Andrei Van walked out of the school gates with his bag slung over one shoulder. Other students
laughed in groups, sharing jokes and stories. He walked alone. He always did. At seventeen, Andrei
was used to it, but that didn't mean it didn't sting. By the time he got home, the loneliness inside his
chest felt heavier than his bag. He tossed it onto the floor, collapsed onto his bed, and stared up at
the ceiling.
"Why am I always the one left out? Why does it feel like I don't belong anywhere…?" Tears welled
in his eyes. For the first time in years, Andrei cried.
Then—
Ding!
[Congratulations, Player Andrei Van. You have awakened the Dragon System.]
"…Huh?" Andrei jolted upright. His tears stopped instantly.
Ding!
[Gift received: Green Dragon Eye.] Ability: See truth, detect lies, and observe hidden stats.
He scrambled to the mirror. His reflection stared back with glowing emerald irises—the eyes of a
dragon.
[First Quest Assigned: Build a Strong Body.] – 50 Push-ups – 50 Sit-ups – 50 Squats – Jog until
exhaustion Reward: +2 Levels
"What the hell kind of tutorial quest is this?!"
Andrei slapped his cheek hard. "…Ow! This is real?" Pulling on his sneakers, he muttered, "Fine.
Let's do this."
At the pier of Buenavista, he pushed his trembling body through the sets. Push-ups burned his
arms, sit-ups ached his stomach, squats destroyed his legs. Then came jogging. His lungs
screamed, his legs wobbled—but he refused to stop until he collapsed against a railing.
Ding!
[Quest Completed!] [Level Up! +2 Levels] [Stat Points Earned: +2]
Panting, Andrei grinned. He dumped both points into Strength. His body instantly felt sturdier. For
the first time in years, his loneliness faded—not because the world had changed, but because he
had.