The rest of Chris's eighteenth birthday passed in a blur of focused, almost obsessive, productivity. The lure of cheap, incremental upgrades was too strong to resist. Every time the [Tasks] menu refreshed, Chris jumped on the simplest objectives with the eagerness of a gold prospector finding a rich vein.
'Wipe down the bathroom mirror' (+1 IP). Done.
'Spend 10 minutes stretching' (+1 IP). Done.
'Read the first chapter of a neglected textbook' (+1 IP). Done, surprisingly less painful than usual.
'Help Dad clean the barbecue grill' (+1 IP). Done, greasy but worth it.
He moved through the house like a self-improvement automaton, fueled by lukewarm coffee and the constant, satisfying ping of completed tasks echoing in his mind. His parents exchanged slightly bewildered glances but didn't question his sudden burst of helpfulness and studiousness, chalking it up to some mysterious 'turning eighteen' energy.
With every 10 IP earned, he faced a choice: boost IQ or boost Perception. He alternated initially, then prioritized based on whichever felt like it needed the next bump. The numbers climbed steadily.
Ping. [Current IP: 10] -> Upgrade IQ Rate! (Now +0.017/10min) [Current IP: 0]
Ping. [Current IP: 10] -> Upgrade Perception Rate! (Now +0.011/60min) [Current IP: 0]
Ping. [Current IP: 10] -> Upgrade IQ Rate! (Now +0.018/10min) [Current IP: 0]
The hours melted away. He ate dinner quickly, barely tasting the Eid feast his mom had prepared, his mind already calculating how many more tasks he needed for the next upgrade. Outside, the sounds of distant fireworks marked the evening celebrations, but Chris barely noticed, glued to his mental checklist.
By the time the digital clock on his monitor read 11:58 PM, he was utterly exhausted but running on pure adrenaline. He'd just completed 'Organize digital photo folders,' earning his final Idle Point for the night's grind.
He quickly navigated to the [Idle Slots] menu. He'd lost exact count somewhere in the frenzy, relying on the system's tracking. He checked his progress:
He had upgraded the IQ slot a total of 22 times since getting the system (6 in the afternoon, 16 more now).
[Slot 1: Intelligence Quotient (IQ)] -> Idle Rate: +0.032 IQ per 10 minutes (+0.01 base + 22 * 0.001).
He had upgraded the Perception slot a total of 17 times.
[Slot 2: Perception] -> Idle Rate: +0.027 Point per 60 minutes (+0.01 base + 17 * 0.001).
Ping. [Current IP: 10] -> Upgrade Perception Rate! (Final one for the night!) [Current IP: 0]
Total upgrades tonight: 16 for IQ, 17 for Perception. He'd churned through 330 basic tasks and spent 330 IP since solving the smart light issue.
His eyes felt gritty, his muscles twitched with fatigue, but satisfaction warmed him. He collapsed onto his bed, not even bothering to change. The blue system screens faded from his vision as exhaustion claimed him. His last coherent thought was a pleasant one: Even while I sleep... I'm getting smarter... more perceptive...
Chris woke up slowly, sunlight streaming through a gap in his curtains. For a moment, grogginess reigned. Then, the memory of the system flooded back. He sat bolt upright, a thrill coursing through him.
He mentally called up the [Status] screen, eager to see the overnight gains. He'd slept for nearly nine hours.
[Host Status: Christopher "Chris" Miller]
Age: 18
Level: 1 (Estimated XP gain from tasks, but no level up yet)
[Attributes]
Strength: 9
Agility: 10
Stamina: 11
Intelligence Quotient (IQ): 103.61 (+1.74 overnight)
Perception: 10.40 (+0.24 overnight)
Charisma: 8
Idle Points (IP): 0
Over three and a half points added to his IQ while he slept! And almost half a point to Perception. The numbers themselves were still modest, but the rate of change felt significant. He felt... clearer. Sharper. Like a mental fog he hadn't even known was there had partially lifted. Looking around his room, details seemed slightly more defined, the interplay of light and shadow more distinct. Was that the Perception boost, or just wishful thinking?
Before he could ponder it further, a new notification popped up, again with that faint golden border indicating importance.
[Major Task Available!]
[Task: Post-Holiday Coordination]
Description: The Eid holidays are winding down. Your friends are likely becoming available soon. Plan and organize a small get-together (e.g., pizza and games night) for yourself and at least three friends within the next 48 hours. Coordinate schedules, confirm attendees, decide on basic logistics (food, location, timing). Effective planning and communication are key.
Reward: 500 Idle Points (IP)
Status: Available
500 IP! Chris's eyes widened. That was a massive jump from the last major task. Enough to unlock the third slot, maybe even with points left over depending on the cost.
Okay, focus. Planning a hangout. This should be manageable. He grabbed his phone, his mind already starting to work faster than usual. Who to invite? Mark, definitely. Sam? Yeah. Maya? She might be busy, but worth asking. That's three.
He drafted a quick group message: "Hey guys, Eid Mubarak! Hope family stuff went well. Thinking of doing a pizza/games night at my place tomorrow evening or the day after, maybe around 6? Let me know if you're free / interested!"
Replies trickled in over the next hour while Chris showered and had breakfast (consciously noting the taste and texture more than usual – Perception?). Mark was in for either day. Sam preferred the day after tomorrow. Maya was busy tomorrow but free the day after.
Okay, so the day after tomorrow it was. He sent a confirmation message: "Alright, looks like the day after tomorrow (April 7th) works best for everyone. My place, say 6 PM? I'll grab pizza."
Everyone agreed. He mentally checked off the requirements: coordination, confirmation, logistics decided. It felt smoother than usual, less back-and-forth. Maybe the IQ boost helped structure his thoughts, and the Perception nudge helped him read the nuances of their replies (Sam's slight hesitation about tomorrow wasn't explicitly stated, but Chris felt it).
A clear, resonant chime echoed in his mind.
Ping!
[Major Task: Post-Holiday Coordination - Complete!]
[Reward: +500 Idle Points]
[Current IP: 500]
He grinned. That felt good. Real-world application, tangible results, and a huge system reward. He immediately pulled up the [Idle Slots] menu.
[Idle Management]
Available Slots: 2/2
[Slot 1: Intelligence Quotient (IQ)]
Current Value: 103.78 (gained a bit more while planning)
Idle Rate: +0.032 IQ per 10 minutes
[Slot 2: Perception]
Current Value: 10.43
Idle Rate: +0.028 Point per 60 minutes (upgraded once more this morning)
[Add Idle Slot (Slot 3): Costs 500 Idle Points] <--- Option now available!
[Upgrade Idle Rate (Slot 1): Costs 10 IP]
[Upgrade Idle Rate (Slot 2): Costs 10 IP]
Perfect. The cost was exactly 500 IP. No hesitation. He focused his intent.
[Confirm Action: Unlock Idle Slot 3 for 500 IP?]
[Yes / No]
YES!
Ping! (A deep, satisfying chime, richer than the previous unlock)
[-500 Idle Points]
[Idle Slot 3 Unlocked!]
[Please select an Attribute or Skill to assign to Idle Slot 3.]
The list appeared again: Strength, Agility, Stamina, Charisma.
He considered his options. Strength would be cool, but maybe not the most practical right now. Agility could improve his gaming reflexes, which was tempting. Charisma... still felt awkward to focus on directly. Stamina, though... that seemed universally useful. More energy for late-night study or gaming sessions? Better endurance for physical tasks the system might throw at him? It felt like a solid foundation. With a higher IQ and Perception, having the stamina to use them effectively seemed logical.
He selected Stamina.
[Assign Stamina to Idle Slot 3?]
[Yes / No]
Yes.
The screen updated, displaying his new three-pronged idle setup.
[Idle Management]
Available Slots: 3/3
[Slot 1: Intelligence Quotient (IQ)]
Current Value: 103.78
Idle Rate: +0.032 IQ per 10 minutes
[Slot 2: Perception]
Current Value: 10.43
Idle Rate: +0.028 Point per 60 minutes
[Slot 3: Stamina]
Current Value: 11
Idle Rate: +0.01 Point per 60 minutes
Time to Next Increment: 59:57
[Add Idle Slot (Slot 4): Locked - Requires 1000 Idle Points] (Cost revealed!)
[Upgrade Idle Rate (Slot 1): Costs 10 IP]
[Upgrade Idle Rate (Slot 2): Costs 10 IP]
[Upgrade Idle Rate (Slot 3): Costs 10 IP]
Triple idling. IQ, Perception, and now Stamina, all growing passively, simultaneously. The cost for the next slot doubled to 1000 IP, a daunting but achievable target. But the upgrade costs for all three slots remained at a cheap 10 IP each.
Chris felt a genuine thrill. This system wasn't just a gimmick; it was a path. A path away from average. He glanced at the clock. It wasn't even 10 AM yet. He had a whole day ahead, zero Idle Points, and three stats ready to be boosted. The grind was calling.