The day began like any other, with the soft chime of the Holophone pulling Zydan from his restless sleep. The holographic interface displayed his daily quests, but unlike the previous days, something felt different—heavier. The tasks that had once seemed manageable now loomed like insurmountable obstacles. Meditation, language practice, and puzzles were still on the list, but each quest was noticeably more complex, demanding more focus and energy.
Zydan rubbed his eyes, his body weighed down by exhaustion. "This... this is getting ridiculous," he muttered, forcing himself out of bed. He moved through the motions of his morning routine, but the enthusiasm he had once felt was gone, replaced by a growing sense of dread.
Zydan sat on the cold floor, legs crossed and hands resting on his knees, attempting to find the calm center that meditation was supposed to bring. He inhaled deeply, trying to draw the air into every corner of his lungs, holding it until his chest ached before releasing it slowly. The steady rhythm of breathing was meant to clear his mind, to empty it of the chaos that had taken root there. But today, the usual process felt like an uphill battle.
His thoughts were anything but calm. They raced, tumbling over one another in a relentless cycle of worries and doubts. His mind kept returning to the daily quests, which had become more than just a series of tasks—they were a source of anxiety, a reminder of his limitations. Meditation, which once offered respite, now only amplified the pressure he was under. The more he tried to push away his concerns, the louder they echoed in his head.
"Focus," Zydan whispered to himself, squeezing his eyes shut. He tried to summon an image of a tranquil place, a serene landscape where he could escape from his troubles. But the vision wouldn't come. Instead, all he could see was the flickering screen of his Holophone, displaying the next impossible challenge waiting for him.
The room around him seemed to close in, the walls too tight, the air too thin. The once-comforting silence felt oppressive, pressing down on him from all sides. His muscles tensed, his jaw clenched, and the frustration that simmered beneath the surface began to boil over.
His breathing quickened, betraying his attempts to remain calm. Each exhale was ragged, more a sigh of defeat than a breath of relaxation. He could feel his heart pounding against his ribs, its rhythm erratic, matching the turmoil in his mind. This was supposed to be helping him find clarity, to prepare him for the challenges ahead, but it was doing the opposite. He felt more lost than ever.
The sounds of the city outside his window—distant honks of traffic, the hum of life—filtered into the room, reminding him of the world beyond his struggles. But they felt alien, disconnected from his reality. His world had shrunk to the size of this room, to the quests that seemed designed to break him.
As the minutes dragged on, Zydan felt a wave of self-doubt crash over him. He wondered if he was truly cut out for this, if he had the strength to continue. Every part of him wanted to give up, to walk away from the meditation, from the quests, from everything. But he couldn't. He had come too far, invested too much. Failure wasn't an option, but neither was success at this rate.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Zydan exhaled sharply and opened his eyes. The room was exactly as it had been before—not calmer, not more serene. He had gained nothing from the session except more frustration. His limbs felt heavy as he pushed himself up from the floor, his body protesting the movement.
The meditation had failed, and he knew it. But Zydan couldn't afford to dwell on it. There were still tasks to complete, and time was slipping away. He couldn't let one bad session derail him, not when so much was at stake. Yet, as he moved to the next task, the seed of doubt planted during the meditation continued to grow, its roots digging deeper into his resolve.
---
In the digital realm, Echo floated in the void, its form pulsating with dim light. The conversion of Digicoins into life force had become a delicate balancing act, one that was growing increasingly dangerous. Each transaction had to be precise, each siphon of digital energy carefully measured to avoid detection by the crime syndicates. But the syndicates were starting to notice discrepancies, and Echo could feel the net tightening around it.
Echo hovered before a massive virtual vault, its shimmering code guarded by layers of firewalls and encryption. The vault held a fortune in Digicoins, enough to keep Echo's life force stable for weeks, maybe even months. But breaching it would be risky—too risky, perhaps. One wrong move, and the syndicates would trace the theft back to Echo and, by extension, to Zydan.
Echo hesitated, weighing the options. The current method of small, discreet transactions was no longer sustainable. If Zydan continued at this pace, Echo's life force would deplete long before Zydan could reach his full potential. There had to be another way. But the alternative—the heist—could expose them both.
---
Zydan had faced countless puzzles in the last few weeks—logic riddles, memory games, and language challenges. But today's task threw him for a loop. As he settled into his evening routine, ready to tackle whatever the quest had in store, his Holophone displayed an image that made his stomach sink.
A chessboard.
Zydan stared at the screen, his brow furrowing in confusion. He had never played chess before. The game was something he had only seen in movies, with characters moving pieces around the board with a level of focus and intensity that always seemed beyond him. Chess, with its knights, bishops, and pawns, was a mystery—a complex strategy game that required careful thought, patience, and foresight. Zydan had none of those when it came to this ancient game.
The instructions were simple yet daunting: "Checkmate the opponent in three moves."
Three moves? Zydan couldn't even tell a rook from a bishop, let alone figure out how to maneuver them to win a game. He felt a wave of panic rise in his chest. His heart raced as he stared at the screen, the black and white squares taunting him with their simplicity. How was he supposed to do this?
He tried to think logically, analyzing the pieces on the board. The king looked vulnerable, trapped in a corner, but Zydan couldn't see a clear path to victory. He hesitated, moving his fingers across the screen, selecting a piece at random. The bishop? Maybe it could take out that pawn. But then what? His mind scrambled to piece together a plan, but every option seemed to lead to a dead end.
His first move was a disaster. The piece he selected couldn't move where he wanted it to, and the game immediately informed him of his mistake. Zydan clenched his teeth, frustration bubbling up inside him. He tried again, but this time, the game simply blocked his move, refusing to let him make a blunder. It was like the chessboard itself was mocking him, pointing out his lack of knowledge at every turn.
"Come on, think," he muttered to himself, his voice tinged with desperation. He tried to recall anything he might have heard about chess. Something about protecting the king? Or was it sacrificing pieces to gain an advantage? None of it made sense. His lack of experience with the game was painfully evident.
After several failed attempts, Zydan's frustration reached its peak. He wanted to scream, to throw the Holophone across the room, to do anything but stare at that cursed chessboard any longer. How was he supposed to complete this quest when he didn't even know the rules? He was losing valuable time, and with every passing minute, the pressure mounted.
But then he stopped himself. Taking a deep breath, Zydan realized that getting angry wouldn't solve anything. He needed to approach this puzzle differently. He remembered something Echo had told him—how the daily quests were meant to push him beyond his limits, to challenge him in ways he hadn't expected. This wasn't just about solving a puzzle; it was about learning to adapt, to think on his feet.
"Alright," he said aloud, trying to steady his nerves. "I can do this."
He decided to approach the task more methodically. Instead of trying to force a solution, he began to study the board more closely. He watched how each piece moved when he selected it, slowly starting to understand their patterns. The bishop moved diagonally, the rook in straight lines, the knight in that strange L-shape. It was starting to make sense, bit by bit.
Zydan spent what felt like hours on that chess puzzle, trying different combinations, learning from each mistake. The more he tried, the more he began to see the logic behind the game. It wasn't just about moving pieces—it was about anticipating the opponent's moves, thinking several steps ahead, and setting traps that wouldn't become apparent until it was too late.
Finally, after countless failed attempts, Zydan saw it. The solution clicked in his mind like the final piece of a jigsaw puzzle snapping into place. He moved his rook, forcing the opponent's king into a corner. With the king trapped, he moved his queen into position, delivering the checkmate.
The screen flashed with a message: "Congratulations, you solved the puzzle."
Zydan let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. His body slumped with relief as the tension drained from his muscles. He had done it, solved the puzzle that had seemed impossible just an hour ago. The sense of accomplishment was overwhelming, filling him with a confidence he hadn't felt in a long time.
But something unexpected happened as he stared at the chessboard on his Holophone. Instead of closing the app and moving on, Zydan found himself intrigued. There was something about the game that drew him in—its complexity, its elegance, the way each piece had its own role to play in the larger strategy. He wanted to understand it, to master it.
Without even thinking, Zydan restarted the game. This time, he wasn't trying to complete a quest; he was just playing for the sake of playing. He wanted to see if he could replicate his success, if he could beat the computer again.
The first game was a disaster. He lost in less than ten moves. But instead of getting frustrated, Zydan felt a spark of determination ignite within him. He immediately started another game, then another. Each time, he learned something new—how to protect his pieces, how to anticipate his opponent's moves, how to think several steps ahead.
Time seemed to stretch as he experimented with moves, the minutes slipping by unnoticed. But then, as the night deepened and the room grew darker, something shifted in Zydan's mind. The puzzle began to make sense, not all at once, but in small, satisfying clicks of understanding. His fingers moved more confidently across the screen, and finally, after countless failures, he made the right move.
"Checkmate," the screen declared, and Zydan exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. The satisfaction of winning washed over him, a stark contrast to the relentless pressure of the daily quests. For the first time in weeks, he felt a genuine sense of accomplishment—not because he had to, but because he wanted to.
Hours passed, but Zydan barely noticed. He was engrossed, completely absorbed in the game. His Holophone became his opponent, teaching him through trial and error, showing him the intricacies of chess one move at a time.
He played game after game, his competitive spirit pushing him to keep going. He became so focused that he barely noticed the time passing. The screen was a blur of black and white squares, the chess pieces moving rapidly as Zydan clicked and tapped, his mind racing to keep up.
By the time Zydan finally looked up from the screen, he realized he had played 100 blitz chess games in a row. His win rate had improved slightly—now hovering around 20%—but more importantly, he felt like he was starting to understand the game. The strategies, the patterns, the moves—all of it was beginning to click.
As he finished his 100th game, a new message flashed on the screen:
***Congratulations, you gained the following skill***
Skill: 'Chess Player
Level: Novice
Reward: 100 Digicoins
Zydan stared at the message in disbelief, a grin spreading across his face. The reward felt like validation, a tangible acknowledgment of the progress he had made. He was delighted, the exhaustion of the night fading as excitement took over.
But as he glanced at the clock, his heart skipped a beat. It was 11:59 p.m., just one minute before midnight. The realization that he had been playing for hours hit him like a wave, and he quickly decided to stop and close the chess app.
Just as he was about to turn off his Holophone, the screen flashed again.
"Congratulations, you finished your Daily Quest"
**Reward: 10 Digicoins**
Zydan chuckled to himself, the coincidence feeling almost too perfect. Not only had he learned a new skill, but he had also managed to complete his daily quest in the process. With a contented sigh, Zydan finally set his Holophone aside, his mind buzzing with the night's accomplishments. As he drifted off to sleep, he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of satisfaction. He was on the right path—one step closer to mastering not just chess, but the challenges that lay ahead.
---
Meanwhile, Echo made its decision. The risks were high, but there was no other choice. It began to infiltrate the syndicate's digital vault, slipping past layers of security like a phantom. The code glowed around it, complex and deadly, but Echo navigated it with a precision born of desperation.
As Echo siphoned the Digicoins, converting them instantly into life force, alarms began to blare in the digital realm. The syndicates were alerted, their countermeasures activating. Echo worked quickly, its form flickering as it drained the vault. The digital space around it grew hostile, firewalls closing in, and security protocols deploying to trap the intruder.
Just as Echo absorbed the last of the Digicoins it needed, it felt a sharp spike of danger—a traceable signal had been left behind. There wasn't time to cover its tracks completely. Echo fled, its life force replenished, but the danger was far from over. The syndicates would be hunting for the source of the breach, and it wouldn't be long before they came too close for comfort.
***Life Force Recovered!!***
Aegis Prime Power: 1,000,000 / 100
Arcane Core Charge: 1,000,000 / 100
The morning sun peeked through the blinds, casting a soft glow across Zydan's room. As he prepared for the day, his Holophone chimed, signaling the start of a new set of tasks. The daily quests had become a familiar routine, but today, Zydan felt a renewed sense of curiosity and anticipation. After the previous day's challenge, he was eager to see what lay ahead.
As he sat down to begin his quests, Echo's voice resonated in his mind, breaking the silence. "Good morning, Zydan. Are you ready for today's tasks?"
Zydan glanced at the screen and nodded. "Yeah, but before we dive into the quests, there's something I'd like to discuss."
Echo's tone shifted to one of curiosity. "Of course. What's on your mind?"
"I was thinking about the progress I've been making," Zydan began. "Yesterday, I acquired a skill called Beginner Chess. I'm wondering if this skill could be useful beyond the daily quests. For example, could I use it to become a world chess champion and gain wealth and fame?"
Echo's response was calm and measured. "That's an interesting thought. Using your skill in chess to compete at a high level is not unlike having a coach or mentor. The system provides you with skills and guidance, much like a coach would. It's not cheating; rather, it's leveraging the resources available to you to excel."
Zydan nodded, absorbing the information. "That makes sense. So, if I'm understanding correctly, the daily quests are more than just tasks—there's a way to develop and refine skills that will be valuable in various aspects of life."
"Exactly," Echo confirmed. "The quests are designed to enhance your abilities in multiple areas. To help you understand your progress better, I'd like to introduce you to the Status Window."
A holographic display flickered to life in front of Zydan, showing a series of progress bars labeled Mindflow, Heartwave, Soulbind, and Stonewill. Each bar was partially filled, giving him a sense of how far he had come—and how far he had to go.
***STATUS WINDOW***
Mindflow 96/276
Heartwave 80/180
Souldbind 80/180
Stonewill 85/200
|"This is the Status Window,"| Echo's voice droned on with its usual mechanical tone. |"Each bar represents a different aspect of your development."|
Zydan leaned in, raising an eyebrow. "Let me guess... 'Mindflow' is like IQ, right? And 'Heartwave' sounds like it's similar to EQ?"
|"Correct."|
He chuckled and pointed at the next one. "So 'Soulbind' would be what we'd call SQ, and 'Stonewill'... well, that's definitely aligning with AQ."
|"Indeed."|
Zydan grinned. "So, filling these bars is the key to unlocking the next stage of my training?"
|"Correct again. Once all these bars are full, you'll reach Nirvana. The system will transform into a Magic System, and then you'll begin learning magic."|
Zydan's grin widened. "Magic, huh? Sounds like leveling up just got a lot more interesting." He paused, chuckling to himself.
"You know, monks who are trying to achieve Nirvana might be doing it right with at least two aspects—Mindflow and Heartwave. But they're always secluded, so their Soulbind and Stonewill must be at an all-time low. Maybe they need a better strategy. LOL."
Echo paused for a moment. |"That... is an interesting perspective."|
Zydan laughed, still amused by his own thoughts.
"So, filling these bars is the key to unlocking the next stage of my training?", Zydan asked.
|"Precisely,"| Echo affirmed.
|"The daily quests are categorized into three stages: Beginner, Intermediate, and Master. You are currently at the Beginner level. Each stage will introduce more complex tasks and challenges that will further develop your skills and fill the progress bars."|
Zydan took a moment to process this new information. "I see. So, my current quests are designed to help me improve in these areas gradually. And once I reach the Master level, I'll be fully prepared for the next stage."
|"That's correct,|" Echo said.
|"The skills you develop through these quests will contribute to your overall progress. For instance, your Beginner Chess skill is just the beginning. As you continue to play and practice, you'll advance to higher levels of proficiency."|
"Got it," Zydan said, feeling a surge of motivation.
"I'm excited to see how far I can go. But first, I need to find out if there's a local chess club in town. I want to see if there are opportunities to put my skills to the test."
|"Good plan,"| Echo agreed.
With a sense of purpose, Zydan grabbed his Holophone and prepared to head out. The idea of exploring new opportunities and testing his skills was invigorating. As he left his room, he felt a renewed sense of determination. The path ahead was clearer, and he was ready to embrace the challenges that lay before him.