My 5th Birthday

A/N: As an apology for uploading late, double release, baby!

Fin's POV

"Happy Birthday, my little troublemaker!"

It was my birthday.

Five years old.

Helga was practically beaming as she set the simple chocolate cake down in front of me, her soft hands smoothing over my messy hair, peppering my face with kisses like I was still some helpless infant.

I squirmed in protest.

"Mom, stop!" I muttered, pushing her hands away, though it wasn't all that convincing with the slight smile tugging at my lips.

She only laughed, unfazed. "Oh, come on, you're still my baby, no matter how old you get."

I rolled my eyes, but it was hard to stay annoyed at her.

It had been five years since I was reborn into this world, and surprisingly, I'd made some decent progress.

2835PP

I had managed to rack up that many through my constant grind of achievements, just little things—practising my Haki, farming, and doing what I could to gain more PP. It was a slow process, but it worked.

In the last two years, I'd made two guaranteed rolls.

The first one gave me Rock Lee's Endurance. My body had been pretty resilient, but now it was ridiculously tough. I could take a punch like a tank, and I didn't get as tired as I used to.

The second roll rewarded me with Ranger's Cloak from The Witcher. I didn't need a cloak, but the benefits of the stealth and movement were incredible. It made it easier to sneak around, not that I ever actually wanted to be stealthy. I preferred to just… throw myself into situations headfirst.

Helga beamed, proud of her cake, watching me intently. It wasn't much, just a simple chocolate cake, but it felt like more than that.

I glanced down at the cake. The candles flickered gently, the warm glow reflecting in my eyes.

"Make a wish, Fin," she said, her voice soft and affectionate.

I thought for a second, feeling the weight of the moment.

I didn't need to wish for anything. Not really.

But still…

I blew out the candles.

...

The sun was high in the sky as I stood outside the farm gate, staring down the dusty road that led into town. My pack was slung over my shoulder, and my hands fidgeted nervously at my sides.

Today was the day. The day I would leave the farm.

Helga had finally agreed to let me go. I was five now, and according to her, I was "old enough" to wander around town alone. She didn't know, of course, that I wasn't planning on just exploring—I was aiming for something much bigger. I had spent the last five years stuck on the farm, grinding away at the same old achievements. There were so many others I couldn't even reach because I was confined to the same place daily.

But today... today was different.

"Good luck out there, Fin," Helga called, her voice soft with both pride and concern.

I waved, feeling a lump form in my throat. "I'll be fine, Mom."

She smiled, though her eyes glistened with tears. "Don't get into too much trouble, okay?"

I gave her a thumbs-up, feeling my face heat up as I tried to keep my composure. It wasn't like I didn't appreciate her. I did. I just didn't know how to react when she was like this. I wasn't a baby anymore.

But as I started walking away, I could hear her sniffling behind me. My steps slowed for just a second as I turned to glance back.

Helga stood at the gate, her hand over her eyes, a big, comical sob wracking her shoulders.

"Mom...?" I said, trying not to sound like I was teasing her, but it was hard not to. "You're really going to cry like this?"

"Oh, shut up!" she sniffled dramatically. "I'm just... I'm just so proud of you!"

I couldn't help it. I had to chuckle. "I'm only going to town. I'll be back in a few hours."

"You're growing up so fast," she said, wiping her eyes, still trying to act tough.

It was a little embarrassing, but I couldn't be mad at her. She meant well.

I turned back toward the road. "I'll be back soon. Don't cry, okay?"

Helga sniffled one last time, then waved at me, though her face was red from holding back tears. "Alright, alright. Be safe, Fin!"

With that, I walked away.

Walking down the road, I couldn't help but feel the world's weight on my shoulders. Not in a bad way, though. I had already built up a nice little stack of points—902PP, to be exact.

I pulled out the Ranger's Cloak from my inventory and draped it over my shoulders, feeling the fabric settle against my body. It was surprisingly lightweight, yet it had a cool aura to it, as if it were made for someone with a purpose.

I activated the System, pulling up the achievement list as I walked. The air was still warm, and I could hear the rustling of leaves nearby as I flicked through the options.

"Alright, let's see what I can work with."

I scrolled through the list, reading the achievements I could possibly unlock. Some were as simple as 'catch a fish' or 'meet an NPC'; others were more complicated, like 'defeat a monster' or 'explore a hidden dungeon.'

My mind wandered a bit as I thought about my goals. The obvious choice would be to become an adventurer, right? That's what most people do in this kind of world. Explore dungeons, take on dangerous quests, and become famous. I could see it now. Some young prodigy who made his name by slaying beasts and retrieving treasure. But then again... there was the other option. The more interesting option.

I glanced at the System again, raising an eyebrow. A cheeky grin spread across my face.

"Maybe... maybe I could go down the path of becoming a harem king," I muttered to myself, fully aware of how ridiculous that sounded. But still, the thought was kind of tempting. There had to be some benefits to having a bunch of girls around, right?

I snorted to myself. Nah. That's a joke....Or maybe not.

My thoughts flickered back to reality as I flicked through the achievements again."Discover a hidden location" That one could be fun, but I'd probably need a bit more direction than just 'go explore a random place'. "Defeat a wild animal" Okay, that's doable. I could easily knock out some small animals and rack up some PP. Nothing too difficult. "Help a stranger" That one was tempting, but it would probably be boring. Helping someone in need could be good for the points, though. "Attend a festival", Done. And I got that one pretty well, didn't I?

I kept scrolling, looking for something that would get me closer to my goal, whatever that was. An adventurer, a lone wanderer, or maybe something more outlandish, like a legendary thief or a skilled mercenary.

My hand hovered over the "Defeat a Monster" achievement, but I paused. Maybe not today... I wasn't sure what kind of monsters roamed these parts, but I didn't want to risk getting caught off guard.

I sighed, narrowing my focus. "Alright, I'll probably start by helping some people around town. Maybe pick up a quest or two and get some more points under my belt."

I rolled my eyes at myself. Who am I kidding?

"Let's see if this world even has a dungeon or some kind of 'heroic quest' like in the stories..." I muttered to myself as I continued walking, adjusting the cloak over my shoulder, feeling more and more like an adventurer with every step.

It wasn't long before I reached the outskirts of the town, where the buildings were bigger and people bustled about.

As I stepped into the heart of the town, I couldn't help but notice the familiar sights—wooden buildings, carts with fresh produce, children running around, and townsfolk going about their business. Some waved at me, and I waved back, offering small nods here and there as I made my way deeper into the village. It had been a while since the festival, and things were relatively calm. The atmosphere was different now that I was on my own. I felt… oddly free.

However, that freedom came with a problem.

Where the hell do I start?

I didn't have a quest or a map. There were no glowing indicators on the horizon. Everything seemed just like... well, a normal town. Was there a dungeon nearby? A shady tavern with a dangerous request? A wandering merchant who needed help finding his lost item?

I sighed, scratching the back of my head. It wasn't like I was trying to do anything grand—just... rack up some points. Maybe something would pop up. As if on cue, my sharp hearing picked up a piercing scream that echoed down the street.

I froze mid-step, my senses tingling.

That scream… someone's in trouble? POINTS!!

A grin crept across my face as the adrenaline hit me. Without thinking, I moved toward the sound, weaving through the crowd of townsfolk as I spotted a woman frantically waving her arms down an alleyway.

People were already moving away, forming a small crowd around her. I pushed my way through the gathering, my eyes scanning the area, knowing this was my chance.

There was a hint of chaos in the air.

A robbery? A wild animal attack? Either way, it was something I could work with.

This is it. This is where I start.

I quickened my pace, hands instinctively tightening into fists. The town might be peaceful, but it had problems just like any other place. And that meant opportunities for someone like me.

I rounded the corner, eager to see what kind of disaster was unfolding, but what I found made my stomach drop from anticipation... to confusion.

There, in the middle of the street, was a woman in—her late thirties with dark brown hair tied in a messy bun and a face twisted in panic. But she wasn't dealing with a thief, or a wild animal, or anything remotely dangerous.

No, she was standing there, clutching a basket of eggs, looking frantically at the ground. Surrounding her were... chickens. Dozens of them. They were scattered in every direction, clucking and flapping about, causing a chaotic mess as they scurried around her feet.

A few more chickens darted across the road, and the woman screamed again, trying to herd the eggs away from the poultry chaos. 

I blinked.

Chickens?

I hesitated for a moment, processing what I was seeing. A dozen or so eggs were scattered about the street as the woman tried and failed to keep the chickens in check. The townfolk gathered in a circle, some laughing and others just staring at the spectacle with amusement.

"Please, somebody help!" the woman cried out in desperation, but it wasn't as urgent as it sounded.

An opportunity... right?

I took a deep breath and strode forward, stepping into the chicken-filled chaos. My senses, honed by my haki, zeroed in on the movements of the poultry. It wasn't dangerous, but the woman was a bit of a mess.

I cracked a grin.

"Hey!" I called out as I approached the woman. "I think I can help with that."

She turned toward me, her face desperate.

"Please, you've got to—oh, thank you!" she said, visibly relieved.

I waved it off with a shrug, not really thinking too hard about it. Using my haki, I could see exactly where each chicken was headed, their patterns forming a chaotic dance that was oddly… organized.

I moved quickly, using my haki to anticipate their moves, and began ushering the chickens back into a corner. One by one, I blocked their paths and directed them toward the fence at the far end of the alley. It didn't take long, and in just a minute or two, all the chickens were confined.

The woman stood there, staring at me in disbelief.

"Thank you, thank you so much!" she exclaimed, her voice full of relief.

I nodded casually. "No problem. Just doing my part," I said, pushing a stray chicken away from the basket.

"Wait, you—how did you...?" she trailed off, looking at me in confusion.

I smirked, tapping my temple. "Guess I've got good instincts," I said, doing my best to act like this was just another Tuesday for me.

It felt oddly satisfying, silly but satisfying

I looked around and saw a few townsfolk watching me, impressed. They started clapping, some chuckling.

Is this what passes for excitement around here?

I shrugged and gave a half-hearted wave.

This is not a great start.