The moment Mateo stepped through the academy gates, the Cool System chimed again:
[Hidden Mission Completed!]
You saved a life in an insanely cool way!
Reward: +100 Undistributed Attribute Points
Plus: +50 Points from the First Mission
Total Available Points: 150
Master, would you like to:
A) Distribute Equally
B) Random Chaos Style
C) Manual Input
Before Mateo could answer, trouble found him first.
"Hey, you piece of trash!"
It was Leo, his swollen face still bruised from earlier, flanked by three other academy thugs.
"Wasn't it you who punched me out in public?" Leo spat. "You've got balls, Mateo. I'll crush them."
Mateo raised an eyebrow and smiled, heart pounding.
"SYSTEM! Put 50 points into Willpower. Distribute the rest equally!"
[Confirming…]
Brace yourself, Master. You are about to experience pain equivalent to crawling naked through hell on fire.
"Wait, WHA—?"
Before he could finish swearing, his entire body went rigid.
His eyes widened. He dropped to his knees.
A thick black liquid oozed out of his pores. Steam hissed from his skin. His sweat turned acidic. His muscles tensed, then— SNAP!
His bones shattered inside him.
"AAAAAAARRGHHHHHHHHH!!!"
Mateo screamed like hell itself had grabbed his spine and twisted it.
Across from him, Leo and his friends stared in confusion. Then Leo burst into laughter.
"BWAHAHAHA! What is this idiot doing?! Crying in public!?"
"This is who you're scared of, Leo?" one of the boys mocked. "He's literally shitting himself from fear!"
"Come on," Leo said, smirking. "Let's leave before his diaper explodes."
They walked off, laughing. Not knowing… they'd just escaped barely.
Half an hour later, Mateo opened his eyes.
His clothes were soaked with disgusting filth. He smelled like death. But something was… different.
"...I feel like I could fight a hundred lions at once."
His muscles felt coiled like springs. His senses were sharper. His body moved with zero resistance.
[System Notification]
Body Purification Complete
First-Level Body Reconstruction Complete
WARNING: That was your first and last time being uncool in front of others, Master.
Next offense will trigger Public Embarrassment Penalty
New Mission Unlocked!
— Regain Your Pride!
Objective: Beat the living crap out of your long-time bullies in front of the academy.
Reward:
- FAME across school
- Beginner Skill: [Swordmastery Lv.1]
Failure Penalty: -50% Attribute Point Reduction
Mateo stood up, cracked his neck, and smiled with fire in his eyes.
"Time to be the coolest bastard this school's ever seen."
END OF CHAPTER 4