LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 4: [ Quest Generated! ]
I headed back to my room, letting out a long sigh as I pushed open the door. The scene that greeted me was absolute chaos. Clothes of all types and colors were strewn haphazardly across the floor, resembling a patchwork quilt of neglect. Empty snack wrappers littered the desk, their crinkled edges catching the dim light filtering through the blinds. In one corner, a precarious mountain of junk seemed to defy gravity, swaying slightly as if daring me to approach.
It was as if a tornado had swept through the room, leaving behind nothing but clutter and despair.
"Should I clean my room?" I muttered to myself, my voice barely audible over the muffled hum of traffic outside. My gaze lingered on the mess, a mixture of guilt and resignation swirling in my chest. Cleaning up felt like the responsible thing to do, but the allure of escape was far stronger. My hand brushed against the gaming controller lying on my unmade bed, and the temptation became undeniable.
The controller's smooth surface felt cool against my palm, and for a brief moment, I entertained the idea of tackling the mess. But the nagging voice of my mother echoed in my head, reminding me of all the times she had chastised me for my laziness.
"Nah, I'll do it later," I decided, plopping onto the bed. The springs creaked under my weight, and I felt a pang of guilt, but it quickly faded.
(A/N: Bro, you just decided that you will make your life better so seriously, I was really impressed but tch... tch..., you are no different from us.)
I grabbed my phone with my free hand, the screen lighting up to reveal a library of games. Over fifty titles stared back at me, each one a portal to another world. Most of them were multiplayer games, my preferred way of connecting with others while avoiding the need to actually step outside.
With a careless shove, I pushed the clutter on my bed into a haphazard pile in the corner. The resulting noise was a cacophony of clattering plastic, rustling wrappers, and the dull thud of books hitting the floor. It wasn't a permanent solution, but at least I had a clear space to lie down. Settling in, I scrolled through my game list with a contented sigh.
"I really like this one," I murmured, tapping on the icon of my favorite game, Aether Arena. The familiar logo appeared, accompanied by an electrifying soundtrack that sent a thrill down my spine. The vibrant colors on the screen illuminated my face, temporarily banishing the gloom of the room.
The game loaded quickly, bringing me to the character selection screen. Rows upon rows of unique avatars filled the screen, each one more detailed and vibrant than the last. My eyes scanned the options before settling on a sleek, futuristic warrior named Ash. His jet-black armor gleamed under streaks of neon blue, and his visor glowed ominously. Dual energy blades crackled in his hands, radiating raw power. Ash was the epitome of agility and deadly precision, a favorite among players who preferred close-quarters combat.
"First, let's check this character's stats," I said, my fingers deftly navigating the menu. Tapping on the profile icon, a detailed status window appeared. Ash's stats were as impressive as I remembered, with agility and speed off the charts. His signature move, Shadow Strike, allowed him to teleport short distances, delivering devastating blows to his enemies.
Just as I was about to dive deeper into his abilities, a sudden flash of light erupted in front of me, filling the room with a blinding brilliance. The sound was sharp and crackling, like a firework exploding at close range.
"Whoa!" I yelped, jumping back instinctively. My heart pounded as I stumbled, knocking into the teetering pile of junk in the corner. The precarious heap wobbled for a moment before collapsing in a dramatic avalanche of clutter. The crash echoed through the room, followed by the rustle of cascading debris.
"Shit!" I cursed, struggling to free myself from the suffocating pile of clothes, wrappers, and random objects. A stubborn pair of jeans found its way over my head, blinding me temporarily. My frantic attempts to untangle myself only made things worse, sending more items toppling to the floor.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I emerged from the mess, my hair disheveled and my face flushed with embarrassment. I brushed off a stray sock clinging to my shoulder and glared at the room, my irritation bubbling over.
"What the hell was that?" I muttered, glancing at my phone. It was still displaying Ash's status window, perfectly normal. But then my eyes caught something else—something floating in midair. A translucent panel hovered just above the bed, faintly glowing.
I blinked several times, convinced I was seeing things. But the panel remained, its ethereal presence both mesmerizing and unsettling. It resembled the status windows from games, down to the smallest detail.
"This is…" I whispered, reaching out hesitantly. My hand passed right through it, the sensation akin to touching mist. A thrill shot through me, and I couldn't help but grin.
"Ha ha, this is real, huh?" I said, my voice low and tinged with disbelief. Goosebumps prickled my arms as excitement coursed through me.
The screen displayed a simple message: Gathering information about the host... The text blinked softly, as if alive.
"Yes!"
"YES!!!"
I shouted with happiness and excitement to get a system after coming back in time this is completely crazy.
Minutes passed, and I stared at it with bated breath, my anticipation growing by the second.
"Did it get a bug or something?" I muttered, narrowing my eyes at the unchanging display. Just as I was about to lose patience, the text shifted.
Please wait, it is taking some time to gather accurate information about the host.
I let out a sigh of relief, the tension in my shoulders easing. For a moment, I'd feared it might be defective. Imagine getting your hands on something this amazing, only to have it break immediately. The disappointment would've been soul-crushing.
Finally, the screen vanished in a flash, only to reappear moments later with a new interface. My jaw dropped as I read the details.
[STATUS WINDOW]
Name: Park Adan
Level: 1
Class: Player
Title: Regressor
Exp: 0/300
HP: 100/100
MP: 0/50
Fatigue: 0/100
[STATS]
Strength: 9
Agility: 5
Stamina: 4
Intelligence: 13
Perception: 11
Endurance: 7
Luck: 5
[SKILLS]
None
[INVENTORY]
{Locked right now; will be available after reaching Level 10.}
[QUESTS]
[No quests available]
----
I saw the status window appear before me, and I was so excited that I wanted to scream, but I held myself back. I looked at the main screen and saw my class. "A player, huh? So it's like a game. I'm really excited, and my title is 'Regressor.' That makes sense, considering I've come back in time… And I'm level 1. Well, it's obvious; when you start a game, you're level 1. I'll shoot up my level with all my gaming experience, hehehe" I laughed with grin on my face.
"Now, let's check my stats," I murmured as I examined them. "I don't know if they're good or bad. I don't really have anything to compare them to, but looking at them, it's obvious they're pretty low, except for intelligence and perception."
Ding! , Suddenly, a notice popped up.
[Notice]
- Message regarding average stats for a person of the host's age:
- Strength: 14
- Agility: 11
- Stamina: 12
- Intelligence: 9
- Perception: 8
- Endurance: 10
- Luck: 10
[These are the average stats for a person. Host can increase stats by completing quests and by gaining experience in future as player level up]
---
"So, except for intelligence and perception, I'm below average in everything, huh?" I said as I stared at the window. "Well, I can't complain. Sitting at home all day without doing any exercise, what do I expect?"
"But…, isn't my luck is WAY.... too low?, well it Is justified seeing my previous life, Haa...." I sighed
"So, I can increase my stats by clearing quests? But there aren't any quests available though"
Ding!
[Quest Generated!]
- Task: Clean your room
- Difficulty: Easy
- Time limit: 2 hours
- Reward: A Room Freshener, 10 Exp
- {Note: If the quest is not completed, there will be a punishment.}
---
I frowned as I read the message. "What kind of quest is this? And the reward is a room freshener?" I complained, my disappointment clear in my voice. "What kind of reward is this? Isn't the first quest supposed to be a boost for character growth? Why is it giving such a lame quest?"
I glanced at the note but ignored it, deciding the quest wasn't worth my time. "I'll complete the quests that give good rewards. Until then, let's continue the game." I grabbed my phone and started playing with my online friends, completely immersing myself in the game.
I played non-stop 2-3 matches with my online friends and won all of them with my teammates, As I finished, already about two hours were going to pass.
"Wow, that was fun. I really enjoyed it," I said as I got up from my bed and headed toward the kitchen. I opened the fridge and grabbed a soda can, and as I was about to open it, a sudden message appeared.
"Oh, it might be a new quest. Let's see what it is this time. Hopefully, it won't be like the last one," I thought to myself as I looked at the message.
[Notice]
- {Host failed to complete the task. Punishment will be given.}
---
"Huh?" I was puzzled, not understanding what it meant. But before I could think any further, I felt a sharp jolt of electricity surge through my body. I fell to the floor, the can slipping from my hand.
"Ugh…." I groaned as the pain intensified, my body convulsing uncontrollably.
[Notice]
- {Host will experience extreme pain for ninety seconds.}
---
"What? Ugh…." I whimpered, rolling on the floor and clutching my body as the searing pain coursed through me. It was excruciating, like nothing I had ever felt before. I was desperate for it to end, but the agony continued for the full ninety seconds.
Finally, when the pain stopped, I lay on the floor, panting heavily and drenched in sweat, my drink spilled all over the floor
"Haaa…" I gasped, trying to catch my breath. My body felt weak, but the pain was completely gone, as if it had never been there.
Ding!
[Notice]
- {Same quest is assigned again! , If host did not complete this time too, punishment will be worse than the previous one}
---
As I saw the message, I scrambled to my feet and hurried to my room. There was no way I was going to experience that pain again.
I started cleaning my room with a newfound urgency, picking up clothes and throwing them into the laundry basket. I grabbed a trash bag and began stuffing it with the empty snack wrappers and random bits of garbage that littered the floor. My movements were frantic as I swept away the dust and grime that had accumulated over the weeks.
The desk, once cluttered with empty cans and half-eaten snacks, was now spotless. I carefully organized the scattered books and papers, stacking them neatly in one corner. The mountain of junk that had been threatening to topple over was dismantled piece by piece, sorted, and either thrown away or stored properly.
I even dusted off the shelves, wiping away the layer of neglect that had settled over my belongings. By the time I was done, my room looked completely different. The floor was visible, the bed was made, and everything was in its place. The transformation was remarkable, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment.
I stood back, admiring my handiwork, and let out a satisfied sigh. "Well, that wasn't so bad," I muttered, still a little shaky from the ordeal.
Ding!
[Notice]
- {Quest completed.}
---
I watched as the screen popped up, indicating the successful completion of the quest. Despite the lame reward, I was relieved to have avoided another round of punishment.
Ding!
[Notice]
- {Host awarded with 10 Exp!, keep it up!}
Ding!
[Notice]
- {Awarded to inventory, Host can't access the inventory right now .}
"A room freshener, huh?" I chuckled weakly. "Not exactly worth the effort, but I guess it's better than nothing."
It didn't seem like much, but after the pain I had just endured, I wasn't about to complain. "At least my room was clean now." I said as I looked around in my room. Everything was nice and clean.