Episode 5 - New Power

Tanji looks at the icon with several colliding emotions. Fear. Happiness. Relief. Confusion. He doesn't really know what to feel from this. The text then disappears and his stats are revealed in front of him.

Tanji Bjornulfsson

Level 1 (0/50XP)

Strength: 2

Speed: 3

Defence: 2

Constitution: 4

Control: 84%

Intelligence: 2

(Average human male has stats of 3 - 6)

Species: Half-Blood (NP)

HP 11/20

XP Points: 0

He thinks "Definitely human stats alright." He then glances outside his window while thinking about what is going on. He remembers the light and says in his head "Is this it? Is this a result of that light beam? This seems a little sketchy. I hope it is power though."

Since he still feels a little weak, he decides to head to his dense kitchen to make a sandwich. He concocts the meal and puts juicy ham slices with melting cheese and some common vegetables within the thick pieces of bread.

As he finishes eating his warm and tasty meal, he notices something in the corner of his dropped vision. He gazes up and sees another notification.

[+3 HP]

[+1 CONSTITUTION]

He thinks in amazement of his new power. "I get a literal physical boost from just eating?! This is amazing! I never would've thought anything like this would exist. I've never even heard of it before."

As soon as he gets up from his wooden chair, a new pop-up appears right in front of him.

[COMPLETED QUEST: Will of the Infinite.

Gain Access to the Will of the Infinite System]

[+50XP]

[LEVEL UP!]

[+1 BOOST TO ALL STATS]

Tanji is flabbergasted by the notifications and the system as a whole then another solitary notification takes up his empty vision.

[CHOOSE YOUR FIRST POWER]

Tanji ponders. "First power? Isn't this already one?" He clicks on it physically but it is to no avail. He approaches the notification and tries to touch it physically but his hand seamlessly fazes right through the notification as if it isn't even there. Tanji reacts to this with confusion and slight irritation. He thinks "How am I supposed to get the power if I can't click it?" He retracts his hand from the odd notification and gazes at it.

He tries to accumulate a strategy to actually get what the system seems to offer. After many tries, he thinks "Urgh! Just click on it!" The notification crackles and fades. The system actually works by inner monologue and not physical speech or contact. Tanji begins to utter to himself about the system "So the notifications are only in my vision. They aren't in the physical world. That is peculiar."

As he finishes his quiet soliloquy-like statement, the major notification pops up in his eyes. His eyes quickly focus on the notification, beginning to read every single word displayed.

[OPTION 1: Morkblud. Gain arts and powers based on the Morkblud. Makes the user a Morkblud. OPTION 2: Ogre. Gain arts and powers based on the Ogre. Makes the user an ogre. OPTION 3: Qi. User gains power of the Old Eastern Spiritual Concept, Qi. One gains a Soul Core filled with qi that can be extracted to physically fuel the body. Enhances physical stats by +3 to start off. OPTION 4: Mana. The user gains access to the spiritual power, mana. Makes user a Mage. The user gains one elemental power to start off. Mana is stored throughout the body but can be brought through the body to make the user stronger as well as give access to their elemental power. Mana gives a physical stat boost of +3 to start off. OPTION 5: NONE]

He analyses each power and its description. He knows he can be making a big mistake if he chooses the wrong one so he decides to deeply think about which option to select. Tanji thinks "I could never be a Morkblud. Those vampire rip-offs! They made me go through so much pain I can never put someone else through that! Morkblud is off the table already. Ogre. Very powerful and large. I do get less smart though and I don't really want that. Also I'll be really ugly and slow. I don't want that."

Tanji glances down and begins to analyse the final two options. These ones interest him much more than the bland options above.

"I always loved watching the stuff from the East. It's so much fun and the martial arts are so cool! A +3 physical stat boost is a lot! I'm guessing I can have a lot of versatility with this option. I'm keeping it in the back of my head. Mana. I kick off with an element! Same physical boost as qi.

System, what elements are there?"

The system then replies to his query [There are elements that consist of: Fire, Water, Earth, Lightning, Wind, Darkness, Light and Nature.]

"There isn't a lot I'll be doing with Mana that I won't eventually be able to do with qi though. I definitely don't wanna have anything to do with water or nature. They sound so bland and weak. I'm also estimating that qi has a lot more options of use. Maybe even elemental power as well. I'm choosing qi."

Just before he clicks mentally, he decides to re-think over everything he's thought and said. Silence engulfs the room but his mind is loud and rowdy. He confirms his choice within his mind and chooses it.

[QUEST COMPLETE: First Power.

Choose first power once Level 2 is reached.]

[+30XP]

He smiles with happiness at his new power then feels his hair flow unwillingly. He hastily looks across his entire room then his clothes begin to calmly flow also. He looks down at his palms in confusion at the current events then notices his skin lightly glowing. He follows by quietly laughing to himself.

He comments. "Is this the qi?" It then sucks into his body and the flowing halts. His clothes and hair drop back to their original position then the qi condenses within his abdominal area without his knowledge. His Soul Core is eventually formed and he now possesses his very own qi.

He laughs to himself and says "This is something else."