Chapter 8: Decisions
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Unauthorized Energy detected over [Truck-Kun].
Energy compatibility: 63%
Do you want to use it?
YES/NO
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As Mark finished reading the notification, he didn't pick a choice immediately. After all, he wasn't confident about the Energy compatibility, and even if he tried to press on it in case he got a panel with an explanation to appear, nothing happened.
'63% isn't that low, but what if it would cause some damage?'
Even if Mark was excited about making progress, he didn't want to make careless moves. Even if until now he took a few risks that paid off in the end, he shouldn't push his luck every time.
Ultimately, he decided to pick the <No> option, and he noticed the energy orb trying to stay away from the phone like some invisible power was pushing it back. Since Mark didn't focus much on it, it lost its form and disappeared after producing some sparks.
Then Mark tried to do the same action to create another energy orb. Or at least he tried to, as he suddenly felt he could barely keep his eyes open.
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The user's SP is the danger zone. Precaution is advised.
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Mark opened his [Status] and noticed that his SP had been almost emptied out as it was on 2/20.
Since Mark couldn't do anything else, he decided to actually take a nap. That should be the best way to get rid of his tiredness and regenerate his SP.
He was a little surprised by himself acting calmly after what he did, which was creating a ball of electricity using just his mind. Even if he knew that everything wasn't normal, he was excited about everything for some reason.
After all, what gamer didn't want to have a game-like ability?
Even if he hadn't played any games in the last couple of years, he used to be quite good, even if using his 'allowance 'to buy some of the best equipment in the games he was playing back then.
That was another reason his family was glad to get rid of him, as he was only an expense to them that didn't really pay back. Some of the games he played were also part of e-sports tournaments, but he was never that good at participating.
Mark closed his eyes to rest, but as soon as he did so, he started hearing something. It wasn't too loud, but it seemed like a familiar sound, but he couldn't pinpoint its origin.
As he focused on it, the sound was getting louder and more evident, and he soon could hear it clearly enough to tell why it was familiar. It was the sound of his truck's engine.
It sounded like it was coming from around him, like the truck kept doing circles with him as its center. But then, Mark started noticing that it made strange sounds every now and then, like one pressed the gash and let it go.
'Is it like a morse code or something? '
Unfortunately, Mark didn't know how to read morse code, if that was the case, but he remembered that there was a Knowledge Skill in the Store that allowed him to do so. But other than he had already spent his Truck Coins, it also cost 2 Truck Coins, not one, so he wouldn't be able to get it.
He kept paying attention to the sounds and soon noticed a repeated pattern. Even if he knew little about morse code, he remembered from a movie that it was supposed to be represented by dots and dashes. So if a sound was instant, it represented a dot, and if it had some more duration, it was a dash.
It took him a bit to understand where the sentence was supposed to start. There were some breaks now, which represented when it changed to a different word, and there was one that lasted longer than the rest, which Mark was confident was the sign of the sentence beginning again.
Since Mark had nothing else to do, he tried to memorize that message, as he felt something strange. It was like something was unlocked in his brain, making his thoughts more straightforward.
Mark opened his eyes and noticed a notification panel in front of him.
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<Mind> increased by 1
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As he finished reading this new type of notification, another one appeared he hadn't encountered yet,
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CHALLENGE COMPLETED - SPECIAL TRAINING
Description: Increase one of your stats using your own effort.
Note: Because the user completed the challenge at level 1 System will adjust the reward one rate over the normal
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1x <Empty Skillbook> added to your Inventory
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1x <Empty Training Crystal> added to your Inventory
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Excitement appeared on Mark's face as he had forgotten everything about his tiredness. All he wanted to do now was check what he earned, especially that <Empty Skillbook>.
As he opened [Inventory], he noticed at one slot the image of a black leather-looking book with nothing on its cover and one white crystal at another slot. Mark pressed on the <Empty Skillbook> and got two smaller buttons to appear next to where he pressed instead of another panel.
The buttons were <Use> and <Inspect>, which were clear about what each did, but he was curious why he didn't get that option before. Before picking any of those options, he tried to press on the crystal too, but he got a panel in front of him.
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ITEM IS CURRENTLY INACCESSIBLE
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Even if Mark found it annoying, he decided to just put his focus back on the other item in his [Inventory] and picked to inspect the book.
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EMPTY SKILLBOOK
Rank: D
Description: The user can learn a Skill up to the Rank of this item or upgrade a Skill to the book's Rank
Note: This item is upgradeable
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Excitement filled Mark once more as he finished reading the description of his newest item, but he was in a dilemma once more. If he used it, he could learn any of the D-Rank Skills, saving him some time, but he would lose the chance of upgrading it and have the opportunity to use it for one of the highest Rank Skills.
Once more, the lack of information was holding him back, as he didn't know how easy it was to earn <Truck Coins> or get another <Empty Skillbook>.
'There is only one way then. '
Taking a deep breath, he picked the <Use> option of the <Empty Skillbook>, which opened another panel. This panel was almost identical to the [Store], with the difference of not having a <Truck Coin> image at the top right but the image of the <Empty Skillbook> and the number 1 next to it.
Mark tried the filters to ensure that he really couldn't use it on any non-D-Rank Skills, but unfortunately, he couldn't. So instead, he used it for learning <Appraisal>.
Once more, he had this strange feeling in his brain, but it wasn't as intense as the one for <Minor Energy Manipulation>, and he wouldn't have noticed if he wasn't aware of the possibility of having a feeling like that.
At that point, he noticed he wasn't that tired anymore, and he opened his [Status] to check why.
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Mark - Lvl 1
Tier: D
Race: Human
HP: 50/50
SP: 6/20
STATS
Power: 10
Agility: 10
Mind: 11
Defense: 10
Endurance: 10
Luck: 0
Unused Stats Points : 0
SKILLS
D-Rank: Appraisal (Lvl 1), Minor Energy Manipulation (Lvl 8)
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His SP hadn't completely recovered, but it seemed like it wasn't at the dangerously low level anymore. Also, even if his <Mind> changed, nothing was affected by it.
He pressed the <Mind> Stat, which opened a small notification panel explaining the stat.
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MIND (STAT)
Description: Increasing the mental power of the user while decreasing the challenge of tasks involving the brain over muscle.
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'So this will make me smarter? Does that mean I am one-tenth smarter than before? Probably not, as in most cases, the effects of stats aren't that linear,' Mark thought once more to himself.
He checked the rest of his stats, which were straightforward. He finally wanted to use his new Skill on the phone, but he stopped and went back to take his nap. Even if his SP had recovered somewhat, he wasn't that far from reaching that low once more.
Although Mark found it weird that his <Minor Energy Manipulation> was using his SP, which seemed to represent his Stamina. From the descriptions of the stats, he was now confident that the <Endurance> affected his SP, but the <Minor Energy Manipulation> should be a mental task that should be affected by the <Mind> Stat.
He felt like he was missing something, not some piece of information, but something else he couldn't describe. He had to test his Skills a few times to pinpoint what it was.
This time he didn't hear the engine sounds and could nap without a problem.
Someone entered the room, opened the lights Lylah had closed on her way out since Mark wanted to sleep, and shouted at Mark.
"Wakey, wakey little bird. Time to go home."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
TheShingPen
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Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone