Darkness talent

Alvin couldn't believe his eyes as he stared at the golden page in front of him. Strange symbols adorned the surface, yet somehow, he found himself deciphering the cryptic language. It was a sudden transformation from a guy who couldn't even read his own name to someone who understood this mysterious script.

"Seriously..." Alvin mumbled, still trying to wrap his head around the bizarre situation. "Hey, book god, can you hear me?" he tried to communicate with the book in his mind, but there was no response.

"Hmm... that Mother of the Universe or whatever mentioned something about the Eye of Intent being an ability to find meaning in everything. Make the meaning my own? What does that even mean?" Alvin pondered, scratching his head in confusion.

In the midst of his contemplation, a voice suddenly rang out, 'Brother! Big brother!' Alvin snapped out of his thoughts to find his little sister, Mia, calling for him

Exiting his mind space, Alvin opened his eyes to see Mia with puffed cheeks, pointing an accusing finger at him. "Bad brother! I'm trying to show you my darkness talent, but you're ignoring me!" she scolded, her adorable dimples softening her anger.

Alvin couldn't resist chuckling. Playfully, he pinched Mia's cheeks and asked, "Little monkey, when did I ignore you?" Mia rubbed her cheeks, still pouting, and called for reinforcement. "Mom, brother is bullying me!"

Before Alvin could even attempt to coax Mia into keeping quiet, she darted off like a little rabbit into their mother Elena's room.

Elena emerged from her room, with Mia clinging to her like a koala bear. Despite her still weak appearance after taking medicine, Elena seemed to be recovering well.

"Alve, how many times has Mom told you not to bully Mia? If you do it again, you'll get a good beating from me," Elena scolded, trying to look stern.

Alvin struggled to contain his laughter at his mother's serious expression. Elena rolled her eyes at him before turning her attention to Mia.

Squatting down beside Mia, Elena placed a hand on her daughter's head affectionately. "Mia is the only good child in our family. So, Mommy's little princess will forgive your naughty brother, right?"

Mia's face lit up with happiness at being called a princess, and she nodded shyly.

"Then I'll forgive you this time," Mia declared.

Alvin grinned at his sister's forgiveness before turning to Elena. "Mom, I'm feeling a bit tired today. I'll skip going to the market and get the book you copied to Auntie Rui. I'll also collect some coins from her to buy dinner," he explained before heading back to his room.

Elena nodded understandingly. "Rest well, Alve. Mom will try to copy some more books," she assured him with a warm smile.

"Don't overwork yourself, Mom. I'll take care of everything," Alvin said, returning her smile before disappearing into his room.

As Elena watched her son leave, she couldn't help but feel grateful for her mischievous but loving children. With a sigh , she went back to do her own tasks.

Inside Alvin's room:

Alvin lounged on his bed, lost in thought as he once again delved into his mind space. The golden page shimmered before him, displaying the enigmatic black creature. Despite his efforts, it remained silent, offering no response.

Yet, an inexplicable urge tugged at Alvin, compelling him to touch the figure. Without fully understanding why, he extended his hand, letting his will guide him. A tingling sensation coursed through him the moment his will made contact with the golden page, and he felt a profound shift within himself.

It seemed as though a blind person was now suddenly given the ability to see, like a person reaching out in the dark. A spark, an electric buzz, ran through him, and suddenly, Alvin felt a different change happening inside him.

It was as if he gained a peculiar connection to the shadow lurking behind him. The once mysterious creature seemed like a friend, guiding him through an unseen world. Alvin's eyes widened in disbelief.

"I can sense darkness," Alvin uttered in astonishment. "Holy cow, I can sense darkness!"

The revelation left him dumbfounded, a mixture of disbelief and excitement swirling within him. It was as if a veil had been lifted, granting him a newfound perception of the world around him. But what truly astonished him was the disappearance of the previous text, replaced by a message indicating his newfound talent:

"Darkness Talent: 10/100 (Level 1)."

"Darkness talent, it's really is darkness talent," Alvin's eyes widened in realization. "Does this mean I have the same talent as Mia?" he mused aloud, barely able to contain his excitement.

Honestly, he was a bit disappointed when the Mother of the Universe gifted him the Eye of Intent. He always dreamt of becoming a magician wielding powerful magic. But now, faced with this odd gift, Alvin couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Ha ha ha ha ha!" His laughter echoed through the room. "Oh god, I'm going crazy with excitement... Wait, what if it's all just a dream?" The thought sent a shiver down his spine. If this were merely a figment of his imagination, then all his excitement would be for naught.

Without a moment's hesitation, Alvin slapped himself hard on the cheek. "Ouch... Ouch... !" He winced, rubbing his reddened cheeks. "That definitely felt real. Ouch... that really hurt. Maybe I shouldn't have been so ruthless to myself."

As Alvin contemplated the situation, he couldn't help but connect the dots. "It seems like the Mother of the Universe was referring to my soul turning into that golden book when she said choosing the Eye of Intent would make me a walking dictionary," he mused. "If turning into a book gives me such a broken ability, I'll gladly become one. Only an idiot would give up on such a broken power."