On a bright morning, I found myself unable to sleep through the day. Last night, I was confronted by a persistent blue screen that wouldn't go away. I waved my hands in front of it, wondering if I was hallucinating. This strange phenomenon kept me from working, so I got out of bed and sat in my chair, deep in thought about the blue screen. What intrigued me the most was that I could understand the message it displayed.
"Gift System of Generosity? What does that mean?" I murmured to myself. One peculiar aspect of the blue screen was that no one else could see it. When I went downstairs to ask my mother if she could see it too, she looked at me as if I were still half-asleep and almost thought I was crazy for talking about it so early in the morning. After some discussion, she allowed me to take a day off from my chores in the woods.
Instead of waving at the blue screen, I decided to try tapping on it, hoping for a different effect. When I tapped the screen, something changed, causing me to rise from my chair. The blue screen transformed into a gift and instructed me to tap to open it. I followed the prompt, and as I did, something emerged from the gift.
The blue screen then displayed three random boxes, each marked with a question mark above them, and it told me to open them by tapping the screen again. I tapped the screen, excitement bubbling up inside me as I engaged with the mysterious display.
I tapped all three boxes, each of which revealed a reward: Basic Aura Fortification, Basic Fist Technique, and Iron Body. The blue screen provided information about these three abilities, mentioning that they originated from different continents. However, Alistair didn't know which continents it was referring to. According to the blue screen, there are other continents besides the Two Arbiters Continents of Freedom and Neutrality. "What? Really? There are other continents aside from Freedom and Neutrality? But wait, why aren't they mentioned in the history books?" I asked. The blue screen didn't answer my question and instead began explaining the abilities that Alistair had received.
The Blue Screen outlines three primary techniques:
First, Basic Aura Fortification enhances willpower by allowing the user to create a protective barrier that prevents hostile attacks from penetrating their body. The stronger the user's willpower, the more resilient the barrier becomes, enabling it to withstand multiple or heavy attacks.
Second, there is the Basic Fist Technique, which provides the user with a fundamental understanding of using their fists. The user can also learn basic punching techniques from others who specialize in this area. Current techniques available to the user include:
Jab: A quick, straight punch delivered with the lead hand, useful for measuring distance, disrupting an opponent, and setting up combinations.
Cross (Straight Rear Punch): A powerful punch delivered with the rear hand, generated by rotating the hips and utilizing ground reaction force to maximize kinetic energy transfer.
Hook: A circular punch aimed at the opponent's jaw or ribs, with power derived from torso rotation and pivoting.
Lastly, we have the Iron Body technique, which toughens the user's body, helping them resist damage from sharp objects or physical strikes, such as punches or being hit by small pebbles. The Iron Body can be upgraded to enhance durability against stronger physical attacks. The Blue System will provide further details on upgrading these abilities soon.
"Upgrading? You mean these abilities can reach a higher stage?" The Blue Screen gave a thumbs-up on the screen. Alistair was surprised that the Blue Screen could understand what he was saying. "So, what should I call you? I can't always call you Blue Screen, can I?" The Blue Screen replied, "System!"
Alistair placed his hand on his chin. "Then I shall call you System. Can you tell me about the upgrades? It's becoming more interesting regarding the abilities you gave me. I never knew this kind of mechanic existed in our world. But does this ability only apply to me, System?"
The System replied, "Yes, this only applies to you in the Two Arbiter Continents of Freedom and Neutrality, but..." The System paused before continuing, "I apologize, but any further information is still classified. Once you receive the number of gifts, I will tell you more about them."
Alistair racked his brain, trying to understand what the System was telling him. "I see, that's alright. I am still figuring out the gifts you gave and how I should use them." The system gave a thumbs-up as Alistair laughed. Then something came to his mind. "That's right! I can now tell my mother that I have awakened my aura manipulation ability. She will be so happy!"
I went downstairs and stepped outside my house, where I saw my mother taking the dry clothes off the wooden pole. "Mother, I have good news!" I called out. My mother turned to face me. "What is it, my dear son?" she asked, placing the dry clothes into the basket.
"I've awakened my Aura!" I exclaimed, smiling at her. My mother looked happy. "Are you sure you've awakened your Aura? Once I finish with this laundry, let's head to the Village Chieftess. She'll be able to confirm it. The village now has 25 Aura users, including me and your two older sisters. I'm so proud of you, my dear son!"
I nodded eagerly and waited for my mother to finish taking down all the dry clothes.
At high noon, Alistair and his mother walked down the hill to visit the Chieftess's house in the village. They were there to see if Alistair had truly awakened his Aura Manifestation, a term used in the Freedom Continent to describe the activation of one's Aura. The Chieftess was at the training center in her backyard, where she was instructing some newcomers on how to control their Aura abilities.
My mother approached the Chieftess and explained that Alistair had awakened his Aura Manifestation. The Chieftess nodded and invited Alistair to come closer. I greeted her by bowing my head, placing my hand on my chest, and clenching my fist. "Greetings, Chieftess. I am Alistair. I felt a glowing light on my body, and I believe I have awakened my Aura Manifestation."
The Chieftess took both of my hands and closed her eyes, trying to sense what was within me. As she did, her body began to glow with a golden aura. When she opened her eyes, she said, "Astrid, it seems your son has indeed awakened his Aura Manifestation. He may now join the training sessions with the other newbies here. Great job, Alistair! Our Leaf Village now has 25 Aura Users. Starting early tomorrow, you will begin training with your seniors."
My mother smiled and patted my head as she held my hand, and we walked back home together.