System loaded. Hello, host.
I saw the words moving, and my head started to ache. Man, I think I'm going to throw up. System, what the hell is this?
[SYSTEM: Well host, your brain is hardwired to read Ancient Greek and you have ADHD, which means you can't pay attention to anything because your mind is built for combat: fast reflexes, constant alertness, and immediate reaction to danger. Good luck.]
Man, what a mess. Well, I looked around but the street was empty and dark. I looked at the sky; it was dark, I hadn't even noticed. I seemed to be in an abandoned neighborhood. I looked at the building that seemed to have a garden. Well, if I'm a son of Demeter, it's better to stay there today. I walked through some corridors; the place was trashed, decaying with moss, yet I felt something—as if I were at home. Strange.
Right ahead, there was a small, rusty gate standing open. Before entering, I looked back. Well, there was nothing there. I leaned against the wall and looked through a small crack. Right away, I saw a small greenhouse, a withered little tree, and roots on the ground. The building was way too tall, but half the windows were broken or boarded up with rotting wood. It was covered in graffiti with names and threats. Man, if a strong wind passes by, this crap will fall. It looked like the garden was in the back. Well, there was nothing there.
I opened the gate slowly. When I went to close it, it made an irritating noise. I started walking toward the greenhouse; it's small, but it works. The smell of earth was strong, and that made me feel more at ease. I guess being a son of Demeter isn't so bad. Getting closer, I saw some cracked and dirty glass, but it was still intact—well, except for the door. I went inside and looked more carefully. The metal structure is rusted. The floor is dirt mixed with broken concrete. There are some broken pots and an old crate in the corner. I also noticed a black tarp—that's good, I can cover the glass a bit or use it as a blanket. I also saw withered plants that I already knew were dead, and some herbs growing on their own; those little plants seemed to be begging for me to be there.
Now that I noticed—man, this is so cool. I could even be like Hashirama here. That would be awesome, hahahahaha. But well, better fix this place up. I grabbed the crate; it was light, just old wood, but it would serve. I placed it where the door used to be to block it a bit. I sat where there was more dirt, and what a good sensation—the earth was warm. Well, let's check this system. Mentally, I called: "System, my status, and do I get anything? You know, like a welcome gift."
[SYSTEM: Yes, host, there is a welcome pack, and if you want to see your status, just say so.]
"Well, show my status first."
STATUS PANEL
[NAME]: Caleb Thorne
[AGE]: 11 years old
[HP]: 100/100
[STAMINA]: 20/50
[PARENTAL DEITY]: Demeter (Undetermined).
CURRENT RANK: F – Newly discovered demigod
MAIN ATTRIBUTES
[PHYSICAL STRENGTH]: (F-4/10) Young human body, no significant training.
[SPEED / REFLEXES]: (F-6/10) Reflexes slightly above average due to ADHD and combat mind.
[ENDURANCE]: (F-3/10) Fragile body, tires quickly, low stamina.
[INTELLIGENCE / PERCEPTION]: (F-7/10) Able to perceive plants and environment, but limited focus.
"Are you serious? I thought I'd be at a medium level at least. You know, being the 'special son.' My god, what trash attributes. Well, at least I have some cool skills; I can use them intelligently."
[INITIAL SKILLS]
[PLANT CONNECTION]: Active (Initial). Senses the presence of plants; small herbs react to touch.
[PLANT MANIPULATION]: In training. Can attempt to control roots, vines, and small sprouts.
[EARTH INTUITION]: Passive. Perceives vibrations and subtle changes in the ground.
[ADHD]: Passive. Fast reflexes and constant alertness, but difficulty with prolonged focus.
[DISADVANTAGES]
(ADHD – constant distraction, difficulty with prolonged focus)
(DYSLEXIA – slow reading, difficult interpretation of complex texts)
"Well System, what's the gift pack? He he he, you can open it."
[SYSTEM: Opening gift pack.]
"A light blinded me a bit, System. This light isn't going to attract any monsters, is it?"
[SYSTEM: ... Congratulations, you won!]
[GAMER'S MIND]: What it does: Allows you to maintain calm and logical reasoning even in panic situations and protects your mind. You still feel fear, but fear doesn't paralyze you, and you will feel discomfort when someone tries to read your mind.
[GAMER'S BODY]: What it does: Your body starts to function like an RPG character. You don't "die" from a cut on your arm; you lose HP. Resting (sleeping) in a "safe zone" recovers minor injuries and exhaustion. Realistic Limitation: If your HP reaches zero, you die. There is no "respawn."
[STARTER CLOTHING SET]: A change of clothes (cargo pants, resistant t-shirt, and a hooded jacket). The clothes won't tear on the first bush.
[EMERGENCY SUPPLIES]: A medium bag with 10 bottles of water and 10 cereal bars (recovers HP and stamina).
"Son of a bitch, seriously, this is shit—the skills and all it's good—but seriously,backpack and... cereal bars? Are you serious?"
[SYSTEM: The host needs fiber. And you are dehydrated, so drink water.]
"Screw you, System. Damn, I could imagine veins popping on my forehead. Hum, I looked to the side; there were the clothes, which were all black for some reason, and the bag. Should I eat, recover stamina and train a bit more, or just rest? System, this is a safe zone now, right? Like, there are no monsters."
[SYSTEM: YES. WHEN YOU SLEEP IN A SAFE ZONE, YOU RECOVER ALL STAMINA. HOWEVER, THIS PLACE IS DEPLORABLE, SO YOU WILL ONLY RECOVER HALF SINCE YOU WON'T HAVE PROPER REST. BUT SINCE YOU ARE A SON OF THE GODDESS DEMETER AND YOU ARE IN A PLACE THAT WILL LEAVE YOU MENTALLY COMFORTABLE AND MORE RELAXED, YOU WILL RECOVER MORE, THOUGH NOT YOUR FULL STAMINA.]
"Man, but it won't make that much difference. Since in a luxury place I'd recover everything which is 50, half is 25. I have 20, so in the end, it'll be almost full, right?"
[SYSTEM: "--" YES.]
"Didn't expect that one, did you?" I stood up, went to the clothes, and started changing. The pants fit perfectly, and so did the shirt. I decided to keep the jacket in the bag. I took the chance to eat a cereal bar and drink some water; my throat was dry and I didn't want this crazy system to give me a debuff.
[NOTICE: RECOVERED 15 STAMINA]
"Well, now I just sleep and tomorrow I'll find out where I am."
I lay down on the ground and covered myself with the tarp. The smell of the earth made me calm, even if it was all crazy, seriously. "But System, I just thought about it now—how did I get here? Did I steal this body? Where is his father? Can you explain that to me?"
[SYSTEM: YES, HOST. THIS BODY IS YOURS. YOU DIDN'T STEAL IT, BUT IT WAS ON 'AUTO-PILOT.' YOU WERE SET TO WAKE UP WHEN YOU TURNED 11, WHICH WAS TODAY. YOU LIVED IN AN ORPHANAGE FOR BEING STRANGE, SEEING THINGS, AND TALKING TO PLANTS. YOU WERE BULLIED, SO AFTER NOT BEING ABLE TO TAKE IT ANYMORE, YOU RAN AWAY—WHICH WAS YESTERDAY—AND WOKE UP TODAY. DO YOU NEED TO KNOW ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT YOUR BODY OR HISTORY?]
"Well, that's a relief. I think I'll go back there or just keep moving forward. I need to set up a training plan; I need to improve my body first. It's too weak, and I need it if a monster shows up. But it's like my great friend once said: 'It doesn't matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.'"
congratulations to me And, with the sound of crickets and cicadas, I fell asleep.