Niamh's hands moved with a gentle precision as she tended to Baby Jade, her fingers deftly changing his tattered cloth diaper with a practiced ease that belied the poverty that surrounded them.
Despite the scarcity that had become their norm, Niamh's love for the baby was boundless, and she spoke softly to him in a soothing melody of words that seemed to calm his tiny frame. As she cradled him close, Baby Jade's large, curious eyes looked up at her, and he cooed softly creating a moment of tender intimacy that transcended their difficult circumstances.
Two months had passed since Jade' arrival into Niamh's life, and in that short time, the tiny human had burrowed his way deep into her heart. She'd assumed she would have a lot of troubles with the late-night feeding and the endless laundry that came with raising a baby and had prepared herself mentally for it. But surprisingly , Jade was anything but stressful.
He rarely wet himself as he would try to give signals when he had to go and would only do it on himself when it appeared to be out of his control , he never cried, even when he needed to be fed. He would just babble away at her as if try to say he was hungry .
She felt gratified and thought the little fella was trying to be considerate of her circumstances but would laugh at herself thinking ' what does a new born know about considerations' . Jade's coos and giggles when she carried him around her on scavenging missions had become music to her ears, and his chubby cheeks and toothless grin had become the brightest spots in her day.
He would babble at everything he saw from the little pack on her back almost like a curious little adult fascinated with everything.
As she looked at him now, she felt a sense of purpose she'd never known before, a sense of being exactly where she was meant to be.
Jades's wide eyes drank in the world around him, fascinated by every rusty car part, every rummaged trash bag, and every weathered face that passed by. As he grew, he'd begun to notice the patterns of Niamh's scavenging work – the way she'd scan the junkyard's sprawl, spotting hidden gems amidst the discarded debris. He'd watch, mesmerized, as she'd carefully sort and categorize her finds, her hands moving with a practiced ease. And though he was still young, Jade had started to grasp the harsh realities of their world – the poverty, the neglect, and the resilience that defined life in the slums. Despite it all, his gaze remained curious, drinking in the sights and sounds of this strange, beautiful world he'd been born into.
Over the past two months, Jade had embarked on a quiet journey of self-discovery, slowly unraveling the mysteries of his abilities. With each passing day, he'd gained greater control over the subtle energies that coursed through him, learning to harness and direct them with increasing precision. What had once been unpredictable surges of power had become finely tuned responses, responding to his thoughts and intentions with a reliability that filled him with a sense of wonder and pride. As he practiced, Dorian felt his connection to the world around him deepen, and the boundaries of what he could achieve began to expand in ways he'd never thought possible.
Opening his status window, he beamed with pride as he reviewed his progress over the past two months. With each task completed, he'd earned valuable rewards. As Jade looked over his accumulated stat points, he felt a sense of accomplishment and excitement.
STATUS:
Name: Jade
Level: 1
EXP: 12/50
STR: 7
AGI: 7
INT: 80
STA: 16
HP: 100
STP: 16
MP: 100
SKP: 1
TALENTS: EX Rank Divine Soul Dual pupils ( unawakened ), SS Rank Ice and snow Manipulation.
BLOODLINES: Yin Phoenix ( Unique ), Void Belgusari ( God Tier )( partially awakened ).
SKILLS: Glossomancy ( C ), Intermediate ice manipulation, Basic Weapon mastery, Basic healing.
INVENTORY: 0/50
WEAPONS: –
QUESTS: DAILY / MOMENTARY
1: Throw a punch 25,600 times
Time limit: –
Rewards: SP + 2
Status: Ongoing
2: Throw a kick 25,600 times
Time limit: –
Rewards: SP+ 2
Status: Ongoing
3: Take a life
Time limit: –
Reward: SP + 1, SKP+1
Status: Incomplete
4: Awaken Dormant Talent
Time limit: –
Rewards: Talent exclusive skills
Status: Incomplete
5: Reach one year of Age
Time limit: 1 year
Rewards:???
Status : Incomplete.
Looking at his punching and kicking quests that kept increasing in the amount needed to complete, Jade felt a headache coming up. He had assumed he only needed to complete some 100 punches and kicks everyday and he would grow stronger rapidly. But he had been proven wrong , good things don't come easy. The amount he needed to do had been multiplying by 2 when he completed the previous one giving him a massive headache.
He was just a baby, even if he had increased his stats to become stronger it was still difficult to complete!. Between acting like a normal baby , eating , sleeping and following Niamh on her scavenging missions, He had little time to complete the missions. But he had still managed to accumulate stat points. Looking at it gave him a sense of accomplishment.
Some of his quests had changed while some still remained and he didn't have any Idea how to complete them yet. But he felt stronger than ever!. Jade assumed he would be as strong as a young adult right now ,so he had always been care around Niamh so as not to be seen a a freak. He didn't have any idea how babies developed in this world so he was doing everything in his power to thread carefully, so he refrained from allocating more stat points . What if he became a King Kong baby ?.. That would be a disaster!.
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As Niamh navigated the junkyard's labyrinthine paths with Jade strapped securely to her back, it had become a routine for her to always carry him everywhere, as he was too young to be left by himself and the slums weren't safe for a weak and fragile baby in the slightest especially Jade who was an omega.
Death would be mercy for an infant like him on this part of the planet. Sudenly, a group of rough-looking men emerged from the shadows. There was Grimgold Ironfist, a hulking mass of muscle with a cruel scar above his left eyebrow, and his cohorts, Vic "The Bull" and Ricky "The Kid". Vic, a burly man with a thick beard, sneered as he took in Niamh's scavenged attire, while Ricky, a lean, wiry youth with a mop of messy black hair, eyed Jade with an unnerving intensity. Grimgold stepped forward, his voice dripping with malice, and demanded, "Who's the kid belong to, huh? You ain't exactly lookin' like the maternal type, scavenger."
Niamh's instincts kicked in, her grip on the scavenged pipe in her hand tightening as she met Grimgold's gaze, her tone firm but controlled as she spun a tale about meeting up with the baby's father.
"Oh, I'm just meetin' his dad, we're tradin' goods. He's waitin' for me up ahead," she said, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. Vic snorted, "Tradin' goods, huh? With a kid on your back? You're a real clever one, ain't ya?" Ricky, meanwhile, took a step closer, his eyes fixed on Jade, and whispered, "And what's this little one's dynamic, eh? Beta? Alpha? Omega? You know we gotta know these things." Niamh's protective instincts went on high alert, her mind racing for a way to safely extricate them from this precarious situation.
Niamh's eyes darted between the men, her mind racing for an escape route. She subtly shifted her weight, preparing to defend herself if necessary, but she knew that wouldn't be her first choice. Instead, she opted for a different tactic. With a calculated smile, she rummaged through her pouch and pulled out a few valuable scraps she'd collected earlier, holding them out like an offering.
"Hey, I'm willing to share. These are some rare parts I found. Maybe we can...come to an understanding?" Grimgold's gaze lingered on the offerings, and for a moment, Niamh saw a glimmer of interest. Vic and Ricky exchanged a look, seemingly weighing their options. After a tense moment, Grimgold nodded, his voice a little softer. "Alright, scavenger. You've got some taste. We'll let you pass...this time." With a nod, Niamh handed over the scraps and carefully backed away, keeping Jade secure on her back while subtly adjusting her robe hoodie to cover his exposed head more.
As she turned to leave, Grimgold's parting words sent a shiver down her spine: "Watch your step, scavenger. We might not be so...generous next time." Niamh didn't look back, her pace steady as she navigated through the junkyard, not stopping until she was safely back in her makeshift home, where she could finally breathe a sigh of relief.