Planning and Learning, Small town willowrest.
Coming back home after buying his academic things, Urae and Shanz stepped into the small, quiet house. Shanz went straight toward the bed, carefully setting his katana upright against the cabinet beside it.
For a moment, he just stood there, then walked to the table, resting his head on his arms as if the long walk had drained all his energy.
Meanwhile, Urae carried the leather bag inside, placing it neatly near the cabinet. Inside were the clothes they had bought for Shanz and the small academic supplies he would soon use.
She sighed softly, brushing her hair back, before making her way into the kitchen. The faint sound of pots and pans clinking soon filled the room as she started preparing food for the both of them.
The house itself was quiet except for those sounds—the crackle of firewood, the chopping of vegetables, and the low bubbling of a pot beginning to boil.
The warm smell of cooking slowly spread through the air, softening the silence and making the place feel more alive. Shanz, still at the table, lifted his head and sniffed unconsciously, his stomach giving a small growl.
For him, the house was simple but peaceful. After all the stares from townsfolk earlier, sitting here felt safe. His eyes shifted toward Urae as she worked, her back facing him, her hands moving smoothly as if this was something she had done alone countless times before.
Hours had passed, the two of them sitting quietly after dinner. The table was cleared, the only sound left was the faint creak of wood and the soft crackle from the stove.
Shanz tapped his fingers on the table, his eyes shifting as if debating with himself before blurting out, "Hey, sister Urae… can you teach me how to read? I wanna learn all the words, every language too! Hehe… so I won't look dumb later."
Urae blinked, taken off guard. "You want to… learn reading?" she repeated, tilting her head, unsure if he was joking.
"Of course!" Shanz puffed his chest proudly, then deflated right after with a sheepish grin. "Well… right now I can only read the ground when I trip, so that doesn't count, right?"
Her lips curved into a laugh despite herself, but she nodded, rising from her chair. "You really are strange, Shanz."
She walked to the cabinet, opening it with care. Her hand brushed over the few belongings tucked away until she pulled out a book—its cover old, the edges worn from years of use. Returning to the table, she set it down in front of him. "This was mine, when I first started. It's simple, but good for learning."
Shanz's eyes lit up as though she had just handed him treasure. "Ooooh… so this is a real book here, huh? Looks tough! Do I have to fight it first before it opens?" He poked the cover with one finger, pretending it might jump at him.
Urae sighed, but her small smile betrayed her amusement. "No, silly. You open it, not battle it."
"Ah, right, right… hehe. Just checking!" Shanz rubbed his neck and carefully opened the book as though it were alive, his eyes already sparkling with excitement.
Shanz giggled like a child as he opened the book, pretending to be excited. His eyes widened when he saw the letters neatly lined up on the first page—A to Z.
Wait a second… this is the same as my old world's alphabet. He tilted his head, still keeping his innocent act, flipping through the pages with exaggerated curiosity.
So this is called common, huh? he thought to himself. Not English… but it looks exactly the same. That's kinda suspicious… or maybe convenient? Sheesh, lucky me.
As he continued sliding through the pages, every word he saw matched the writing from his old world. No strange symbols, no new characters. Nothing had changed.
Well, that's gonna make things way easier, he mused, hiding a small smirk. But quickly he straightened his face, acting clueless again. I shouldn't make it too obvious that I already know how to read. Urae might start doubting me… better play dumb a little longer.
He let out a fake "Ooooh!" like a child seeing something new for the first time, pointing at random letters and mumbling them out loud just to keep up the act.
Urae couldn't help but smile at his antics. Sliding the book forward, she flipped it to a page with short poems written in simple lines. Her gentle finger tapped on the words as she guided him.
"Now, let's test if you know how to read words in simple," she said warmly, her lips curving into a playful smile.
Shanz's eyes darted at the lines. Uh-oh, she's testing me already? Damn, guess I gotta balance my genius brain with this cute-dumb act. He scratched his cheek, squinting at the words, and read them out slowly, dragging the sound on purpose.
"Uhh… 'Th-the… sun… is… b-big and… happy?'" He glanced up, flashing an innocent grin. "Hehe, right? Did I get it right, sister?"
Urae turned the book back to the first pages, her finger tapping along the neat rows of letters. She looked at him with a soft but curious smile.
"Hmm… not bad, Shanz. But what about the alphabet from A to Z?"
Shanz squinted his eyes, leaning closer as if the letters were mysterious symbols only he could decipher. He cleared his throat dramatically, acting all serious.
"Ehem… A–a, B, C, D…" He dragged the sounds out, pretending to stumble a little, then carried on down the line until he finally reached Z.
As he went through each letter, Urae's eyes widened slightly.
Wait… he's already this quick? He caught on right away. Could Shanz actually be… a genius? Her heart skipped as she glanced at him, trying not to stare.
If he can read this easily… then maybe, just maybe, he'll be able to handle the arcanic script too. But—no, calm down. Don't overthink it… still, it's unbelievable.
Shanz finished with a proud grin, looking up at her innocently.
"What's wrong, sister? Did I… mess up?"
Urae blinked fast and shook her head, forcing a calm smile.
"N-no—nothing. You're already good, Shanz. Reading like that is enough to pass your basic lessons at the academy soon. But…" She leaned a little closer, her tone softer, "try to practice reading faster. It'll help you keep up with the others."
Shanz nodded quickly, like an eager child who just received candy. "Okay! I'll do my best!"
Shanz lowered his gaze back to the book, his finger sliding across the lines of a short poem. He read each word slowly, drawing out the syllables like he was still struggling to piece them together. In truth, the words flowed easily in his mind—too easily.
Hmm… I wonder what she's thinking right now. Did she catch on? Or… maybe she thinks I'm some kind of genius? Which, well… I already am, hehe. His lips twitched as he forced himself to stumble on a simple word, just for the act.
He glanced at Urae from the corner of his eye. She was quiet, watching him closely, her expression unreadable. Yikes… she's definitely thinking something. Did I overdo it?
He quickly went back to "sounding out" the words. No, no… calm down. A five-year-old could learn this stuff too, right? Yeah… yeah, that's normal. Totally normal. Just keep it steady. Don't make it too obvious.
Meanwhile, Urae tilted her head, still watching. To her, it wasn't just the letters—it was the way his eyes seemed too sharp for a boy his age, the way his focus never wavered. She pressed her lips together, thinking, He learns too quickly… this isn't normal. Still, he's just a child… right?
Shanz coughed lightly, breaking the silence, and forced a grin. "Haha… see? Easy! I'm smart, huh?"
Urae blinked, then gave a small laugh and ruffled his hair. "Yes, yes… very smart, Shanz." But even as she smiled, her thoughts lingered with unease.
Hours passed, and the night finally settled in. The cold breeze outside slipped through the window cracks, brushing against the quiet room. Urae let out a long yawn, her eyelids heavy from the day's work and the extra effort of guiding Shanz.
"Alright, Shanz… let's stop here for today," she murmured, her voice soft and tired. "I have work tomorrow. Stay home and keep learning what you can, but don't you dare leave the house until I'm back. Understand?"
Shanz gave a small nod. "Got it." Closing the book with a gentle thud, he stood up beside her.
They walked together toward the bed. Urae slipped out of her dress, leaving only a long, black tank top clinging to her frame. With a quiet sigh, she untied her hair, letting it fall loosely over her shoulders before neatly placing her dress over the chair.
Meanwhile, Shanz carefully tucked the book back into the cabinet, sliding it exactly where Urae had taken it from earlier. Better not make it obvious I was too eager… he thought, closing the cabinet quietly.
Once finished, both of them lay down side by side, the silence of the night wrapping around them. Urae closed her eyes almost immediately, exhaustion pulling her under. Shanz, however, stared at the ceiling for a moment longer, his thoughts still stirring, before finally letting his eyes drift shut.
A whisper rode the cold breeze, slipping through the cracks of the shutters. Sleep turned sour for Shanz, and the room folded into a darker place. His hands fidgeted, fingers clawing the blanket his body clenched and sweat beaded down his neck. Words — deep, guttural, impossible — slithered through his head.
"DAWN TO THE GODS," the voice breathed, low and broken. It wasn't a word so much as a command, and it opened other sounds behind it distant screeches, the echo of a thousand tiny screams that crawled under his skin.
The dream pulled him under. He stood in a shadowed plain where shapes moved at the edges of sight. A long, reaching hand slid from the dark and stretched toward him.
He froze—legs locked, throat tight—only able to stare as the shadow's fingers curled closer. The world narrowed to that one slow reaching motion, and his chest hammered like it could break.
Then the hand was nearly there. His mouth opened in a silent scream, and he jolted awake palms clenched, sheets wet with sweat, legs trembling until the tremor slowed. For a long second he lay there, breathing hard, the echo of that whisper still hanging in his ears.
He let out a ragged sigh and forced a crooked grin in the dark.
I wish this was just a dream, more like nightmare… I mean it is a dream the fuck am I talking about... he thought. This thing isn't ordinary. It keeps coming back. What is this even supposed to be, bruh?.
As he looked around, Shanz noticed that Urae was already gone.
"Early to work, huh? At least she got there earlier than before… Now, for me—it's time to train. But first… open stats attribute."
A soft chime echoed in his head.
...
[ATTRIBUTES][1]
Strength: 4
Agility: 2
Intelligence: 1
Charisma: 1
Luck: ???
[ATTRIBUTE POINTS]
- Unspent Stat Points: 0
- Potential Ascension: LOCKED
...
Shanz crossed his arms, staring at the floating screen with curiosity.
"Hmm… how do I even increase these attributes? Maybe physical activity counts… Let's test it."
He dropped down into a push-up stance. Lowering his body and pushing back up, he repeated it five times before checking his display again.
[ATTRIBUTES]
Strength: 4
> 5
Agility: 2
Intelligence: 1
Charisma: 1
Luck: ???
[ATTRIBUTE POINTS]
- Unspent Stat Points: 0
- Potential Ascension: LOCKED
Panting from just five push-ups, Shanz chuckled between breaths.
"Would you look at that… So five push-ups equals one point? But I'm already this tired? Sheesh… I should test agility later, but for now, let's push strength to 10."
Minutes passed. Sweat dripped, his arms trembled, and his breath grew heavier with each rep. Finally, he collapsed onto the floor and pulled the screen back up.
[ATTRIBUTES]
Strength: 5 > 10 increased!
Agility: 2
Intelligence: 1
Charisma: 1
Luck: ???
[ATTRIBUTE POINTS]
- Unspent Stat Points: 0
- Potential Ascension: LOCKED
Shanz grinned through his exhaustion, a faint spark of pride flickering in his eyes.
"Heh… not bad. It'll take time, but consistency will get me there. I've got plenty of time to spend on this anyway, so… it's all good."
Pushing himself up from the floor, his arms trembling slightly, he stood and stretched—hands reaching down toward his toes, back cracking faintly. A long sigh slipped out.
"Hmm… what other attributes do I even have?"
His gaze returned to the glowing display hovering before him.
"Agility… that's probably my legs—speed, reflexes, maybe even dodging. Intelligence, brains and quick thinking. Charisma… tch, that's got to be about appearance, relationships, maybe even fame. And luck… still just a question mark. Locked? Or maybe it's random? Could be my level's too low to reveal what kind of luck I really have."
He tapped his foot absentmindedly on the floor, eyes still fixed on the numbers as if they might shift if he stared hard enough.
"Guess I'll figure it out later. For now… training continues tomorrow. I need a proper plan—something steady, something without distractions."
Shanz sat at the edge of the bed, peeling off his long-sleeved shirt and using it to wipe the sweat clinging to his skin. He tossed the damp cloth aside and leaned back, closing his eyes as thoughts swirled through his head.
"Discipline. That's the key. Consistency. No distractions. Other people's problems? Not mine. Relationships? Hah, I've had enough of that crap in my old world—I'm still scarred from it. Urae's the only exception, obviously. She's different. She's family."
He rubbed his temple, sorting through his thoughts carefully, as if arranging puzzle pieces.
In school… yeah, I need to listen and learn. No acting like a class clown this time. No unnecessary attention. Careful with my actions, careful with my words. Only speak when it matters. Grades… I'll aim for steady, not too high. If I push my intelligence too far, my charisma might rise naturally and then I'll get noticed. Don't want that. Better to balance it. Teachers will recognize effort anyway—that's enough. Recognition without fame.
He cracked a grin despite himself, shaking his head.
"Alright, that's settled. Now the training part. The plan: eat well, stay healthy, wake up early. Go to school, listen, learn. Come back home, increase attributes, sleep. Help Urae if she needs me. Simple. Consistent. Easy."
Shanz lay down, staring at the ceiling for a moment longer.
"And of course… keep playing dumb. Pretend to be more of a kid than I actually am. Yeah… that'll throw them off. That's it. That's the plan. Let's go."
Shanz grinned, still buzzing from the plan he cooked up earlier. Standing from the bed, he inhaled and exhaled slowly, counting each breath with focus.
"1, 2… 1, 2…"
Ten breaths later, he shook his head, clearing the thoughts crowding his skull. Then, out of nowhere, he roared at the top of his lungs.
"RAHHHH!"
The echo rattled through the small house. He tilted his head up, then down, swung it left, right, and even gave the floor a glance before snapping forward again. His chest rose and fell in steady rhythm.
"Okay… weird exercise, yeah. But that's how I burn stress outta my system—and keep my brain locked in. Call it my personal therapy."
He cracked a small smirk, nodding as if proud of his own nonsense.
"Now, consistency. Five sets, five reps—that's twenty-five push-ups. Equivalent to five points. Easy math, common sense. Agility? Put that on hold. Strength is the main dish for now. Intelligence…" he paused, scratching his head, "…that one's tricky. Maybe it unlocks magic or something if I figure out how to raise it. Charisma? Fame? Relationships? Eh, screw it. I don't need to shine like a star right now. Luck? Still question marks—like a lottery ticket that's not ready to scratch yet."
He lifted his left wrist and, with a thought, the glowing numbers appeared.
[Time: 9:42 AM]
"Still morning, huh? Yeah, plenty of time to grind."
Closing the display, Shanz bounced lightly on his heels, stretching his spine with a few hops. Then he dropped down, planting his hands firmly on the floor.
"1, 2, 3, 4, 5…"
Each number punched out with his breath, sweat already beading down his face. His arms trembled, but he kept the rhythm steady.
[Strength +1]
He blinked, a grin spreading across his face even as he dropped for the next rep.
"Hooh… now that's what I'm talking about."
The hours dragged on, but his fire didn't die. Push-up after push-up, his body groaned, his lungs burned, and the sweat soaked his shirt. But with each set came the satisfying flash of progress, proof that his grind wasn't wasted.
[Strength +1]
[Strength +1]
[Strength +1]
By the time he collapsed on the floor, chest heaving, he couldn't help but grin wider...
[ATTRIBUTES]
Strength: 12 > 39 (+27)
Agility: 2
Intelligence: 1
Charisma: 1
Luck: ???
[ATTRIBUTE POINTS]
- Unspent Stat Points: 0
- Potential Ascension: LOCKED
[1] Note: I’m changing the status casting, so only the important stats will be included while the others are not in the way.