1 Chapter 1: New power
Be warned, I am not good at beginning stories or explaining stuff
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AIRPLANE - Day: March 1st, 2005
A commercial airplane filled the quiet, sporadic clatter of overhead luggage as it soared through the sky, its interior humming with a little shudder in the body. While watching movies and other in-flight entertainment, some passengers slept through the trip while others conversed and munched.
Two of these people are the most important in this story: Samuel and Isabella Swan, the fraternal twins of Charlie Swan and Renee Dwyer.
Isabella, also known as Bella, slept over her brother's shoulder. Her messy dark brown hair fell across her face. Her pale complexion contrasted with her home state of Arizona. Her warm, chocolate-brown eyes added to her innate beauty, making her a stunning young lady. She looked the most like her father. [Image]
(Author: No incest btw)
Samuel, or Sam as he preferred to be called, slept with his head tilted back. Sam's medium-length brown hair, with some strands falling over his forehead naturally, was messy and frizzy, even though he and his sister were twins. He had pale blue eyes, just like his mother. With a sharp jawline from his father's side, he had a young, rugged handsomeness. However, it was overshadowed by his circular glasses. [Image]
The aircraft shifted violently, stunning some passengers, and the intercom quickly sounded out. "Sorry about that, folks; turbulence was stronger than I thought. I'll need everyone to buckle up as a safety precaution."
Worried passengers quickly followed, though; some had woken from the shake but, regardless, went back to sleep just as quickly.
Samuel Swan had been one of them, having woken up with a jolt. He blinked a couple of times in an attempt to adjust to the bright light. He squeezed his nose and lifted his hand to remove his glasses. He let out a quiet sigh as he experienced a mild headache. Luckily, just as quickly as his headache came, it was gone.
Scanning his surroundings, he became perplexed until it hit him: Twilight. "Right, right; the contract," Sam said under his breath, trying not to wake his new sister. His gaze fell on her, and he stared at her face briefly. He felt compelled to protect her, like an older brother.
He was no stranger to having sisters; he grew up with two sisters and only one man, his father.
In all honesty, they were the only reason he watched Twilight; one sister favored Jacob and the other Edward.
He thanked them inwardly, somehow, being forced to watch the movies, was helpful in the end. He turned to look outside of the window but was stopped by a floating dark blue panel:
[Welcome to the "Joker System"]
Samuel's shocked face faded fast as he recalled reading some books and manhwa with this concept. It was interesting, but the power was cheap, yet, now that he had it, he had no complaints. A video flashed on the display, featuring a Jester dressed in an eye-catching, exaggerated jester attire, replete with a floppy hat with multiple points and bells at the ends.
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"Hello, user; this is the opening message for our system here." A dancing jester flipped onto the screen, extending its arms and flinging confetti. "This message is the first and only tutorial to the system, so you had better listen closely now."
The jester clapped his hands as a dark curtain hung over the background, and a spotlight flashed on a board that read: 'Skills VS Abilities.'
"Now listen here, kiddo: Skills are not the same as Abilities; Skills are things that any human can learn." 'Cooking' and 'Languages' were written under 'Skills.' "These so forth are examples of skills." The jester split off into two others; one was cooking, and the other was holding a book. "There are two methods to gain them: either start training in it, or you obtain a 'Skill Book' by either buying one or gaining one from an optional quest."
Both additional jesters vanished in a swirl of smoke, and a long-riding crop slammed the board. The jester spoke more slowly this time, focusing Sam's attention on the word Abilities. "Abilities are things that humans can accomplish, but not voluntarily. Ever heard of "Flow State"? Take that principle and give humanity the power to do it voluntarily."
The light shifted to illuminate a little octagon, with a blue jester in one corner and a red one in the other. Both fighters raced at each other, and Blue landed a nice combo of a right jab, a left hook, a roll, and a right hook, putting Red on his ass. Red rolled back and looked at Blue for a solid second, his mouth dripping. Blue, guard lifted, went in close for a jab, while Red backed away, leaving barely inches of room between his face and Blue's fist.
Red moved faster than Blue could see and struck Blue with a monstrous left hook, punching the sweat from his face. Red's onslaught did not break; with a right hook, Blue's face was wrenched to the right and met by Red's elbow to the jaw. Blue collapsed to his knee, unable to focus, and before he could feel his head being grasped, Red cupped behind Blue's skull and brought Knee to Face. Knocking Blue out
The picture suddenly moved back to the board, with the main Jester, now dressed as a teacher, saying, "Like before, there are two ways: the most common and easiest method is to earn it. You can develop it by performing specific acts like those you witnessed. Or.-"
Money began to pour down on the jester as his gaze went to the dollar symbol of U$D, "You can buy them" The Jester transformed into a little whirlwind, scooping up all the money before halting; he dressed differently in a fur coat and golden jewels, "Though I don't recommend that, makes you look like a bitch." He spoke while gazing at his nails and giving Sam a side-eye.
The Jester used his now-golden riding crop to spin the board, revealing another set of words: 'EXP' and 'Leveling.' "Now, let us move on; these two are inextricably linked; 'Leveling' occurs only with skills. Every skill begins as a novice; merely using it allows you to acquire 'EXP,' which you need to level your skills to the next level, which is Amateur, and this will continue until you thoroughly master this skill. Mastery is something different; I'll get into that at the end."
The light shined on another board, this time it was a chalkboard. 'Core Principles' was written across the green board in white chalk. The jest was now dressed in a martial arts Gi, and he pointed to it before he ripped his sleeves off, showing off his ripped muscles. "This system embodies these Principles: Physical Conditioning, Martial Arts, Body Awareness, and Mental Focus."
The jester began doing push-ups as he spoke, "Physical Conditioning? Simply said, the system does not enable you to dump points into strength; instead, you'll need to train and condition your body. Fortunately for you, you have a head start, you're already freakishly strong, compared to normal humans. However, this means intense training."
"Martial Arts?" The Jester sprang to his feet and began shadow boxing. "These are your strongest skills; with that freakish body of yours, them fangs won't know what hit'em." Dracula emerged in a gruesome form before the Jester began beating him like a punching bag. "Fighting helps you gain EXP at a monstrous rate."
"Body Awareness?" Dracula transformed into a swarm of bats, flying in all directions and swooping down to attack the Jester. "It's your reflexes and overall health." The Jester quickly sidestepped a bat that flew in from the left but was smacked from behind. "If you're not careful, it's game over, man." Dracula exited the scene, leaving the Jester dead on the floor.
The scene shifts to an erratic stream, tumbling down the cliff and creating a hard-hitting waterfall. The Jester was discovered cured and sat beneath it, his demeanor peaceful."Mental Focus influences your talents. Abilities trigger certain chemicals in your brain, and Mental Focus regulates those chemicals."
"We have your Skill Mastery to wrap up this tutorial. As you can probably guess, practicing a skill is necessary for mastering it. A 'training path' exists for every skill. Every skill path you choose may have advantages and disadvantages. Simply select the training tab and begin training on any path you choose within the skill."
"Other things such as health, inventory, shop, and quest are self-explanatory." As the Jester stepped across the platform, a spotlight shone on him, and he waved his hand dismissively as he spoke.
He paused and bowed to Samuel. "This marks the conclusion of the tutorial. I'll warn you now that there are certain things I didn't tell you, and you must find out for yourself. You better show this supernatural world the power of a human."
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Sam's face displayed intense thought after watching that video. Many things stood out, such as abilities for one; it was pretty much a fancy way of saying controlling the chemical balance of one's brain. This is so bad for many reasons, but at least the system would help with that.
Another issue was that Samuel couldn't simply pour points into one category; he needed to actively practice to achieve any strength. 'Status' He spoke mentally; he didn't bother to address how calm he was; after all, it was most likely the system's work.
(Author: The average human is below F; MMA fighters would F-. I hope this helps explain why his stats are so low despite the boost. Think similar to Servants from Fate)
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Samuel Swan
Health: 250/250
Strength: D+ Agility: D
Speed: E+ Intelligence: D
Endurance: D Luck: F
Skills:
[Boxing] {Unorthodox}: Intermediate
[Muay Thai]: Amatur
[Mechanics]: Intermediate
Abilities:
[Fighter's Mentality]
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'MMA, I remember that now.' Sam's younger self was practically on autopilot, but he did everything Samuel would have done.
It was like a flashback: second-grade two boys were bullying Bella, so 6-year-old Sam stepped in and kicked one in the balls and struck the other in the face.
Obviously, Parents were contacted, and little six-year-old Sam was suspended and grounded. It was a gift in disguise; Bella registered in self-defense training, and Sam was obligated to accompany her. Sam took a liking, but Bella only stayed long enough to learn the basics of boxing. Eventually, Sam started MMA, and even learned another art "Muay Thai".
Mechanics wasn't something Sam learned but something Samuel knew in his past life. It was one of the only skills he carried over to this next life, one of the few he brought into this life.
He wasn't a professional; he was a "Treeshade Mechanic," sitting in the shade and watching YouTube videos on how to fix his truck. As he glanced over his parameters, he was disappointed; he had expected to be stronger due to the boost, but his highest stat was 'D+.'
However, it was undoubtedly far stronger than a human, but what about an emo vampire? He'd have to find out sooner or later since that stalker would be chasing Bella, dragging him into it somehow with his lancer luck.
Looking out the window as the jet descended, 'I'll need to be prepared either way, either my luck fucking me over or the plot demanding some bullshit' As it approached the international airport runway, he shrugged his shoulder, causing Bella to wake up and drop her book.
"Asshole," Bella said as she moved to pick up the book. Bella was much more open with Sam than others. They had a typical sibling relationship, with more of Bella hiding behind Sam.
"Shuddap," Sam said dismissively as the plane reached a standstill. "Plane's docking now, so wake up and hurry up. I don't want to make Dad wait." Sam instinctively called Charlie 'dad'; he reminded him of his father a little. From the recollections, Renee didn't treat them very well. She wasn't terrible, just negligent. She forgot birthdays and important dates and occasionally only left money while on a date.
Sam could not entirely blame her; she was lonely and had responsibilities. During this period, Bella took on the role of caregiver, cooking, cleaning, and so on. Sam could cook, but not as well as Bella. "My book's cover is bent now; thanks a lot, asshole" Sam rolled his eyes, unbuckled his seatbelt, and stood up, extending his legs. Surprisingly, he wasn't that tall, standing about 5'10.
He prayed it would change. He was 5,10 in his last life, and he didn't feel like staying that height in a second one. "Up, let's go." His tone was enthusiastic; neither of the Swan twins had seen their father in a long time. Samuel was more eager, almost pushing Bella out of the seat.
"Fine, Fine, stop pushing me, jeez." Bella got out of her seat but was pushed forward by the other passengers who were eager to get out. Sam effortlessly slipped into the alley, reaching up and snatching their belongings while ignoring the other aggressive guy trying to get out. He took his time collecting his and Bella's carry-ons.
Bella stood to the side, arms crossed, awkwardly peering at the entrance, waiting for her brother to enter. He strolled out the gate, handing Bella her bag and wearing his brown bag with several charms attached. "Wanna grab some food?"
"I thought you didn't want Charlie to wait?"
"He texted saying he's gonna be a bit late, but he's trying to get here as fast as he can." Sam wasn't sure whether he'd ever get used to using flip phones, but he did receive a signal when the plane arrived. "Plus Phil's treat." He smirked as he brought out a folded 20.
Bella elbowed her brother, knowing he had taken it from Phil's wallet. "Stop stealing from him; he's gonna catch you one day."
"And?" Sam wore a smug grin as if nothing could harm him. "He won't do anything to me, he's scared." Being an up-and-coming MMA star had its rewards; Phil might have been taller, but Sam easily had a good 10 pounds of muscle on Phil. However, Bella was quick with her retort; "Police?"
Sam paused for a second before answering, "I could beat them." He almost didn't even believe himself, but he didn't want to give Bella the win. "Sureeee." She rolled her eyes before she went into a Wendy's with Samuel following her.
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Samuel Swan
Health: 250/250
Strength: D+ Agility: D+
Speed: E+ Intelligence: D
Endurance: D Luck: F
Skills:
[Boxing] {Unorthodox}: Intermediate
As an unorthodox boxer, Samuel created a showman style with no guard and flamboyant footwork. He took a wide and low stance, emphasizing his remarkable upper body movement, notably his ability to sway, lean, and slide blows with quickness and reflexes. He gave up his defense for an assaulting mentality, fast reflexes, and highly precise shots. He enjoys taunting and mocking his opponents, utilizing psychological warfare to obtain a mental advantage. This had worked against him when he was younger, with a few kids being more skillful than him but never stronger.
[Muay Thai]: Amatur
Samuel used a more aggressive fighting method, similar to his Orthodox boxing. He is known for his continuous forward pressing and aggressive fighting style, which involves forcing an opponent into a corner before delivering a brutal roundhouse kick. His shots are pretty accurate in both Orthodox and Muay Thai. Despite his aggressive approach, he is recognized for his fluid movements, including head slides, rolls, and shoulder rolls, which allow him to dodge incoming attacks while maintaining pressure on his opponents. Both styles complement each other nicely.
[Mechanics]: Intermediate
Samuel has a general grasp of mechanics; he can identify mechanical faults in automobiles using sound, although he is wrong half the time. He's skilled at completing typical maintenance jobs, including oil changes, tire rotations, and filter replacements. While barely capable, he could do advanced repairs such as component replacement, engine repair or rebuild, and transmission troubles. However, he will want assistance because he is prone to forgetting tiny details such as bolts and other items.
Abilities:
[Fighter's Mentality]
Samuel has a strong attitude and is unwaveringly determined and resilient. He is quite confident in himself and his talents. He'll never let anything put him down for long; he's confident, versatile, can learn on the go, and performs above average. This has given him greater emotional control over himself than others, allowing him to manage his emotions more effectively and maintain a routine. Despite his tremendous confidence, he is mentally prepared to lose and embrace growth.
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That is the first chapter. Let me know what y'all think and if I can improve, and I will touch on things I didn't mention in the chapter;
1) MC died at 17, and Sam and Bella are both 17 in this. MC will be childish, but he will also be serious when he needs to be; he will be like a husky if that's a good comparison.
2) His intelligence is low because an average human is E. Intelligent people like Einstein, Daniel Goleman, and Christopher Langan are around A. His intelligence is only high because he learns better than more people because of [Fighters Mentality]
3) I know This chapter was mainly yapping, but I'd instead put the exposition out there now because I'm not that good at starting it.
4) Quests are not mandatory for those who might think they are. It will be like an actual game; there is a singular mandatory main quest, and every other one is an optional side quest.
5) After a certain point, he will go into other supernatural worlds like Teen Wolf, Supernatural, etc. The parameters will change depending on the world, that is his strength equavality to the world he is in.
Questions?
Bye Bye
