"Master Alex,"
Dramathor whispered from his shoulder, invisible to everyone else.
"Your slide-changing prowess is unmatched. Truly, you are the unsung hero of this scholarly endeavor!"
"If you're trying to inspire me, it's not working."
Alex muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes.
By the time Brook wrapped up, their classmates clapped politely, and the professor gave a small nod of approval.
As they returned to their seats, Brook beamed at Alex.
"We crushed it, man!"
"Sure," Alex said, rolling his eyes again. This two keeps reminding him of his contribution to the presentation.
The day passed in a blur of lectures, but Alex's thoughts kept circling back to the presentation. It wasn't until the final bell rang that he finally exhaled.
As Alex exited the building, he spotted Mia by the courtyard fountain.
She was scrolling through her phone, her hair catching the light in a way that made Alex momentarily lose his train of thought.
"Hey, Mia," he called, approaching her.
She looked up, a small smile forming on her lips. "Alex. No Dylan today?"
"Nope. I think he's busy plotting my downfall," Alex joked.
Later that day, Alex managed to corner Dylan, ensuring he wouldn't "accidentally" join him and Mia on their walk home.
Mia chuckled softly. "What's up?"
"Nothing," Alex lied, scratching the back of his neck. "Just figured we could walk together."
She raised an eyebrow, her expression unreadable. "You're not scheming to rope me into one of your random misadventures, are you?"
Alex feigned innocence. "Who, me? Never."
They started walking toward the residential district, the streets bustling with students and vendors.
Mia glanced at him. "So, how'd your group project go?"
Alex groaned. "Brook carried the whole thing. I was just there to click slides."
Mia laughed. "Sounds like you."
"Hey, I did my part," Alex protested, though he knew it was a weak argument.
Mia's smile softened. "You're lucky you've got friends who'll pick up the slack."
Alex nodded. "I know. Brook's… something else. But enough about me. How's track?"
Mia's eyes lit up. "It's been good. Tough, but good. Coach is pushing us hard for the regionals next month."
"Regionals? That's big," Alex said.
"It is," Mia admitted. "Sometimes, though… I wonder if I'm doing it for myself or because everyone expects me to."
Alex glanced at her, surprised by the vulnerability in her voice.
"I get that," he said. "It's like you've been so focused on making others happy, you're not even sure what your happiness looks like anymore. But maybe that's the first step—figuring out if what you're doing still feels right for you, not just for everyone else."
Mia nodded, her gaze distant. "Exactly."
They walked in silence for a moment, the sound of their footsteps blending with the hum of the city.
Alex glanced at Mia. The streetlights cast a warm glow on her features—her sharp, almond-shaped eyes that seemed to catch every detail, her shoulder-length chestnut hair that swayed slightly with her steps, and the faint freckles dotting her nose and cheeks.
The streetlights threw long shadows across the pavement, illuminating Mia's steady stride beside him.
Alex, distracted, couldn't help but smirk as his mind wandered.
"You know, Amelia Riven," Alex began, his voice deliberately formal, "it's still weird hearing people call you Mia. You were all about correcting people back in freshman year of high school."
Mia rolled her eyes but smirked. "Oh, come on. I was a kid. 'Mia' sounded cooler."
"Cooler, huh?" Alex chuckled. "You practically wrote essays correcting teachers—'It's Amelia Riven, not Mia.'"
"Hey, you're exaggerating," Mia said, though a faint blush rose to her cheeks. "Besides, I blame you for spreading the nickname to everyone."
"Spreading? I upgraded it," Alex shot back. "Mia Riven just rolls off the tongue."
She laughed softly, tucking a loose strand of chestnut hair behind her ear. "And yet, you still like teasing me about it."
As they reached her street, Mia stopped and turned to him. "Thanks for walking with me. See you tomorrow?"
"Yeah," Alex said, waving as she walked away.
As Alex turned toward his own neighborhood, his phone buzzed.
[New Quest: Read a book for 3 hours. Reward: ???]
"Three hours? That's… excessive."
He frowned at the notification.
"A quest of intellectual fortitude! Truly a noble challenge!"
Dramathor materialized beside him, his visor glowing with excitement.
Alex ignored the tiny fellow and looked at his watch.
"It's almost six. Library will closed at 10, we still have time."
After calculating a bit, he decided to finished the quest instead of doing it the next day.
Alex originally planned to head to the public library to complete the quest, but as he walked through the city, a sign caught his eye:
Manga Haven – Read All You Want! Only $5/hour!
The gears in Alex's brain turned. "Manga counts as books… right?"
"What's this, Master? A den of scholars?"
Dramathor's tiny visor flickering with curiosity.
"Close enough," Alex muttered as he entered, thinking how those people claimed to be 'cultured people'.
The shop was cozy, lined wall-to-wall with colorful volumes of manga.
"Three hours here? Easy," Alex said, settling into a chair with a stack of action-packed titles.
Time flew by as Alex immersed himself in tales of heroic epic battles, dramatic showdowns, and over-the-top adventures.
Dramathor hovered nearby, occasionally peeking over Alex's shoulder. "This art form is… unconventional, but I must admit, the tales of valor are inspiring!"
When the three-hour mark hit, Alex's phone buzzed.
[Quest Complete. Reward: ???]
As before, a plain, nondescript book materialized in front of him.
"Another one?" Alex muttered, glancing around to make sure no one else could see it.
Dramathor gasped. "A relic of immense power!"
Alex grabbed the book, flipping through its blank pages.
"This feels familiar," he muttered, remembering the Lucky Bonus reward.
Reaching the last page, the book dissolved into golden light, and his phone buzzed again.
[New Passive Skill Acquired: Combat Instinct]
[Description: Grants intuitive understanding of combat techniques. Improves reaction time and adaptability in physical confrontations.]
Alex stared at the notification. "Combat instinct? What am I supposed to do with this?"
Dramathor, on the other hand, was ecstatic. "A skill of unmatched utility! With this, you shall conquer any foe!"