[Congratulations! Your training is set. However, as promised, the system will now boost your skills to average before commencing your training. It is recommended that you remain seated and calm for the next few minutes.]
Abel had barely processed the words before a sudden surge of energy coursed through his body. It was as if wave after wave of electric energy was being pumped directly into his veins.
He tried to move, but his muscles locked up, and his body began to shake uncontrollably.
His teeth chattered as his fingers twitched and trembled, their joints clicking and shifting as though they were being pulled apart and reassembled. If anyone had walked in at that moment, they might have thought he was undergoing a particularly nasty exorcism.
A flood of information overwhelmed his mind, scenes of musical theory, chord structures, strumming patterns, and riffs flashing behind his eyelids at dizzying speeds. It was as if years of guitar practice and vocal training were being crammed into his brain in mere minutes.
Then, as suddenly as it began, everything stopped.
For a moment, he sat there, stunned and panting, his heart pounding in his chest.
It took a few seconds for awareness to come flooding back. Slowly, Abel got up from his bed, his legs shaky but steadying with each step. He began to pace around his room, staring at everything as if he were seeing his bedroom for the first time.
"What in freaking hell just happened?"
He stopped in front of his electric guitar, carefully unslinging it from the wall and blowing away the dirt that had covered its headstock. Slowly, he slipped the strap around his neck.
reaching for the power cord, he plugged it into the amplifier.
Almost automatically, his fingers wrapped around the neck with a familiarity he had never felt before. Without thinking, he strummed a chord-a G major.
"Well, that sounds awful," Abel cringed as his hands automatically dropped to the guitar's headstock and began adjusting the tuning pegs. One by one, he played the strings. His ears easily detecting the ones that were out of tune and equally adjusted them. A moment later, he froze as he understood the significance of what he was doing.
"The fuck did I just do?" he exclaimed, suddenly grasping the meaning of his actions.
Tuning the guitar had been one of his major headaches, it was actually one of the reasons he had quit. Having spent his savings on the guitar, Abel had found that he could not afford an electric tuner.
He had tried for a while learning from tutorials how to tune by ear, but as it turned out, that was the sort of thing that came with experience.
For a while, he had tried playing the damn thing as it was before eventually quitting because what he was playing sounded nothing like the tutorials he was learning from.
So imagine his surprise when here he was, adjusting the strings like it was the sort of thing he could do without breaking a sweat.
Having adjusted the strings to the right pitch, he strummed all of them and paused to bask in the rich sound that filled his room.
"Just perfect."
Gradually, He began playing a simple melody, starting with a G to a C chord, then a D, transitioning between them effortlessly, barely looking at his fingers. His eyes widened in disbelief.
It wasn't just the notes; he felt the music, understood it in a way he never had before. There was still a second of pause between the chords, but to anyone who was anything less than a pro, it was barely detectable.
Dropping the guitar, Abel stumbled back to his bed and sat down heavily. His hands were shaking, but not from fear. It was excitement, pure and raw.
"This is real," he whispered to himself, the weight of what had just happened settling over him. "This is fucking real."
The phone buzzed again, drawing his attention back to the screen.
[Your music theory, guitar skills, and vocal training have been boosted to average. Now, the real work begins. Based on your chosen profile, the system has tailored the training to that of a lead singer. This means stage presence, vocals, and guitar skills will be given utmost priority. The system has also taken your environment into consideration and recommends evening routines to be used interchangeably for guitar practice and vocals, as being alone, you are likely to cause the least disturbance. Early morning routines will be reserved for physical exercise, which is key for stage performance. During weekends, the system will issue a weekly challenge task, which is aimed at recapping the week's training]
Abel stared at the screen, with a blown-away look.
his mind raced as he processed the message. He had just started to come to terms with the monumental shift his life was about to undergo. His days of living as a reclusive nerd, immersed in games and sci-fi novels, were being buried.
He realised that there was no way he could keep this under wraps forever. His mother, Ben, and even Hilsa crossed his mind.
Should he tell them? ,But then he quickly dismissed the idea. This wasn't some cheat code or quick fix, it was a work in progress.
Until he had something tangible to show for his efforts, he would keep everything to himself.
Just like Ben had used tutorials to conquer the Hammerhead mission, Abel was determined to put in the work,training tirelessly to develop his skills and rise to stardom.
With this firm resolve in mind, Abel reached for the packet of milk on his bedside table and took a sip as he gathered his thoughts and prepared to test his vocals.
He had never truly explored singing before, and the quiet evening seemed like the perfect opportunity to start.
Just as he was about to take a sip from the packet, a blaring shrill from his phone made him jump, spilling milk on his sheets.
"What the bloody hell? That was quite sudden!" Abel exclaimed, startled by the unexpected noise. He quickly grabbed the phone, his heart racing as he saw another alert flashing on the app.
[ALERT: A vice has been detected!. Milk has been consumed, which can negatively impact vocal performance. As your chosen profile is that of a leader,the system regards this as lead singer. maintaining optimal vocal health is crucial for this role. Please refer to the following dietary guidelines to enhance your training results.]
A list of recommended and forbidden foods appeared on the screen:
Foods to Avoid:
Dairy Products (e.g., milk, cheese, yogurt)
Caffeinated Beverages (e.g., coffee, tea, sodas)
Alcohol
Spicy Foods
Fried or Fatty Foods
Sugary Snacks
Ice-Cold Drinks
Recommended Foods:
Water and Herbal Teas
Fruits (e.g., apples, bananas)
Vegetables (e.g., carrots, spinach)
Lean Proteins (e.g., chicken, fish)
Whole Grains (e.g., oatmeal, brown rice)
Honey and Ginger
Abel's eyes widened as he took in the list. The system's emphasis on diet struck him hard. This was a commitment to a level he had never imagined.
He felt a pang of regret as he regarded the packet of in his hand.
Now, it seemed that even such small pleasures would have to be sacrificed.
He thought about his late-night snacks and caffeine fixes that had become part of his routine, the ice cream spots he and Ben frequented often. All of these, it appeared, would need to change.
He now realized that this wasn't just about picking up a few new skills; it was about a complete lifestyle overhaul.
with a painful look on his face, he discarded the packet on the bin. if that was the price for his dreams, then so be it!...it seemed that his mothers complains about his unhealthy eating habit had come to an end after all