I turned ten today.
Currently, I'm just in my room, but I have my birthday party in an hour. I still wonder about that message, but I forgot about it until a week ago.
That message I was left with was crazy eerie. It either meant that nothing good happens when I turn ten, or something bad happens. Honestly, I'm not sure which of the options it'll be.
Besides my tenth birthday, not much has happened. I graduated from Senero School of Education, and I should be going to higher education, a magic school, or getting a job. I don't want to work, and I don't want to be stuck doing math. So, in short, I'm hoping I awaken magic soon…
"Kyle, come downstairs!" shouted my mother.
"Coming!"
Coming downstairs, oh what a surprise, all my friends and family are here. I definitely didn't know about this surprise party.
"Oh my god, you guys didn't forget about my tenth birthday, I was getting worried." I tried saying with surprise in my voice.
I heard about my party around two weeks ago when I was upstairs, these floors let a lot of sound through. In this world, they have similar birthday traditions to Earth. The months here are just Earth months, but the other way round, for example, December, November, October, etc. I thought just the world map was similar, but the months are too.
Then the dreaded part, them singing happy birthday…
"Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday, dear Kyle. Happy Birthday to you." Everyone sang, then the whole room erupted with applause.
"Thank you, all didn't have to do this," I said while blowing out the candles.
I've had so many birthdays as a child in this and my past life that this is all just so boring, to be honest, I would've told them to stop doing them if I didn't get gifts and a great cake.
If I'm being honest, I can't even enjoy the gifts and cake this year, I'm far too worried about what's to come. I still think the tip I got is warning me about a danger or something bad.
I truly hope that what comes won't stop my peaceful life. I still remember being told by Ester that I choose my fate and future. So I'm choosing to live a quiet life.
As the party went through, I kept zoning out, I was worried about the warning I got all those years back. People kept asking me if I'm fine, and obviously, I said I was. I don't know what it is, but I feel like something is going to happen. I could just be paranoid, but I don't know…
By the time I started to stop worrying, it was already dark outside. It was so late that the party would come to an end soon. Was I tricked? Nothing is happening.
Right when I let my guard down, I saw it… Everyone's face changed, and the entire room went quiet…
[System Notification]
[System Update]
[Player, Welcome to Estoria. System Update Completed.]
[Enter your Player Name]
What… Is this what I was warned about, and why is everyone quiet… Don't tell me they also got the system… And a Player name? I don't want some edgy name, but I can't think of anything. Should I just keep it, Kyle?
"Kyle"
[Player Name Set as 'Kyle']
[Player, you have unclaimed rewards. Say 'Claim' to claim unclaimed rewards.]
"Claim."
[Player granted, 2 skills, and 1.3 xp rate multiplier]
[Do you wish to inspect the new skills?]
"Yes."
[Skill: Causality Negation]
[Fate does not affect the player]
[Skill: Guide]
[A guide which helps the player in dire situations.]
Why do I have unclaimed rewards? Is it because I had the system early? Oh my god, why did everyone start saying names… Please don't tell me this system is for some sort of threat…
"Hey, did everyone have some weird rectangle appear in front of them?" David said, with utter confusion in his voice.
"Yup, and I think everyone else did…" I said, trying to create the fake impression of confusion.
"Who's playing a prank with illusion magic? Speak up," said my Uncle. It was obvious he didn't believe it was a prank, but he was far too confused.
The room was filled with silence, only then everyone had grasped that this was reality, and no one knew what a system was except me, which is obvious. This world doesn't have video games or anime, so this was all new to them.
"Everyone, just calm down, we don't even know what this 'System' is," said my Father, trying to avoid panic, and it worked.
Why is there a system, and why did I have it so early. I spent the past 10 years with a locked system, and now everyone just has one? Main question: Why do we have a system? This must be the reason I was reincarnated. Or I think it is at least…
I have a feeling I won't get my peaceful life. I was lied to by Ester, I won't get to decide my life, or will I? I do have some skill called 'Causality Negation', sounds kinda useless, but who knows?
The skill says it negates fate, and isn't everything fate? Like everyone is fated to die one day. So does it mean I'm immortal or something? Probably not, but I must've gotten the skill for a reason. Like, there must be a-
Then I saw it, a purple light coming from the window. I dashed to the window and saw it. It was a portal…
I saw people run out onto the street, frozen and confused. The people of this world have never seen anything of the like. But I myself knew what it was…
I hate this. I thought I was in some peaceful isekai, but turns out I'm in a dungeon or gate world. This isn't what I wanted. I wanted a peaceful life, devoid of loss and misery.
[System Notification]
[New Quest Assigned: Survival of the Fittest]
[Objective: Enter a gate and defeat the boss]
[Reward: 4 Unallocated Stat Points and 100 Coins.]
[Penalty For Failure: Death]
"Reject."
[Rejecting a Quest isn't allowed. You may only reject Side-Quests.]
"Accept."
[Quest Accepted: Time Limit- 50 Hours]
And with that, my peaceful life was over…