Arin sat on the edge of his bed, legs swinging back and forth as sunlight spilled through the window. His parents' voices drifted in from the kitchen—Mira humming as she cooked, Raghav's cheerful laugh following after.
But Arin wasn't focused on them right now. His mind was circling a single thought:
How do I push Hard Work from Intermediate to Advanced?
It had been a long time since the skill had improved. Other skills kept moving forward—Movement Mastery had nearly reached Expert, Observation had opened shocking truths, and even his newest ability, Sensory Domain, had climbed into Intermediate in record time.
Yet Hard Work, the very core of his system, seemed stuck.
He pulled up his Skill Panel once again:
[Skill Panel]
Hard Work – Intermediate
Movement Mastery – Advanced (95%)
Observation – Mastery (50%)
Enhanced Communication – Advanced (55%)
Sensory Domain – Intermediate (10%)
It hadn't moved for weeks.
Arin sighed, rubbing his temples. "If I can't move Hard Work forward, maybe all my growth will slow down too… After all, it's the skill that powers everything else."
The system had never given him an explanation for how to evolve it. Hard Work wasn't like Movement or Observation. It wasn't about crawling, walking, running, or focusing on details. It was a reflection of his spirit itself.
He remembered the last time Hard Work evolved from Basic to Intermediate—it had unlocked a fusion feature, allowing similar skills to merge and form stronger ones. Without that, he would never have gained Super Senses, and later its evolution into Sensory Domain.
Arin's eyes widened as an idea formed."Maybe… if I reach Advanced, something even bigger will unlock. Maybe another feature, something that changes everything again."
The thought sent a rush of excitement through him. He clenched his fists.
But how?
Hard Work was about persistence, but simply training daily wasn't enough anymore. His efforts needed weight. Something beyond just practice. Something that would push his limits and test his spirit completely.
"Maybe… I need to struggle against something I can't easily overcome," Arin muttered to himself.
At that moment, Mira called from the kitchen, "Arin! Breakfast is ready, come eat before it gets cold!"
Arin snapped out of his thoughts, a smile tugging at his lips. He jumped off the bed and ran toward the table. As he sat with his parents, watching them laugh and share food, a quiet determination rose in his chest.
He wasn't just working hard for himself anymore. He was working hard for them too.
"Don't worry," he whispered softly so no one else could hear. "I'll find a way. No matter how long it takes, I'll push Hard Work to Advanced. And when I do… I'll break through to the next stage of this system."
Somewhere deep inside, the Hard Work skill pulsed faintly—as if acknowledging his vow.