Chapter 2: A Weak Beginning

Dabi stared at the screen in front of him. It was still hard to believe that after years of feeling powerless, he now had a way to grow stronger. The level-up system displayed his stats:

Strength: 5

Dexterity: 6

Endurance: 4

Intelligence: 42

Memory: 45

Average people had 20-30 points in each stat, but Dabi's stats were far below that—except for his intelligence and memory. Those numbers were off the charts. His sharp mind had always been his advantage, but he never imagined it would play such a crucial role in his ability to level up.

As he examined the system, he noticed something else: he had gained 3 points to allocate to his stats. A gift from his first level-up. But where should he place them? His intelligence was already high, but his physical stats were embarrassingly low. With a sigh, he put all 3 points into Endurance. No matter how smart he was, he wouldn't survive the gates if a monster could knock him out in a single blow.

The screen flickered, and his stats updated:

Endurance: 7

It wasn't much, but it was a start.

Dabi closed the screen and looked around. The Awakening Ceremony continued in the square, with other 18-year-olds receiving their powers. Most of them were physically strong and well-trained, unlike him. They cheered and celebrated as their abilities unlocked, boasting about how they would crush the monsters inside the gates.

Dabi didn't join in the celebrations. Instead, he made his way back home, where Eli and Mira waited for him. His heart ached as he thought about them. They were still so young, and he had taken on the responsibility of caring for them since their parents had died. Dabi had never told them the full truth about their parents' deaths—about how they never returned from a dimensional gate. He didn't want them to carry that burden, not yet.

As he entered their small home, Eli and Mira rushed to greet him.

"How was it?" Eli asked, eyes wide with curiosity.

"Did you get something cool?" Mira added, tugging at his sleeve.

Dabi smiled faintly. "Yeah, I got something." He didn't want to overwhelm them with details, but he knew they would find out soon enough.

Over the next few days, Dabi threw himself into training. The first task was to familiarize himself with the new system. He learned that he could gain experience points by defeating monsters, completing quests, and—most importantly—by using his intelligence. The system seemed to recognize his unique mind, awarding him experience for solving puzzles, crafting strategies, and analyzing complex information.

Dabi decided to start with something simple. He ventured to the outskirts of town, where low-level monsters occasionally roamed. His first encounter was with a wild Grunt Wolf, a small but vicious creature. Normally, even a low-level monster like this would have been dangerous for someone with Dabi's weak stats. But he had a plan.

The wolf lunged at him, teeth bared. Instead of trying to fight head-on, Dabi used his intelligence to anticipate its movements. He dodged, ducking under the wolf's leap, and quickly memorized its attack pattern. After a few more dodges, he saw his chance. Grabbing a nearby stick, he timed his strike perfectly, hitting the wolf at a vulnerable spot behind its front legs.

It wasn't a powerful hit, but it was enough to disorient the creature. Using his quick thinking, Dabi repeated the process, exploiting the wolf's weakness. After several minutes, the wolf collapsed, defeated. A screen appeared in front of him:

+50 Experience Points

Level Up!

Dabi felt a surge of energy flow through him. He had leveled up again, earning another 3 stat points. This time, he decided to distribute them more evenly, putting 1 point into Strength, 1 into Dexterity, and another into Endurance.

His stats were still far from average, but the progress gave him hope. He could do this. With his sharp mind and careful planning, he could overcome his physical weaknesses and level up just like everyone else.

As he returned home that evening, Eli and Mira greeted him with smiles. They didn't know what he had been through that day, but Dabi felt a new sense of purpose. He wasn't just the weak older brother anymore. He was someone who could protect them, no ma

tter the cost.

And this was just the beginning.