[NEW TITLE ADDED!]
Noen scrambled back up, his heart hammering against his ribs. "W-What is this?"
He stared at the blinking prompt floating in the center of his vision:
[To access new title, click here]
Noen hesitated for a short moment, his finger trembling in the dim light of his room, before he finally clicked. The system began to load, a small spinning icon circling until the text solidified.
[NEW TITLE: The Absolute Zero]
Noen stared at it. "Seriously?" he said, clearly annoyed. The words felt like a slap in the face. He threw himself back onto the bed, grumbling under his breath as he pulled up the full system overlay one more time.
[System-Class: Noen]
[Title: The Absolute Zero]
[Role: 0]
[STR: -49.5 / 0]
[AGI: -50 / 0]
[END: -50 / 0]
[VIT: -50 / 0]
[FOC: -50 / 0]
[AFF: -50 / 0]
He closed the system window with a sharp flick of his wrist. He tried to calm his breathing, staying still for only a few seconds before he suddenly bolted upright again, his eyes flashing with a sudden, desperate heat.
"The Absolute Zero? Are you kidding me? I'll show this damn system what I'm capable of!" he hissed, his fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white.
"What is going on in here?"
The bedroom door swung open, and a blonde middle-aged woman stepped in, looking clearly shocked. "What are you screaming about? It's already late! " she said, raising a warning finger.
Noen deflated instantly. "Yeah, Mom... sorry."
She shook her head with a weary sigh and left the room, closing the door behind her. Noen sat back down, his mind racing. —Nobody knows exactly what brings LP.— he thought. —But through experience, we know that these three things earn points: hunting and killing magical beasts, training, and generally helping people. And the higher the Affinity, the more LP you get for it.—
He laid back down, staring at the dark ceiling. —Magical beasts aren't an option. I'd probably die instantly. I'd have to be an official government Beast Slayer just to stay in the back during an attack. But who would hire someone with a rank below FFF?—
He sighed, the weight of reality settling back onto his chest. —Helping people would be the easiest, but it's also the method that gives the least and is incredibly inconsistent. No one knows what actually counts as "helping." Is it emptying the dishwasher for Mom, or saving someone from a fire? Though saving someone from a fire would obviously gives more, I don't think I'd get anything for the dishwasher.—
He rolled onto his side, his gaze hardening. —Then I only have one choice: training! I'll train until I reach my maximum stats everywhere. It might only be zero, but well... I have no other choice.—
He opened his system one last time, the glow reflecting in his determined eyes. —Maybe the Absolute Zero title... isn't that inaccurate after all...—
⸻
"A title?" Kai asked, absentmindedly spinning a small juggling ball he had brought from home on the tip of his finger.
"Yeah, but it's really the worst one there is. It's literally just: The Absolute Zero," Noen said with a heavy sigh as he pulled his pencil case out of his bag.
The teachers had caught wind of the situation between Lian, Mika, and him. To keep him from being isolated or targeted again, they had moved his seat to the other side of the classroom next to Kai.
"Still," Kai countered, "a title for a Low Rank... that just doesn't exist. Not even high-level people, like those with A or B-Rank systems, always get one." He couldn't help but let a small grin slip onto his face. "Sorry, Noen, but honestly? The title is kind of funny."
He started to chuckle, and despite himself, Noen joined in. "Yeah, I guess it is. But that's why I've decided to train as hard as I possibly can."
"To reach your cap of zero?"
"Exactly."
Kai carefully balanced the juggling ball on top of Noen's pencil case. "Well, as long as you don't kill yourself doing it, it's fine by me," Kai said with a supportive smile.
"Thanks, by the way," Noen said quietly.
Kai blinked. "For what?"
"For the other day. When you protected me from that water bottle."
"Oh, that? No problem," Kai brushed it off with a shrug. "You're just a cool guy, Noen. Screw your system rank. Don't let it define your life."
Noen looked at him, feeling a genuine sense of warmth he hadn't felt since his system awakening. "You're probably right."
The school day finally came to an end. Noen said his goodbyes to Kai and started the slow walk back home. Once home, he kicked his worn shoes off at the entrance and stepped into the familiar warmth of his home. His mother greeted him with a bright, comforting smile. "Hello, Noen! Well, how was school?"
"Good," he answered shortly. "Nothing special."
He sat down at the chipped dining table, the wooden chair creaking under him. He felt exhausted, the mental weight of the day finally catching up. "What is there to eat today, Mother?"
"Leftovers from yesterday," she said, carrying a heavy steaming pot over and placing it carefully on a faded heat mat in the center of the table. Noen reached for his silver spoon, ready to finally relax, when the sharp, piercing sound of the doorbell cut through the quiet air.
DING DONG!
"Who could be coming so late?" his mother wondered aloud. She stood up and headed to the front door. Standing on the narrow porch were three men dressed in sharp, dark identical suits, led by a slightly older gentleman with a very stern expression.
"Good day, mother of Noen. We are here for an official interview with your son."
"My son?" she asked, her voice trembling with visible confusion.
"With me?" Noen said, standing up slowly from the small table, his heart beginning to race wildly inside his aching chest.