The Real Life System

Adrian made 4 mistakes in matching the cards

Adrian's hands were sweaty as he placed the last card. A loud buzzer echoed through the air, and the system displayed:

[ 4 Errors ]

His heart pounded. He had mismatched:

Cat

Mouse

Lion

Zebra

He clenched his fists as he heard four cages unlock. His body tensed, expecting a deadly attack. The lion's roar shook the air, and the cat hissed, ready to strike.

But then, something unexpected happened…

Instead of attacking Adrian, the lion's eyes locked onto the zebra. Without hesitation, it pounced, its sharp claws digging into the zebra's flesh. The zebra let out a painful cry before disappearing into blue light.

The cat, instead of targeting Adrian, chased the mouse across the floor. The small creature tried to escape, but the cat was too fast. It caught the mouse in one swift move, and both animals vanished.

Adrian's breath was shaky.

"These training zones… they're not just tests. Everything acts exactly like the real world," he whispered.

Still in shock, Adrian muttered to himself,

"So even animals follow their natural instincts? That means... if I had chosen a different wrong card, the lion would have attacked me instead!"

His stomach tightened as he imagined the worst-case scenario, being trapped in a small space with a lion coming straight for him. He exhaled deeply, realizing how lucky he had been.

"The zebra was its favorite prey. That's why I survived."

These training zones were more than simple challenges. They felt too real, just like the battles in his previous training. Something strange was going on.

A beeping sound snapped Adrian out of his thoughts. He quickly looked at the system display:

[ Time Left for Surviving: 42s ]

He frowned.

"So… what can I do in one minute?" he wondered.

Should he run, hide, or prepare for another surprise? His brain raced through options.

He looked around, but the cages were now silent. The animals that remained inside watched him with piercing eyes, as if waiting for his next move.

Before he could decide what to do, the system screen flashed :

[ TIME UP ]

A blinding blue light filled his vision, and in the blink of an eye, everything disappeared. The cages, the glowing cards, the animals, all vanished into nothingness.

When he opened his eyes again, he was back in the hospital bed. The familiar white walls and the faint smell of medicine surrounded him.

His body felt heavy, as if he had truly experienced everything physically. He touched his face, still trying to process what had happened.

Still lying in bed, Adrian opened the system menu. His eyes scanned the ranking board.

[ Intelligence Ranking ]

Exercise 1: Available

[Target Goal: 4 ]

[ Your Record: 3 ]

Exercise 2: Locked

Exercise 3: Locked

Exercise 4: Locked

Exercise 5: Locked

A small message at the bottom showed his progress:

[ You have advanced 3000 places in the Intelligence Ranking. ]

He clenched his fists.

"I made progress… but it's not enough. I need to pass 4 sessions to unlock the next challenge."

He felt frustrated but knew he had to keep improving.

Adrian took a deep breath and sat up.

"If I want to pass the next test, I need to train my memory more."

He grabbed his tablet and searched for a game similar to his last challenge. After a few minutes, he found one :

Memory Game : Match the Pairs Before Time Runs Out !

He downloaded it immediately and began playing. The game had a similar system, matching cards under time pressure. Every time he made a mistake, he imagined an animal escaping from a cage like in his last test.

The more he played, the faster he became. His brain started recognizing patterns instantly, and his confidence grew.

The next morning, Adrian woke up feeling lighter. Today was the day he would leave the hospital.

He packed his things, folded the hospital gown, and grabbed his personal belongings. As he walked to the exit, he saw the doctor and nurse who had taken care of him.

"Take care, Adrian. Don't push yourself too hard," the doctor said with a smile.

The nurse nodded.

"You're a strong boy. Stay safe."

Adrian smiled back.

"Thank you… for everything."

With that, he stepped out of the hospital, breathing in the fresh air. Freedom.

Adrian finally arrived at his house. The place was empty, no one was home.

The silence felt strange, but he didn't mind. He grabbed his wallet, put on his school uniform, and got ready to leave.

His heart tightened as he thought about school. It had been a long time since he last went. He knew what was waiting for him…

A mountain of accumulated exams.

He sighed.

"I survived wild animals… but can I survive school?"

With that thought, he locked the door and headed to school, ready to face his next challenge.

As Adrian stepped onto the school grounds, a group of students stood near the entrance, waiting for him. At the center of the group was Alex, surrounded by his usual entourage.

Adrian recognized them immediately. They weren't just any students. They were the ones who always targeted those who stood out, especially those who snatched the spotlight.

He had never had a direct problem with Alex before. Despite Alex's bad reputation, they never crossed paths because Adrian had always kept a low profile. But now… things were different.

This time, Alex and his group were standing in his way.

One of Alex's friends grinned and stepped forward.

"Well, well… Look who we have here."

Another one chuckled.

"That's right. The knight has finally arrived. The savior of the university queen!"

The whole group burst into laughter.

Adrian's mind raced. "Savior of the university queen?"

He quickly understood. They were talking about Nika, the director's daughter.

He had protected her from a harasser before… and that landed him in the hospital for a whole week.

Alex stepped forward. He was a tall, handsome guy, always trying to get Nika's attention. But no matter how hard he tried, she always ignored him.

"I heard you saved Nika from some creep," Alex said, his voice dripping with fake amusement.

Adrian smiled slightly, keeping his voice calm.

"Yeah, I tried to protect her… but you see the result." He gestured toward himself, referring to his injuries.

Then, he tilted his head slightly, his tone sharp but controlled.

"If you were there, I'm sure you could've protected her easily."

His words were subtle but pointed, a mix of compliment and challenge.

Alex narrowed his eyes, studying Adrian carefully. He wasn't sure whether Adrian was being serious or mocking him.

After a short pause, Alex crossed his arms and smirked.

"You're right. Thank you for saving Nika."

Then his expression darkened, and his voice dropped.

"But from now on, I'm her guardian. Stay away from her."

Adrian understood the meaning behind Alex's words.

It was a threat.

He hated this group. They had always been unfair to students, using their power to bully the weak.

"Unfair?" Adrian thought to himself. If I beat them, it would be a service to the school… to justice itself.

And if he took them down, maybe the system would reward him too.

But not now.

He was not strong enough yet.

So, Adrian forced a fake smile and said calmly:

"Yes, sure. I will stay away..."

For now.

To be continued ….