The System's Hold Over Me

Two days later...

Frizz sat on a chair on his house's veranda on the second floor. He took a sip of tea and looked around, enjoying the view from his home. It has been two days since he invaded Baron's house, and the invasion still lives rent-free on his head. It was his biggest accomplishment yet.

However, Frizz's heart is still heavy. He can't forget that he got robbed, and had he acted even more rashly, that would've been the end of him. One of his neighbors saw a social media video post where they recognized Frizz, the one that he was robbed, prompting them to tell his parents.

"I don't want a new phone, dad."

"Why? That phone isn't returning, and those robbers won't get caught."

Frizz recalled his conversation earlier with his father; he couldn't deny that his father was correct. Those robbers won't be caught anytime soon; he wasn't holding his breath for it. To him, the police were good people but just weren't reliable if he relied on them. It would just be disappointment after disappointment.

"Oh well, I managed to steal some money and will be stronger soon," Frizz coped to himself, but it didn't make him feel any better. He felt that unless he taught those two crooks a lesson, he wouldn't be feeling good any time soon.

[System]

Initiating daily objectives: Answer five questions to earn free experience and a perk!

"No, go to hell."

The system window then promptly vanished; the free experience and perk sounded nice, but unless you answered the questions correctly, you won't get the rewards, so far these past few days ever since acquiring a system. He wasn't able to answer any of the questions correctly, so he just gave up on it.

Frizz took a sip of his tea, slowly letting his thoughts be enveloped by nothing until he heard a noise below, prompting him to stand up and lean against the railing.

"Meow!" A cat on the street below him hissed at two dogs; the cat was cornered and had nowhere else to go. The cat desperately swung its claws; the two dogs just barked. One wrong move from the cat, and the dogs will maul. Frizz just blankly stared at the encounter below.

Frizz lifted his left finger and motioned the glass stones on the plastic potted plant to levitate and aimed it at the two dogs.

"Poor doggies." The glass stones were hurled towards the dogs and hit them; they yelped as they ran away, allowing the cat to climb the post and escape on the roof. He then sighed and went back to his seat.

It has been boring lately for Frizz; he wanted to do more. However, with no objective from the system and no drive to level up currently, he just idled by. He could invade another drug dealer's house or prowl the streets at night looking for bad characters, but so far, he lacks the motivation.

He went back inside and turned on his computer. "This tea is ass."

These past few days, Frizz scoured the internet. He looked for anything out of this world but, so far, nothing.

No one was wreaking havoc, flying around, shooting fireballs out of their hands, and amassing a personal army, and the most disappointing of all, there were no gates opening or monsters suddenly appearing.

"Nothing, just nothing." Frizz sighed in his chair as he stared at the ceiling.

The world is just like before he got the system: uninteresting. (I am the only one.) The thought that he was the only one with a system put a smile on his face, but at the same time, he felt sad since no one would understand him.

"Show my status."

[System]

Name: New Name

Level: 6

Experience: 10/140

Health: 33/33 (+8) [DL+2] [PP+6]

Mana: 30/30 (+2) [DL+2]

Fatigue: 08/100 (peak)

Class: None

Physical Prowess = [high above average human]

Magical Prowess = [average human]

Mental Prowess = [below average human]

Telekinetic Prowess = [novice]

Perks: [In Good Faith], [Daily Life], [Enraged], [Reckless Approach], [Gluttonous Approach], [Telekinesis], [Alcoholic Advantage], [Peak Physicality], [Force Field]

Talents: None

Frizz rubbed his chin as he eyed his telekinesis perk. "Now that I think about it, isn't telekinesis a form of magic? Not only that, every time I use my telekinesis, it does not affect my mana."

The wireless keyboard floated as he willed it. Several centimeters away from the desk.

"Where am I drawing the energy or the capability to use telekinesis?" He set the keyboard down.

Frizz put his hands up and gave up on thinking. "Oh well, if it doesn't bother the system, then it shouldn't bother me too." He went down and checked up on his electric bike; 67 percent of it displayed. It was charging, and it needed more time.

He was supposed to work on this day; he was going to be late again. Mr. Sim was patient with him, but that doesn't mean he should abuse his kindness. He hurriedly put on his uniform and walked.

"It's not that far, just a bit of a hike."

Fourteen minutes later...

Frizz arrived at the convenience store. Mina was already filling the shelves, and Mr. Sim was talking to someone else on the phone. He went behind the counter and tried to fix the cash register; it was open again and it wouldn't close.

"Pass me the rags behind you." Mina avoided eye contact.

Frizz picked up the rags and gave them to Mina, not bothering to talk to her. No matter how many times he tells her that she didn't peep at her, she wouldn't believe her. 

"Hey, just these two, please," an old customer said as he placed two packs of cigarettes.

"Do you have a rewards card?" Frizz politely smiled.

One hour later...

"Someone spilled soda on the table outside; go clean it," Mr. Sim said as he passed by.

Another hour later...

"Yes, if you sign up for a rewards card, you will receive thirty free points. That is roughly twenty-five pesos." Frizz tried to convince a customer.

Then another hour later...

"Frizz, we run out of Conk; go fill the refrigerators," Mina declared.

Two hours later...

"I'm still on my break; go talk to Mr. Sim," Mina puffed a smoke in Frizz's direction.

Four hours later...

It was going to be closing time soon. Frizz swept the floors of the convenience store. "This is probably the only store that closes at night," he whispered to himself.

"There's only three of us, and one of us is very old," Mina replied to Frizz as she fixed her pants.

Frizz put the broom beside the counter and waved goodbye to Mr. Sim and Mina, but Mina just sneered at him. "Another day with nothing exciting or productive," he whispered to himself.

Frizz walked towards home. His whole body aches under the monotony of his daily life; he can't stand it anymore, but the system isn't giving him any objectives, and he doesn't want to go back to punching drug dealers for experience.

Frizz can't believe that he was able to be violent. He drank alcohol, but even back before he had a system and was under the influence, and with lowered inhibitions, he still wasn't violent.

(Was it the system?)

"Or maybe I am just thinking too much? That alcoholic advantage may have a hidden or unsaid effect like making me aggressive. Like a rage state?" He rubbed his chin.

He stopped walking. "System, are you sentient?" he asked, expecting an answer but receiving no reply.

(Is it quiet because it has no answer or quiet because...?) Frizz continued walking, shaking his head. "There's no such thing as a malicious system," he hadn't read anything like that. 

"Just paranoia."

[System]

New Objectives: Stop the home robbery

Rewards: 30 Experience

"Just when I was thinking about this system, it gave me an objective. Oh well." Frizz grinned in excitement. "I at least have something to do."