[Passive Skill Acquired: Combat Instinct]
"A skill of unmatched utility! With this, you shall conquer any foe!"
Dramathor was ecstatic.
"Yeah, because I get into fights all the time."
Alex rolled his eyes. In his 20 years of life, there was never a moment where he engage in a serious fight.
The most serious moment that he could think of is when he helped the kid being bullied by some thug-looking people, and even then, no fight had occurred.
"Do not underestimate its value, Master Alex!" Dramathor said, pointing his sword dramatically. "Even the mightiest warrior begins with the smallest spark!"
As they left the shop, Alex couldn't help but wonder about the reward.
"Thor," he said suddenly. "Do you think the quest rewards are influenced by the tasks?"
Dramathor paused, considering. "It's possible. If the quest required you to read for three hours, and you chose tales of battle, then perhaps…"
"Great," Alex muttered. "So, I basically asked for a combat skill by reading fight scenes for three hours?"
"Precisely!" Dramathor said, clearly proud of his deduction.
"Damn. I should have read some manga with protagonist having skills like teleportation or invisibility."
Alex sighed, grabbing some food from a street stall before heading home.
"Wait, If I read some stock market related book then I..."
Alex continued to think of what happened if he read other books which could influence his reward.
That night, as Alex lay in bed, Dramathor hovered nearby, practicing imaginary sword fights.
"Thor," Alex said.
"Yes, Master Alex?"
"Do you ever wonder why the rewards are so… random?"
Dramathor paused mid-swing. "The app's workings are mysterious, but each reward serves a purpose."
Alex closed his eyes, the day's events swirling in his mind.
"If you say so," he muttered.
As Dramathor resumed his "training," Alex drifted off to sleep.
...
A few days later...
The morning sun stretched across the sky as Alex strolled toward campus, his backpack slung haphazardly over one shoulder.
The streets were alive with the usual hum of students heading to class, shopkeepers setting up for the day, and the occasional bark of a stray dog.
Halfway to the campus gates, his phone buzzed. Alex glanced down, expecting a social media notification, but instead, it was the Quest App.
[New Quest: Show kindness to a creature today. Reward: ???]
Alex raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued.
"Another ??? reward," he muttered. "Last time, it was combat instincts. What could it be this time?"
The thought made him pause mid-step.
A [??? reward] meant there was room for interpretation—or at least, that's what he theorized.
"Maybe my actions influence the reward," Alex said, his voice low enough for only himself and Dramathor to hear.
Hovering invisibly beside him, the tiny knight crossed his arms.
"A valid hypothesis, Master Alex," Dramathor mused, his visor glowing faintly. "But such theories require… data."
"Data?" Alex scoffed. "This isn't a science project. I just need to figure out the best way to complete the quest."
"Then let us begin by identifying the creature," Dramathor declared, pointing his miniature sword toward the sky.
Alex groaned. "I'll just ask every squirrel and pigeon on campus if they need my help."
Alex thought about what kind of creature or in this case animal he should help and the chances of encountering it and how to show kindne...
"Master, you're late." The tiny knight reminded his master as he saw him lost in his contemplation.
"Well, that was dumb. Let's run."
Alex eyes widened in surprise and dashed toward his school. Fortunately, his stats are now above average making him much faster and less tired.
"Whoosh."
"Being late never felt so... fast."
...
At school, Alex quickly made his way to his usual group, spotting Dylan and Mia chatting near a bench.
As Alex approached, Mia narrowed her eyes, already suspicious.
"What now?" she asked, crossing her arms.
"Uh… nothing. Dylan, can I talk to you for a sec?" Alex said, pulling Dylan aside before Mia could grill him further.
"You two are the weirdest pair of friends," Mia called after them, shaking her head.
Once out of earshot, Alex leaned in and explained the quest.
"So, I need to show kindness to a creature, right?" Alex said, his voice hushed.
"But the reward is a bunch of question marks, and I think I might be able to influence what I get based on what I do."
"Okay, okay. So you're thinking… what? Helping a specific kind of animal will give you a related reward?"
Dylan scratched his chin, clearly intrigued.
"Exactly!" Alex snapped his fingers. "I just need to figure out what kind of creature would give the best reward."
"Cats."
Dylan's face lit up.
Alex blinked. "Cats?"
"Yeah, think about it. Cats are like walking symbols of luck—or bad luck, depending on the color," Dylan explained. "Help a cat, and maybe you'll get some kind of luck-related skill or item."
Alex frowned. "A skill that causes bad luck… That actually sounds useful. I could mess with people who annoy me."
"Or," Dylan said, raising a finger, "you could get something to counter bad luck, like an anti-curse talisman or something."
"This might be the best lead we've got. Thanks, man."
Alex nodded slowly.
Alex spent the next hour wandering around campus, his eyes peeled for any stray cats. Dramathor floated beside him, scanning the area with exaggerated vigilance.
"Master Alex, might I suggest employing bait?" Dramathor said, gesturing dramatically. "Perhaps a dish of milk or a feast of sardines?"
"I'm not trying to lure them into a trap," Alex replied. "I just need to find one that actually needs help."
As he turned a corner, he passed by a small electronics store. A row of TVs displayed muted news footage, the subtitles rolling across the bottom of the screen.
[BREAKING NEWS: FIRE AT ABANDONED WAREHOUSE]
The images showed firefighters battling a blaze while a reporter explained that witnesses had heard strange noises before the fire broke out.
"Probably some kids messing around," Alex muttered, sparing the report no further thought as he continued his search.
Finally, near a cluster of trees by the campus library, Alex spotted a small, scruffy-looking tabby cat.
It meowed pitifully, one of its paws stuck awkwardly in a plastic six-pack ring.
"There," Alex said, pointing.
Dramathor's visor glowed with approval. "A worthy quest! Onward, noble master!"