Infinite surprises

Joshua had a mix of excitement and disbelief etched on his face as he stared intently at the system panel.

"What!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief. "How can my stats be this low? I'm no different from a cripple!"

[Joshua, there's no need to worry. I'm here to help you grow gradually.]

"I understand that, but is there any known way to grind and level up faster?" he asked, his brow furrowing in puzzlement.

[That depends on your body. As time goes on, the system will provide quests and missions that will help you level up.

"Hmm," Joshua pondered, stroking his chin in thought.

Finally, the taxi began to slow down and came to a stop in front of Melville High School.

"We've arrived at your destination," the taxi driver announced, looking at Joshua through the rearview mirror.

"Oh!" Joshua exclaimed, eager to test the authenticity of the system. What excited him the most was the prospect of being able to walk in this lifetime. He paid the taxi driver five dollars and prepared to get out.

Forgetting his walking stick on the passenger seat, Joshua stood up from the taxi, holding onto the door for support. As he stood there, a glimmer of hope filled his heart.

"Yes, that's the sign," he rejoiced inwardly.

He then leaned toward the taxi, retrieving his walking stick. With a grateful goodbye to the driver, he closed the door and turned his attention to walking. Joshua took a step with his right leg, followed by his left leg. However, he found himself relying heavily on his walking stick, struggling to maintain balance.

"No... no, no," he shouted, gradually losing his stability. In a desperate attempt, he tried to place his walking stick on the ground, but it was too late.

Just as he was about to hit the hard pavement, a gentle hand grabbed his, pulling him up. The touch was soft and comforting, and as Joshua turned to look, he found himself captivated by Morgan Everhart. Her luscious, wavy chestnut hair cascaded gracefully over her shoulders, and her warm, inviting smile immediately caught everyone's attention.

Joshua couldn't help but blush with joy, still unable to believe his eyes.

"Are you trying to walk without your support? You don't want to injure yourself, do you? You had me worried for a while," Morgan said, sighing in relief.

Joshua remained mesmerized, amazed by her strength and the fact that she had helped him so effortlessly. "Did she just lift me up like I'm paper? What incredible strength," he thought to himself.

"What!" she exclaimed suddenly.

An idea sparked in Joshua's mind. "System, can you check someone else's stats?"

[Absolutely.]

"Check her stats," he hurriedly requested.

[Considering your level, it is impossible.]

"Huh! You could have told me that from the beginning," he muttered, twitching his mouth in a funny manner.

Morgan burst into laughter at Joshua's amusing expression.

"Let's go, or we'll be late for class," she said, slowing down to help him adjust to his walking stick.

They entered the classroom, all eyes immediately fixating on Joshua, who was being held by Morgan at the waist. The students looked at him with contempt, some whispering in hushed tones.

"Lucky bastard, getting to hold the class beauty..."

"Even a limp gets to be with a beauty, why is my life so meaningless?"

Despite the derogatory comments and judgmental looks, Joshua remained unfazed. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, choosing to ignore the stares and vulgar remarks thrown his way.

Morgan helped him down onto his seat, while Sam stared at Joshua in awe, extending his hand for a shake. "My brother! You never told me you were already making moves on her, bad boy," Sam teased.

Joshua smirked playfully. "Oh, that's why you forgot to say good morning, too obnoxious, huh?" he retorted.

Sam scratched his head and chuckled. "Well, your infinite surprise distracted me, but good morning," he said.

Joshua's smile softened momentarily before his expression turned serious and curious. Sam noticed the change and asked, concerned, "Hey man, what's wrong?" However, Joshua did not respond.

Curiosity piqued, Sam followed Joshua's gaze and was taken aback to see a group of influential students glaring at them with malicious intent.

Annoyance etched onto his face, Sam clenched his fists. "Skye's underlings, huh!" he muttered under his breath.

He stood up, ready to confront them, but Joshua held him back.

"Forget about it," Joshua said, his face returning to its cheery demeanor.

"What have they been doing to you?" Sam pressed.

"Well, nothing major, just some minor disturbances," Joshua replied nonchalantly, pulling out a notebook and starting to sketch the system window panel.

"You mean they've been bullying you, and you didn't say anything? This is getting on my nerves, I'm going to..."

Midway through his sentence, Joshua interrupted him. "Sam, how skilled are you?" he asked.

Confusion swept over Sam's face. "Is he concerned about me?" he wondered. "I know they come from influential families, and I appreciate your concern for me, brother," he choked back tears.

Joshua's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What are you saying? I was just asking how adept you are at karate," he clarified.

"Oh! Well, I'm neither of the two," Sam admitted.

"Hmm, I'm thinking of joining the Martial Arts club," Joshua revealed.

"What?!" Sam exclaimed, taken aback by Joshua's sudden announcement. "But what about your leg?"

Joshua gazed at Sam for a moment, analyzing his reaction. "Your look tells me something different, though. It's a mix of excitement and concern. I apologize for not telling you earlier," he said.

Confused, Sam questioned him further. "Tell me about what?" he asked urgently.

"I already underwent the surgery. A stranger sponsored the entire bill," Joshua lied.

Hearing this, tears welled up in Sam's eyes as he pulled Joshua into a compassionate hug. "I'm so happy for you," he said, sniffling.

"Okay, okay, I think that's enough," Joshua said, withdrawing from Sam's tight grip. 

Joshua inwardly asked the system, "What do you think of Sam's stats?"

"I already said your level is too low to inquire about someone else's stats," the system responded. 

"Damn! I thought it would work if I twisted the question, but it seems to have no effect," Joshua muttered, biting his lower lip. 

"When will I be able to see someone's stats?" he asked the system. 

"You can see someone's stats when your level exceeds ten," the system replied.

"Hmm, okay," Joshua acknowledged. 

Since Joshua had decided to join the martial arts club, Sam began explaining more about it so that Joshua wouldn't feel out of place during their next practice. 

The school's martial arts club is an extracurricular activity located within the school building. It focuses on teaching students various martial arts styles for self-defense. 

The club offers students an opportunity to learn different martial arts techniques, improve physical fitness, develop discipline, and foster self-confidence and personal growth. 

In addition to training, the school's martial arts club emphasizes the importance of respect, discipline, sportsmanship, and character development. 

Within the club, three main martial arts are practiced: karate, taekwondo, and judo. Karate and taekwondo have their respective instructors, while judo also has one instructor. 

"Just three?" Joshua asked, feeling a bit disappointed. 

"Don't tell me you were expecting the martial arts club to teach krav maga, as that sounds dangerous," Sam chuckled, stroking his chin. 

"Well, it's not like I needed the martial arts club to practice krav maga in the first place," Joshua thought to himself. 

"Exactly, Joshua doesn't need the martial arts club. That's why I'm here to help you," the system chimed in. 

Joshua was taken aback. "You can read all of my thoughts as well?" he asked the system, surprised. 

"Absolutely, I can read all of your thoughts," the system confirmed. 

"Wow, this isn't looking nice," Joshua commented. 

Sam continued with his explanation. 

The karate club has two captains named John and Skye, whom you witnessed dueling. The instructor for the karate club is Master Jake.

"Concerning the etiquette of martial arts, I wouldn't want to embarrass myself since you have extensive knowledge in that area," Sam concluded.

"As for your main question, how do you walk?" Joshua asked, looking a bit shy.

"Huh!" Sam exclaimed. "Didn't you undergo rehabilitation exercises and physical therapy?"

"What's that? Am I supposed to go for something like that?" Joshua asked, confused.

Sam's face flushed with disbelief, thinking that Joshua had been a victim of a scam. "You should try reading up on it in other books, but ultimately, you'll have to go back to the hospital and start with physical therapy," he advised.

"I can't go back there. I only trust you with my legs, especially when I need them for martial arts," Joshua lied blatantly.

"Well, okay. I'll help you out," Sam said, feeling overwhelmed by the unexpected turn of events. "My day has just been full of infinite surprises."

The class began and ended quite quickly, but Joshua still relied on his walking stick.

He made it home safely, thanking his mother for providing the transportation. Without much thought, he hurriedly entered his room, took a shower, and proceeded with his usual tasks.

The day had progressed, and it was already Tuesday night.

Quinn gently opened the door to Joshua's room and found him fast asleep. After giving him a tender kiss on the forehead, he whispered, "I'll always love you, brother," before quietly leaving the room.