I sat cross-legged on the cracked pavement, staring at my hands. They had fixed gates, repaired bikes, even coaxed music out of broken piano keys. Yet, despite these victories, a hollow feeling lingered. My skills felt… mechanical. Useful, yes, but something was missing.
"You focus on action," Notice said softly, echoing inside my head. "But growth is not only about doing. It is about understanding. Observation alone is not enough. You must notice yourself."
I frowned. Notice myself? What did that even mean? I had spent my whole life trying to survive other people, other circumstances. And now, I had a system giving me points and skills… but understanding myself? That felt like a puzzle too big for me.
"Begin with reflection," Notice continued. "Where you fail, where you succeed, and why. Record it. Learn from it. Points and skills amplify, but judgment shapes outcomes."
I closed my eyes and replayed the day's events: the girl on the stairs, the bicycle, even my small piano practice. What had I done right? What had I done wrong? My heart tightened. Some choices had been instinctual, almost blind. Some had been careful, calculated. And yet… each one had taught me something.
"Growth requires awareness," Notice said. "Soon, your first true challenge will test not only your abilities but your judgment. You must be prepared."
Judgment. That word echoed. I had always acted impulsively, afraid, reckless… broken. Could I really trust myself now?
I exhaled slowly. Notice wasn't just giving me skills. It was making me think, forcing me to confront my own mind. My weaknesses. My fears. And maybe—just maybe—that was the hardest skill of all.
"Do not fear the unknown," Notice said, almost like a whisper of encouragement. "Fear is natural. But hesitation leads to failure. Confidence comes not from certainty, but from readiness to act despite uncertainty."
I opened my eyes, feeling the weight of the system settle on me. Skills, points, upgrades… they were tools, yes. But understanding myself, trusting my judgment—that was the invisible weapon Notice was teaching me to wield.
I clenched my fists. My hands had fixed metal, coaxed music, saved a life. Now it was time to fix myself. Step by step. Choice by choice. Point by point.
And when the first true challenge came… I would face it as Mizu, the one who was learning not just to notice the world, but to notice himself.