ARC 2 – THE MOVE
CHAPTER 1: ASKING
The rain started early that day.
Daniel Park noticed it because rain made everything slower. Buses crawled through traffic. People walked with their heads down. Sounds became dull, like the world itself was tired.
Daniel liked that.
At school, the bullying didn't stop just because the weather changed. If anything, it felt worse. Wet floors, cramped hallways, irritated moods.
"Move."
A shoulder slammed into Daniel's back near the stairwell. He almost slipped but managed to catch the railing. Laughter followed, echoing off the walls.
Daniel didn't say anything.
He didn't bow either.
That was new.
Not bravery. Not confidence.
Just… restraint.
The system window flickered briefly in the corner of his vision.
Daily Skill: Emotional Regulation (Passive Observation)
Status: In Progress
Note: Suppression is not control
Daniel exhaled slowly through his nose.
He understood that sentence better than he wanted to.
In class, he couldn't focus. The words on the board blurred together. His notebook stayed mostly empty. Instead, his thoughts circled around one thing.
Transfer.
The idea had been forming for days now. Not suddenly. Not emotionally.
Logically.
This school was a closed system. No matter what small improvements he made, the environment reset him back to zero every morning.
The system could help him endure.
But endurance wasn't the same as living.
At lunch, Daniel sat alone as usual. A group nearby laughed loudly. One of them glanced at him, then leaned closer to his friends.
Daniel didn't need to hear the words to know they were about him.
System notification appeared again.
Posture & Balance: Awareness Triggered (3/5)
He straightened slightly without thinking.
Not proudly.
Just enough to breathe better.
That small action surprised him.
He realized something then.
He wasn't changing to be seen.
He was changing to survive longer.
After school, Daniel walked home in the rain instead of taking the bus. His uniform soaked through. His shoes squelched with every step.
But the longer walk gave him time.
Time to think carefully.
Not emotionally.
Strategically.
If he asked his mother for a transfer, it couldn't sound like weakness. She was already exhausted. Already worried. If he broke down, she would blame herself.
So he needed facts.
Reasons.
A plan.
At home, his mother was folding laundry. The TV murmured quietly in the background.
"Daniel?" she said. "You're late."
"I walked," he replied.
She frowned. "In this rain?"
"I wanted to think."
That made her pause.
Daniel changed clothes, then came back and sat across from her. He didn't speak immediately. He waited until his breathing was steady.
The system remained silent.
No prompts.
No missions.
This was on him.
"Mom," Daniel said, carefully. "Can I ask you something serious?"
She set the laundry down. "Of course."
He chose his words slowly.
"I don't think I can graduate properly at my current school."
Her expression tightened. "What happened?"
"Nothing new," Daniel said honestly. "That's the problem."
Silence stretched between them.
He continued before fear could interrupt him.
"My grades are dropping. Not because I can't study, but because I can't focus there. The environment is bad. For me."
He didn't mention bullying.
He didn't need to.
His mother already knew.
"You want to transfer," she said quietly.
"Yes."
She looked away.
Transfers cost money. Time. Energy.
Things they didn't have much of.
"I know it's hard," Daniel added quickly. "But I've looked into it. There's a school. J High. It's farther, but the academic record is better. And… students from different backgrounds."
That last part was vague on purpose.
His mother sighed deeply.
"Daniel," she said, rubbing her temples. "Running away doesn't solve everything."
Daniel nodded.
"I know. That's why I want to move forward instead."
The words surprised even him.
They weren't dramatic.
They were true.
The system window appeared softly.
Mental Discipline: Minor Alignment Detected
No reward issued
His mother studied his face for a long moment.
"You've changed," she said.
Daniel didn't deny it.
"I'm still weak," he replied. "But I'm trying to become reliable. Slowly."
That made her smile faintly.
"Always slowly," she said.
That night, after she went to sleep, Daniel lay awake staring at the ceiling.
The system activated.
Monthly Mission: PENDING
Condition: Major Life Transition Approaching
Details Locked
He didn't know what that meant yet.
But he felt it.
Something was ending.
Not the bullying.
Not the fear.
But the idea that this life was all there was.
The rain stopped sometime after midnight.
Daniel fell asleep thinking about timetables, bus routes, and how many minutes he would need to wake up earlier.
Not dreams.
Plans.
This arc of his life closed quietly.
No victory.
No dramatic escape.
Just a decision made carefully, with eyes open.
And somewhere ahead, another body waited.
Unaware.
Unconnected.
Yet destined to change everything.
End of Arc 2 – The Move
Daniel Park stood in the doorway of the kitchen long after dinner was finished.
The TV murmured quietly in the background. A late-night drama played, but neither of them was watching it. His mother sat at the table, counting bills, her shoulders slumped forward in exhaustion.
Daniel's fingers curled and uncurled.
Say it.
If you don't say it now, you never will.
The system window hovered faintly in the corner of his vision, silent for once.
No task.
No reminder.
No push.
This was on him.
"Mom," Daniel said.
She looked up immediately. "Yes?"
Her voice was gentle. It always was. That somehow made this harder.
"I… need to talk to you."
She straightened, worry flashing across her face. "Did something happen at school?"
Daniel swallowed.
A thousand answers fought in his chest.
Yes.
Everything.
Always.
"I want to transfer schools," he said.
The words fell heavier than he expected.
The room went quiet.
His mother stared at him, eyes wide. "Transfer…?"
Daniel nodded, bowing his head instinctively. "I can't stay there anymore."
Her hands tightened around the papers. "Is it bullying?"
Daniel didn't answer right away.
The system flickered.
[Emotional Stress Detected]
[Optional Reflection Trigger Available]
He ignored it.
"Yes," he said quietly.
His mother exhaled slowly and leaned back in her chair. She didn't look angry. She didn't look disappointed.
She looked tired.
"Daniel," she said softly, "you know transferring won't magically fix everything."
"I know," he replied.
That surprised even him.
"I know it won't," he continued, voice steadier than before. "But if I stay… I won't last."
The honesty hung between them.
His mother closed her eyes for a moment.
"How long has it been happening?" she asked.
Daniel hesitated. Then answered truthfully.
"Since middle school."
Her breath hitched.
She reached across the table and took his hand. Her grip was warm, grounding.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Daniel looked down. "Because you're already doing everything you can."
Silence again.
Then she squeezed his hand.
"Alright," she said.
Daniel looked up sharply. "Really?"
"We'll figure it out," she said, forcing a small smile. "Somehow."
Something in Daniel's chest loosened.
That night, Daniel couldn't sleep.
Not because he was scared.
But because his mind wouldn't stop working.
The system appeared once more.
[System Notification]
Major Life Decision Recorded
Arc Status: Complete
New Arc Pending Initialization
"…Arc?" Daniel murmured.
Before he could think further, another window unfolded.
[Mission Update]
Monthly Mission Unlocked
Objective:
• Survive transition period
• Maintain daily task completion
• Avoid complete mental breakdown
Reward (Choose One):
New Non-Combat Skill
Potential Increase (Minor)
Temporary Booster Token
Daniel stared.
"So… this is serious now," he whispered.
The system wasn't just tracking habits anymore.
It was tracking turning points.
The next few days passed in a blur.
Paperwork.
Phone calls.
Quiet tension.
At school, the bullying didn't stop.
If anything, it got worse.
"Running away?" someone laughed when rumors spread.
Daniel didn't respond.
He walked.
He endured.
He counted days.
[Emergency Mission Triggered]
Condition: Emotional overload risk
Objective: Stay functional for the day
Reward:
• 10× EXP Booster (24 hours)
• Can be applied to any skill
Daniel clenched his fists.
Not today, he thought.
Not before I leave.
He applied the booster to Focused Learning without hesitation.
That day, for the first time, he finished all his work early.
Not because he was smart.
But because he refused to break.
On the final day, Daniel stood at the school gate longer than necessary.
This place had taken everything from him.
But it had also shown him something important.
He could survive.
Barely.
But survival meant movement.
And now—
Movement was coming.
That night, he packed his bag.
As he lay down, the system updated again.
[System Update – Pending]
Condition Required: Major Environmental Change
Status: Locked
Daniel frowned.
"What environmental change…?"
He didn't get an answer.
He never did.
Sleep took him.
And somewhere beyond consciousness—
Something shifted.
End of Arc 2
Daniel Park sat at the small dining table, staring at his untouched rice.
The room was quiet except for the faint hum of the refrigerator. His mother stood by the sink, washing dishes slowly, shoulders slumped from exhaustion. This scene was familiar—too familiar.
Daniel tightened his grip on his chopsticks.
He had practiced this moment in his head all night.
"Mom," he said.
She turned, surprised by his tone. "Yes?"
"I want to transfer schools."
The words landed heavily in the room.
The system did not appear.
No task.
No mission.
This was not something it could guide him through.
His mother didn't answer immediately. She dried her hands on a towel, then sat down across from him. Her eyes searched his face carefully.
"…Did something happen?"
Daniel opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
His chest tightened. His throat burned.
The system flickered faintly at the edge of his vision.
[SYSTEM NOTE – NO INTERVENTION]
Some choices must be made without assistance.
Daniel bowed his head.
"I'm scared," he said honestly.
That was all it took.
His mother's face crumpled—not in anger, not in disappointment, but in pain. She reached across the table and held his hand.
"You don't have to explain," she said softly. "I already know."
Daniel's shoulders shook.
He didn't cry loudly.
He didn't sob.
Tears just fell—quiet, ashamed tears that he wiped away quickly.
"I tried," he said. "I really tried."
"I know," she replied immediately.
That night, the decision was made.
J HIGH SCHOOL
The gates of J High loomed tall and unfamiliar.
Daniel stood outside, school bag hanging from his shoulders, heart pounding. The building looked cleaner. Bigger. More open.
More dangerous?
He swallowed.
"This is a fresh start," he whispered.
The system appeared clearly for the first time that day.
[SYSTEM UPDATE – ENVIRONMENT CHANGE DETECTED]
New Arc Initialized: J HIGH
Unlocked:
• Weekly Missions
• Emergency Missions (Locked – Condition Based)
• Friendship Favorability System (Passive)
Daniel exhaled slowly.
"…Okay."
He stepped inside.
The classroom was louder than his old school.
Students talked freely, laughed openly. Some glanced at Daniel, then looked away—not with disgust, but indifference.
Indifference felt strange.
He chose a seat near the back.
"Hey."
Daniel flinched.
A boy with messy blond hair leaned over. "You new?"
Daniel nodded stiffly. "Y-Yes."
"I'm Zack," the boy said casually. "Welcome."
That was it.
No insult.
No laughter.
No shove.
Daniel froze for half a second too long.
"…Thank you," he said quietly.
The system responded instantly.
[FRIENDSHIP DETECTED]
Zack Lee – Favorability: 5/100
Low-level Friendship Booster Available (Locked)
Daniel didn't understand it yet.
But something had changed.
THE NIGHT EVERYTHING SHIFTED
Daniel fell asleep exhausted.
When he opened his eyes—
The ceiling was unfamiliar.
Higher.
Cleaner.
Bright.
His body felt light.
Too light.
He sat up.
Long arms.
Flat stomach.
No heaviness.
Daniel's breath caught.
"…Again?"
He ran to the mirror.
Handsome.
Tall.
Perfect.
The second body.
But before panic could set in—
The system appeared violently, text scrolling faster than ever before.
[SYSTEM CRITICAL UPDATE]
Second Body Detected
Cross-Existence Confirmed
Updating Core Functions…
Daniel clutched the edge of the sink.
"What does that mean?!"
[SYSTEM UPDATE COMPLETE]
Unlocked:
• Booster Application (Combat / Training Enabled)
• Emergency Missions (Active)
• Monthly Missions
• Potential Growth Modifier
• Fast Recovery (Locked – Reward Only)
WARNING:
System remains bound to ORIGINAL BODY ONLY
Daniel's heart raced.
"So… this body doesn't get skills?"
Correct.
But boosters may be applied indirectly through action.
Daniel stared at his reflection.
This body could fight.
This body could survive.
But the system—
The growth—
The discipline—
That belonged to the weak body.
To the real him.
A final notification appeared.
[MONTHLY MISSION AVAILABLE]
Survive J High for 30 days.
Conditions:
• Maintain attendance
• Form at least 1 meaningful connection
• Do not abandon original body responsibilities
Rewards (Choose One):
• New Skill (Computer Fundamentals)
• Potential Increase (Minor)
• Fast Recovery (Temporary)
Daniel slowly clenched his fist.
"…So this is how it works."
Not miracles.
Choices.
END OF ARC TRANSITION
The boy who ran away was gone.
In his place stood someone fragile—
but learning how to endure.
Two bodies.
One mind.
One path.
And J High had no idea what kind of struggle had just entered its gates.
END OF ARC
NEXT ARC: J HIGH – SURVIVAL