NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 10: Chapter 9: At least my life got better in some ways
Chapter 9: At least my life got better in some ways
Jerry's hoarse voice let out a bitter laugh, "Great," he muttered, "Powerful enough to fight, but not enough to finish the job" he curled his hands into fists with dirt pressing into his palms, "Real helpful, you damn fitness app"
The system didn't reply.
A new notification appeared as it's soft glow cut through the haze of exhaustion that clouded Jerry's mind.
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[New Affinity Unlocked: Shadow.]
Affinity allows potential skill development in shadow manipulation. Ability remains locked Significance to be revealed through host progression in levels.
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Jerry blinked a few times as he stared at the system interface, He felt something and lifted his hand to see the faint glow of the mark on his palm, It pulsed softly with its warmth crawling under Jerry's skin like a living thing.
"What the hell does this mark even mean?" he whispered in a low voice.
The shadow assassin's words was still echoing in his mind, "You'll understand soon enough, If you survive"
Jerry walked back through the woods while feeling a blur of pain and exhaustion, as he walked the night seemed darker and every rustle of leaves made him flinch while the cold night air bit into his skin.
"You are marked."
The words continued to play over and over in his head while growing louder with every step he took, Jerry clenched his fists and his nails slightly dug into his palms until they left marks.
"What does it mean?" he whispered with a shaking voice. "Why me?"
Memories of the past few days flashed through his mind, the car crash, the pendant, the fang like mark on his palm, Each memory felt heavier than the last, making him suffocating in their weight.
When he finally reached the edge of the woods, he stopped walking. The faint glow of the neighborhood lights seemed foreign and distant as though they belonged to another world entirely.
He stared down at his hands. They looked normal, but he knew better.
"This isn't a dream," he whispered in a trembling voice. "This is real. And it's not going away."
He then wiped his face with his sleeve as his jaw tightened and he forced himself to stand straighter. "If I'm marked," he said softly with a hardened voice, "then I'll find out why, And whoever did this..." he said clenching his fist.
The words felt thin, but they were all he had as he stepped back into the light.
---
Jerry's walk back home felt like an eternity, Each of his step was heavy and his legs were dragging against the cracked sidewalk as though the fight with the shadow assassin had drained not just his energy and body but also drained something deeper inside him.
The soft rustle of leaves overhead and the occasional chirp of crickets only emphasized the suffocating quietness of the night.
Jerry looked down at his hands and he slowly flexed all his fingers, They were back to normal now with no claws, but he could still feel the phantom weight of the transformation.
He stared at the mark in his palm it was dim but still pulsed faintly, as if reminding him it was there.
The shadow assassin's words was still running through his mind: "You are marked" and each repetition sent a fresh wave of frustration and uneasiness through him, "Marked by what?, and For what?" Jerry thought.
His mind kept on racing with different questions that he didn't have the answer to.
"Is this my punishment for something I had done?, Or was it just random bad luck?" He thought as he kicked at a loose rock and watched it skitter across the pavement before landing in the gutter.
"Why me?" he whispered with a barely audible voice over the sound of rustling leaves.
But has his thoughts continue to devour him, another part of his mind offered a counterargument.
His mind went back to the fight, recalling the strength, speed, and the clarity, It had all felt incredible for a brief moment, he had been more than just Jerry the teenager instead he had been powerful.
He stopped walking and stood under the pale glow of a street lamp while it's light cast long shadows across the sidewalk.
"Okay," he said with a loud voice breaking the silence peace of the night, "So I'm marked, Whatever that means, But I'm also stronger, Faster, And I'm alive" He looked down at his hands again but this time with a faint hint of resolve. "At least my life got better in some ways."
The shadow assassin's words still lingered in his mind, but Jerry pushed them aside for now, he knew that if he kept focusing on the fear, it would only paralyze him.
"This is my life now," he murmured while taking in a deep breath, "Might as well make the most of it"
---
When Jerry finally reached his front door, he walked closer and leaned against the frame for a moment, while letting the familiar creak of the door and the faint glow of the living room's lights ground on him.
The house was quiet since his dad wasn't around.
As he took a stepped inside, the system's interface suddenly blinked into view with its glowing text sharp against his vision:
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[Daily Quest]
Run 1 km: 1/1. (Completed) ✓
Perform 20 push-ups: 0/20.
Lift 50 pounds: 0/50.
Time Remaining: 1:08:21.
Reward: 10 Exp and 1 stat point.
Penalty: ?????
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The annoying system message made Jerry let out a soft groan, "Right," he muttered "The penalties"
He dragged himself to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water before stepping back outside.
The cool night air hit him like a slap as he stretched his legs.
"Just a stupid workout," he said under his breath. "I can handle this"
He wiped the sweat from his brow and forced himself to drop down for push-ups.
Each repetition felt harder than the last as his arms started trembling by the tenth push-up.
his Sweat was now dripping steadily onto the ground and pooling beneath him as he paused to catch his breath, his body was still tired from the fight.
"Come on," he muttered with a low voice that sounded like a whisper.
He gritted his teeth and pushed through the last few reps until the system's notification appeared.
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[Perform 20 push-ups: Complete!]
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The weights lifting were next, Jerry stumbled into his dad garage, and he picked up a metal bar.
the cold metal bar felt heavier than it should have been, so he wrapped his fingers around the handle while it's rough texture dug into his skin as he hoisted it up.
One, Two, Three, Each lift felt like a battle because his arms were shaking under the strain.
By the time he had finished his weight lifting, his legs felt like jelly, and his shoulders screamed in protest.
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[Lift 50 pounds: Complete!]
The system chimed with a mechanical tone.
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[Quest Complete!]
+10 EX
P
+1 Stat Point
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[Host Stats]
Level: 2
Exp: 10/200
Strength: 10
Speed: 10
Intelligence: 15
Bravery: 5
Extra stat points +5
Skill points +1]
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