*Rustle
A gust of wind slammed into a nearby bush, causing a few leaves to part from the thin branches protruding haphazardly from the main structure.
The sudden vibrations shook Kelvin Hay's senses awake.
'They couldn't have POSSIBLY felt the need to resort to kidnap me to broaden the gap between our friendly competition right?' He sighed at the injustice and felt the urge to facepalm if it weren't for the loss of sensation in his limbs.
Kelvin Hay was the fifth son of the Hay family renowned for their farming techniques passed on for generations. They lived in a rather rural area and although they were aware of technological advancements in the mainland, they chose to be stubborn and turned a blind eye to the world outside their bubble.
Contrary to the Hay family, the Gardener family who lived a few kilometers away, embraced these changes, and adopted the use of mass production technologies in hopes of increasing their revenue. However, their sales dropped due to recent articles written on the differences between organically farmed and mass-produced foods...
Kevin adjusted his thoughts and immediately resumed exploring his current state to gain a better grasp of the situation at hand. He tried to open his eyes but to no avail, he couldn't hear a thing, and he still couldn't get his limbs to respond, greatly impairing his sense of touch.
'They sure did their job well. PERHAPS they should consider a change in career. Hahaha haha haa...' thought Kelvin sardonically as he laughed inwardly in a self-deprecating manner. To summarize, he was screwed...
As his thoughts wandered to what he'd do if someone entered and found him in his present state, a loud noise shot through his brain.
*PIINNNGGGG
Kelvin jerked at the sudden sound and grimaced. The bell-like notification echoed in his mind.
'This is why you don't use any alarms other than the good ol' rooster.' His elation at the prospects of regaining his hearing didn't obstruct him from remembering to berate the source of the noise.
A translucent screen popped up in front of him.
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Kelvin Hay | Production Stage (I) | Race: Grass
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Hp: 3/3 Hunger Status: 7/10
Str: 1 Thirst Status: 6/10
Agi: 0.1 Stamina: 10/10
Int: ???
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Photosynthesis (Passive): When in contact with sunlight, hunger and stamina will be replenished.
Flexibility: No damage will be taken while changing position [+0.1 Agi].
Perception: The ability to 'perceive' the surroundings.
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Kelvin jolted in shock. The first thing that came to mind was, 'a video game?' Although he knew of their existence, Kelvin did not have much experience with them other than eavesdropping on the occasional chatter between his parents about the second eldest pursuing his dreams to become a pro gamer mainland.
He became excited to find out what could've possibly garnered his brother's interest. He anxiously inspected the contents displayed on the translucent screen and was taken aback. He paused for a moment, then, carefully scanned the contents once more.
'What do you mean my race is [Grass]?!! You're the grass! Your whole family is grass! The atrocity of this game!' Having lost his earlier excitement, Kelvin continued spewing curses as his anger rose with each line he read.
'0.1? Is that even a thing? Three question marks? Who's asking who? Perception is the ability to perceive? Well, no sh*t Sh*rlock!'
Thoroughly p*ssed at the contents on the screen, Kelvin whipped his head in the direction of the screen as to shatter the nonsense, completely forgetting about the kidnapping situation he formulated in his mind just a moment ago.
Upon contact, the screen dissipated as if it had never existed in the first place.
Fuming in anger, Kelvin could imagine himself with a reddened face while breathing heavily in his attempts to regain composure. However, none of that happened. Instead, he felt a tingling sensation in every pore in his body, and immediately after, a cooling sensation washed over him, quelling his anger almost instantly.
[-1 Thirst]
Kelvin's expression stiffened and his mood shifted a few tones.
'Speaking of which, I ACTUALLY am starting to feel more thirsty. Is this a mere coincidence? No no, it can't be, and that tingling sensation I felt isn't normal!' In response to the sudden flow of events, Kelvin's thoughts began to run amok. Cold sweat dripped down from his body whilst a chill ran up his "spine".
'IT'S THE GAME!' Kelvin paled in horror as he took some time to digest his conclusion.
'If the game wasn't spouting nonsense, then there was no kidnapping in the first place. So that must mean... I'm now a blade of GRASS?!' Unwilling to accept his new hypothesis, Kelvin tried to disprove his theory via experimentation.
He wiggled his body and tilted to each side with a certain degree of difficulty from the resistance stemming from the areas where his spine and feet were located.
'My arms and legs feel inseparable from my body, I can't seem to open my eyes, and I'm unable to hear anything other than that annoying bell sound from the DAMNED GAME!' Kelvin fell in despair as he felt that he more or less confirmed his suspicions on the validity of the contents displayed on the translucent screen.
[-2 Stamina]
Being the prideful person he was, it didn't take long for Kelvin to regain his composure and try to make the best out of the situation he was in. With a thought, the translucent screen reappeared.
*PIINNNGGGG
This time, Kelvin braced himself for the piercing noise, but nevertheless, the noise managed to do its fair share of damage on Kelvin's mind.
'Ouch!' Kelvin winced in pain and swore to not summon the translucent screen unless absolutely necessary.
He gazed at the contents on the screen, but this time, with apprehension.
'So the values on the screen directly correspond with my present state. Although I expected this when I realized I became a blade of grass, but my stats are really low!' Kelvin's lack of experience with games did not affect the comprehension of his conundrum in possessing single-digit stats.
'If farming for more than half my life has taught me anything, it's that a single blade of grass is highly vulnerable!'
However, upon a closer look at his attributes, one skill stood out to Kelvin.
[Perception], the ability to 'perceive' the surroundings.