The next morning, Vash woke before the restaurant became busy.
He opened his eyes and immediately looked toward the corner of the room.
The transparent interface appeared.
---
[ORDINARY SYSTEM]
Host: Vash
Age: 14
Level: 1
Strength: 6.0 / 10
Agility: 5.0 / 10
Endurance: 4.0 / 10
Reaction: 5.0 / 10
Rehabilitation Progress: 0.3
Walking Stability: 0.2
Balance: 0.3
System Points: 4 / 100
System Integrity: 18%
Condition: Damaged
---
Vash stared at the last number.
4 / 100.
Only four.
He sighed.
"That's going to take a while."
[Correct.]
Vash frowned.
"You don't have to agree so quickly."
[Statement noted.]
Vash shook his head.
Then he noticed the locked functions again.
System Shop.
Advanced Analysis.
Training Assistance.
Memory Archive.
And several functions marked only with question marks.
He couldn't help wondering what would happen when he reached one hundred.
Would the system repair itself?
Would a new ability appear?
Would the system finally reveal what it was capable of?
Vash clenched his fist.
"One hundred."
He smiled.
"I'm going to reach it."
---
A notification appeared.
[DAILY TASKS — DAY 3]
1. Walk 20 steps.
2. Complete 10 minutes of rehabilitation exercises.
3. Drink 500 ml of water.
4. Study for 20 minutes.
5. Help at Grandpa's Noodles.
Minimum Completion: 2 tasks
Reward:
2 Tasks → +1 System Point
4 Tasks → +2 System Points
5 Tasks → +3 System Points
Vash read the list carefully.
"Twenty steps?"
[Correct.]
"You're increasing them."
[Progressive difficulty recommended.]
Vash smiled.
"Fine."
He had expected that.
The system wasn't going to let him remain comfortable.
---
Later that morning, Vash completed his first task.
He walked twenty steps with his grandfather nearby.
It wasn't easy.
His legs still trembled.
But he didn't stop.
When he reached the twentieth step, the system appeared.
[Daily Task Complete.]
[Walking Stability: +0.1]
Vash smiled.
One small improvement.
Then came rehabilitation.
Stretching.
Standing.
Balance exercises.
Slow walking.
Rest.
Repeat.
By the end, his legs were burning.
[Daily Task Complete.]
[Rehabilitation Progress: +0.2]
Vash sat down and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
He looked at the numbers.
They were tiny.
But they were moving.
That was enough.
---
After breakfast, Rohan arrived.
This time, he wasn't carrying a rehabilitation plan.
He was carrying books.
Vash looked at the stack.
"No."
Rohan put them on the table.
"Yes."
"I thought you were my friend."
"I am."
"Then why did you bring those?"
"Because you're behind."
Vash stared at him.
"How behind?"
Rohan hesitated.
"You really want to know?"
"Yes."
Rohan pulled out a chair.
"You're supposed to be studying in Class 10 now."
Vash froze.
"Class 10?"
"Yeah."
Vash looked at the books.
For a moment, he said nothing.
Two years.
He had lost two years.
While he was unconscious, everyone else had continued moving forward.
Rohan noticed his expression.
"Don't worry. You don't have to catch up in one day."
Vash nodded slowly.
"Then where do I start?"
Rohan smiled.
"At the beginning."
---
Vash opened a mathematics textbook.
The first few problems looked familiar.
Then the questions became harder.
He frowned.
"This looks different."
Rohan laughed.
"That's because you haven't studied it yet."
Vash looked toward the system.
"System."
[Yes.]
"Analyze this."
A transparent window appeared.
---
[MATHEMATICS — BASIC]
Knowledge: 37.0%
Understanding: 29.0%
Problem Solving: 24.0%
Weak Areas:
- Algebra
- Geometry
- Complex calculations
Recommended Action:
Study and practice.
---
Vash stared at the screen.
"So you can tell me where I'm weak."
[Correct.]
"Can you give me the answers?"
[No.]
Vash sighed.
"Of course."
Rohan looked at him.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Vash picked up his pencil.
"Let's start."
For the next twenty minutes, he studied.
He made mistakes.
A lot of them.
Rohan corrected him.
Vash tried again.
Eventually, one of the difficult problems finally made sense.
The system appeared.
[Study Session Complete.]
[Mathematics Understanding: 29.0 → 29.3]
[Improvement: +0.3]
Vash stared at the number.
"0.3."
Rohan looked at him.
"What's wrong?"
Vash smiled.
"Nothing."
He looked at the textbook again.
"Let's do another one."
---
By afternoon, Vash had completed four of his daily tasks.
Only one remained.
Helping at the restaurant.
He spent the next hour carrying light ingredients, wiping tables, and helping his grandfather prepare simple orders.
He wasn't strong enough to do heavy work yet.
But he could help.
When the final task was completed, the system appeared.
---
[DAILY TASKS COMPLETE]
Tasks Completed: 5 / 5
Reward: +3 System Points
System Points:
7 / 100
---
Vash stared at the number.
"Seven."
He smiled.
Only seven.
But yesterday, it had been four.
Tomorrow, it could be ten.
And someday—
one hundred.
He looked at the locked functions.
"I'll unlock you."
[Statement noted.]
Vash laughed.
"Stop saying that."
[Statement noted.]
---
That evening, after the restaurant closed, Vash helped his grandmother clean the tables.
While moving some old boxes from a storage corner, he noticed something underneath a pile of papers.
An envelope.
It looked old.
Very old.
The paper had yellowed with age.
Vash picked it up.
There was writing on the front.
But before he could read it properly—
"Vash."
His grandfather's voice came from behind him.
Vash turned.
His grandfather was staring at the envelope.
For a moment, his expression changed.
Only for a second.
Then he walked over and gently took it from Vash's hand.
"What's this?"
"Just an old letter."
"Who is it from?"
His grandfather folded the envelope.
"Nothing important."
Vash looked at him.
Something about the answer felt strange.
His grandfather usually answered his questions directly.
"Can I see it?"
"No."
The answer came too quickly.
Vash raised an eyebrow.
His grandfather smiled.
"It's old. Probably something your grandmother kept by mistake."
Grandma glanced over from the kitchen.
"What are you two doing?"
"Nothing," Grandpa replied.
He placed the letter back inside the box.
Then he moved another box over it.
Vash watched silently.
Nothing important.
That was what his grandfather had said.
But if it was really nothing important...
Why had he hidden it so quickly?
Vash decided not to ask again.
Not yet.
There were more important things to deal with.
His body.
His studies.
And the system.
Later that night, Vash lay in bed.
The system appeared one final time.
---
[DAILY PROGRESS RECORDED]
Daily Tasks: 5 / 5
System Points: 7 / 100
Next System Function:
[LOCKED]
Requirement:
100 System Points
---
Vash stared at the number.
Seven.
He still had ninety-three points to go.
He smiled.
"One day."
He closed his eyes.
"I'll reach one hundred."
Outside the room, the restaurant was quiet.
And somewhere beneath an old pile of boxes, a forgotten letter remained hidden.
Waiting.
But Vash knew nothing about that yet.
For now, he had only one goal.
Keep moving forward.