I keep walking, thinking about what types of quests I should generate.
At times like this, I think about how I'd prefer a more powerful system. Imagine if I could train my sneak skill and gain levels by crouching and running into a wall for a few hours. That'd be the life. Just find a corner somewhere, crouch-walk in circles for an afternoon, boom: master thief.
But nope, I'm stuck with the system I'm gifted with…
A system that most people would literally die for, and here I am being ungrateful about it. So yeah, I'm going to stop thinking about it and work with what I have.
Okay, well, the obvious thing to do here is stack quests of similar types, with objectives I can complete simultaneously. I can't do any physical activities currently, but I can certainly do mental ones.
And the most obvious choice? Programming.
I need to finish my side project as soon as possible. If I want to build real strength, I need it in every area: physical prowess, wealth, and influence. Grinding my physical stats will be a straightforward process. Once my injuries heal, I'll just work out until my muscles beg for mercy. But wealth and influence? Those are trickier.
The reality is, I don't have many avenues to accumulate serious money right now. I'm eighteen, still in high school, and my most valuable skill is programming. So really, my best shot at getting large sums of money quickly is to produce a successful side project and hope it catches Mr. Inoue's attention.
The man is incredibly rich. If he sees something he likes, he could change my life overnight.
So, time to generate quests related to my side project.
I take a breath and focus my intention. I want to finish my side project in a month.
Ding!Quest log updated.
Updated Quest: Complete Your Side Project → Complete Your Side Project Within One Month
Objective: Finish your AI stock trading program → Finish your AI stock trading program within 30 days
Reward:
50 Evolution Points → 100 Evolution Points
Increased Proficiency for Passive Skill: Expert Programmer
+ Active Skill: Code Analysis (Activate to significantly enhance your ability to evaluate and understand code, algorithms, and software architecture. Effectiveness scales with Intelligence. Causes mental fatigue while active.)
Holy shit.
I just doubled the Evolution Points. Just for setting a deadline. And I get an active skill?
Not only would Code Analysis give me a massive boost to my programming abilities, but it might help with hacking too.
But wait. Could I take it even further?
I want my side project to be impressive enough to surprise Mr. Inoue when I complete it.
Ding!Quest log updated.
Updated Quest: Complete Side Project Within One Month → Impress a Multibillionaire
Objective: Finish your AI stock trading program within 30 days → Create a side project impressive enough to catch Satoru Inoue's eye within one month
Reward:
100 Evolution Points → 200 Evolution Points
Increased Proficiency for Passive Skill: Expert Programmer → Greatly Increased Proficiency for Passive Skill: Expert Programmer
Active Skill: Code Analysis → Active Skill: Analytical Eye (Activate to significantly enhance your ability to evaluate and understand anything. Effectiveness scales with Intelligence. Causes mental fatigue while active.)
Okay, that's absolutely insane.
Analytical Eye doesn't just work on code, it works on anything. Is this going to be like those overpowered inspection skills that isekai protagonists get? The ones where they can just look at something and instantly know everything about it?
And 200 Evolution Points is nothing to scoff at either.
I'm tempted to push the quest even harder, but I stop myself. I'm already not sure if I'll be able to complete it as is. Making something that could actually impress Mr. Inoue, a seasoned businessman, is a seriously tall order.
For the rest of my walk, I keep generating quests. Programming-focused ones that I can complete while working on my side project: I'll work on it for two hours straight without breaks. In those two hours, I'll implement an algorithm I've never used before. In those two hours, I'll write comprehensive documentation that even a non-programmer could follow.
By the time I finish my walk, I've racked up five quests. And if I successfully complete them all, I'd earn 10 Evolution Points. Ten! If I just relied on my daily routine quests, this might take me five days. But I could earn it in just two hours of focused work.
Yeah. I'm definitely onto something here.
Ding! You've completed the quest: Take a Walk
Rewards:
1 Evolution Point
Ding! You've completed the quest: Four Thousand Steps
Rewards:
2 Evolution Points
When I get home, I shower, do my facial routine, and rush back to my room, eager to continue working on my side project.
Two hours later, I'm 8 Evolution Points richer.
The work flew by. I was completely in the zone, barely aware of time passing. The only downside? I wasn't able to finish one of the quests I'd set for myself. It was supposed to be completed within these two hours specifically.
Ding!Quest log updated.
Quest Failed: Write Clear Code Documentation
Well, like always for solo projects, I've again neglected to improve my commenting. I wince, waiting for some kind of penalty.
Nothing happens.
I wait a few more seconds, just to be sure.
Still nothing.
Sweet. I love this system.
It's still early in the morning (I woke up way too early for my walk), so I might as well keep going.
Unfortunately though, when I re-create my quests, the rewards that are offered to me have heavily decreased. Completing the five quests I generated for myself previously will only give 6 Evolution Points now.
Ugh. That sucks.
I wonder why. Is it because I've already completed these exact quests before, so there's diminishing returns? Or maybe it's because doing the same thing twice in a row doesn't lead to as much actual improvement?
Either way, the message is clear: I need to generate different quests. Increasingly harder ones.
I ignore that for now, burying myself back in my side project.
Eventually, I receive an additional 6 Evolution Points, and it's time for our 11 AM "breakfast".
Breakfast progresses normally.
By which I mean Bianca falls asleep on me within five minutes, using my shoulder as her personal pillow. Her soft breathing is kind of adorable, and I'm not going to lie, having her this close makes it very difficult to focus on anything else.
Selene is her usual energetic self, bouncing between topics like she's being paid per subject change. She tells us about a new anime she started, some drama with her modeling agency, and a recipe for matcha cookies she wants to try.
Mom listens with that warm, patient smile she always has, occasionally interjecting with questions or gentle teasing.
After breakfast, I head back upstairs, and before I know it, I'm lost in code again.
It's in the afternoon that things get chaotic.
I'm completely absorbed in my work, staring at my screen with laser focus, when I suddenly feel someone wrap their arms around the top of my body from behind.
A head rests on top of mine.
I jump slightly in shock. Shit, that was kinda scary. I can't believe I was so focused on my work that I couldn't hear someone walk up behind me. Judging by the general lack of sound in this ambush, I'm assuming it's Bianca.
"So," she whispers in my ear, her voice slow and teasing like a cat who's spotted a particularly fun mouse to play with. "Thought it'd be fun to mess with me while I was half-asleep this morning, huh dork?"
"Uhhh..." I say, incredibly articulate as always. I'm feeling very vulnerable right now.
She pinches my cheek from behind me. "Lucky for you, you're still injured. I would have suplexed you if you weren't."
Oof. That was a close call. Note to self: be more careful about teasing Bianca in the morning.
"Hey, you kept teasing me yesterday!" I protest. "I was just getting you back!"
She chuckles, and I can feel the vibration against my back. "And now I'm getting you back for getting me back. That's how this works, dumbass."
She rests her chin on my shoulder, glancing at my screen.
"What're you even doing? You've been in here all day."
"Working on my side project. Trying to get it done soon."
"Mm. Nerd shit." She says with affection. "It going okay?"
I smile despite myself. No matter how tough or sarcastic she acts, she's really just a marshmallow underneath. "Yeah, actually. Making good progress."
She pulls away, heading back to her room, then reappears a minute later with her tablet. She plops onto my bed, settling in like she owns the place, and starts sketching something.
I'm about to return to my coding when Selene suddenly bursts into my room.
"Oh my god, you guys!" She's practically vibrating with excitement. She turns her gaze to Bianca. "Have you seen the group chat?! You know, the one with Luke and Elize?!"
Bianca doesn't even look up from her tablet. "I've had that shit muted ever since I joined."
"Luke just told everyone Jack got suspended!"
That gets Bianca's attention. She sits up slightly. "Seriously?"
"Yes! Come look!" Selene's already climbing onto the bed. "It's total chaos right now!"
We all huddle around Selene's phone as she scrolls to the beginning of the conversation.
Marcus:yo where tf is jack? dude hasnt posted in like 3 days
Rachel:YES omg he was supposed to take me out Saturday and literally hasn't responded to ANY of my messages
Rachel:like not even opened them???
Philip:facts, where is he? he usually posts on Instagram on the daily
Marcus:@Luke you know anything bro?
Rachel:yeah Luke spill!!!
The messages keep coming, more and more people piling on, asking Luke what's happening. I watch with a strange mix of satisfaction and unease.
Luke:Guys seriously my phone won't stop buzzing
Rachel:THEN TELL US
Sharon:we know you know something
Marcus:🕵️🕵️
Luke:Fine. I heard he got suspended. And that's all I know so stop blowing up my DMs
The chat absolutely explodes.