The April sun had barely risen over the small town when Eliena appeared at Gabriel's bedroom door, just as energetic as ever:
— "Gabi! Time to get ready, the daycare won't wait forever!"
Gabriel was still rubbing his eyes when the smell of warm bread reached him from the kitchen. He got up slowly, walking through the small apartment on the third floor of the building where his family was temporarily living. The farmhouse would come later—probably mid-year—once the butcher shop business settled down.
After breakfast, backpack on and barely able to tie his shoes by himself, Gabriel followed Eliena down the stairs. As they made their way to the daycare, he looked around at the quiet streets of the town with its barely 7,000 inhabitants. Everything seemed so familiar—and yet completely different. Deep inside, he wasn't just a five-year-old child. He carried the soul of someone marked by failure... and a second chance.
At the daycare, the teachers greeted him with a smile, and he made his way to the playground. Kids were running, yelling, playing soccer. A poorly kicked ball rolled right to his feet.
The moment he touched it, something awakened.
[Ego System Activated: Mission "Mastery of the Body" Started.][Objective: Assess and begin development of physical attributes.][Player Attributes:Speed: 10Stamina: 10IQ: 20Strength: 10Dexterity: 10]
["Your mind has outgrown this age… but your body hasn't. It's still fragile. Training raw Strength now could stunt your growth. Choose wisely."]
Gabriel held the ball in his hands, gaze distant, but deep inside, the conversation continued.
["Dexterity, on the other hand, covers flexibility, coordination, balance, precision… all things your young body can handle safely. Stamina is also viable—breathing, rhythm, stability. IQ, of course, can always be refined through observation and analysis. But for today… start with the basics. Master your body. Make it an extension of your Ego."]
[Active Mission:Train Attribute: DexterityObjective: Perform controlled motor movements.Reward: +2 Dexterity and unlock micro-motor skill development.]
Gabriel gave a faint smile.
'So even playing… has become training now?'
He placed the ball on the ground and began dribbling between makeshift cones made from water bottles. His movements were still childlike, but something was different—focus, intention.
["Your Instinctive Dribble is Rank E, Level 1. It grants +10 Dexterity and activates the vision of your inner monster. But without understanding it… it's a sleeping beast."]["Your Meta-Vision is also Rank E, Level 1. It gives you +10 in IQ. But it's like handing a map to someone who doesn't know how to read it."]["For now, the system granted you a temporary third weapon: 'Goal Sense'. A primal instinct that leads you to the goal. Use it while it lasts."]
Gabriel paused, taking a deep breath. His heart pounded—not just from physical effort, but from excitement.
'Train… play… understand. If this is my new body, then this is where my evolution begins.'
["Evolve or be forgotten. Use your time. Use your body. And awaken your Ego."]