When Angelo awoke the next morning, he was buzzing with anticipation. He jumped up, grabbed his notebook and raced downstairs. Grabbing an apple he raced outside and hopped on his bike.
As he rode he thought of the potential of this new power. He would finally be able to use magic. He just wished he could share the truth with somebody but, because he technically got it from a Grimiore, he was afraid that he would be arrested if anyone found out.
When he reached the gate for the junkyard, he tucked his bike behind the shack. With it being Saturday, the junkyard was closed to the public. He looked over his shoulder and began climbing the fence. He jumped down and was surprised.
Despite his Dexterity only being slightly higher than normal, he climbed the fence in half the time and he landed so smoothly that the normal sting in his feet was hardly even noticeable. He laughed a bit and began sprinting through the junkyard, vaulting couches and sliding under loose boards. He felt so free and a bit he decided to use this to begin his tests. He stopped and marked his notebook, "Test 1:Endurance".
He put the book away and set the timer on his watch for 10 minutes. He then took off running again. After the timer went off he stopped and marked how he felt. "Still feeling energetic. No shortness of breath."
He put it away and this time decided to bump the timer to 30 minutes. He once again started running. At the 30 minute mark he noticed that he was experiencing a bit of fatigue. Marking his notebook, "30 minutes straight is the limit of my endurance."
Next he decided to test Strength. He didn't expect much since it was base level. He stated with something he knew he could lift, picking up a nearby mini-fridge. Easily lifting it he tossed it to the side.
Next he went for something a bit bigger. Squatting down he tried to lift a car tire and, even though he managed to get it off the ground but dropped it. As he thought, no improvement yet. He would have to wait until later to retest it.
His final test was his reflexes. As he was trying to figure out how to test this a snowball hit him in the back of his neck.
"Well, look what we have here", the sneering voice oozed like toxic sluge.
"Leave me alone, Jake", Angelo had known who it was from the snowball.
"But that would be no fun", Jake slid off of the car hood he was perched om, flanked by Rich, a scrawny, slimeball who had a very weak control over the air, and Tank, who was (true to his name) built like a refrigerator and was about as smart as one and could control stone.
The trio looked like were here to do more than throw snowballs. Angelo began to look around for an escape route but Rich used the wind to knock him over.
"You're not getting away this time", Jake growled and formed an icicle, throwing it and leaving a shallow cut on Angelo's arm.
Just then the system flashed with a notification.
"Threat detected. New quest: Defeat (3) opponents. Reward: Magic will be unlocked."
Things had just gotten very interesting. Normally Angelo would find a way to slip away from them. Then they'd find him again and the cycle would continue. It had been this way since he could remember. As another icicle flew at him, he thought of all the times he had been bullied and attacked.
Well, that would happen no more. He grabbed a nearby stone and flung it at the incoming icicle. The ice shattered and it seemed to have caught them off guard because the wind pushing him had stopped. The trio stood there, staring at the ice shards in disbelief.
This is my chance, he thought to himself. Using his new speed he jumped up and charged towards Rich. He would only get one chance to catch him off guard so he, as he kicked out, he used all his momentum. Catching Rich in the side he then readjusted his footing and delivered the hardest uppercut that he could. The combination sent Rich sprawling, almost giving him whiplash.
Angelo immediately rushed the other two. Jake reacted quickly and sent a flurry of snowballs. Even though a few of the snowballs hit him, Angelo's new reflexes allowed him to dodge most of them. Tank, finally recovering from shock, charged Angelo intending to tackle him to the ground.
Angelo slammed kicked a nearby bucket, which smashed into Tank's face. Reeling back from the pain, Tank tripped over a metal pallete and hit his head, knocking himself out. Immediately the system sprang to life.
"1 of 3 Enemies defeated. 50 XP awarded. Additional 50 XP awarded for defeating an enemy stronger than yourself."
"You are now Level 3, Two Stat Points awarded"
"New ability unlocked: Analyze"
"Woah", the word jumped from Angelo's lips before he could even realize it.
He had just leveled up twice and he had unlocked a new ability. He was so excited he completely forgot that he was fighting. An icicle sliced the side of his face and he snapped to. As he looked back up he saw three more icicles coming at him.
Dodging the first two he began to duck the third but a gust of wind pushed him forward. The icicle had just barely missed his eye but he face planted into the dirt. He quickly picked himself back up and glanced back to see that Rich had gotten back up. He needed to be taken care of.
Ignoring Jake he spun and rushed Rich. Panicking, Rich sent out gust after gust. Although not strong, they were so sporadic and fast that it was just too much. Angelo ducked behind a nearby fridge and tried to think.
Then he saw the flashing number two on his stats tab. He opened it and quickly realized what he must do. Putting both Stat points into Dexterity and then got a notification.
"New ability unlocked: Flash Step"
He hadn't expected the ability, his goal was to use the extra Dexterity to dodge the wind but this would be much easier. He opened the description and quickly read it.
"User takes a step and teleports to a spot up to five feet in the direction they are looking. Uses 2 stamina."
He walked out from behind the fridge and without hesitating, he flash stepped. His body lunched forward and suddenly he was behind Rich. He wanted to take in the awe of the ability, but wasted no time, and delivered a haymaker to the side of Rich's head.
"2 of 3 Enemies defeated. 50 XP awarded."
It seemed that Rich really wasn't as strong as he claimed. Angelo immediately turned his attention to Jake. He flash stepped twice to get behind him and then knocked Jake to the ground.
"From now on, you will leave me alone. You will no longer attack, bully, or harass me. Is that understood?"
Seeing he no longer had his cronies, Jake decided to retreat, "I'll be back for you, just watch."
"3 of 3 enemies defeated. 50 XP awarded."
"Mission complete, 100 XP awarded."
"You are now LEVEL 4, One Stat Point awarded."
"Magic Unlocked, choose your class"
The number of messages caught him off guard but the one that drew Angelo's attention was the last one. Not only had he unlocked his magic but he now was getting to chooses his class, whatever that meant.