Saturday dawned bright and cold. No school meant no immediate Brad, but Li had a different kind of battle planned. The Henderson house was quiet, Mr. Henderson tinkering in the garage, Lisa humming over pancakes. Li devoured his breakfast, fueled by purpose.
[WEEKEND CHAIN QUEST: KNOWLEDGE CONQUEST - PART 1/3]
Objective: Dedicate 3 focused hours to independent study (Subject: Mathematics).
Reward: +100 XP, +1 INT, Skill Book Fragment: [Basic Problem Solving] (1/3)
Failure: Status Effect: Weekend Slump (-10% XP gain for 24 hours)
Three hours. Solid math. Li set up at the small desk in his room, textbooks and notebooks spread out. Pre-algebra, moving into basic geometry. Usually, his mind would wander after twenty minutes. Today felt different. [Quick Thinking] helped concepts flow. His boosted INT (14 now) made complex formulas seem less like gibberish. He worked through problems, the system tracking his focus meter. When his mind drifted to Brad's sneer or the cafeteria mess, he ruthlessly yanked it back. Focus. INT point. Skill fragment.
After two grueling hours, a notification popped:
[SKILL UNLOCKED THROUGH PRACTICE: FOCUSED STUDY Lv.1]
Effect: +5% comprehension rate during dedicated study sessions. XP gain from studying increased by 10%.
Yes! Li pumped his fist silently. The system rewarded actual effort! He pushed through the final hour, tackling tougher problems. When the timer in his mind hit three hours, he slumped back, mentally exhausted but exhilarated.
[WEEKEND CHAIN QUEST: KNOWLEDGE CONQUEST - PART 1/3 - COMPLETE!]
Reward Claimed: +100 XP, +1 INT (New INT: 15), Skill Book Fragment: [Basic Problem Solving] (1/3)
Level Progress: Level 3 (325/300 XP) -> Level Up! Level 4 Achieved! All Stats +0.5!
Level Progress: Level 4 (25/400 XP)
Another level! INT 15 felt solidly good. DEF was now 9. STR 10. He wasn't strong, but he wasn't tissue paper anymore. He examined the shimmering [Basic Problem Solving] fragment – it looked like a torn page of glowing equations. Collect three to unlock the skill? Challenge accepted.
He spent the afternoon helping Lisa weed the garden (earning a grateful smile and +25 XP for [Minor Labor]), then hit the local library. Quiet, safe, full of knowledge. He grabbed books on basic physics and… self-defense? He hesitated, then checked one out on Krav Maga principles. Not for fighting, he told himself. For… awareness. [Situational Awareness] approved.
Sunday followed a similar pattern. [WEEKEND CHAIN QUEST: KNOWLEDGE CONQUEST - PART 2/3] demanded 3 hours of Science study. Again, [Focused Study] kicked in. He devoured chapters on force and motion, Newton's laws clicking perfectly after his cafeteria standoff. Unbalanced force… yeah, I felt that. He earned another +100 XP, +1 INT (INT: 16!), and the second [Basic Problem Solving] fragment. Level 4 progress: 125/400 XP.
Late Sunday, he sat on his bed, flipping through the Krav Maga book. Simple stances. Leverage points. Escapes. He wasn't learning moves, just… principles. [Perception] (PER: 12.5 now) helped him visualize. He practiced shifting his weight, imagining a shove. How to root himself better. How to use an attacker's momentum against them. Theory only, but it felt proactive.
[SKILL UNLOCKED THROUGH STUDY: THEORETICAL COMBAT Lv.1]
Effect: +3% chance to successfully execute a basic defensive maneuver (dodge, block, grapple escape) when attempted. Increases understanding of physical confrontation mechanics.
Not much, but it was a start. A ghost of competence. He pulled up his status, a quiet pride swelling.
**Li - Level 4 (125/400 XP)** HP: 100/100 INT: 16 (Well Above Average) STR: 10 (Average) AGI: 11 (Average) DEF: 9 (Below Average) + [Stubborn Resolve Lv.1] (+2 DEF vs Intimidation) PER: 12.5 (Above Average) + [Situational Awareness Lv.1] Skills: Stubborn Resolve Lv.1, Situational Awareness Lv.1, Quick Thinking Lv.1, Focused Study Lv.1, Theoretical Combat Lv.1
He wasn't a hero. Not yet. But the kid who got shoved into lockers was fading. He had stats. Skills. A system. And a burning determination forged in humiliation. Monday loomed, but this time, Li Wei wasn't just hoping to survive. He was planning to advance.