Chapter 7 - Sometimes you have to fail once or twice to get it right.

[Jamaal's House | Earth ]

Jamaal woke up, sweat forming on his brows as he looked around, shaken. Fearful.

Tears began to appear, salty tears that slowly fell from his eyes. These tears weren't due to sadness because of anger. He hated that he failed his goal. He didn't want to be that weak boy he had always been. Yet Jamaal did just that and was still just that. And not in a way that could be honourable to him, he died weak and alone. Just like how he had been killed by that cloaked figure many times. Who found such enjoyment in inflicting pain to Jamaal.

He clenched his fists, thinking harshly about his mistakes which led to the scenario previously.

"I was naive to think I could survive so easily without dying a couple of times, be it a dozen times or a hundred times." He sighed, lifting himself from the bed, light permeating from the window through the curtains.

Jamaal rubbed his eyes and glanced at the clock.

"11 am. I'll get up today, I need a break, anyway, I've got school work to do." He got up from sitting on the bed and walked to the bathroom, yawning as he did so.

When Jamaal reached the bathroom, he opened the door and washed his face, glancing at the mirror for a second to see himself.

A few minutes later, the shower door opened and the boy stepped in, turning the shower in and leaning against a wall as the water began to fall onto him.

"I've got to think up something. I had marked the rough location of the rising smoke when I spotted it. If I spawn close by, I try to get there as quick as possible without being found by Him." He was referring to the Goblin Chieftain.

"Though If I get the opportunity to kill him, I'll take it." He began to wash his hair, mind deep in thought, silently formulating a plan.

When Jamaal's shower finished, he exited, grabbing a towel and drying himself thoroughly before leaving.

He glanced between his room and downstairs, ultimately deciding to go down.

After arriving into the kitchen, the boy grabbed some milk, a bowl and some cereal and began to eat cereal quietly, glancing outside from time to time.

After spending some time eating, Jamaal eventually got up, going to the sink and washing his stuff.

Once finishing his breakfast and cleaning his dishes, Jamaal headed back upstairs to do his homework, the mood was quite eerie considering how his parents were at work currently and all.

He stepped into his room and walked to the window, moving away the beige curtains to let the bright sunlight inside.

From his window, Jamaal could see the birds carrying on with their lives, chirping as if they were singing. A little squirrel was climbing up the lone oak tree in his backyard, a rare sight. Hopefully, it would bring a good sign with it.

He glanced around the outside world, warmth filling him slowly as he looked away and walked up to his desk, sitting down. He then proceeded to turn on his laptop, bringing out a book from his drawer and opening it.

Soon, he was working away, typing and writing, a mix of both, the house silent aside from the pitter-patter of keys and the scribbling sound of a pencil upon paper.

Two hours later, Jamaal was putting away the last of his work, leaning back into his chair as he let out a breath of relief.

"One less thing to worry about," He thought, getting up and doing some light stretches, his body being quite tired from sitting for two hours straight. It was then when the boy glanced towards his bed, or once again going downstairs, maybe he could do his parent's a favour and hoover the upstairs.

Jamaal decided to do the latter, going to the store-room next door and bringing out a hoover, plugging it up and starting his cleaning. Starting from his room and eventually ending with his parent's room.

After finishing up with the cleaning, he put the hoover away before placing the bathroom mats into the washing and wiped the desks.

After finishing the simple chores that one would do. Jamaal decided to go back to sleeping and to continue his dreamworld adventures.

He walked upstairs once again, heading to his room. Once entering, closing the curtains and laying on the bed, eyes looking around. He had still not gotten over his previous death and was continuing to contemplate how to manage around it.

Inwardly, he began to make a mental plan, just before sleeping. This planning was so he could manage his way through multiple scenarios, to lessen the chance of an untimely death like before.

Slowly but surely, he was rebuilding his confidence, Jamaal had to at least get to level 5 before fighting the boss, a higher level would be better. He didn't have much experience fighting, after all. This levelling up strategy was so he could use overpowering strength rather than instincts.

Still, though, Jamaal planned to go to The Practice World to gain more experience and a more stressless experience, not in the way of life and death but in the way that any past trauma would not interfere. At least he hoped it wouldn't.

With a more or less restored and rebuilt confidence, Jamaal shut his eyes, letting his breathing come to a calm rhythm as he silently slipped into sleep's soft and warm domain.

[ Eldritch Woods | The Continent of Tanzania ]

Jamaal opened his eyes to see a familiar landscape of the forest where he had spent the last few days.

"System... Activate Practise World." He said, bringing out his sword and swinging it about as he took a deep breath.

[Complying...]

The world gradually fragmented, quickly becoming replaced with the grassland plains he had fought the Flame Pig-Bull.

Jamaal took a few steps forward.

"System, what's the strongest creature I can kill while having a good chance of surviving? It has to be a life and death battle, that is the only way to get stronger."

[You are still weak for the true beasts of this world. You shall fight a Giant Earthworm. It is level 4 so be prepared.]

"You're a bit nice today," Jamaal smiled softly, preparing his sword for the incoming fight.

[System does not know what Host is talking about.]

The boy only laughed, getting into a battle stance.

"Of course you don't," He then put his mind on the fight.

"I will grow stronger. I don't care how many times I say that. I will."