Lenny leaned back on the bench, breathing slowly, letting the faint buzz of the air conditioning cool the sweat on his skin. His heart had finally slowed from the long walk, and his arms, while still sore, didn't feel like falling off anymore.
He pulled out his tablet, planning to scroll through notes before class, when a familiar chime echoed softly in his ear.
New Task Unlocked: Academic Application
Objective: Answer a question correctly in class.
Reward: +20 exp, +1 Intelligence
Lenny raised an eyebrow. "Huh. That's new."
He liked this task already. Unlike push-ups, answering questions didn't require sore arms—just his brain. And if there was one thing Lenny had always been good at, it was school.
Back in high school, he'd graduated top of his class, surprising everyone, especially his teachers. A quiet, awkward kid from the lower zones topping a regional academic board? Nobody had expected it. Not even him. But behind all the silence and odd stares, Lenny had been a fast learner. He liked puzzles, patterns, and theories.
He just didn't like people much.
Still, today felt… different.
The soft hum of the university grew louder as more students began filing in through the main gate. Lenny watched them come—some in groups, chatting and laughing, others rushing solo with breakfast in hand. He didn't know many of them yet. He preferred it that way.
"Lenny?"
The voice pulled him out of his thoughts.
He looked up to see a familiar face. Short, tightly curled hair, sharp eyes behind square glasses, and an easy smile.
"Daniel?" Lenny blinked.
"Yep!" Daniel grinned and dropped his bag beside Lenny. "Dude, I thought that was you. You haven't changed a bit."
Lenny gave a faint smile. "I could say the same. Didn't know you got into Green Valley."
"Barely," Daniel said, scratching his head. "They gave me a scholarship for the robotics major. I figured I'd see some familiar faces, but you're the first one."
Lenny nodded. It was… actually nice to see him. Daniel had always been chill back in high school. They weren't best friends or anything, but they'd worked on a few group projects together and shared lunch on occasion. He was one of the few who didn't treat Lenny like he was invisible.
Daniel sat down. "So, what's your major?"
"Systems engineering," Lenny replied. "Hoping to specialize in AI interface design."
"Oof," Daniel winced. "Tough road. But with your grades, not surprised."
Before Lenny could respond, the system chimed softly again.
Potential ally detected: Daniel Iroko
Relationship Level: Neutral-Slightly Positive
Trust potential: Medium
Lenny's eyes widened slightly. The system could detect relationships too?
He quickly closed the interface before Daniel could notice.
"Wanna head in?" Daniel asked, standing.
"Yeah," Lenny nodded.
The two of them walked into the lecture hall. It was slowly filling up. The first class of the day was Applied Probability & Logic Systems, taught by the ever-intimidating Dr. Kepler—a man who could spot an unprepared student like a hawk spotting a rat.
Lenny slid into one of the desks near the middle, and Daniel sat beside him.
As the class settled, Dr. Kepler walked in, his white coat trailing behind him like a cloak. He tapped the board once, and a holo-display exploded to life behind him.
"Good morning. Let's not waste time," he said, voice clipped. "Who here can tell me the practical applications of the Monty Hall problem in dynamic AI choice matrices?"
Silence.
A few students looked around awkwardly. Dr. Kepler raised a single eyebrow, clearly unimpressed.
Lenny raised his hand.
Daniel turned, surprised.
"Yes, you," Dr. Kepler pointed.
Lenny stood. "The Monty Hall problem demonstrates how conditional probability can defy intuition. In dynamic AI systems, especially those involving choice trees and risk assessments, such as in autonomous vehicles or negotiation bots, understanding how options evolve with new information is critical. The Monty Hall scenario models how AI can make better decisions when it updates probability in real-time as new variables—such as hidden data—are revealed."
Dr. Kepler's eyes narrowed. Then, he nodded.
"Well stated. Sit down."
Task Completed: Answer a question in class
+20 exp
+1 Intelligence
Total Exp: 20/30
Intelligence: 31
Daniel leaned over. "Holy crap, man. You gunning for top student again?"
Lenny just smiled, a quiet warmth in his chest.
But the moment of pride didn't last long.
As they walked out of the lecture hall after class, three familiar figures blocked the hallway ahead.
"Tch. Well if it isn't 'Little Lenny the Library Worm.'"
The tallest of them stepped forward—Marco. Stocky build, thick arms, and a face that always had a mocking grin. His two sidekicks, Jace and Remi, flanked him like loyal mutts.
Daniel instantly tensed beside Lenny. "Ugh. These guys again."
"Didn't know nerds had the guts to speak in class now," Marco said, stepping closer. "You showing off, Lenny? Trying to impress someone?"
Lenny's gaze didn't waver.
The old Lenny would've looked down, said nothing, maybe shuffled past and hoped they'd get bored.But now? Now he had a system.
Now he had strength—just a little. But enough.
Lenny took a single step forward, standing straight. "You've got about five seconds to get out of my way."
Marco blinked. "Huh?"
"You heard me." Lenny's voice was calm but sharp. "You're in my way. Move."
There was a pause. Jace snorted. "You threatening us, little man?"
Lenny didn't budge. "Not yet."
Daniel looked like he was about to intervene, but something in Lenny's posture stopped him.
Marco chuckled—but it was forced. His eyes dropped slightly to Lenny's frame, the way his shoulders didn't slump like they used to. The slight flex of muscle beneath his hoodie. Nothing big, but different. Stronger.
He hesitated.
"Tch. Whatever. Waste of time anyway."
He motioned to the others. "Let's go."
The three bullies brushed past Lenny and Daniel, murmuring.
Lenny didn't turn to watch them go.
Daniel stared at him. "Okay… what was that?"
Lenny exhaled, a strange mix of pride and disbelief washing over him.
"Growth," he said simply.
Hidden task triggered: Face Your Past
Outcome: Non-violent confrontation
Bonus Exp: +10
Total Exp: 30/30
Level Up!
You are now Level 3
+5 Stat Points awarded
Lenny smiled faintly. He was beginning to like this system more and more.