Chapter 8 - System Acknowledges Aaron

[New Quest Unlocked]

The first notification that appeared after reading the note surprised Daron. Why would a note that Director Aaron had sent make the system treat it that way? Opening the quests section, he read the new quest.

[Quests]

[Get Stronger]

[Time Limit: None]

[Reward: Unique Enhancement]

[Alert: The system recognizes Aaron Nilan as one with knowledge to help the host. His actions could cause the system to give more quests to the host. The system recognizes Aaron Nilan as one with knowledge of the history of the power artifacts. His actions have served to help the host, and the system recognizes him as an ally of the Maken.]

Daron stared at the alert given after reading the quest. Why did the system acknowledge Director Aaron as so, and what were the Maken? He couldn't get the system to give him any more information on the Maken, which frustrated him to no end. Not to mention, what did get stronger even mean? How much stronger would he need to be before the quest was completed? Would it ever complete?

With new questions in his mind, he decided to do exactly what the quest was. Get stronger. To which the first step in that was practicing using both techniques at the same time.

Sitting back down, Daron spent the next few hours focusing on using both techniques together. When stopping his focus on the techniques, he noticed a few notifications had appeared.

[+50 Experience in Expand/Retract Progression]

[+50 Experience in Expand/Retract Progression]

[+20 Experience in Life-Saving Energy Focus]

[+50 Experience in Expand/Retract Progression]

[+50 Experience in Expand/Retract Progression]

[+20 Experience in Life-Saving Energy Focus]

Looking at the time, Daron saw that four hours had gone by, meaning that two hours yielded one-hundred experience for the Expand/Retract Progression technique and twenty experience for the Life-Saving Energy Focus technique.

Compared to how he had been before he had combined the techniques, this was an incredible acceleration in progress. At this rate, the Life-Saving Energy Focus technique would reach the next level before the competition. Looking at his quest for the technique, he saw it hadn't moved from fifty percent. This was within his expectations. After all, why would the time limit for it be three months if he could accomplish it within a matter of days?

As the evening arrived, Daron took a shower and got into his bed. The one question that had persisted in his mind after reading the note was just what did Director Aaron know for the system to treat him as an ally?

Daron woke up and saw a notification in front of him.

[Task Completed]

[No deaths in your vicinity in 24 hours: +1 Experience]

He had almost forgotten about the tasks tab, but it seemed like it would be difficult if it reminded him like this every day. Opening the tab, he saw that the tasks were all still there and hadn't changed. Nothing had been added to the tab either.

Leaving for school, Daron decided to practice his technique on his way there. This would allow him to grow comfortable using it while moving and while not having complete focus on it as well. He would need to practice it more before the competition as well and would need to use every opportunity he could to improve his strength before then.

As he arrived at school, he had gotten a few notifications.

[Your techniques have become natural to your body. They now require less focus to use them.]

[+100 Experience in Expand/Retract Progression]

[+20 Experience in Life-Saving Energy Focus]

Reading the notifications, Daron started thinking if the system made it easier for him to get stronger as he used the techniques. After all, the past day had made him progress more than he had in the past few months. As he thought about this, he got another notification.

[Your understanding of the system power has increased]

This confirmed Daron's thoughts, but it also left him with some others. The notification mentioned the system power, but not his specific system. Was this a facility that all system powers had? Did others have the system power?

With no answers to his questions, he carried on to Mr. Gail's class, ready to ask him what technique he should learn to further progress.

Entering into the classroom, Daron saw Mr. Gail using strange tools on something on his desk.

"What's that?" Daron asked as he walked up to the desk.

Flicking his eyes up, he responded while still focusing on what he had been doing, "It's a power artifact. Or rather, a used one that had a body physique. It's quite rare for a power artifact to stay around after its power has been released. But I was able to snag one up. I wanted to do research on how they were powered. I don't expect to be able to create my own power artifact, but maybe I can understand body physiques a little more and help them advance further."

"Speaking of advancing further, is there a technique I should learn next? I'll still be working on my others up to the competition, but maybe learning another one could also help ever so slightly with those as well," Daron said.

Mr. Gail sat up as he stopped what he was working on. "Did you already combine your other techniques?"

Daron nodded.

Mr. Gail seemed shocked at this. "I didn't expect you to do it so fast. Maybe you're further along than I thought. Alright, come over here."

Mr. Gail walked over to a large bookshelf that was always locked behind glass. Taking out a key, he opened the bookshelf and took a small book out before locking the shelf again. Handing the book over to Daron, Mr. Gail explained what the technique was.

"Your physique is quite a good one, one of the best in the school. But make no mistake, there are plenty better than your own out there. This technique aims to improve upon your physique by combining the different aspects of it. It is perfect for your physique as it naturally does that, but only to an extent. It will also be able to supplement your weaknesses by changing one aspect to another, but only for a little while. That, however, is more of an advanced move of this technique and is, unfortunately, a skill that uses the energy of your physique. But given that your other techniques don't currently have any skills of their own, I think this is the best way forward for you for now. After this... I'll give you a piece of advice. Tell me, where did these techniques come from?" Mr. Gail looked Daron straight in the eye.

Daron hadn't thought about it much, but he gave the answer he first thought of. "People made them?"

"Exactly. So, why learn from others when you can make your own?" Mr. Gail said.

"You mean, after I learn this, I should make my own technique?" Daron asked.

"Precisely. The two, three, if you count that book, I've given you have made a solid foundation for how to create your own. After all, these techniques are built for the use of many people, not for one physique. They will never be suited to fit your physique to its full potential. Making your own technique is the only way to truly get stronger with your physique." Mr. Gail said.

As Daron looked down at the small booklet Mr. Gail had given him, he had gotten another notification.

[Quest Updated]