their eyes held traces of pity. Most of them likely assumed he was a beggar. The streets of BB City remained bright despite the approaching night. The towering buildings shimmered with neon lights, illuminating the skyline. As the sky darkened completely, floating orbs of light ignited across the streets. They hovered in perfectly spaced intervals above the roads, casting a soft glow on everything below. Max paused in his steps, taking in the breathtaking view. His eyes, however, were drawn to a massive structure in the distance—a towering skyscraper that pierced the heavens. It was the tallest building in BB City, located at the heart of the metropolis. Bright blue letters illuminated its facade: › XAO ‹ Max's smile widened. “I can’t wait to be among those who are granted entry into that place.” With renewed determination, he turned and resumed his journey home. A few minutes later, he stepped into his room and flopped onto his tub. A notification greeted him. --- [Daily Task Completed (3/3)] [Host has received +5 Attribute Points] [Host has received 50 Exp] --- The people who had seen him earlier, running up and down staircases like a lunatic, had no idea what he had been doing. But he did. Max opened the Xeon System interface and navigated to his Attributes Panel. --- [Host Attributes] Name: Max Bladeheart Level: 1 Class: ? Exp: 50/100 Health: 100/100 Energy: 10/30 › Attributes Stats: Strength: 1 Perception: 1 Agility: Null Speed: 1 Bravery: Null Intelligence: 4 Charm: Null › Attribute Points: 5 --- Max’s grin widened. “Now… how should I distribute these points?”
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