Chapter 07
Karl let out a deep sigh as Maria walked away. That unexpected encounter had shaken him up. A mix of admiration and nostalgia swirled in his mind, making him feel like he'd just been jolted awake from a pit of despair.
But then, a notification on his phone screen pulled his attention back to reality.
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[System Notification]
"Don't let emotions distract you. Your quest is still waiting."
Karl let out a small chuckle, half-annoyed at the system that always seemed to know everything. He scanned the park again, looking for a new target, determined to push thoughts of Maria out of his head.
"Quest 7," he muttered, rereading the instructions on the screen. "Make someone believe that drawing a small circle in the air is a lucky ritual."
He walked further into the park, his eyes landing on a young man sitting on a bench. The guy seemed engrossed in something on his phone, frowning every now and then like he was weighing a serious decision.
Karl stopped a few steps away, observing. "He looks like the type who overthinks everything. Perfect target."
He opened the app and carefully typed out his manipulation:
"Target will believe that drawing a small circle in the air is a lucky ritual they must do before making decisions."
Satisfied there were no mistakes, he pressed the [YES] button.
As usual, the result was instant. The man froze, then with a serious expression, raised his hand and began tracing a small circle in the air with his index finger.
Karl nearly burst out laughing. The guy did it with such conviction, like he was performing some sacred act. Once done, he went back to his phone and nodded as if he'd just made the right call.
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[Tutorial Quest Progress: 7/20]
[Uncommon Points: 70]
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Karl leaned back on a nearby bench, smiling in satisfaction. He opened the app's stats page to check his progress.
"Thirteen more quests to go. At this rate, I should be done by tonight."
But as he relaxed, thoughts of his job situation crept back in. It had been months since he'd been laid off, and his savings were running dangerously low. While the app gave him a weird sense of satisfaction, it wasn't going to pay the bills.
Karl sighed deeply, looking up at the sky, now tinged with orange hues. "I need a real job, not just this."
His phone buzzed again with a new notification, pulling his focus.
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[Tutorial Quest 8/20]
Objective: Convince someone that asking birds for permission before taking their photo improves the quality of the picture.
Reward: +10 Uncommon Points
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Karl raised an eyebrow, feeling like this quest was even weirder than the last. "Whoever the target is, they're going to look ridiculous," he muttered, trying to figure out how to pull it off.
He scanned the park again, spotting a young woman with a professional camera, busy snapping pictures of birds perched in a tree. "Perfect," he thought.
Karl approached her cautiously, keeping a safe distance to avoid looking suspicious. He quickly typed the manipulation into the app:
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"Target will believe that asking birds for permission before taking their photo improves the quality of the pictures."
---
After double-checking for errors, he pressed [YES].
The effect was immediate. The woman paused mid-shot, stared at the bird in front of her with a serious expression, and then spoke softly, as if addressing an old friend.
"Excuse me, can I take your picture?" she asked with a small smile.
Karl stifled a laugh as the bird remained completely indifferent, simply flying to another branch. But the woman looked satisfied, adjusting her camera and taking the shot.
"This is so bizarre," Karl muttered, watching as she checked her photos with a delighted grin.
"Wow! The quality really is better!" she exclaimed, her excitement almost making Karl burst out laughing.
---
[Tutorial Quest Progress: 8/20]
[Uncommon Points: 80]
---
With the eighth quest complete, Karl couldn't help but wonder. "What kind of memory reconstruction is she going to have about this?"
He sighed, wiping the sweat off his forehead. The midday sun was getting hotter, making him feel sticky and uncomfortable. His stomach growled, reminding him it was time to head back to his apartment for a break.
"No point continuing quests like this," he thought.
Walking toward the nearest bus stop, he hoped the breeze would ease the heat a bit. Along the way, he couldn't help but chuckle as he recalled the woman asking permission from birds.
The system's notifications pop up again on his phone.
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[System Notification]
"Your progress is steady, but time is ticking. Don't forget, there's a big reward at the end of the tutorial."
---
Karl groaned. "Even when I'm resting, this system doesn't let me off the hook."
When he finally reached his apartment, he unlocked the door and stepped inside. The small space wasn't fancy, but it was cozy enough. He turned on the fan and collapsed onto the couch, letting the cool breeze soothe his tired body.
After a few minutes of resting, he decided to grab a bite. Opening the mini-fridge in the corner, he found it nearly empty. His only option was instant noodles.
"Great. Out of all the things I can manipulate, I can't manipulate what's in my fridge," he grumbled, boiling some water.
As he waited for his meal, Karl opened the app again. The screen displayed his stats and progress so far. Eight out of twenty quests were complete, and he had earned a total of 80 Uncommon Points.