My alarm went off and I sleepily began to wake up, only growl in frustration.

This time I didn't even have to look at my desk to know Balezin was gone.

There was nothing for me to wake up to this early.

Sitting up, I stretched, then grabbed my alarm.

Switching the blaring off, I fiddled around with it to change the settings. With these changes, in the future it would now wake me at a reasonable time.

Reluctant to get out of bed, but too awake to sleep. I lay back down on my bed for a few minutes with my eyes closed.

I gradually got restless and became bored, my sleep had long since gone. So I grabbed a fantasy novel from the stack of books next to my bed.

Reading the book, the hours passed. The book itself was great and while I didn't gain any stats, I did learn a new useless skill.

You have learned the skill Storytelling

SkillStorytellingLevel1Learning from example, your stories sound more interesting

Yep. Definitely useless.

My parents were getting up, so actually being ready in time for once, I got changed and headed downstairs.

My mother walked into the kitchen and was surprised to see me cooking, she watched me for a few seconds then asked me "You cooking for everyone?"

After I replied to her with a simple "yes", she left me to my devices.

Soon I'd cooked up a omelette with a few cracked eggs, some onions, herbs and a generous helping of cheese.

After cooking it, I hadn't received any notifications for a levelup of my skills, which I found disappointing.

After eating, Both of my parents praised me for making a delicious breakfast. I think they wanted me to cook more often.

I didn't mind too much, I did want to level up this cooking skill after all.

After the dishes were cleared up, I grabbed my backpack and left for school.

The bus arrived and I got on. Sitting in the back, I looked outside the window and watched the houses pass.

Arriving at school, I left the bus and headed to our spot.

David wasn't there, so I sat down and waited for him, but the bell eventually rung.

I didn't see him today. Did he skip school?

During classes, I sank myself into studying like I never had before.

I had a very solid reason to be studying, and in reward, I received a couple of stats.

INT +2

WIS +1

Class broke for morning tea, David still wasn't at the spot. It seemed he skipped school today after all.

I had taken my book to school, so I continued reading it until the bell rung.

After morning tea, the next class we had was gym.

Changing and gathering inside the gym, today's game was announced. Dodgeball.

I never had taken gym seriously. I preferred to sit things out, and if I absolutely had to, I would make the bare minimum effort required to placate the teacher.

But this time I intended to take it seriously. My gains depended on it.

With everyone scattered throughout the gym, the teacher was on the sidelines holding 5 balls.

Explaining the rules, he then blew his whistle and threw the balls in.

Everyone exploded into action.

The people closest to the balls grabbed them, and I was lucky enough to score one.

However went I threw the ball to tag someone out, I missed.

Seeing it bounce away, I turned and kept a eye out for anyone looking to score a free point.

I saw a movement to my side, and turning I saw a ball heading directly at my stomach.

Unable to catch it in time, I barely managed to dodge. I then ran after the ball and threw it back at them.

Predictably missing, the ball bounced off a wall and rolled to someone else's feet.

Looking around, I saw another ball coming at me, it was a slow lob, but I had to step out of the way as someone threw another ball at me.

Seeing it coming, I easily caught it and he was out.

I threw the ball at another player who attempted to tag me out earlier, but it was obviously going to be a easy catch for him.

His hands out, he smirked as it thudded snugly into his waiting hands. But then to his disbelief, he fumbled and dropped it.

LUK +1

In my distraction with the new window, I almost didn't see the ball coming at me.

Barely dodging it it in time, another window appeared before me.

You have learned the skill Dodge

With no time to look at it, I quickly dismissed both messages and focused on the game.

I managed to tag a total of 5 people before someone caught me from behind.

During this time, I leveled the dodge skill and gained a AGI point.

I also learnt a new skill.

You have learned the skill Footwork

We watched the final few players fight until finally the winner was declared.

In the remaining 10 minutes of gym before we got changed again, the teacher sadistically told us to jog a lap around the field.

Amid the groans of the class, I was probably the only one happy to have a excuse to train my jogging skill.

After jogging the lap however, I didn't receive any levelup notifications.

Getting changed, it was then lunch break.

Going outside, I moved to a place out of the way from everyone then looked at my newly acquired skills.

SkillDodgeLevel2You are more likely to dodge incoming strikes and missiles

SkillFootworkLevel1You are less likely to stumble

As always, very little information was provided in the description.

I had a bit of time to kill, so I headed to the library.

The library was a square building in the middle of the school with windows looking inside it.

I didn't go inside the library very often. I normally hung out with David.

I originally intended to read, but when I saw the computers I couldn't resist.

As I logged in, I had a realisation.

I needed a new computer, and I had no money to start with.

Not having a computer was far too inconvenient.

Opening the browser, I started scouring the local job listings.

I found a part-time job for stocking shelves at a local supermarket, easily remembered in this small town.

I resolved to go visit after school.

I spent the rest of the time on the computer looking through Balizen's forums for news.

A lot of users had gone into depressing posts, mentioning suicide and the like.

Mixed among them was tearful farewell speeches.

But the large majority of the posts.. I hissed in irritation when I realised what one of our idiotic team members did.

He had posted a video of our raid on the dungeon. And it clearly showed me running past the purple hydra, approaching the crystal and smashing it in a single decisive move.

After the lightshow cleared up, I was no longer online.

I had thousands of hate mail in my mailbox, with a rare few mails inquiring if I got anything special.

The names of our entire team were on display for all, and a lot of the posts mentioned us.

Most of them were death threats and specifically addressed to me.

I was thankful I'd choosen a different online name when I had signed up for Balizen. Outside of the game, no one but David knew who I was.

I changed the email on my account however, I didn't want to see what would happen if/when a moderator leaked it.

I would sympathize with them, but I had gained this cool new ability.

I didn't reply to any of the posts, I didn't have a suitable excuse to tell them. What was I supposed to say?

"Hey sorry about destroying the game. I can't fix it. Forgive me?"

The bell rang then, so after logging out, I went to the next class which happened to be science.

Studying, I gained another INT point, bringing my stats to 18 INT. But aside from a level gain in Memorization, nothing else notable happened.

The next class was history, which is when things started happening.

Listening to the teacher ramble on about New Zealand and the Moari. I gained a new skill.

You have learned the skill Listen

Predictable what that would give. But shortly after that I received another notification.

WIS +1For reaching 20 WIS. You can now view experience

Finally!

However I was still in class, so I couldn't checkout my stats right then.

Waiting impatiently, class seemed to drag on and on.

Finally, class was dismissed and school was done.

Walking to mine and David's spot, much to my amusement I then gained another skill.

You have learned the skill Walking

Sitting down against the wall, I checked out the few skills I'd gained.

SkillListenLevel1 [12%]You better understand what someone is saying

SkillWalkingLevel1 [3%]Movement speed increases, stamina consumption decreases

But when I checked my stats, my stamina was listened at full. The 'less stamina consumed' for the walking skill looked to be redundant.

NameJonathan CliffTitlesGamerLevel2 [43%]Health99/99Stamina127/127VIT9STR9END11AGI9DEX12INT18WIS20LUK12

Skills

Gamer lv.2 [87%]

Cooking lv.1 [92%]

Cooking: Frying lv.1 [61%]

Jogging lv.2 [72%]

Blunt Weapons lv.3 [56%]

Blunt Weapons: Clubs lv.4 [49%]

Shock Resistance lv.2 [32%]

Physical Exercise lv.1 [85%]

Reading lv.2 [12%]

Memorization lv.3 [14%]

Storytelling lv.1 [12%]

Dodge lv.2 [21%]

Footwork lv.1 [34%]

Listen lv. 1 [8%]

Walking lv.1 [3%]

The gamer skill looked close to leveling up, I wonder how you get experience in that.

Gaining stats and skills?

I got up and shouldered my backpack.

Heading to the local mall, I went to the supermarket to see about the job.

A large sign was posted on a wall advertising it, so it seemed the position was still open.

After being given the runaround by a few people, I finally found the manager.

"Hi there, how can I help you?" she inquired brightly, a cheerful smile on her face.

"Do you still have a vacancy for stocking shelves?"

She nodded, "Yep. We actually need someone to start work now. However you'll need to fill out some documents. So if you are willing we can have you fill in documents today, and then you start work tomorrow"

LUK +1

I nodded and easily agreed, after filling in the documents, I caught the bus and returned home.

I could only work part-time at the supermarket due to school, but in a few weeks it was the holidays.

I would have more free time then, and could possibly make it a full-time position if I did a good job.

I changed out of my school clothes, and taking the bat back up, I headed to the backyard to punish the wooden log.

My stamina lasted longer than yesterday, though I still had to rest every so often to recover.

Shock Resistance and both Blunt Weapon skills leveled up twice during the course of my training.

The skill Exercise also leveled up during this time.

VIT +1

STR +2

END +1

SkillBlunt WeaponsLevel5 [87%]Blunt weapons deal more damage

SkillBlunt Weapons: ClubsLevel6 [21%]You deal more damage when using a club or related weapon.

SkillShock ResistanceLevel3 [73%]You take less damage from shock related damage

You have less chance of being stunned

SkillPhysical ExerciseLevel2 [47%]When training, experience gains increases and stamina depletion decreases

I noticed that the subskill 'Blunt Weapons: Club' seemed to be leveling up faster than the main skill.

Bored of smashing at the log, I went inside to see about raising my INT to 20.

My WIS allowed me to view experience when it hit 20. So judging from that, something related would happen with INT and other stats.

Going inside my room, I grabbed a school textbook and despite the urge to escape, stop reading, do anything but this.

I managed to persevere and read the book.

Less than 30 minutes later, I received a notification.

INT +1

My brain couldn't take it anymore and I abandoned the book.

Hunting through the pile, I looked for something more interesting to read.

I finally settled on a book on the rituals of the Aztecs.

As I started reading through it, I received a notification.

The skill Reading has reached level 2Time seems to slow slightly as you read.

You better understand the things you read.

I continued my book, and halfway through it, I received another notification

INT +1

Wait.

Didn't I hit the 20 INT mark?

I received nothing special?

I took a quick look at my stats

StatsLevel2 [92%]Health111/111Stamina140/140VIT10STR11END12AGI9DEX12INT20WIS20LUK13

There was no mistake about it. My 20 stat theory looked to be wrong.

It was a little disappointing, but I finished the book regardless.

It was nearing teatime and my mother was in the kitchen taking ingredients from the cupboards.

However as she wasn't actually cooking yet, I offered to make supper instead.

She gave me a surprised look, then smiled at me "That would be nice Jon. I was about to prepare mashed potatoes and steak if you would like to?"

I smiled and waved my hand as I generously offered "Don't worry. I'll take care of it all"

After she left the kitchen, I continued washing the potatoes before boiling them.

Heating up the frying pain, I added mushrooms and onions before adding the steak.

While slowly cooking the steak, I kept a eye on the potatoes until I judged them soft enough.

Draining the water out, I added butter and milk to the potatoes before mashing them.

I had actually misjudged it. The core of the potato was slightly undercooked and a little solid.

However it was still edible, and I didn't think my parents would complain.

The steaks however came out fine. Setting out three plates, I separated the food onto them just as my father came home.

Sitting at the table, we prepared to eat, when I saw 5 notifications popped up.

The skill Cooking has reached level 2Cooking skill improves

The subskill Cooking: Frying has reached level 2Frying has gotten harder to ruin!

You have learned the subskill Cooking: Boiling

The skill Gamer has reached level 3You now see nameplates over the heads of other sentient beings

As your INT is 20+, you can now see their approximate level under their name

You have leveled up to 3You have been given 5 stat points to distribute

I was startled to say the least.

Thankfully my parents didn't notice my expression. When I looked at them, a small window of text was now displayed over their heads.

Jane Cliff Lv.6

Daniel Cliff Lv.8

Author: Would better organise the above windows. But I don't know how to shrink the [table] boxes. Its going to really suck later on..

It was fairly interesting.

You'll probably be expecting my parents to have some kind of combat ability. Perhaps a lot of strength and the like.

You would be drastically disappointed however. It looked to be representative of their overall skills.

However, shouldn't I have started out at least a level 2?

Skills such as cooking and walking already unlocked and leveled? Putting that aside however.

This newfound ability looked like it just combined combat level and non-combat levels together.

Not a true representative of fighting strength.

I may be able to unlock this later, view the levels separately. This could possibly be unlocked by having more INT.

With discreet movements, I assigned my spare points at 3 into WIS and 2 into INT.

After finishing tea, I headed upstairs. I was sick of studying and wanted to try something new.

Previously when I was trying to activate magic, I had been trying to force the power, gather the power from my body.

But instead, perhaps I need to meditate?

It was definitely worth a try.

Taking a deep breath and assuming a relaxing crosslegged posture, I calmed my breathing down.

Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale.

Random thoughts flitted through my mind. I rejected them and forcibly emptied my mind.

Concentrating on a empty mind, I sat there. Ten minutes passed, twenty.

I barely felt it.

My mind was still and my body calm.

I didn't feel a source of power within me, but my thoughts didn't intrude.

A hour passed, my soul calm and my body still.

Then I heard the familiar sound of the *tring*.

Calm and collected, I opened my eyes. A window had appeared in front of me.

You have learned the skill Meditation

I was mildly disappointed at this outcome.

I took a look at the skill, hoping it would be a good one.

SkillMeditationLevel1 [1%]While meditating, your body relaxes and your mind calms.

The skill seemed it would be useful.. Not.

Another attempt at gaining magic, failed.

The time was late, so I prepared for bed.

Going to sleep, I did have one thought.

If I was a gamer. Where were the enemies?