3. A useful story

Jun En is 17 turning 18 this year, he attends a public school in the city 'Pono' and is in his last year of high school. After high school people can decide where they want to go, whether they want to start working or try to further their studies and attend one of the 4 great academies.

These four great academies have birthed the most popular and talented people and heroes within modern society known as the [Tellers]. [Tellers] are those who are able to efficiently and effectively utilise the powers gifted from their stories, possessing the ability to actively train, improve and write their own stories in the world. They are recognised as the strength in any industry and especially in the front lines against the Regs

There are four great academies Writaria, Laventeim, Tostor and the most well known Novelia academy. The one which Jun En is aiming for is of course the great Novelia academy. However with his current abilities and stories this will impossible.

In order to get accepted he needed to gain a useful story in order to prove his worth. His stories were not bad currently but they didn't serve any useful purpose, if he attempted to join Novelia he wouldn't be able to even apply for the trial exam.

He had about four more months in order to gain a new story and level if not he wouldn't be able to achieve his goals. Jun En was determined to go, no matter what, so that he could achieve his goals and write his own story.

Jun En looked at his own hand and started opening it then closing it into a fist. It was the middle of the day and classes had just ended Jun En was left alone in the classroom daydreaming. He sat in the back of the large rectangular classroom next to the window.

Leaning back on his chair he let out a sigh, how in the world was he going to get a useful story in four months. Stories either had to be inherited or created. However to create a story one would need to spend at least a whole year to do so. Stories didn't come out of thin air, they either came from repetitive actions or from the will of a person. One couldn't just buy them of the market. That's why the people known as [Tellers] were so special, they didn't just have higher chances to better write their own stories more effectively, but they could also expand a current story in their possession training and constantly improving the abilities they earned.

However this was only one of Jun En's worries as he hadn't even figured out how this system he got from the book worked.

*sigh* As if answering all of Jun En's questions the voice came on.

"You can just look for quests or defeat regs in order to make use of the system"

What do you mean defeat regs I don't even have a story that would strengthen my body I would just die immediately and how do I even find a quest?

"When the situation calls for it you'll know"

Can this system be anymore vague, Jun En sat there and thought to himself. For now he would first strengthen his body, he wasn't to sure the prerequisites for unlocking a quest so he didn't bother too much with that at the moment.

For the next few weeks after school Jun En constantly worked out he ran 2km everyday and did 50 pushups and situps every day as well. His body was slowly improving but the amount he was trying to work was really taxing on his body despite the seemingly light exercise routine (in a fit person's perspective). This was especially due to his body's absurdly low stamina.

Normally people could complete a 2km run in 10-15 minutes he took 40 minutes and was sweating hard, with sweat pouring out of every pore. At times he would run in the school field people would think that he is a madman for suddenly exercising everyday. Fit kids looked at him like he was a wimp and other kids looked at him as if they thought that he was wasting time. However he didn't stop, he was excited because of the system, the idea of power, becoming a Teller, helping his family and freedom. All these thoughts invaded his mind and adrenaline coursed through his veins. Over the course of weeks he slowly but surely saw improvement in his body.

His body was less flabby, his already large appetite grew, and he started to build some semblance of muscle, it wasn't much muscle but it was at least starting to appear.

After 4 weeks of working out at the end of one of his workouts Jun En sat down on the ground and checked his current stats.

Status window *ding*

Name: Wu Jun En

Race: Human

Class: Unknown

Title: (__________)

Level: 1

HP: 20/20

Stamina: 1/8

Strength: 11

Agility: 8

Dexterity: 18

Intelligence: ???

Unassigned stats: 0

Skills: Speedy Devour, Speed Reading, Quick Thinking

Skills Tree (???)

Stories: [The quick eater], [Immersive reader], [over analyser]

EXP: 0/100

Despite working out for four weeks my level hasn't changed and I have gained no experience.

*sigh* Jun En plopped the rest of his body on the ground and thought to himself, {I guess that the only way to level up really is though quests and regs, when will I even be assigned one}.

Jun En got back up after thinking that and went to the locker room, there he took a shower and changed his clothes, unlike his thin self previously he had put on a little muscle creating a leaner body, however overall he still seemed thin.

After changing he got out of school and left for home. On the way as walked through the street on his normal route home passing by an alleyway. As he glanced at the dark alleyway he noticed a homeless person sitting on a cardboard box trying to sleep. He knew this homeless person as he had seen him a couple times and met him before. Though he didn't know his name he did have a few conversations with the man.

He was a delightful man, despite his circumstances, he was always optimistic and happy. He never bothered any money and always brought up Jun En's mood when days were tough. He was like a friend, however when asked about his name he always said to call him the homeless king. Jun En always never understood why the world let someone who appeared so kind and so good to suffer like this. This man despite being homeless was ten times better than the richest people.

Despite the advancements of age and technology the world still had many problems and Jun En hated it. The criminals all of it, even though he was average and didn't usually involve himself in things, he didn't like to see people suffer even when they don't deserve it.

He looked at the self proclaimed homeless king asleep upright on his cardboard and sighed. As he turned away and was about to walk away he heard the man groan. The homeless man was wearing a beanie with one he pulled it down covering his face and another hand was on his stomach as he groaned.

*cough**cough*

Jun En turned back around and approached the homeless king

Excuse me are okay

Jun En shook the person lightly to check whether he was okay the person, but he just continued to cough and grab onto his stomach. The groaning got louder and the person started to cough up blood.

*cough**splat*

Blood splattered across the ground lightly touching Jun En shoes.

Jun En's eyes widened and realised that something was wrong. He reached into his bag to use his phone but realised that he had left his phone at home.

Shit, Jun En cursed his luck he needed to help this person, and this person's condition seemed to be worsening as his coughs got more and more violent.

Jun quickly picked the homeless man up piggy-backing him and started to run with him towards the nearest hospital. Luckily his stamina had recovered and his improved strength helped him move easier. He tried to flag down a taxi to move faster but to no avail.

Jun En ran quickly as fast as he could and found the nearest hospital.

Can someone please help!

Jun En shouted in desperation as he entered the hospital. The doctors and nurses saw the kid with the homeless man on his back and quickly responded. They moved the man to a bed and did a check up on him. Jun En didn't know what to do and just waited for the news of man's condition. As the man's condition stabilised the doctors came out and approached Jun En.

"Are you a relative or a friend" asked the female doctor, on her coat the name Susan could be seen she had brunette hair and dark brown eyes she was tall and carried herself well.

no I just saw him sick I'll pay for his hospital fees if that's what this is about.

The doctor laughed at this honest boy who she just met "no no it's okay you did right, I was asking for your relation with this man, but since you brought that up I am going to need fees" the doctor laughed but Jun En could sense the sternest in her voice.

"Anyway this man had a weak immune system and because of that his body was shutting down after being out for too long, he is okay and is stabilising right now" said Susan "you can go see him later".

Jun En nodded and thanked the doctor, he went to the front desk to pay the fees due

Excuse how much is everything? Asked Jun En he bit his lip waiting for the news that would surely destroy his wallet

The nurse answered with a smile "500 silvas"

Only 500? Jun En was shocked that was cheap considering the treatment that had to be given. As if reading the expression on his face the nurse gave him an explanation for the cost "Doctor Susan said she would cover the rest"

Why would doctor Susan do that?

As Jun En left the hospital thinking about what just went down he saw a screen appear in front of his eyes.

*ding*

[You have a completed a hidden quest "a single good deed"]

[will you accept the rewards? Y/N]

What in the world, this was a quest and I'm getting rewarded?!

Jun En grinned and soon answered

Yes

At that moment multiple notifications appeared in front of his eyes

*ding*

[you gained 50 exp, hidden quests grant extra exp you have gained another 50 exp]

[you have gained a story "the one who saved"]

[you have gained a title "the caring"]

[your story has given you a skill, the skill "second chance" will be added]

[you have met the requirements to level up, will you level up? Y/N]

Jun En giggled and grinned after seeing the notifications. He hurried back home and ran into his room. When he made sure he was alone he responded.

Yes I want to level up

A blinding light flashed in Jun En eyes he felt his body grow stronger his iris turned white, then purple, then silver before returning to their original dark brown colour. After that event Jun En's body felt slight different

Status window

*ding*

Name: Wu Jun En

Race: Human

Class: Unknown

Title: (_the caring_) {title effect: strengthen healing properties and effects by 50%}

Level: 2

HP: 25/25

Stamina: 10/10

Strength: 13

Agility: 10

Dexterity: 20

Unassigned stats: 1

Skills: Speedy Devour, Speed Reading, Quick Thinking, Second chance

Skills Tree (???)

Stories: [The quick eater], [Immersive reader], [over analyser], [the one who saved]

EXP: 0/150

Oooooo Jun En was excited all his stats had increased by two and he had one extra stat point he couldn't hide his excitement.

He first checked out his title, he realised that titles gave effect which could strengthen abilities and this title seemed to be quite strong, the question was whether he had the right skill or ability. His new story "the one who saved" came with a new skill "second chance".

Filled with anticipation Jun En checked the skill "second chance"

[second chance (3/3)

Type: healing

Description: Heal 25% of targets health can be done for 3 times a day, will get stronger as level increases]

A grin entered Jun En face, with this ability he had found a way into Novelia.