(RW) [The Last Hope For Mankind] 2 – My FIrst…Skill

[A/N: Skill levels: 0-5 (Novice), 5-15 (Apprentice), 15–30 (Adept), 30-50 (Journeyman), 50-75 (Expert), 75-100 (Master)]

Looking at the literal miracle before my eyes, I couldn't help but swell with hope.

This is it! This is what I needed! A system! Something that can change my fate and make my goals far more likely!

Looking over the system, I couldn't help but find it familiar to the skill system in the Fallout games, only this one seemed more comprehensive and listed more types of skills.

I had three available tag skills, which would presumably put 15 points in whatever skills I tag.

So, I pondered, spending almost an hour thinking of the best options.

Eventually, I made my choice.

Biology, Computers, and Repair.

And just as I predicted, the three skills rose by fifteen points each!

Instantly, when I confirmed my choices, I was overloaded with information.

Grabbing my head in pain, I squirmed and writhed on my bed as my head began to pound and throb.

I cried out in pain and agony as I felt the pain only get worse.

Suddenly, a knock rang out on my door, and a robotic voice called out, "Ma'am. Are you alright?"

Gritting my teeth, I called out with a strained voice, "I...I'm fine."

"Are you sure, Ma'am? I detect distress in your tone," The Synth outside asked again.

"I'm fine!" I accidentally shouted, holding in a groan of pain.

"I will be just outside if you require assistance, Ma'am," The Synth informed me before walking away.

Then, before I realized it, I passed out back onto my bed.

When I awoke in the morning, I had a horrifying headache that made me groan in discomfort and pain, but that I quickly ignored as I realized something.

I knew things now, things I did not know beforehand.

For example, I now knew the basics of botany, conservation, ecology, evolution, genetics, marine biology, medicine, microbiology, molecular biology, physiology, and zoology.

While 'Computers' taught me the basic ins and outs of the Fallout computers, you heard that right, the Fallout computers. Not the modern computers I knew.

It would be a valuable skill to have, but not what I hoped for.

If I could get the modern knowledge of my Earth, then my rise to power was all but guaranteed, but that's fine.

At least I knew the basics of Hacking, Programming, and other essential skills related to Computers, including making some computation algorithms if I needed something to calculate complicated math. However, I'd need a strong and advanced computer if I wanted to do what a 30-year-old computer from my Earth could do with no effort.

Taking deep breaths, I managed to climb out of my bed, slip out of my scrubs, and step into the small shower stall available in my room.

Clicking a button, I was sprayed with a lot of water before the water suddenly cut off, leaving me soaked but nowhere near satisfied due to the short span of time.

I so desperately wished to have a long shower again, a hot one at that, instead of the lukewarm near-instant shit we get.

Sighing, I grabbed a towel from a nearby wrack and dried myself before slipping back into another pair of the white scrubs that the Institute considered to be clothing.

That's right, of everyone in the Institute, only one person wore what I considered to be actual clothes; that one person was the Father, who could be seen wearing what would be considered normal Pre-War.

Sigh...one more reason why I wanted to leave the surface, even if only temporarily.

Once I was dressed, I suddenly heard a faint ding.

Looking around, I only grew more confused until I noticed something on my system screen, which appeared to be a holographic screen that I could summon at will.

[Quests]

Tapping the word with my finger revealed a new screen with three options.

[Main Quests]

[Side Quests]

[*Daily Quests*]

Curious and noticing the only one with a star, I tapped it.

/=======+=======\

[New Quests Generated once per day]

[New Daily Quest: Assist 'Facilities' in maintaining and repairing the infrastructure and other systems across the Institute for at least 5 hours - Reward: 3% EXP and 1 Trash-Tier Lootbox]

[New Daily Quest: Clean the Archives - Rewards: 1% EXP]

[New Daily Quest: Start your physical fitness journey, complete 25 push-ups, 25 sit-ups, 25 lunges, and jog for 1k - Reward: 1% EXP]

\=======+=======/

Opening the other two screens revealed nothing, as there were no available quests.

As I read over the 'Daily Quests' and the supposed rewards, I couldn't help but ponder.

Typically, in Fallout, the only way someone could get EXP was through combat or dialogue, so was this a conventional and reliable way for me to continuously get EXP?

Examining the quests, I couldn't help but notice that one of them would certainly be harder than the others, as it required me to somehow convince someone in Facilities to allow me to help, and after some thought, I realized it should be possible due to what I learned from the skills I chose, though I doubt they'd believe me, so I'd have to prove myself somehow.

Getting lost in thought, I didn't realize that the time reached 8 AM, and I had to get to work if I wanted to complete one of my quests, let alone two.

Classes start at six, meaning I had ten hours of daylight left before I would be unable to do any of the quests as we 'Kids' had an enforced curfew and were not allowed to leave our rooms past 10 PM.

Placing my dirty scrubs in a nearby bin, I briefly brushed and dried my hair before leaving, finding the same synth from last night's nearby, mopping the floors.

He was clearly a second-generation synth with his yellowish rubber-like skin, lack of hair, and artificial eyes.

"Are you alright, Ma'am?" The Synth asked with a monotone and robotic voice.

"Yes, you may return to your duties," I replied, which the Synth nodded in reply before going back to mopping the floor.

With that distraction out of the way, I began walking down the stairs.

The Institute itself was a large cylindrical subterranean structure with six floors.

Hallways wrap around the outside of the cylinder, with the central open atrium featuring trees, fountains, and a helix-shaped elevator to the surface levels where the teleporter is located. Along the outer perimeter of the bottom floor are doors leading to the Institute's four main divisions: Advanced Systems is to the northwest, BioScience is to the northeast, Robotics is to the southeast, and Synth Retention is to the southwest.

I live in the northern 'tower' on the top floor, placing me as far as possible from the bottom floor where most of the Institute's residents socialize, eat, and relax.

There are 'four' towers that make up the northern, eastern, southern, and western sections of the permitter of the concourse.

At the bottom of the northern tower, where I live, was the cafeteria; at the bottom of the eastern tower was the shop; a clinic was at the bottom of the western tower, and a longue was at the bottom of the southern tower.

Walking down the round staircase that made the center of my tower, I soon reached the cafeteria, where I was served my breakfast by a second-generation synth.

Making sure to eat my meal as quickly as I could, I ignored the glares and stares and deposited my tray and trash in their designated locations.

No one talked to me, let alone came near me, so I ate alone as usual.

The breakfast I got was a jelly-flavored sludge that I still have difficulty swallowing to this day due to its disgusting texture.

Once I left the Cafeteria, I started heading towards the western tower where both the clinic and facilities operated.

Few people lived in that tower, but those that did typically preferred the quiet. It's also where our teleporter was, with it being on the top floor.

However, the only ones who were allowed to use it were those from Synth Retention.

I found it stupid that Facilities didn't have there own dedicated facility like the others, but at least they had a fully working workshop on the second floor of the tower, and that's where I was heading.

Sighing, I realized that this might be harder than I expected; I doubt that they would let a five-year-old child help them, especially when all the other kids my age were still learning basic math.