Arin sat quietly in his room, the soft afternoon sunlight spilling through the window. He leaned back in his chair and opened his Skill Panel, letting his eyes slowly scan each of his abilities.
[Skill Panel]
Hard Work – Advanced
Movement Mastery – Advanced (98%)
Observation – Mastery (100%)
Enhanced Communication – Advanced (75%)
Sensory Domain – Intermediate (20%)
Talent Copy – On Cooldown (1 year remaining)
Judgement – Basic (Copied)
He ran his finger along the list, absorbing the familiar glow of each skill. Every number, every percentage, every word reminded him of how far he had come since that fateful day when his life restarted.
Hard Work… Advanced. Movement Mastery nearly perfect. Observation at its peak… He couldn't help but smile. Even Judgement, his newest talent, hung in the panel like a promise of things to come.
Arin leaned back, his thoughts drifting. He remembered the times when life had felt meaningless—days of monotony, of average grades, of watching talented people surpass him effortlessly. Back then, he had believed that effort alone wasn't enough. Talent ruled everything.
And now… now he had a system, yes, but more importantly, he had transformed himself. Skills that once seemed impossible to reach were now part of him. Hard Work no longer felt like a punishment; it was a steady engine powering him forward. Observation allowed him to notice things others overlooked, and Enhanced Communication made him understand people in ways that seemed almost magical for a middle schooler.
Arin's thoughts drifted to his parents. Mira was discovering her talent in baking, her confidence growing with every loaf and cake she made. Raghav was taking the first steps toward managing the bakery's finances, a skill he had never fully realized but was now starting to appreciate.
It's not just me anymore, Arin thought. Our lives are changing together.
He smiled faintly as he remembered the first time he had copied Judgement from that lawyer. The memory brought a rush of excitement, a reminder that the world was full of possibilities. With the Talent Copy ability, he had the chance to learn from extraordinary people. Even though the skill had a cooldown period, knowing that he could continue to grow in unimaginable ways gave him confidence.
Arin closed his eyes for a moment, letting the warmth of the afternoon sun and the quiet of his room sink in. He thought about how much his life had changed in such a short period. He wasn't just a boy anymore. He was someone who could observe, analyze, and act with purpose. Someone who could shape his own destiny.
All of this… all these skills… it's more than just numbers on a panel, he thought. It's my life. My family. My future.
A soft smile curved his lips. He knew the journey wasn't over. There were more talents to discover, more skills to master, more people to learn from. But for now, he allowed himself to simply appreciate the present.
For the first time in a long time, Arin felt a deep sense of satisfaction. He wasn't just surviving anymore—he was thriving. And with the system guiding him, with his parents discovering their own paths, and with his own growing abilities, he felt unstoppable.
He leaned back in his chair once more, looking at the glowing panel one last time.
This… this is just the beginning.