Kai sat in the dirt, gasping for air, his muscles screaming from the exertion. Around him lay the aftermath of the goblin raid on Briarstead: broken weapons, fallen bodies, the thick smell of sweat and iron lingering in the air. He hadn't done much in the grand scheme of the battle—Gaius and the village guards had borne the brunt of it—but Kai had survived, and more importantly, he had fought back. Just barely, and with little skill, but he'd done it.
He flexed his fingers, remembering the sensation of landing his first real hit, his hand vibrating from the impact of magic and goblin flesh. It wasn't the stuff of legend—he'd only managed to bring down a single goblin with a desperate, clumsy spell—but it was his first victory. And that small taste of triumph left him feeling unexpectedly… alive.
The System chimed softly in his mind. A window appeared before him, glowing faintly in the dimming light. He blinked at it, half-expecting it to mock him with another penalty, but instead, it displayed something new:
Protagonist Points: +5
Congratulations! Due to your participation in a successful defense, you have unlocked a minor passive ability: Stamina Boost I.
Stamina Boost I: Increases endurance by a small margin, allowing for prolonged physical activity before exhaustion sets in.
He could hardly believe it. All his struggles, the pain, the endless penalties—now, he'd finally earned something for himself. A real improvement, even if it was a small one. Kai read the description again, his heart pounding faster, realizing what this could mean for him. Stamina Boost wouldn't make him a warrior overnight, but it would keep him from collapsing at the first sign of physical strain. It was just a start, a tiny edge, but it was his.
"Stamina Boost," he murmured, testing how the words felt on his tongue. The concept alone felt empowering, as though he'd unlocked a secret piece of himself he hadn't known existed. He glanced over at Gaius, who was talking with the guards about the raid. The warrior had noticed Kai's efforts and had even given a brief nod of approval—a far cry from his earlier scorn. It wasn't respect, not yet, but Kai felt as if he'd taken his first real step toward earning it.
The rush of his small victory soon faded into an ache that spread through his limbs. His legs trembled as he pushed himself to his feet, swaying unsteadily as the reality of his bruises and cuts hit him. But pain aside, he felt… good. Exhausted, sore, and dirty, but good.
"Kai."
He looked up, startled to see Gaius standing over him, arms crossed. There was no mirth in the older man's eyes, but he wasn't frowning either. "You managed to hold your own for a while back there."
Kai grinned weakly. "If you call tripping over my own feet 'holding my own.'"
"Modesty doesn't suit you," Gaius replied, a faint smile twitching at the corner of his mouth. "But remember, a single victory doesn't make you a warrior. It's one thing to survive. It's another to live." He placed a heavy hand on Kai's shoulder, his expression serious. "Keep training. Push yourself. If you want to make a real difference here, you'll need more than a handful of luck."
The weight of Gaius's hand lingered as the warrior turned and walked away. For once, Kai didn't bristle under the advice. He didn't even mind the implication that he was weak because, well, he was weak. But maybe, with time, he could change that.
Kai turned his gaze to the surrounding village, catching sight of the grateful, weary expressions on the villagers' faces. He wasn't sure if he'd ever feel truly at home in Briarstead, but for the first time, he felt like he was contributing to something more than his own survival. He was part of something, however small, and that was worth more than he'd expected.
He glanced down as a sudden notification popped up.
Stats Update
Name: Kai
Class: Merchant (Protagonist Rank: NPC)
Protagonist Points: 5
Level: 1 → 2
Health: 25/50
Stamina: 12 (+2 from Stamina Boost I)
Mana: 15/20
Skills: Fist Strike, Basic Combat Proficiency, Gathering I
Passive Abilities: Stamina Boost I (Endurance Increase)
A small laugh escaped him. The stat boosts felt so insignificant in the face of what he still had to accomplish, yet they represented something real. He'd never been good at taking things seriously in his old life, but now… now, he could feel his reluctance shifting ever so slightly. The System had given him a goal, a tangible sense of progression that he hadn't felt in years. Maybe, just maybe, he could learn to want this—want to be someone better than the weak, untrained guy he'd always been.
The next day, Kai woke before dawn, determined to avoid another System penalty by putting in some early training. He headed to a secluded corner of Briarstead, where he could practice without feeling like a fool in front of others. It was quiet, the only sound the soft rustling of trees and the occasional chirp of a bird. The tranquility made him feel like he was finally in control of his own path.
Starting with what Gaius had drilled into him, Kai began with the basic fighting stances, holding each position for as long as he could until his legs quivered. He worked on his footing, carefully avoiding the mistakes he'd made during the goblin raid. His moves were clumsy at first, but he persisted, practicing the motions over and over until his body moved with a semblance of fluidity.
After an hour, he was soaked in sweat, panting, and exhausted. He'd made only a little progress, but the System didn't chastise him, nor did it demand more. His stamina felt improved; he lasted longer before his muscles started protesting. As he paused to catch his breath, a faint chime sounded in his mind.
Protagonist Points: +2
He grinned, feeling a surge of pride. His small efforts were paying off, bit by bit.
In the following weeks, Kai's routine became a blend of tasks for the System and his own training sessions. Every day, he felt himself getting a little bit stronger, his movements slightly faster. He still stumbled, still tripped up from time to time, but each failure felt like a stepping stone rather than a dead end.
Finally, one evening after training, Kai found himself alone near the edge of the forest, standing in the last rays of the setting sun. He felt… different, stronger. His training hadn't just changed his body—it had changed his outlook, too. He wasn't just a passive observer in his own life anymore.
As he gazed out over the shadowy trees, the System's familiar window opened once more, revealing yet another update.
Protagonist Points: +2
Congratulations! Due to consistent training, you have gained a new ability: Willpower Boost I.
Willpower Boost I: Increases resistance to fear and hesitation, allowing greater focus in high-stress situations.
Kai stared at the notification, feeling something shift inside him. He didn't need Gaius to spell out the meaning of this ability. This was no longer just a quest for survival—it was his journey. And while the path was still riddled with uncertainty and challenge, he had gained something intangible yet powerful: determination.
He closed the notification and leaned against a tree, feeling an unexpected sense of peace settle over him. He wasn't a hero, not by a long shot, but he was growing.
Kai sat alone on the outskirts of Briarstead, watching the village lights flicker in the distance. Shadows danced across his face, cast by the dying embers of the fire he'd built to stave off the night's chill. The soreness in his muscles was a constant reminder of the past days' grueling efforts, but instead of resenting it, he found himself strangely appreciative of the ache. For once, it felt like he'd earned this pain. It was proof that he'd done more than simply survive—he'd fought, learned, and improved, even if only slightly.
He replayed the day's events in his mind, from his first shaky attempts at fighting to the small, satisfying chime of the System rewarding him. It was still hard to believe that he, a merchant with no skills beyond haggling prices and hauling supplies, had fought a goblin and stood his ground in combat. Sure, his skills were rudimentary, and his training had only scratched the surface. But in the space of a few days, he'd gone from a helpless bystander to someone capable of making a difference, however minor.
A part of him scoffed at the thought—what he'd accomplished was hardly heroic. Yet, there was something undeniably thrilling about knowing he'd pushed past his own limits, that he'd withstood the urge to run or give up. The System's penalties, Gaius's gruff guidance, and even the sting of his failures had forced him to face the uncomfortable truth: his old life was gone, and clinging to it was pointless. He was no longer the cautious, unremarkable man who had always taken the easy path. In this new world, he couldn't afford to be.
Still, despite his progress, he knew this was only the beginning. His victories were fragile and small, nothing like the legendary feats he'd heard in tales. The road ahead was daunting, filled with more challenges than he could imagine. Yet for the first time, he wasn't repulsed by the thought. He even felt a flicker of anticipation, though it was tempered by caution. Kai was under no illusions about the difficulty of what lay ahead, and he understood that there would be setbacks—failures even greater than any he'd encountered so far.
But as he watched the fire die down, he felt a quiet sense of pride mingled with his lingering reluctance. He'd survived and grown in a way he hadn't thought possible. And while he still couldn't shake his doubts completely, there was one truth he couldn't ignore: he was no longer completely useless. This path he'd stumbled upon was his, and, maybe, just maybe, he was finally ready to walk it.