I sat on the curb outside, staring at my hands. They didn't look different, didn't feel different… but I knew they were. The piano, the gate, the girl on the stairs—they had all been my doing. My skills. My choices. My hands.
"Your points are available: 950," Notice said softly. "Decide wisely. Skill growth or personal upgrades."
I swallowed. Personal upgrades? I hadn't even thought about that. Strength? Reflexes? Mental focus? I'd been using my points to unlock things that felt… fun. Useful. But maybe I should be smarter.
I closed my eyes and pictured the street around me. Broken benches, rusted pipes, old streetlights. What could I fix? What could I improve?
"Focus on one path first," Notice advised. "Scattershot choices waste points."
I nodded, even though it couldn't see me. One path… that made sense. I had always wanted control. Stability. Mastery over something. Anything.
"Best Welder," I muttered. "I need to get better at that. If I can manipulate objects perfectly, I can… I can handle things better."
"Points deducted. Skill upgraded to level 3. Efficiency improved," Notice confirmed.
I flexed my fingers experimentally, touching a nearby metal fence. I could feel the edges, every crack, every bend. It was smoother, easier. I smiled. Not just skill, but control. That felt… good.
Then my stomach twisted. What about moral choices? Using skills to help or just for myself? The girl from yesterday—if I hadn't been careful, things could have gone wrong. Could I always make the right choice?
"Your choices define your growth," Notice reminded me. "Skills are tools; judgment is everything."
I stared at the fence again. Tools, judgment… my hands, my brain. It was all connected. And for the first time, I felt like I was learning to hold the pieces of myself together.
"Next…" I muttered, thinking out loud. "I should… maybe unlock something that helps with observation. Situational awareness. I need to see more, think faster."
"Points deducted. Skill unlocked: Enhanced Perception," Notice said. "You will notice details others overlook. Use wisely."
I stood up, heart pounding. I could feel it already—a sharper awareness. Shadows, cracks, subtle movements. The world felt… bigger, and I felt… smaller, in a good way. Like I was finally paying attention.
I took a deep breath. One path, one choice at a time. Skill by skill, point by point, step by step. Maybe this broken life could be… different.
And maybe, just maybe, I was starting to notice that for the first time, I had a chance to control it.