Chapter 2: New Power
A/N: Let's keep pushing with the powerstones. We are 30% of the way there. If we get to 100 by Sunday there will be a double release. This story's continuation depends on your support—so don't forget to give the story powerstones! Goal: 100 Powerstones.
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[Spinning...]
The robotic voice echoed as the blue screen before Shiro displayed the same word in crisp, white text. He leaned forward, his fingers tapping anxiously against his thighs.
"I wonder what it'll give me..." he murmured, his gaze fixed on the spinning animation. "Hopefully, it's something useful. It's a rare spin, so it should be good... right?" His voice wavered slightly, betraying his nerves.
[Spinning Complete! Power Selected.]
Shiro's heart jumped as the screen's animation froze.
"What's the pow—" he began, but his words were cut off by the next notification.
[Blue Lock: Isagi Yoichi: Metavision Unlocked!]
The moment the message appeared, Shiro felt a shift in his perception. It was as if someone had flipped a switch, sharpening his senses in an instant. His peripheral vision, which had always been a blurry afterthought, now felt as vivid as his central gaze.
[Meta Vision allows the user to take in all information from their central and peripheral vision clearly.]
"I know what it does. I've seen the anime," Shiro muttered, still processing the change. He looked around, marveling at the clarity of his surroundings. The cluttered bookshelf across the room, the faintly cracked paint on the walls, even the small scuff marks on the floor—all of it was suddenly, effortlessly visible.
He slowly turned his head from side to side, testing the limits of his new ability. Every motion was smooth, every detail crisp. "This power isn't anything huge, but... it would've been ridiculously useful in my hitman days. Maybe if I'd had this ability, I wouldn't have died so early."
The thought hung in the air for a moment before he pushed it aside. "That doesn't matter now," he said, his tone firm. "This will be extremely useful in combat." He stroked his chin thoughtfully, already imagining the advantages Meta Vision would give him in fights.
[Increasing XP allows you to spin more and gain more powers. Different rarity spins give different powers. A common spin isn't as good as an uncommon spin.]
"Got it," Shiro replied with a nod. "How much XP do I need for each spin?"
[300 for Common, 1,000 for Uncommon, 5,000 for Rare, 10,000 for Epic, 50,000 for Legendary, 100,000 for Mythical.]
His jaw dropped slightly at the numbers. "The jump from Common to Rare is insane..." He scratched his head, letting out a low whistle. "If Rare gave me Metavision, what would Common even give? The ability to whistle louder?"
[I cannot tell you what powers exist in each rarity.]
"Fair enough," Shiro said with a shrug. "But you can tell me how to gain XP, right?"
[XP is gained through missions. Missions occur at random times. Carrying out tasks enables me to generate and assign you missions. Depending on the difficulty of the mission, you gain more XP.]
"Ok, then..." Shiro trailed off, his gaze drifting toward the living room window. Outside, in the backyard, a basketball lay in the grass. An idea sparked in his mind.
'Maybe if I...'
Opening the door to the backyard, Shiro stepped outside and picked up the basketball.
[New Quest!]
A notification appeared just as he'd hoped.
'Just as I thought... I can trigger quests with just about anything.' A smirk tugged at his lips. 'At this rate, I'll hit enough XP for a Mythical spin in no time.'
[Make 100 layups! Reward: 3 XP.]
Shiro's excitement immediately deflated. "Only three XP?!" he yelled, staring incredulously at the screen. "A hundred layups for just three XP?! I've never even played basketball before! That's ridiculous!"
He dropped the ball to the ground with a frustrated sigh. 'At this rate, I'll get a Mythical spin on my deathbed.'
But as he sat there, sulking, his thoughts returned to the purpose of his reincarnation. This wasn't just about XP—it was about starting over, about proving he could live a better life.
Slapping both his cheeks, Shiro grabbed the basketball and stood up. "No point complaining," he muttered. "Let's get to work."
---
Hours later, Shiro lay sprawled out on the grass, drenched in sweat and utterly exhausted.
[Congratulations! Quest Complete! Reward: 3 XP.]
The system's voice rang out as the notification appeared before him. Shiro didn't even have the energy to react. His arms and legs felt like lead, and his head throbbed from the sheer effort of completing the task.
'If I keep practicing,' he thought, staring up at the blue sky, 'making 100 layups will become second nature. I just need to stay consistent.'
But before he could even catch his breath, a new notification popped up.
[New Quest!]
"Another one already?" Shiro groaned, rolling onto his side. "This little body isn't built for all this..."
[Quest: Dribble the ball 1,000 times. Reward: 10 XP.]
Shiro buried his face in the ground. "At this rate, I'll end up joining the NBA..."
Still, he couldn't help but smile as he got back to his feet, picking up the basketball once more.
Two Years Later
Shiro adjusted the tie of his new school uniform, admiring his reflection in the mirror. His once-clumsy movements were now smooth and precise, thanks to countless hours of practice and his enhanced Meta Vision.
He headed downstairs, where the aroma of breakfast greeted him. In the kitchen, his mother, Kyoka, stood humming a tune as she cooked. At the dining table sat his father, Yuji, sipping his coffee.
"Morning," Shiro greeted, taking his usual seat.
As he waited for breakfast, his thoughts turned inward. 'System, show me my XP.'
A familiar blue screen appeared, displaying the number 10,328.
'I've had enough for an Epic spin for a while now... but maybe I should go for two Rare spins instead?' Shiro tapped his chin in thought.
"So, Shiro," Yuji said, breaking the silence, "do you plan to go pro?"
Shiro blinked. "Pro? Pro for what? You mean Pro Hero?"
Yuji facepalmed. "No, basketball! With all that training you've done, you're better than any kid your age. Why not aim for the pros?"
"Oh, that." Shiro waved a hand dismissively. "Sorry, Dad. I don't have any plans to go pro in basketball. I'm going to be a Pro Hero instead."
Yuji stared at him, clearly caught off guard. "Then why do all that training?" he asked. "You've worked so hard—why not put it to use?"
Shiro sighed, deciding to lie. "I've been farming XP points. How else will I be popular in school?"
Kyoka walked over with their plates, chuckling softly. "Dear, Shiro can achieve whatever he dreams of."
Yuji frowned. "But the scholarships—"
"The scholarships don't matter," Kyoka interrupted. "As long as my boy is happy, that's what counts."
Shiro felt a warmth in his chest at her words. In his past life, love and support like this had been foreign concepts.
---
As they drove to school, Kyoka glanced at Shiro. "Are you excited for your first day?"
"Somewhat..." Shiro lied, staring out the window. He had no interest in elementary school, but he couldn't deny the potential XP opportunities it presented.
Before Kyoka could ask more, Shiro spoke. "Mom, if you already had one silver ring and could afford either two more silver rings or one gold ring, which would you choose?"
Kyoka raised an eyebrow at the odd question. "A gold ring, I suppose. Why?"
"No reason," Shiro replied with a shrug.
'System,' he thought, 'I'd like to spin.'
[What rarity spin would you like?]
'Epic.'
[Spinning...]
As the screen displayed the spinning animation, Shiro's heart raced.
'I hope this isn't something useless,' he thought, gripping his seat. 'I grinded so hard for this.'
[Congratulations. Spin Complete. New Epic Power!]
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Reminder: If we get to 100 Powerstones by Sunday there will be a double release. This story's continuation depends on your support—so don't forget to give the story Powerstones! Goal: 100 Powerstones.