Ow. A “headache”

Khusus laid on his bed disappointed in the fact that the high priest didn't work. He was also upset that he wasted his Aunt's money and thought he should make it back to her. Since he isn't rich and isn't able to pay her back he should find another to make it back. He pulled Austėja's Sheath out of the bag he carried and looked at it.

'Protect it, even if it means killing someone'

His father's words came back into his head. Khusus didn't cry this time and just sat up. He decided he would try harder to become strong. Khusus started to exercise in his room until he felt numb. He was using tips from the books his dad stacked in his room, but he was kind of over doing it. Khusus stretched out in the floor and was sweating all over. He was breathing heavily and his body was warm. Not the comfortable warm, more like the warmth from soreness.

He was trying to prepare his body for the dangerous effects of the other two options. The forced channeler and the cosmic machine. He thought he would go with the cosmic machine option first because the forced channeler supposedly had his cosmic energy in it from when he was still an infant and it might be more dangerous and painful.

If Khusus were to use the cosmic machine then he wouldn't need to absorb the cosmic energy into his body. Since the cosmic machine is separating human or monster life force from the cosmic energy then more traces of death would remain. This is very dangerous because Khusus has the habit of uncontrollably absorbing cosmic energy and if he were to absorb a lot the traces of death then he would obviously die.

Khusus thought it was worth a try because using the forced channeler was equally as bad. When he had the energy, he sat back on his bed. He had changed subjects in his head and was now wondering what to give his Aunt Vilo. 'Maybe she might want this useless artifact' thought Khusus. Khusus pulled on the the sword again while thinking of the word useless. That word was really fitting for the piece of trash.

When Khusus was approaching the deepest of thought he heard a knock on the door.

"Is everything all right? How did it go?" asked Aunt Vilo.

Even though he didn't want to talk about it, Khusus thought that Aunt Vilo should know since it was her money. Khusus got up and went to open the door. When Vilo saw him she looked a little shocked, but that was natural after seeing Khusus covered in sweat. She was about to ask about it, but Khusus began explaining what the result at the high-priest's quarters(not including being grabbed).

Khusus saw that his aunt looked a little disappointed even though she tried to hide it. He said "don't worry about it" and "I'll make it up to you.", but Aunt Vilo denied and said it was alright. She said she had already sent one of her latest designs to her friend a while ago and would get paid soon. Khusus sighed and went back to lay on his bed.

"Would you like something to eat?" Aunt Vilo recognized he hadn't eaten at all since he came to her place.

"No. I'm fine." Khusus was in no mood to eat and only wanted to get powerful enough to possibly become an adventurer or open the artifact. Khusus wasn't feeling hungry either, even though it has been hours since he last ate. He was more curious as to how the food would be made.

"Are you cooking?" wondered Khusus.

"Yes, I'm, in fact, a really good cook!" Vilo replied while complimenting herself.

"Why are there no butlers or maids?" Khusus remembered a question he was thinking about in the front gate.

"I don't feel safe with strangers in my house." replied Aunt Vilo. "How about you eat anyway. It must have been a long time since you last ate. You will even get to enjoy my delicious cooking for free!"

Aunt Vilo found a way to change the subject and compliment herself simultaneously. She was mentally giving herself a pat on the back and guestered Khusus to follow her. Khusus decided it was best to eat if he wanted to get healthier and stronger.

...

Aunt Vilo's cooking was the best and there was no other way to describe it. Vilo explained how she would never get bored of what she cooked even if it was the same thing one thousand times in a row. She preferred to stay home rather than going out to cook because she enjoys cooking and eating her cooking: her two favorite things to do. Well, she is interested in other things, but those aren't as important right now.

"Ah!"

Khusus couldn't help, but make a sound to express the deliciousness of the food he was currently ingesting(Okay I worded that pretty weird, please pay no mind). Khusus finished his plate to ask for seconds and thirds. Aunt Vilo was happy that he enjoyed her cooking, but was upset that Khusus didn't even pay attention to find out what he was eating.

'It's so good! It must be healthy!' was all Khusus could think about. He rubbed his tummy because he overstuffed himself with the splendid meal. He thanked Aunt Vilo and headed back to his room(after cleaning up after himself). Khusus was really tired of everything that had happened that day and decided to go to sleep.

(Khusus POV+Time Jump)

I spent the next three years enjoying Aunt Vilo's cooking, trying to open Austėja's Sheath, and preparing my body for the other two options to control cosmic energy. I decided not to go to school even though I could afford it. That's because I learned most of that stuff during my training with my dad or homeschooling with mom and didn't want to bothered by the other kids. I was also was exercising a lot. My body became stronger, but my muscular appearance is hard to notice. Probably my illness or the mark on my arm are the cause of this. I didn't find out who killed my dad and eventually gave up.

Aunt Vilo was right about her cooking and it never gets old. I got nowhere at finding out how to open the artifact, but that's okay because I can just sell it. I attempted both of the remaining options that my father gave me. I found out that the forced channeler was in one of my dad's arm's storage areas and made an excuse for Aunt Vilo to use it on me. It hurt. It hurt a lot and I fell on the ground in pain holding my body right there in front of her. My body didn't have its normal reaction and it kind of reminded me of those two losers I killed in the mysterious building.

She was worried about me doing anything else so it took a long time to get the cosmic machine. When I did though it wasn't worth it. Instead of the machine absorbing the cosmic energy the energy was more attracted to me. My body had the reaction, but I didn't give up. I tried it in as many ways as I could with the hope of something working or happening. But it didn't. When I entered the mansion again that day all the flowers in my room died for some reason and Aunt Vilo was sick. I had already recovered from the reaction and my body was quite used to it.

That happened quite recently. I'm currently laying on my bed right now with nothing to do. All the goals I had in my life are impossible. I'll never be able to control cosmic energy or open Austėja's Sheath. I was lying on the bed for who knows how long. I had nothing to do and my mind was going blank. There was nothing I wanted to think about or do. Everything around felt like it was fading away. I had my window open, but the sounds from outside were all gone. I couldn't hear my breathing and I could only feel my heartbeat.

It became slower and slower. I was dying. Maybe because I was starving from laying here for a long time or I did the reaction to my body to many times consecutively. I was sure of the fact that I would die. I started rethinking my life and was I happy for what I did rather than what I did not do. Well, I didn't really do anything in my life so of course I wasn't happy, but soon I wouldn't need to worry about it anymore. My cosmic energy, Austėja's Sheath, reading, and becoming an adventurer. It was all gone now and I couldn't feel or hear my heart beating anymore..

*Downloading…*

That's when I read something. It felt like my thoughts were forced to read it and I was having words forced into my mind. It didn't hurt, but it felt weird. Downloading. The word confused me for a second and I thought I was thin-

*Download Complete*

It happened again. Download Complete? I didn't understand what it meant so I waited if it was going to do anything else.

*Greetings User you are now the owner of the Adventure Starting System. You will now be able to access missions and goals*

My thoughts were interrupted again and I had been forced to read something in my head again. It said something about adventurers, but I'm not one and I don't want to become one. It also said I could access missions and goals. I wonder what that means?

*New Mission: "What does that mean?" for more information check mission description*

Mission description? How am I supposed to check that? I was too confused at the time to realize I just survived death and would have to continue my pointless life. I didn't know how to control whatever had just inserted itself into my mind.

*Mission: "What does that mean?"

To do:

Understand Missions and Goals

I think it's telling me what to do. It gave me a mission based on finding out what it was. It just so happened that the thought had just passed through my mind when it gave me the mission. I don't think it can talk so it forces me to read it. But I don't think it can force me to do it. This thing in my head is just an annoyance and it will probably go away if I ignore it.

*Downloading Rules…*

Rules?

*Download Complete! You may now access rules!*

Last time I thought about about what it meant by check mission description it showed it to me. I probably have to not think about Rules for it to not show it to me and so it can leave me alone.

*Rules

1.User mustn't ignore any rule that has been established by the system.

2.User mas adhere to any responsibilities that you have.

3.User must complete three missions a day. The number may change over time.

4.User must establish a new goal by the end of the day or during the same day of goal completion.

5.User is able to come up with a new name for the system until the end of the day.

6.Rules may be removed, changed, or added by the system.

7.Failure to follow all the rules mentioned above will result in a headache.

Headache? I have experienced more pain from my cosmic energy reaction all my life. I'm use to pain and a simple headache doesn't bother me. I guess I don't have to follow these rules after all. I sat up on the bed and put all my stuff in my bag. I climbed out the opened window and prepared to jump.

*Initiating Headache*

I felt a small tingle in the back of my head before I jumped.

"So this is the headache" I thought out loud.

I smiled because I barely felt I thing. The tingle began to spread my head and then my body. It didn't hurt it just felt weird. I climbed back in to the room and headed towards the bathroom. I looked in the mirror that covered the wall and saw that my hair black hair was turning white and my body was sweating even though it didn't hurt.

My body began to feel numb and it was becoming harder to move. Even though I trained intensely to become strong and energized, all the strength in my body was being sucked out. I didn't feel any pain, but I collapsed to the ground. I layed there while the tingle started to become needles, then knives, and then spears. It only started hurting when it became knives, but still didn't hurt as much as the spear-like feeling.

I was already facing the mirror and saw myself covered in sweat, but no actual injuries. The only thing actually different was that my eyes hair(including eyebrows) became a pale color. My hair also became straighter. I was only able to focus on what I looked like for a little bit of time because the pain started to increase. If felt like someone had shoved their fist through my ear and out the other. At the same time while smashing a hammer on my head. I felt as if I was covered in fire ants and being sucked on by leeches.

I started to understand where this was going.

I was going to have to go through all possible pain at once. As soon as that realization entered my mind the pain was gone. All gone. I looked in the mirror and saw everything had returned back to normal. I wasn't even sweating. The only thing that remained was my hair being straight(still black). I tried to fix it, but it didn't work. I stopped focusing on my hair and looked at the rules again to avoid the "headache".

It says I must adhere to any responsibilities that I have. Does that mean I must protect the family artifact and find out who the culprit who killed my dad is so I can murd- serve justice.

*Affirmative*

I guess it replies to me if I ask something. 'Why are you in my head?' I thought.

*…*

No answer. I guess it won't always answer my questions. I looked at the rules again. It also says I must create a goal by the end of the day. I guess it doesn't create them for me and just forces me to do them. The only goals I had in the past were to become an adventurer and-

*New Goal: "Become an Adventurer"

I decided that this would need to be completed outside.