[Volume 1 - Chapter 3]
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"Huff...Huff" Subaru panted, forcing his weak legs to move upward. The steep mountain was made climbing up really hard.
"Dad, It better be good." Subaru said to his father who was walking with his mother a few steps ahead of him.
"Just around this corner." Kenichi grunted, moving the thick branches away with his hands.
"Now close your eyes and open them when we tell you to." Naoko put her hands on her son's eyes.
They walked for a little while and suddenly Subaru felt the ground to be a little different. "The ground here seems to be flat."
They all stopped at once and so did the sound of their footsteps. Naoko removed her hands which she had placed over his eyes. But Subaru kept his eyes closed.
"You can open them now." Both Naoko and Kenichi said in a soft voice.
Subaru slowly opened his eyes. "Wow!"
Subaru was stunned. The night sky was covered with stars. But what made this special was the meteor shower which brightened the night's sky.
Subaru stood there, his eyes wide opened.
"I'm glad you like it, son." Naoko said, pride and joy evident in his voice. "I remember when I was your age, I used to love stargazing. Now I get to pass that love onto you."
Subaru smiled, feeling grateful for this special moment with his father. "Mom. Dad. Thank you. This is the best birthday present ever."
As they continued to gaze at the stars, Subaru couldn't help but think about how lucky he was to have parents who loved and supported him. No matter what the future held, he knew that he could always count on them. And he was determined to make the most of this moment, and every moment to come.
"Hey son you try now." Said Kenichi, as he gave Subaru a slightly strong pat.
"Hey!" Subaru's face become tomato red as a result of his father's teasings. "Is this how that blonde drill girl felt when i teased her?" Thought Subaru.
"Subaru... Why are you crying? Did Kenichi hit you too hard" said Naoko, as she gave her husband a deathly gaze.
"Subaru are you alright?" Kenichi ignored his wife's gaze. For now he just wanted to comfort his son.
"Why? Why am I crying? " As Subaru spoke these words in a manner barely audible, an endless stream of tears erupted from his eyes.
Tears streamed down his face as he tried to process the overwhelming emotions that flooded his mind. He had forgotten about the people he had met, the adventures he had gone on, and the battles he had fought. They were just distant memories now, like a dream that he could not fully grasp.
His parents, Naoko and Kenichi, watched him with concern. They noticed the tears and the distant look in his eyes. Naoko reached out and brushed away his tears, "Subaru my boy, what's wrong? Are you okay?"
Subaru sniffled and looked up at his parents, "I... I can't remember. I just...can't." His eyes held the pain and helplessness of a man who had lost everything.
Kenichi put his arm around his son, "Remember what? Did you have a bad dream?"
Subaru, hearing such a thing gave Kenichi a bloodlusted look which made Kenichi take a step back "No! It's not a dream. It will never be a dream."
For a long time Subaru wailed incoherently
He paused as he took a gulp of fresh cold air.
"They.Will.Never.Be.Just.A.Dream!" He said, tears seeming to be dried.
His parents exchanged a worried look but didn't push for more information. They just held him close and let him cry it out.
Subaru wiped away his tears and took a deep breath, "I'm okay now. I just had a silly thought."
But even as he tried to put on a brave face, he knew that his memories were slipping away from him. And he feared that one day, he might forget everything completely. Subaru Natuski was a man who had laughed in the face of demons of old and eldritch witches but this... broke him.
"I feel lightheaded." Thought Subaru as he collapsed into Kenichi's arms.
"Don't worry. He was just tired from all the activites we did today. By the time he wakes up, he will be fine." Said Kenichi, hoping that his wife would not worry.
"Hum." Naoko nodded. Seeing her baby boy act in such a way scared her. "You are right honey. I just feel scared. Our baby has never shouted like this."
Unbeknownst to Subaru who had lost consciousness, his parents put him in the car and drove back home.
The next day, before even the sun could shine, a certain black haired boy with evil eyes could be seen hiding himself in a blanket away from the world.
"... I ruined it." Subaru was saddened by the fact that he had ruined the quality time he could have spent with his parents.
Now all he could do was hide himself in his blanket away from the rest of the world.
"I am truly a worthless son." Subaru brought his knees to his chest as curled up in his bed. "Worthless, Worthless, Worthless. Unworthy of their smiles. Their LOVE."
[Requirements Fulfilled]
[Subaru Natsuki - 1% Has Been Added To Your Records]
These were the words Subaru heard, after which a blindingly bright screen of light blue color covered his vision entirely.
[Natsuki Subaru - 1]
[Title - Loved]
[Racial - Human]
[Job - None]
[Records - Subaru Natsuki - 1%] (New)
[Stats]
HP - 1
MP - 1
STR - 1
DEF - 1
INT - 1
REGEN - 1%/Hour
[Skills]
[Active] - [Running - 2] - [Jumping - 2]
[Passive] - [Yin(Sealed) - ???] - [Comprehension - 3]
For Subaru's mind and his retinas, this was a lot to take in. It was not that he did not knew of what was in front of him but rather the opposite. He knew all too well what was infront of him. But before he could even process the information, he heard a familiar voice calling. On instinct, he thought of making the screen dissappear.
"Is Daddy's boy awake? " Kenichi stopped, confused by the strange flicker of blue light which dissapeared as soon as he saw it. "Seems like i gotta change the lights of your room. Why don't you go and help your mother in making something good."
"Ok Dad." Subaru said his face beaming with innocence.
"Show that face to your mom and tell her to not cook peas today. You need to eat healthy if you want to go to school. Alright?"
"Understood Dad. I will tell mother that you were using me so you would not have to eat peas." Subaru said in a cheeky voice.
"Heh! Looks like you got your sense of humor from me." Kenichi laughed at Subaru's behaviour. "But pretty please don't tell her that. My back can't take anymore of her casual slaps."
After having their usual banter, Subaru went to the bathroom instead of going to his mother.
"He definitely saw it. Even if he did not understand what it was. Thankfully he just thought of blue screen as lights going haywire. I need to calm myself down first." Subaru took deep breaths to calm himself.
"Fuu-uuh. It feels much better now. Guess that blonde butler's techniques are still useful regardless of what world i am in. What was his name again? ... Clin...Lind... Clind. Yeah that's the one."
"Put your focus back to the topic Subaru!" Subaru gave a slap to both of his cheeks in a way to bring back composure. This resulted in his mind gaining composure in exchange for pain and redness to his cheeks.
"I need to be more careful with my body. This isn't a canvas for my self-harm tendencies as my previous body was. Though my urges seemed to have been calmed a little, I still should be careful about scarring my body."
'At least I will not harm myself yet. Not when i am with my parents.' Remained unsaid.
Turning away from his thoughts, he looked at the screen infront of his face. It looked like a character sheet.
"I know what these terms mean. These are basic gaming terms. Still why is my yin magic sealed. This is a completely new body, it should have had a fully functioning gate. So why is it that i still have a defective gate." Subaru paced around in the tiny bathroom.
"Should I try it? If it fails, i am going to cringe really hard." Subaru braced himself for the ultimate cringy act. "[System] What does [Loved] means? "
Silence reigned supreme in the bathroom. Subaru stopped himself from rolling on the dirty floor out of sheer pain his soul endured because of this action. Just as he was about to descend into the spirals of self hatred monologues, he heard a voice.
[Someone Who Is Loved In Any Shape Or Form]
"HELL YEAH!!!" Subaru's voice resounded through the entire house who for obvious could not stop his excitement.
Naoko knocked at the bathroom door. "Subaru! Is everything alright?"
Subaru dried his wet hands by shaking them and came out, using his best poker face. "Yes, Mom."
Naoko narrowed her eyes. "Could it be that my adorable son is lying?"
Subaru shook his head vehemently. "No, Mom."
"Ok. Ok. Now come quickly your father has already started eating." Naoko said.
Subaru walked towards the kitchen, remembering he forgot to tell Naoko about not wanting to eat peas. "Wait... I forgot to tell mom about not wanting to eat peas. Dad will not be happy." He thought.
As he entered the kitchen, Kenichi's pleading gaze met him. "Subaru come eat before I finish everything." Kenichi said, faking a stern tone. "You need to eat more peas if you want to grow up healthy."
Subaru chuckled and sat down at the table. Naoko had made his favorite dish, omurice. He looked at Kenichi's plate and saw a small mountain made up of peas.
"Hey Dad!" Subaru called out in a hushed voice.
Kenichi leaned closer urging him to speak closely to his ear. "Hum?"
"Did you make Mom angry?" Subaru asked innocently.
"Well Daddy was being kind of a meanie to you, so your mom got a little angry with me. She really doesn't like it when I don't eat all the peas. But don't tell her that. I know you are a smart kid." Kenichi said, hoping his child would keep his word.
"...Dad!" Subaru was not looking at his father but at the one behind him.
"Your mother is behind me, isn't she?" Kenichi said with the smile of a man who's about to die, it was as if he had already accepted his fate.
"Kenichi!" Naoko's stern voice echoed through the house. "Could you tell me what you were telling my cute Subaru."
Kenichi stood, thinking of what to say without having to lie in front of his son.
Subaru understood their gestures, speech patterns and underlying words. If it was any other child, they might have thought their parents were fighting, but Subaru was not an ordinary child. He was someone who learnt how to cheat even the witch of greed.
"They look so cute together." he thought, laughing at Kenichi trying to appease Naoko's wrath. "Dammit! I am acting like an old man who just saw a couple having a healthy banter. Wait... Aren't I mentally older than both of them combined?" He decided to act mature and let his dad have a break.
"Why are... Sniff... Mommy and Daddy fighting?" He said, putting emphasis on mommy and daddy to make his act more believable. This was enough to make both of them worried.
Naoko bent down and patted Subaru on the head. "No worries. Daddy and I were just having a little disagreement." She glared back at Kenichi as she emphasized the word Daddy.
Kenichi could only let out a tiny sigh.
"So is everything okay now?" Subaru still acted like a scared child.
Naoko lifted him and spun in a circle. "Yes. Everything's fine my son." This lightened everyone's mood.
As he spun, Subaru tried to push the memories of his past lives to the back of his mind and focused his mind on the present to make the most of this new opportunity.
"Heh! Now I know why Beako didn't like getting spun. Gonna have to do this once I get back there." He didn't cry this time, knowing despair was not a commodity he could afford. He was determined. One way or another, he will be back here with them. If not then what would be the point of thisRewind.
"I will not let this cycle of death continue. I will save my friends and protect my families, no matter what it takes." Subaru whispered to himself.
Naoko put Subaru down on a chair between her and Kenichi. They all began to eat their food, making funny remarks about each other from tjme to time.
After the breakfast, Kenichi prepared himself for office.
"Take care honey. You too Subaru. Protect your mother while i am away." Joked Kenichi.
"Sure dad. Mom's knight will protect her from all the evils of the world." Subaru moved his hand like he was waving a sword.
Naoko ruffled Subaru's hair. "Sure you will."
After saying their goodbyes, Kenichi went off to work.
"Ah! I forgot to tell him to buy groceries. Subaru i have to go and by some things from the store. Will you act like a good kid while i am away?"
"Don't worry mom i will keep the house safe."
"...Sometimes i forget that he is just a child." Naoko said, a caring smile on her face.
"I will be back in 5 minutes. Don't worry I know that my knight is a dependable son too." She replied dramatically.
Subaru was alone at home as he watched Naoko grab her keys and leave for the grocery store. He rubbed his hands together, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. This was his chance to use the [System].
"I guess the basement would be a good place to open the [System]. No light or sound will escape to the outside. Though i need to hurry Mom will be returning as quickly as she can."
He hurried to the basement, and stood in the middle. With a mental command, the same blue screen appeared infront of him.
"My name and level are alright. [Loved] must be from that silver haired elf witch. I sure hope not. It'd be better if it was because of my parents." Subaru was still angry at the one who was responsible for making him suffer.
"Though without her, i wouldn't have been able to experience such a life." This train of thought was enough to make his unknown lover's existence somewhat less unbearable.
"[Job Levels] are self explanatory. What makes me wonder is the [Racial Levels] part. [System] What are [Racial Levels]?"
[Racial Levels Refer To The Latent Potential Of The User Or In Other Words A Level Cap.]
"And how do i gain these levels?"
[Currently, User Can Only Gain Racial Levels Through Quests.]
"That explains a lot. I was worried that my level was low even though i had been training like hell for my age. I hope the quests are easy. Show me the Quests i have right now."
[Currently User Has Only 1 Quest]
[Quest: Training]
1. Run 1 kilometer 0/1
2. Jump 0/10
3. Basic Jabs 0/10
Reward: 1 Racial Level in [Human]
Would You Like To Accept The Quest? (Y/N)
"Yes!"
The screen minimized and moved to the top right corner of his eyes.
"That's oddly convinient. I should start from the easiest one." With that, Subaru started hopping like a rabbit. Thankfully his parents weren't there otherwise he would have died of shame.
"Ok now that's done, i should practice jabs. Clind did taught me about how to improve my stance." Subaru straightened his back. "Now spread the feets equal to the distance between shoulder blades, right feet infront of the left. This much shoild be enough right?"
After having perfected his stance as much as he could, Subaru punched the air. No technique or style. Not even strength. "I am so bad at this."
Subaru tried to wallow in his self-loathing tendencies but stopped himself. "No remain focused." He tried 9 times more until he heard the second ping.
"Now running 1 kilometer seems to be the problem. I don't want to burden mom and dad just because of my selfishness. Looks like i will have to run along the basement wall."
After 15 minutes, Subaru laid on the ground panting heavily. "I am spent. This body is really squishy. I will have to work like madman if i want to surpass my limits. On the bright side, the quest is finally completed." Subaru said as looked at the screen.
[Quest Completed]
"Subaru I am home. Help me carry all of the groceries." He heard his mother's. Without thinking, he ran towards the door.
"Welcome back, Mom!" he said with a smile.
"Did you have a good time?" she asked, returning the smile.
"It was great." he replied.
"Well, let's get dinner started then." she said, heading to the kitchen.
"Your knight shall help you cut the vegetables." Subaru marched behind her, pushing the [System] back into the depths of his mind. Becuase for him, his family held the first priority.
Whether it be in this world or the next.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
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I am back!!!
And I am looking for people who will write this book with me. Writing the story isn't much of a problem for me but thinking of what will happen is a headache.
Join to give your ideas, help me write story or even ask questions like how certain scientific tools like portals would work.
If I get a team of atleast 4 people, I would be able to pump better quality chapters.
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I want to make this the longest gamer fanfiction with an actual story. For that I think having multiple writers working at the same time will heavily boost the quality.
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》A longer story (about 10-12k per chapter) Write now I am doing 1.5k words.
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Notes For Today's Chapter:
So guys and gals the past chapter was not very big. So I took my time and combined this and the next chapter together.
School life will be starting in the next chapter.
Hope you like it.