Today it's been six months since I reincarnated into this world and my friend… It's been crazy.
I thought I would run already, that I would be a prodigy. A sort of baby ninja, you know?
But goddammit… This baby body is too soft. It took me four months to sit up and only today, when I turned six months old, can I say: I finally learned to crawl.
[Quest completed: Crawl 100 meters.]
[Constitution + 1, Experience + 100]
When the notification window popped up, I felt my body change. I used to get tired while trying to move, but it seems like it's a lot easier now.
Wasting no time, I accepted the next quests.
[New quests:]
[Crawl 1 kilometer » Constitution + 1, Experience + 200]
[Stand up for a minute or walk 5 meters » Strength + 1, Dexterity + 1, Experience + 200]
One small step for men, one big step for Valentin Dormundson! Only the sky is the limit!
I don't know how to define whether a baby is strong, but maybe I'll become the strongest baby I've ever seen.
Wait a minute, if I gain enough strength, will I become a baby weightlifter? I hope not. It must be something bizarre to see.
Valentin, focus! There is a long way to go!
With my hands and knees touching the floor, I started crawling around the bed several times. I have to say that for a baby, this is like running on an Olympic track.
My mother was cooking. Apparently dinner is going to be turnip soup again… When I grow up, I'm definitely going to cook something good.
Ah, I finally found out my parents' names: Anna and Dormund. I've been trying to pronounce their names in order to impress them and also complete the quest, but my tongue still curls. At least I can say "dada" now.
I can't wait to use mana.
I also learned more about where I live and what my father does. He's exactly what I expected: a lumberjack.
Apparently, I live on the outskirts of the city of Naman, in the village of Kanepe. I couldn't see much, but when my mother takes me out to sunbathe on the lawn in front of our house, it appears to be a very humble village.
I could meet several figures. Basically, this is a village of farmers, brewers and hunters. It is common for carts and carriages to pass. I think they're heading towards the city.
— Valentin, you weirdo! Why do you like to crawl around the bed so much? — my mother picked me up, threw herself on the bed with me and started kissing me — Are you hungry?
— Dada! Buwah! Daaaa!
No, no, please no! No matter how much time passes, a man my age shouldn't have to be breastfed by his mom, at least not being conscious... There was one time I read a light novel where a guy went through the same situation as me, but he liked it. I can only say one thing: disgusting!
This is definitely a secret I will take to the grave.
The good part is that when my mother breastfed me, she ended up sleeping and I had a few free hours to gain experience.
Come on!
I started my 1 km marathon quest by crawling around the bed.
I have to say that getting a point in constitution was amazing. I completed the quest in two hours, maybe a little longer.
Then I started training my ability to stand. The new points in constitution were extremely important.
It's amazing to think that a few hours ago I was struggling to crawl, but now I have enough stamina to do it for two hours and still try to stand.
That's right, feel the power of attribute points!
Back to the primary subject: standing.
Well, I can only say it's too hard… My legs are shaking and I can't even stand up… Again, damn baby body!
It was then that my mother surprised me.
As I was trying to get up using the bed for support, I realized too late that she had woken up and was spying on me and laughing at my failed attempts.
She pinched my cheeks and started talking to me like you talk to a pet, in that same high-pitched, shameful voice.
— Since you want to learn to stand, let Mom help you. — she said as she supported me to walk while using me as if I were a toy, back and forth.
Hey woman, I'm not a toy! I'm here, working hard, can't you see? I'm not kidding…
It was then that, thanks to my mother, I completed the quest…
[Complete quest: Stand for a minute or walk 5 meters]
[Strength +1, Dexterity +1, Experience 200]
Mom, I've always loved you.
I felt my little body gradually stiffen, and my joints stopped shaking. I shook myself to let her go and stood on my own.
Obviously, she got emotional and started screaming. I think I broke some baby record.
She lifted me into the air like someone lifting a trophy and walked out of the house with me, spreading around the village about my incredible feat.
For the first time in my life, I got so much attention. Also, it looks like I ended up creating a local baby competition, as countless other moms started trying to get their babies to break my record.
Sorry moms, I'm the one and only Valentin Dormundson.
And of course, since nothing in this life is easy, after this glorious moment, a violent stomachache attacked me and I shit myself.
Man, how I hate being a damn baby.
When night came and my father returned home, he was so happy that he bought me a small wooden sword. I could hear him whispering to my mother…
— Hey honey, if he started walking at that age, maybe he has the talent to be a swordsman or something. If he becomes a knight, he will give us a peaceful life! Haha!
Say no more, dad!
When they were both asleep, I ran out of my crib, grabbed my little wooden sword, and started swinging it.
It only took a few movements and I no longer had the strength to continue.
[New quest:]
[Swing the sword 100 times » Skill: Sword Proficiency, Strength + 1, Constitution + 1, Dexterity + 1, Experience + 500]
That's right! Quests, quests, quests!
As my hands were small, I obviously couldn't swing the sword with just one of them. Which made me look a little pathetic.
After all, I was still a damn six-month-old. No matter what I did, I would never look intimidating.
I mean, I still can't do anything practical. It's like a hamster trying to attack a cat.
If a baby with a sword appeared in front of you, would you feel intimidated? Of course not, just one good kick and he'll go flying.
Well, unless the baby had a gun... In that case, you would certainly have to...
Focus, Valentin, focus!
Sow now to reap in the future.
I took a deep breath and continued swinging the sword awkwardly.
When the roosters crowed, I collapsed into my crib exhausted, but with a smile of victory.
[Complete quest: swing the sword 100 times]
[Skill: Sword Proficiency, Strength + 1, Constitution + 1, Dexterity + 1, Experience + 500]
[You've leveled up!]
[You have 1 free attribute point]
- Fouckee!
[Complete Quest: Say Your First Intelligible Word]
[Mana + 1]
Finally, I did it.
I mean, it's kind of sad that my parents missed my first word and that it was "fuck", but that's life. There are evils that come to good.
I felt warm air rise from my abdomen and move towards my heart. At that moment, I felt a tightness in my chest and a powerful suction force.
My eyes could see luminous fragments floating all around me. They were flying towards me, spiraling into my chest.
I felt a strange energy coursing through my veins and even though I spent the entire night training; I was full of energy again.
[You accomplished an incredible feat!]
[One who awakened before completing his first year of age]
[Mana + 1, Skill: Unrivaled Mana Circulation Technique, Skill: Unrivaled Mana Absorption Technique]
Is this what the mangas call awakening?
Oh shit, this daddy is the real deal. Six-months old, bitches!
Curious, I opened my status window and used my free attribute point in mana.
[Valentin Dormundson - Level 2 - Exp 0/4200]
[Mana points: 30/30]
[Strength: 2 | Constitution: 3 | Dexterity: 2 | Mana: 3]
[Free attribute points: 0]
[Skills: Sword Proficiency (lvl. 1), Unrivaled Mana Circulation Technique (max), Unrivaled Mana Absorption Technique (max)]
Oh, boy!
One interesting thing I discovered is that skills that are not at max level have quests permanently active until I reach their max level.
For example:
[Sword Proficiency - Level 1 - 0/1000]
[Daily: Swing sword 100 times vertically downwards 100 times vertically upwards, 100 times horizontally, 100 times diagonally downwards, 100 times diagonally upwards » Experience + 250]
Jesus! My little arms shake just thinking about this amount of exercise.
But one thing is for sure, I'm motivated as fuck.
And so I went through my days for the next two years.