‘I draw a few maps on the back, directions to secret passages between floors 1-3. DON'T burn the letter, or you'll destroy the maps.
U from 2’
"You think I'm stupid?" Peter sneered, reading the last line before storing the paper.
Peter dressed, ate breakfast in the Cafeteria, and went to train his new skills at the nearby jackalope reservation. The monsters kept away, and he exercised leisurely, concentrating on controlling the area and the intensity of his AOE attack first. Peter got Mana exhausted a couple of times and also sick because he took two pills before the allowed period.
Switching to pure physical training and then Relaxation, Peter took a break to allow his Mana to regenerate. Then he tried more Earth skills, but without the electricity, and unlocked a general AOE called Tectonic, which could have spikes or not at his will.
Finally, lunchtime arrived, and he returned to the campus for a quick meal in the Cafeteria. While walking back to his dorm, a hand grabbed Peter by the arm, pulling him behind an isolated building. It was Jack. Convinced the jock intended to give him a beating for dating Regina, Peter took a boxing stance, eager to teach his bully a lesson. A moderate and credible one, but still a lesson.
"Treat her right," Jack said abruptly.
Peter slackjawed, petrified. "You're feeling all right?" Peter's instinct made him forward his hand to feel Jack's forehead, to see if he had a fever.
“Hey! You’re hitting on me or something?” Jack jerked back.
“Sorry…” Peter pulled back his arm. “What do you mean?”
“Regina. Treat her right. I wasted my chances; don’t waste yours. Treat her right, or else.” Jack made the gesture of I have my eyes on you before he left abruptly.
Looking at the jock’s back, Peter remembered the other Jack saying something similar. At least he doesn’t look suicidal anymore…
“What the hell happened here?” he mumbled. Then his phone rang. It was Ariana.
“Hey. Do you mind if I keep Shreddi for now? It helps with my skills.”
“Sure. But don’t get ideas. He’s my pet.”
“What if we share custody? You owe me big!”
“I owe you big?” Peter laughed. “I saved your life, not the other way around.”.
“Regi wanted to get back with Jack, and I stopped her."
"No!" Peter gasped, stepping back until his back rested against a lamppost, his knees mollified.
"Relax. I told you, I stopped her. This is my way of saying thanks for giving me the System. It’s fabulous. You wanna know details?"
"S-sure…"
"I was hanging out with Jack, walking Shreddi… Jack's a dog person, by the way, and Regi bumps into us. Before I had the time to intervene, Jack apologized for being a jerk. 'Losing you was the biggest mistake of my life,' he says, making puppy eyes."
Curiosity took over Peter. "Who did he sleep with to make her break up with him? Please don’t tell me it was you."
"Melinda… And she made Jack ask Regina if she wanted to have a threesome together. Regina's beautiful, if you didn't notice."
"Goodness!” Peter gasped. “What was in his mind?"
"Nothing, obviously. Never mind. And Regi begins to weep and says, 'We had a good thing, Jack, but… we have to… move on.' Her hesitations. He says: Being around you hurts so much, and he runs away, crying. He was so mushy that he almost made me vomit. Regina mumbles: Maybe I should have given him a second chance…"
"A rebound," Peter hissed.
"What did you expect? They were together for a year."
"He almost got her killed!" Peter yelled.
“Hey, don't yell at me!" Ariana shouted back, making Peter pull the phone away from his ear.
"Woof!" Shredder barked on the other side.
"Sorry, boy,” Peter lowered his tone.
“I say: Jack has no brains; he almost got you killed. And what about Peter? He put his life on the line for you. Her eyes light up, and she sighs: ‘Oh, Peter's so… intense'. The System does you good, Petey. You were not so intense with me. She continues: ‘But… I still don’t know if he has feelings for me…’
“And then, bam, the coup de grace. I say: Melinda wanted to have sex with Peter, but he refused. She told me Peter told her he loves you.”
“Why would Alchemy tell you that?” Peter couldn't stop to ask.
“Idiot! We’re together… But she’s seeing other people because cultivator culture is too strict and now considers herself liberated,” Peter could hear the sneer. “Forget that. I say: Look, Regi, I think Peter’s shy because you’re a beauty queen, and he’s an ugly duckling. ‘He’s not ugly!’ she shouts. “He’s so cute!’ Tada! Who’s the best? I’m the best.”
“I suppose,” Peter sighed.
Ariana chirped. “How and when you tell her you have powers is your problem. We’re quit. Bye…”
The call cut, and Peter closed his eyes, his heart beating in his heart. He knew it was impossible to continue denying his feelings. This… was karma. An SMS from Regina asked if it was OK to meet at six in the afternoon for a walk before dinner. It was date night. Peter replied with a kiss plus hearts emoji.
Surescitation and impatience filled his mind… and the System was still out. The pressure was too much, and Peter decided it was time to level, to keep his mind occupied, if nothing else. Peter went south-west this time, but every sane animal ran away. Finally, after some time, he found a crazed tiger on a reservation in Vermont. How the mutated animal appeared was a mystery, but an escape from a zoo was the most probable explanation. The important part was that he got a notification after dispatching the monster with fancy footwork and Terravolt.
You have reached level 21. Self-evaluation concluded. Stats expanded.
Your previous 12 non-allocated APs have been multiplied by 3 and divided between your stats. Each Stat except Luck received +4 points, with Dexterity receiving 8.
Peter Hillden, Age: 24, Class: Impulse, Lvl. 21
Your class gains 3 free attributes per level
3 available points to distribute
Current Physical Stats
Strength: 56 / Dexterity: 70 / Constitution: 32
Current Mental Stats
Intelligence: 27 / Will: 39 / Concentration: 19
Current Mystical Stats
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Charisma: 30 / Luck: Risk Taker (True Stat)*: 21 / Magic Power: 25
Skills:
Impulse related: Kinetic, Warp, Electric and Earth strong affinities, Fire weak affinity, Physical Enhancement
Influence, Sneak, Stealth, Loot, Inspect
* This stat can be advanced only through achievements.
You have unlocked Luck as a True Stat by taking many chances and influencing many people’s lives during your self-evaluation period. Your Luck increases your overall performance when engaging in high-risk, high-reward scenarios.
Luck Cap Perk Bonus: ???
What the heck?
"You’re back!" Peter yelled in joy.
“Err… you sound normal… Like normal-normal…”
"It’s OK, I like you anyway… What’s this thing with the new stats? And what about the Luck stuff?" In Peter's heart, the biggest fear was his weird and low red highlighted stat would destroy his chances with Regina.
"So I’m not cursed?"
"What does it mean?"
"Oh…"
“And now he does sound effects… Whatever… Pfff… a lot of changes…” Peter sighed. But his questions had to wait, and he had more urgent concerns now. There was only an hour left until meeting Regina, so Peter went to the dorm, showered, dressed in the same clothes from his first date, considering them lucky, then changed again, dreading she'd think he had only one good set of clothes. He wore jeans and a black shirt but kept the same shoes.
Hurrying toward Regina's dorm, he almost bumped into Alchemy. She looked at him with widened eyes, then hurried in the opposite direction.
"Hi," Regina said, appearing near him out of nowhere. She wore a summer dress, light and flowing.
"H-hi," he replied, taking her image in. She's gorgeous… Goodness, how stupid I was? This is the girl of my dreams, and I tried to push her away…
"I've heard Alchemy tried to seduce you but failed," Regina said abruptly. There was a clear satisfaction on her face. “Ari told me.”
"What's her deal?" Peter said, looking after the teacher, who was now just a tiny silhouette in the distance. "She's… strange."
"Ari says she has deep insecurity problems related to her family. She's only a few years older than us, twenty-nine. A wunderkind, a bastard of a tier ten cultivator. The rest of her family hates her, so she took on this job to make herself a reputation. Enough gossip," she snapped her fingers to get his attention. “I’ll give you a chance to earn a Cajun-style kiss…" she looked him in the eyes. “It’s like the French one, but better.”
“What do I have to do?” he asked, keeping eye contact.
"Let’s skip the walk. Choose a place for dinner. Something new. Something to… Blow. Me. Off. My. Feet." She leaned forward at each word, her lips stopping an inch from Peter's. Her breath entered his mouth before she retreated, sending a shiver up his spine.
I'm screwed… There are no more big bucks to get her to another French bistrot… Garcia is a known quantity, and Ari hangs around there. A cold hand gripped his heart. Peter pushed against the sensation with all his will. Then, something snapped, and he shrugged. Ultimately, she has to know everything and decide if she likes me for who I am or not.
"Are you afraid of riding a bike?"
"N-no…" she stuttered.
"Good." He took her hand and pulled her onward. The Yamaha was parked in a paid parking lot on the city's outskirts. Since he could Warp, he had less use for it, but he kept it around for the errands, but out of his spatial storage, to make room for other things.
The engine roared to life, and he took off. Riding a motorcycle was almost a second nature now, and he pushed the speed up to sixty miles an hour. Behind him, Regina let out a little squeal, gluing herself to his back, her arms enveloping his midriff.
Reaching the Black Market took no time. It was early for the usual customers; there were only five people inside, relatives and friends of the cook, who was also the owner.
"Hey, kid," the cook saluted. "Good evening, miss. I'm Daniel."
Regina was hiding behind Peter, peaking behind his shoulder. Clear enough, the bikers' joint wasn't something she'd expected. Peter escorted her to a table and went to speak with the cook in the kitchen.
"I have a tiger in storage,” he announced.
“Whoaa! I can’t keep up with paying you, kid; you’re going too fast. Let’s put it in the freezer.”
“Do you have something to eat that wouldn't send us to the shitter for a week?" Peter asked once the merchandise was out and on a shelf. “If I’m pleased, I give you the tiger for free.>
Daniel frowned. "I feel insulted. If you must know, the food here is spoiled on purpose. Bikers train to be tough; they won't touch fresh stuff."
Peter rolled his eyes, not even pretending he believed one word. "Does my date look like a biker to you? Please, for once, cook something nice."
"Put the tables together," the cook shouted. "I'll prepare something special."
The other patrons pushed their tables next to Regina's, creating a larger one. It was square, as the separated items were rectangles. One of Daniel's cousins tried to clean the wood with a sponge that was even dirtier than the table—the bar had no tablecloths—but his wife shoved him away and took over the job.
Returning with a teppanyaki electric grill, Daniel rubbed his hands. "I served in the army as a cook and was stationed in Japan for a few years. I learned some kitchen kung-fu there… hope I'm not too rusty." After a second trip, Daniel arranged a set of knives and cleavers next to the grill, and a third trip brought a huge plate of raw meat and vegetables. "I'll make some crazed bear meat for you. It's on the house."
Regina gasped. Peter smiled. It was not in the plan, but things were going well. That was some good and expensive meat.
"How do you know this place?" she said in a low voice.
Peter decided to tell her a half-truth and whispered, "I run some errands for him. Contraband medicines for people who can’t afford the real deal."
"Oh, you're in the R stuff…" she widened her eyes, pumping her fists up like cheering. "Ari is in too… I won't tell anyone, I promise."
"I'm closed," Daniel shouted at a biker who had half-opened the door.
"But…"
One of the cleavers spun through the air, between Peter's and Regina's heads, planting itself in the wooden panel. "I'll come tomorrow," the biker gingerly closed the door. The cook turned the key, displaying the CLOSE sign for real and getting his cleaver back.
Daniel's skills were magical to Peter. He had never eaten in a Japanese restaurant before, but the cook juggled with the blades and the meat faster than his eye could follow, even with his enhanced stats.
And the food proved to be fantastic. "Hit me!" Regina asked, forwarding her plate for seconds. Daniel laughed and put her an even larger portion. She was slightly wobbling, albeit she had only one beer because it was a craft one and as strong, if not stronger, as a regular wine. Clenching his teeth, Peter made a discreet sign to the cook, his left index pointing to the beer. Biting his lower lip, Daniel nodded, squeezing his eyes in an I'm sorry grimace.
They had an apple pie and coffee for dessert, the first good, the second awful, but doing the job of putting Regina in her normal lucid state. The dessert took half an hour because there was a lot of small talk about bikes or music.
They left at half past eight in the evening, but Peter slowed the pace to enjoy the sensation of her holding him in his arms. When they arrived a few miles from the College, a sudden summer rain started, making them squeeze into each other under a bus stop shelter.
"Do you like rain?" she asked after a minute.
"I love rain…"
Grabbing his fingers, she went out in the rain, and he followed. She caressed his neck, and they kissed. "Make love to me," she whispered his years. Her words were a bit awkward, but the next kiss was not. She looked like a siren, her hair wet by the rain and her dress revealing her body, embracing every shape.
Taking her in his arms, Peter entered the forest. It was a low-danger area, but whatever monster appeared, he knew he would smite it into atoms. The rain was cold, but her body was hot, and they made love under a tree, where the drops barely fell, on moss and leaves, finishing standing with her back on the tree, legs wrapped around him. No words were to describe how intense it was, and any conscious thought perished from his mind. They stood there for a few minutes in each other arms.
"Don't worry… Cultivator girls have their period only twice a year," she said at some point.
Worried, Peter wasn't, because he knew that. Overwhelmed, for sure, and that translated into a slight phased-out expression. Closing his eyes, he tried to recall the memories of their intermingled bodies.
"I decided to move on. I’m in love with you…" she said.
“I love you so much I tried to push you away…” he whispered. “I have magical powers, and it might be dangerous to be with me. The cultivators are—"
“Not now." She kissed him with passion, biting his lip.
Having powers proved to be a blessing. Regeneration meant many things. They made love again just minutes afterward, slower, taking their time to enjoy each other.
"I don't think I can drive anytime soon," he showed her his hands, trembling from the emotion.
"Let's move under the shelter before you catch a cold," she said. They walked slowly, the adrenaline still hanging on, putting their clothes in order on the way, more or less. They were soaked with moss, leaves, and dirt all over.
Suddenly, her body shone with a golden light, glowing for about six seconds. That was not normal; Peter knew that much.
"What the heck?" she said, patting herself.
"Are you sick?" he asked, enveloping her in his arms, ready to Warp her to the nearest Cultivator hospital if needed.
"I had a breakthrough!" she yelled, taking his face in her palms and kissing him. "I got a Core!"
A successful Luck check awards you XP. You have leveled. You are now Lvl. 22 and have 6 points to invest.
What?