Chapter 4: The lure of the leaderboard

The following days settled into a new routine for Ackah. The first thing he did after waking up, even before helping his mother fetch water or tend to the small patch of vegetables they grew behind their shack, was to sneak away to his secret courtyard and activate the System. The blue screen had become a familiar sight, a portal to a world of opportunity that only he knew about.

He diligently completed the daily tasks: the toe taps, the juggling repetitions, and every other day, he would scrape together enough coins to watch the professional football highlights at the viewing shack, his eyes glued to the screen, trying to absorb every flick, every pass, every breathtaking goal. The 'Knowledge' reward from this task was more abstract than the tangible GSC, but Ackah found himself noticing details he hadn't before – the subtle shifts in a player's body weight before a shot, the intricate passing patterns that opened up defenses, the unwavering focus in the eyes of the world's best.

His GSC balance was slowly but surely growing. Fifteen credits here, twenty there. He meticulously tracked his earnings in his mind, already dreaming of the things he could buy for his family – perhaps a new dress for Abena, sturdier shoes for his father, maybe even enough to contribute towards repairing the leaky roof of their shack. The thought spurred him on, making even the repetitive toe taps feel like a step towards a better future.

One day, after diligently completing his tasks, Ackah's eyes fell upon the locked "Leaderboard" icon. Curiosity gnawed at him. What kind of leaderboard was this? Who else was using the System? Were there other kids in Aluro, or perhaps even across the planet, who had stumbled upon a similar secret?

He tapped the icon, half-expecting it to remain stubbornly locked. To his surprise, however, a new prompt appeared:

Leaderboard Access Requires User Alias. Choose Your Identifier:

A small text box blinked beneath the prompt, waiting for his input. Ackah hesitated. Should he use his real name? What if someone he knew saw it? A wave of paranoia washed over him. He decided it was better to be cautious. After a moment's thought, he typed in "AluroStriker" using the on-screen keyboard.

Alias Accepted. Accessing Leaderboard…

The screen shimmered again, and a list appeared, displaying rankings based on various metrics. The top of the list was dominated by usernames Ackah didn't recognize, followed by numbers that were astronomical compared to his own meager GSC balance. There were rankings for "Total GSC Earned," "Tasks Completed," "Training Modules Unlocked," and even "Daily Streak."

Ackah scrolled down, his finger tracing the seemingly endless list. He felt a pang of disappointment. He was nowhere to be seen. He was so far down the list that his own score likely didn't even register. A small wave of discouragement washed over him. He thought he was doing well, diligently completing his tasks every day. But compared to these other users, he was just a tiny speck.

Then, his eyes caught a different tab at the top of the leaderboard: [Local (Aluro)]. He tapped it eagerly. The list refreshed, and suddenly, the numbers were much smaller, the usernames potentially familiar. He scrolled down with bated breath, his heart quickening. And there it was, about halfway down the list: AluroStriker – Total GSC Earned: 115.

A surge of pride filled him. He wasn't at the very top, but he was on the leaderboard! There were others in Aluro who had the System, but he was doing better than most of them. He studied the names above him, a sense of competitive spirit igniting within him. "DustDevil78," "KickingKing," "SlumScorer" – these were likely kids he passed in the streets every day, kids he might have even played football with.

The discovery of the leaderboard added a new dimension to the System. It wasn't just a personal tool for improvement; it was a competition, a silent race against others with the same secret. Ackah felt a renewed sense of determination. He wanted to climb higher on that leaderboard, to prove that he was the best in Aluro, maybe even the best in the entire multiverse someday.

However, the leaderboard also brought a new temptation: the urge to compare himself to others, to focus on the rankings rather than his own progress. He noticed some users had earned significantly more GSC, and he wondered how. Had they unlocked more tasks? Were they accessing different features? A flicker of envy sparked within him, quickly followed by a resolve to work harder, to be smarter in how he used the System.

He spent the rest of his time in the courtyard experimenting with the System, carefully tapping on the locked training modules, hoping to find a way to access them sooner. Each module displayed a set of requirements – a certain number of daily tasks completed, a specific GSC balance achieved – and Ackah made a mental note of each one, setting them as new goals for himself.

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, signaling that it was time for him to help his mother, Ackah deactivated the System, a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions swirling within him. The System was more than just a way to earn money; it was a challenge, a secret competition, and a pathway to a future he was only just beginning to imagine. He knew he had to keep it hidden, not just from his family, who might not understand, but also from the other users on the leaderboard. He had a feeling that this secret was his greatest advantage, and he wasn't about to let anyone else in on it just yet. He left the deserted courtyard with a newfound intensity in his eyes, the image of his "AluroStriker" alias etched in his mind, a quiet promise to himself to climb to the very top.