Embracing the System

The morning sun filtered through the curtains of Joo-Hee's hospital room, casting long shadows on the floor.

She lay there, wide awake, her mind racing with thoughts about what to do for the day.

After pondering for a while, Joo-Hee decided to use the time to train her three skills. Starting with [Healing Touch], she focused on continuously healing her body to speed up her recovery. Though effective, the skill was noticeably weaker than the original level of the ability when it belonged to the real Joo-Hee, requiring her to use the skill repeatedly to get the hang of it.

[Verdant Growth] and [Nature's Embrace], on the other hand, tapped into the power of nature itself, making them trickier to master. [Verdant Growth] required a high degree of focus, as Joo-Hee had to attune herself to the cellular structure of plants to accelerate or decelerate their growth. The first time she used the skill a few days ago, she was left in awe—a subtle yet mysterious connection with nature stirred within her, something she had never experienced before as a normal human.

[Nature's Embrace], however, was slightly easier to use. The skill relied primarily on sharp visualization, allowing her to harden and mold nature mana into a protective barrier. While the process was more straightforward, the energy it required was significant, and her lack of proficiency made the skill particularly taxing on her limited mana reserves.

Sitting up in bed, Joo-Hee focused her mind, summoning the system interface. The now-familiar blue light enveloped her, and the translucent display appeared before her eyes.

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[Sage Enlightenment System]

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Name: Lee Joo-Hee (Jake Garcia)

Class: Sage of Eternal Leaf

Level: 1 (0/100)

HP: 140/140 | MP: 210/210

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Stats:

— Strength: 11

— Dexterity: 13

— Vitality: 14

— Magic Power: 21

— Intelligence: 18

— Wisdom: 19

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Skills:

— Healing Touch (Skill Level 1 - 17%): Amplified healing abilities, allowing for rapid recovery of wounds and ailments.

— Verdant Growth (Skill Level 1 - 12%): Manipulation of plants and nature, enabling the user to control and accelerate plant growth.

— Nature's Embrace (Skill Level 1 - 15%): A protective barrier formed from natural energy, capable of shielding the user and others from harm.

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No matter how often Joo-Hee opened the system interface, it never failed to leave her awe-stricken. Despite its simple design, Joo-Hee was baffled by the sheer complexity behind creating something like this. Even Earth, with all its technological advancements, had nothing remotely comparable. The system felt like a tangible blend of the cultivation and RPG novels she had devoured back on Earth.

She already understood the basics: gain experience, level up, and grow stronger. But for now, that was out of reach. Entering a dungeon was impossible—not only because she was still stuck in the hospital, but also because she was too weak. Even her healing skills, now significantly weaker than the original Joo-Hee's, would raise suspicion if put to the test. Avoiding attention was critical.

Days passed, and despite her initial excitement, no quests appeared. There wasn't even a welcoming package to ease her life as a transmigrator. With each passing day, her frustration grew. "Have the heavens forsaken me?" she muttered to herself, sighing for the umpteenth time. But today, when she had almost given up hope, the system finally sent a notification:

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[The system has successfully integrated with the host's soul. Generating two quests to help the host become familiar with its functions... Would you like to confirm?]

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Seeing the blue panel in front of her, Joo-Hee thanked the heavens, feeling as though her prayers had finally been answered. Without hesitation, she clicked the confirm button on the system interface, her excitement palpable. Almost instantly, two more notifications appeared—the quests the system had promised to generate.

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[First Steps]

— Objective: Utilize each registered skill at least once to initiate synchronization with the system. Experiment with their properties, observe mana flow efficiency, and establish a foundational connection.

— Reward: +50 EXP, +5 Magic Power.

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[Strengthening Bonds]

— Objective: Dedicate time to supporting Sung Jin-Woo, the Heaven's ??? of the ???, during his recovery process. Assist in his physical and emotional well-being, monitor his progress, and provide comfort as needed. Building rapport and fostering trust will strengthen your bond, potentially unlocking future benefits.

— Reward: +30 EXP, +3 Intelligence.

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The first quest, [First Steps], seemed straightforward enough—a typical tutorial quest designed to help her familiarize herself with the system's functions. However, Joo-Hee couldn't help but feel exasperated as she muttered, frustration evident in her expression, "I don't know who gave me this system, but did they hand me the wrong version? I know I might be complaining too much, but isn't this quest a bit too late to show up on the fourth day?" Black lines formed on her forehead as she sighed in disbelief.

The second quest, however, was far more intriguing. [Strengthening Bonds] was clearly connected to Jin-Woo, but Joo-Hee frowned as she stared at the two '???' in the details. She couldn't believe that a starting quest would already withhold information from her. Despite her frustration, she couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope after reading the phrase, 'unlocking future benefits.'

Soon after, her thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on the door. She quickly dismissed the system interface as the door opened slowly, and Jin-Woo stepped inside.

He looked better today, the color returning to his cheeks, and his movements less strained. She could even notice how Jin-Woo seemed to be changing—his frame appeared slightly bigger, and there was a subtle strength in his presence that wasn't there four days ago.

"Morning, Joo-Hee," Jin-Woo greeted with a small smile. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Joo-hee returned a smile and greet jinwoo a morning, "Not at all. I was just… thinking about what to do soon after im discharge. That's all."

Jin-Woo said, "That's good to hear. Just make sure you don't push yourself too hard."

Joo-Hee offered a small smile at his words, appreciating his concern. "Don't worry, I'll take it easy… for now," she replied with a playful glint in her eyes. But deep down, she knew that 'taking it easy' was a luxury she couldn't afford for long.

They chatted for a while, exchanging light-hearted words and comfortable silences, before Jin-Woo finally said goodbye to Joo-Hee and returned to his room. Left alone once more, Joo-Hee decided it was the perfect moment to train her healing skill now that her mana had fully replenished.

Focusing on the mana within her, she gently pressed her palm against her sore body and whispered, [Healing Touch]. A soothing green light began to radiate from her hand, enveloping her body in a thin warm, gentle glow.

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[Healing Touch activated. Proficiency increased by 3% after skill usage.]

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Joo-Hee was pleased with the slight recovery in her body. It wasn't much, but it was still progress. Next, she turned to [Verdant Growth]. With the small potted plant in the room, she focused her mana and infused it into the plant. The effect was slow, but it was certainly evident.

The earth responded almost immediately, shifting back to its healthy brown color. Within moments, the plant's leaves and stem began to grow slightly wider and greener. The leaves unfurled rapidly, drinking in the soft morning sunlight as the plant thrived under her touch.

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[Verdant Growth activated. Proficiency increased by 5% after skill usage.]

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It was definitely a sight to behold, watching the plant grow as if she held the power of life in her very hands. Joo-Hee still marveled at the scene before her, despite having done it a few times already. She could never have imagined such a thing back in her world, where the concept of magic was nothing more than fantasy.

For someone who had always dreamed of moments like this but could never experience them due to the limitations of the world she was born into, it was a deeply fulfilling experience.

She continued to complete her first quest. With focused concentration, she whispered the name softly, [Nature's Embrace], and instinctively, her mind visualized a protective barrier. Her hand extended forward, drawing energy from within her. Almost immediately, a faint, shimmering green shield materialized before her, delicate but solid.

Joo-Hee knew it wasn't as strong as she had hoped and could easily be shattered by a few powerful strikes, but it still had its use. It could protect her from enemies or buy her valuable time to counterattack.She was still satisfied with the result, knowing that it would grow stronger as the skill level increased.

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[Nature's Embrace activated. Proficiency increased by 3% after skill usage.]

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And with that, she finally finished the first tutorial quest with ease. It was a bit disappointing, as it had been relatively simple, but still, the rewards were too tempting to ignore. With [First Steps] completed, Joo-Hee immediately received a notification:

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[Quest: First Steps Complete. +50 EXP, +5 Magic Power gained.]

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As the completion panel disappeared, Joo-Hee immediately felt it—a slight surge of energy within her. It was as if her mana pool, once sluggish and empty, was now slowly beginning to fill. She could feel her body growing lighter, more invigorated as the energy flowed through her. "Whoa... this is really amazing," she muttered, her eyes wide with awe. "So this is what it feels like to have more mana... My body feels a bit lighter now."

The morning continued as Joo-Hee decided to focus on the next quest, which centered around Jin-Woo. Both took a slight jog together outside the hospital, enjoying the fresh air as they chatted. Jake remained cautious, even though she was now comfortable with Jin-Woo. She was careful to avoid exhibiting any traits that Joo-Hee didn't have in order to prevent raising suspicion.

Better to keep things under wraps for now, Jake thought. Instead, he focused on physical exercises, pushing his body to adapt to the enhanced strength and agility granted by his stats.

Jin-Woo, for his part, seemed to appreciate the company.

As they jogged, talking and chuckling with each other, he couldn't help but reflect on their time together.

Glancing to his right side, he thought, 'Now that I think about it, it's been several months since I've known Joo-Hee. Even after that dungeon, she's still the same as before.'

'Even when I was called the weakest hunter, she never discriminated against me and always healed me when I got hurt. She's such a kind person... I better repay her when I become stronger,' he thought with conviction, feeling a sense of gratitude well up inside him.

They continued their jog, eventually reaching a nearby bench.

They sat in comfortable silence, enjoying the peace of the morning.

For a moment, there were no monsters to fight, no challenges to face—just the simple comfort of being in each other's company.