31 Talented Me! 01

'Wow Host!!,' 5025 cheered excitedly, 'Such a high grade!' It only saw S grades in a few missions. How awesome was its Host to get S on the first mission!

Avina looked at the screen and gave it a light poke. Humming, she leaned on her hands looking at her results. 'So we can leave now?'

At the sound of her question, the screen flashed once more, and below it was the two options, 'Stay' and 'Leave'. Avina blinked in surprise before looking back once more to the Devera House.

It was big and elegant with the warmest and gentlest aura surrounding it. Its beautiful walls glistened in the small light left. Behind it was clouds painted with streaks of orange and red creating the most spectacular watercolor painting. A flock of geese flew against the art piece disturbing the soft lines with its black V. It was a house, but became a home in the short time Avina was here.

She never explored the house much or interacted heavily with the people inside, but she felt their warm love, their love for Ariel. But she was Ariel for that moment, and the warmth was contagious. She fell in love with this beautiful place.

Sadly, she must go. It's not her place. Reaching her finger towards the screen, she tapped the 'Leave' button.

Slowly, she felt herself falling before she opened her eyes and realized she was back in the white space. The beautiful house was gone. The sky, birds, flowers, and family - all gone.

Sighing a little in her heart, Avina focused her attention back on the virtual screen. Looking at the rewards, she was curious about what each one of them was for. "What're the rewards for?"

5025 circled around and looked at the screen. 1 skill, 2 skill points, 5 merit points, and the data web unlocked. Pulling out its think system glossary, it emotionlessly read off.

"Awarded skills are to be chosen from provided options. The Host will practice the skill involving it to levels earning mastery in the skills in the dimensional space."

Interesting. So I have to stay here and practice the skills in order to be good at it. It was a free class basically.

"Skill points are to be used to exchange for skills in the System Store. Skills provided in the store are not available on the awarded skills lists."

So skills awarded are limited compared to the store-bought ones. But do I even have access to the store?

"Merit points are obtained after completing a mission. It will accumulate and can be used to return to previous worlds, retry a world, attend a holiday world, or return to the Host's original world."

And this is what will allow me to go home.

"How many points do I need until I return home?" Avina asked 5025. So far, she had 5 merit points. A little low, but it was also an F grade world.

5025 checked its provided system-host screen and told her, "Host needs 120."

"Why not just 100?" What kind of number is '120'? It's nice but weird.

5025 looked at the number '120' and couldn't understand what was wrong. It was confusing. 120 is a nice number? Yes???

Avina realized 5025 did not understand and said, "Nevermind. It's okay, 5025." Avina reached out and patted the small blob of blue.

Still confused, 5025 accepted the small pats. It was a little comforting. 5025 likes pat-pats.

"So can you show me what kind of skills I can practice?" Avina was curious about what kind of skills she can practice. She can become the most talented princess ever!! Watch out world!

5025 opened the skills list and allowed Avina to look at it. There weren't a lot and only basic skills were available like singing or martial arts. Not very diverse.

Looking at all of them, Avina thought the most useful one was the martial arts one. She wouldn't have been so weak against that thug if it wasn't because she didn't know how to fight back! If there was ever another thug, watch out! This princess can fight now!

Picking her skill, she then started to practice. Despite being in a non-human spirit like form, Avina still felt every part of her reacting to the practice. Her heart pumped with a fast rhythm sending blood to every part of her. Her breath soon felt cold against her lungs, and she struggled to breathe steadily. Sweat dripped from her forehead down to her chin dropping into the white space disappearing.

Avina followed the practice dummy projected showing the moves, and continued to hit and kick the target provided. Practicing without feeling tired but still feeling the adrenaline rushing, she didn't realize the time that had passed in the space.

Once she reached master 1, she stopped. At the moment she stopped her movements, a cool breeze rushed through her body, and she was clean again. Her heartbeat slowed down to a regular pace and the sweat disappeared.

"How did I do, 5025? Is your Host awesome?" Avina stared confidently at the little blue ball. She practiced hours upon hours becoming more proficient at her kicks and punches. She felt strong, powerful, and mighty. This princess wasn't weak, she was strong!

"Host was great!" 5025 had watched her movements turning from clumsy to mastery. It had shared the wonderful news to its seniors and friends! Thinking of its friends, it couldn't help but request Avina something.

"Host…" 5025 paused nervous of the potential rejection, "Can I have a shape?"

Avina was puzzled. 5025 already had a shape - round and spherical.

"What do you mean?"

"You know! Like a form!" 5025 got more nervous staring at its Host. Maybe she didn't want to give it a form… Its courage slowly dwindled and its voice became a small whisper. "Like… you know, a cat or a dog…"

Avina finally understood what 5025 wanted. Unlike her who had a form to go back to, 5025 was stuck with its round shape. There were so many other forms it could have. It was impossible to not hope to be something more.

"Then how about a cat? A white one?" Avina suggested, "I have a little puppy named Pepper. A little cat would be cute. Of course, you can choose any form you want." Avina smiled at 5025. Whatever form it chose, she would be fine with it. 5025 was her partner regardless.

5025 was ecstatic! Today it was going to get a form! And it was a cute cat!

"Let me change right now!" At the end of its happy voice, the blue ball shined a light before a white cat appeared. Snowy white, it nearly blended with the space around it. Its eyes were a blue like 5025's ball, and she noticed a little bluebell tied to its neck. Every time 5025 moved, it would shake and a little ring would sound out.

"You look cute," Avina complimented 5025 petting its adorable fluffy head. "Now let's go to the next world?"

5025 circled around and a new mission screen popped up.

Mission World: I Am a Star

Mission Rank: F

Mission Name: Wilona May

Target Name: Graham Lin

Task: Become a talented person known throughout the country