Chapter 423: Growth System |
Ryu Seung-ho’s Growth System was specifically designed for him.
This system, intended to guide a child to grow properly, was applied from birth.
Ding!
[Anxiety detected in the user.]
[White noise will be played to reduce anxiety.]
♬♪♬♩♬♬♬♪♬♩♬~
[It’s almost time for the user to sleep.]
[A lullaby will be played for a peaceful sleep.]
♪♬♩♬~ ♪♬♩♬~
[Complementary food program initiated.]
[The appearance of the food has been adjusted to be more appealing.]
From the fifth to the eighth month, the system helped the baby eat well without skipping meals.
[First steps program initiated.]
[Objects of interest will be displayed via augmented reality to encourage the user’s first steps.]
In the ninth month, it helped with taking the first steps, and in the thirteenth month, it began the Korean literacy program so that the child could start speaking quickly.
These programs were exclusively created for Ryu Seung-ho.
All thanks to the power of creation.
“Now that I’ve created the system I wanted, I no longer need the power of creation.”
After developing the Growth System, Ryu Min immediately sent Gaia back to Tartarus, ordering that additional torture time be added proportionate to the time she was away from the survival game.
—————-
The system created by Ryu Min was of great help in Ryu Seung-ho’s development.
He could walk before anyone else and learned Korean, English, and math faster than any other child.
However, Ryu Seung-ho never told anyone about this.
Well, he only tried once with his kindergarten teacher.
“Miss, can you see these letters in front of me?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Never mind.”
‘Can no one else see them?’
At the age of three, Ryu Seung-ho focused again on the words appearing in front of him.
[Large muscles developed.]
[Strength Exp +1]
[Strength Lv 1 -> Lv 2 Up]
[Physique Lv 3 -> Lv 4 Up]
When he helped the teacher move heavy objects in kindergarten, these messages appeared.
Other messages appeared when he ran or exercised.
[Cardiorespiratory endurance developed.]
[Endurance Exp +1]
[Endurance Lv 1 -> Lv 2 Up]
[Physique Lv 4 -> Lv 5 Up]
When he engaged in activities that developed his physique, experience related to that activity would increase.
When he accumulated enough experience, his stats would level up.
He could see the required experience if he focused intensely on the message.
Strength 2 (0/11,000)
Agility 1 (8,530/10,000)
Endurance 2 (0/11,000)
‘It seems like if I fill up the experience, I’ll level up... Should I ask Dad? What is this?’
But Ryu Seung-ho soon dismissed the idea.
‘No, the teacher couldn’t see the message. If I say it, they’ll think I’m strange.’
That’s why he couldn’t confide in his parents.
He feared that what he was seeing was a hallucination.
Not wanting to be labeled, he kept the issue a secret.
But now that he was seven years old, it was time to talk.
Especially to understand the strange phenomenon of suddenly being teleported to the rooftop.
“Dad, does this have to do with the letters I see in front of me?”
His father hesitated.
He was unsure of how to explain how he had brought him to the rooftop.
“Yes, you’re right, Ryu Seung-ho. Those letters you see are connected to the system.”
“The system?”
“You started seeing those letters when you learned to read, right?”
Ryu Seung-ho was internally surprised.
How did his father know?
“The truth is, ever since you were born, the system has been running.”
His father, Ryu Min, revealed the truth.
The secret he had kept for so long.
————–
As a child, Ryu Seung-ho didn’t understand why his father insisted that being ordinary was the best.
He couldn’t fully grasp it.
He simply thought it was true because his father said so.
But now, he understood.
Now he knew why.
After learning everything about the Growth System.
And about the life his father had lived and what he achieved in the end.
‘1.8 billion people were dragged into a survival game. If someone heard it, they’d probably shout that it’s insane.’
Although it was a story from a parallel world, how could it be real?
Angels dragged 1.8 billion people into a survival game, and out of all of them, only his father survived, facing numerous challenges to get revenge on the game’s organizer.
Ryu Seung-ho might have dismissed it as a well-crafted fiction if he had only heard it.
But he couldn’t help but believe it.
‘Seeing Dad fly like that, how could I not believe it?’
Watching his father spread black wings and fly, and summon a huge scythe out of thin air.
After witnessing such superhuman abilities, how could he not believe it?
‘Dad really can fly... this is amazing.’
Since then, Ryu Seung-ho looked up to his father in reverence.
His father was like a hero straight out of a comic, someone he couldn’t help but admire.
Moreover, his father said he devoted his time to saving others, which only increased his respect day by day.
‘So that’s why he was always away, despite not having a regular job.’
He had never known.
That his father’s secret job was being a hero who saved people.
That father of his had created the Growth System for Ryu Seung-ho.
He appreciated the effort his father had put in for him, but he also had expectations.
‘Will I be able to fly like Dad?’
He had these expectations and asked, but his father merely smiled and avoided answering.
He said that, over time, he would gradually understand the system’s capabilities.
Either way, Ryu Seung-ho was happy.
Because now he shared a secret with his father.
——————-
“Ryu Seung-ho! It’s the weekend, let’s go to the arcade.”
“No, I’m going to study today.”
“Hey, you study all week? You need time to relax!”
“Time? I don’t even have time to eat. If I want to get into a good university, I have to study hard, just like you.”
“Come on, I study a lot during the week and relax on weekends.”
“Sure, that’s why you’re second in class. But how much longer will you be below me?”
“Ah, damn it. So arrogant.”
“It’s the truth, you can’t deny it, right?”
“Ah... I just want to punch him.”
Han Seung-hoon, trembling with his fist clenched, didn’t act on it. He knew very well he couldn’t surpass Ryu Seung-ho in either academics or strength. He simply resigned himself, facing an insurmountable wall.
“So, are you going alone?”
“Yes. Don’t overdo it.”
“Not even my mom nags me this much, idiot!”
Ryu Seung-ho slightly smiled as he left the restaurant and said goodbye to Han Seung-hoon. Like other middle schoolers, his friend was heading to a cyber café for the weekend, but Ryu Seung-ho took a different path. His destination was home.
‘I need to study at home.’
For him, there was something more interesting than games.
—————-
The sound of a pencil on paper and the turning of pages filled Ryu Seung-ho’s room, who was in his third year of middle school this year.
[Due to concentration, your frontal lobe has developed.]
[Mentality Exp +3]
[Memory Exp +3]
[Insight Exp +3]
[Mentality Lv 44 -> Lv 45 Up]
[Intelligence Lv 114 -> Lv 115 Up]
‘Another level up.’
Ryu Seung-ho smiled with satisfaction as he solved problems. Recently, he was completely immersed in the growth system.
‘If you do strength-related actions, your strength increases, and if you do intelligence-related actions, your intelligence increases.’
Ryu Seung-ho opened his status. He had discovered that he could open his status window just by thinking about it.
‘Status window.’
[Total Level 334 – Ryu Seung-ho]
Body Lv 99: Strength 37 Agility 30 Endurance 32
Intelligence Lv 115: Mentality 45 Memory 37 Insight 33
Art Lv 20: Music 7 Art 7 Writing 6
Charm Lv 100: Wealth 11 Oratory 12 Appearance 77
-Remaining experience points: 0
[Daily Mission: Unlocked at Lv 50]
[Weekly Mission: Unlocked at Lv 100]
[See Levels: Unlocked at Lv 200]
[??? : Unlocked at Lv 400]
Body, intelligence, charm, etc. Overall, his levels were high in all areas.
‘Although my art levels are low, I can raise them after entering university.’
He realized how high his levels were once he surpassed level 200.
[‘See Levels’ unlocked upon reaching level 200.]
[You can now view other people’s levels.]
Since then, Seung-ho could see something like a label following people.
[Lv 77. Seunghyun Ahn]
[Lv 90. Jo Tae-sik]
[Lv 89. Minjun Choi]
[Lv 67. Han Seung-ah]
He could see the levels and names of his friends.
‘None of my classmates have surpassed level 100?’
Then he realized just how superior he was compared to others his age. His friend Han Seung-hoon, who was second in class, had the highest level among his peers, but he wasn’t even close to level 200. Most people on the street were around level 200.
‘My level is so high... How high are my parents’ levels?’
With that curiosity, Ryu Seung-ho looked at his parents.
[Lv 301. Min Juri]
His mother’s level wasn’t that high, but...
‘Wow!’
He was immensely surprised when he saw his father’s level for the first time.
[Lv 9,999,999,999. Ryu Min]
‘What? That absurd level... Almost 10 billion?’
Even that seemed to be the limit, as it didn’t show beyond 9.9 billion.
In those days, when his level was 200, Ryu Seung-ho was in awe when he saw his father. Now that his level was over 300, he could better accept it.
‘Dad, I respect you.’
With newfound admiration for his father’s level, Ryu Seung-ho closed the book and changed into training clothes. It was time to exercise.
‘I can’t skip the daily missions.’
The daily missions had been unlocked upon reaching level 50, and completing them yielded rewards.
[Current Daily Mission List]
-Greet your parents in the morning (2/2) – Reward: 2,500 experience points [Completed!]
-Say “I love you” to your parents (2/2) – Reward: 2,500 experience points [Completed!]
-Talk to classmates (10/10) – Reward: 5,000 experience points [Completed!]
-Read for 30 minutes (1/1) – Reward: 2,500 experience points [Completed!]
-Exercise (0/1) – Reward: 5,000 experience points
-Don’t watch YouTube before 11 pm (0/1) – Reward: 5,000 experience points
-Don’t play games before 11 pm (0/1) – Reward: 5,000 experience points
-Go to bed before 11 pm (0/1) – Reward: 5,000 experience points
The daily missions updated every day and gave experience points as rewards. With these points, he could increase experience in the stats he wanted.
‘I’ve been investing all the points in the physical area so far.’
Thanks to that, Ryu Seung-ho had more developed muscles than most adults. He had been practicing boxing for three years, so he wasn’t afraid of facing anyone. Although he didn’t learn boxing to fight, his physical stats had significantly increased thanks to it.
‘I’ve almost completed all the daily missions. Only exercise is left.’
Ryu Seung-ho smiled and headed to the boxing gym, eager to level up quickly.