Chapter 9: Chapter 9 – Prologue Arc

After spending part of the morning thinking about possibilities I decide to head outside towards the field I'm making.

On my way to the exit, I hear a voice behind me.

"Good morning Iris."

I turn around, "good morning mother."

"It is time for you to learn how to cut the fish," she smiles evilly making me gulp.

"Yes, mother!"

I followed her to the kitchen where she placed a fish on a wood board.

"So first what you have to do is with this knife scrape the fish scales with this."

She scraped the scales by pushing them from tail to head.

Then she turned the fish around and placed the knife next to the table.

Understanding what she meant I got closer and did my best to copy what she had done.

Once I finished mother told me, "now with the big knife slice the head off."

I look slightly scared at the fish,' you can do this Iris, you can do it.'

I repeat it countless times through the whole process that follows.

I lifted the dagger and looked at the fish shaking a bit with my hand and mother said.

"Focus on this spot," she indicated while showing me where by using her index finger then removing it and saying coldly.

"Cut it."

My hand went down and a heavy sound was heard on the fish, a little of blood gouged out.

"Again, in the same spot till it's fully separated."

I repeat it a few times till the head is completely off the body.

As I repeat it my handshakes less and less.

"With this smaller knife cut the side fins and the fins under like this," she cuts one of them by holding it and then removing it.

The knife goes very close to the fish's skin then the fins are cut by the root as she stretches them.

She then places the knife next to it and looks at me.

I approach and start removing the rest of the fins.

"Now do a cut under the belly to remove the guts and little organs the fish has from here to there," she makes a line with her index finger.

I do a cut and blood and guts start falling off it.

'This is completely disgusting.'

"You can put them in this bag, then once all of it is out, wash the fish inside and outside."

"Then do everything you've done till now with the rest of the fishes you caught."

Once I'm done with the first fish, a voice resounds in my mind.

System: The title Fish Processed has been received.

 

After I'm done with everything mother places all of the fishes on a plate and takes them to the oven.

She puts some logs inside the oven and then a metal oval pan above it that gets warmed up.

"Now you just have to grill the fish on top of that, don't touch the metal it'll burn your hands."

I lift a fish carefully and place it inside the oven on top of the pan, then do it with another one.

"Once it's grilled on one side we turn it around with this big fork while holding the wooden pan so it doesn't slip."

Once the fish is finished cooking a voice resounds in my mind.

System: The title Cooked Fish has been received.

 

I do it to every fish and once I'm finished mother removes the pan and places it on the sink so it cools down.

"We usually eat bread, stews of meat, cheese and vegetables, some ham, cheese, butter, some fruits, and lots of soups."

I look at mom who is smiling very happily.

"It is rare for us to eat fish," she patted my hair.

I smiled relieving myself of all the tension I went through.

"I'm very proud of you Iris, for committing yourself to everything I just taught."

"Thank you, mother!" I shout happily," I almost threw up a few times when the organs came out."

Mother laughed hearing those words, "when I was your age I actually did, you're strong-minded honey."

She puts a fish inside of the bread and places it on a plate on the kitchen table," eat it, you'll love it."

I eat while thinking about everything I did since yesterday while tearing up.

Noticing this my mother smiles and eats without saying anything reminiscing of the days her mother taught her.

After we finish eating mother says, "you can go do whatever you'd like now, I'll wash the dishes, if you need anything I'll be here."

"Alright mother, I'll go a bit to the field I have to water it up."

"Do it softly as you just ate, let the food sink in before exercising."

"Sure will do!" I walk outside with a straw hat on my head.

As I move towards the field I check my status.

Notice: 10 mana has been deducted.

Status:
Level: 1 | Experience 0/100
Fame: 0 | Disgrace: 120
Class: None
Race: Human | Name: Iris | 7 Years old
Health: 150/150 | Mana: 370/370
Status Points:1
Strength: 4 | Stamina: 16 | Agility: 1 | Dexterity: 10 | Intelligence: 3 | Wisdom: 38
Soul: 130
Titles: Reincarnated(F), Mana(E), Mana Exhaust(S), Health(F), Beginner Reader(S), Purchase(E), Wisdom(F), Reader Series(F), Body Training(F), Animal Slayer(E), Fish Caught(F), Conserved Fish(A), Plowing Fields(C), Fish Type(E), Seed Type(C), Watering Field(C), Intermediate Reader(E), Fish Processed(F), Cooked Fish(F).
Skill Points: 2
Skills: Status level 23(E), System Library 5(F).

'This is starting to have a lot of titles, seems like I'm doing a good job.'

'The more titles the more statuses I'll eventually have as I believe not all titles give extra statuses.'

'Seeing as some titles even decrease them like mana exhaust.'

'At least it's maxed so I don't think I'll lose health anytime soon.'

Suddenly I trip on a rock and fall on the floor.

Notice: 2 health has been deducted.

 

"Ouch my knee," I voice my pain in words.

'Good thing I landed on grass but I still scrapped a little bit of it.'

'Seems like it warns me when I lose health.'

'It was quite the timing hurting myself when I said that I wouldn't be losing health.'

I lay down on the floor with my belly up as I rest.

'My body is still a bit sore from yesterday plowing the field.'

Notice: 1 health has been deducted.

 

"I lost health again?" I feel the blood slipping through my leg.

"Bleeding makes me lose health? That's important to know..."

'Can only wait for it to close.'

'The sky is clear and beautiful.'

'There're very few white fluffy clouds floating in it.'

'I see a bird coming down to my field.'

I get up and walk closer to it.

It starts digging my hard-worked field, I pick the hoe and throw it at him to scare him away.

The hoe flies and by the time the bird noticed it, it gets crushed by it.

System: The title Preyed Upon has been received.

"Ah..." I run closer and see the poor bird dead.

"I didn't realize I had this much strength."

'I accidentally killed it and won a title.'

I lift the hoe from it and place it on the floor, I go grab a long leaf and surround the bird with it.

I place him inside the straw basket," sorry birdie."

'I wonder if my mother can cook birds.'

I prepare the fishing rod and place a worm in it.

I lift it while holding the bait to not get hurt, I put the worm box in the pocket well closed and walk south towards the direction where the river flows.

I bring the basket with the leaves with me.

After walking for 10 minutes I put the rod between two big rocks and I throw the line making it fall on the water.

I look in the river transparent blue water and see my reflection in it.

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'I wonder why my parents say I have green eyes...'

'Every time I look at mirrors and places with reflections I see cold blue eyes.'

'They feel nostalgic, but I can't seem to remember from where.'

'Could they be part of the memories I can't seem to recover after I went into the attic on my past life?'

After a while, I catch a fish and a voice resounds in my mind.

System: The title Fish Spot has been received.

 

"With this title, I've now acquired all the titles I learned by reading the fishing book." 

I walk further south after conserving the fish the way I did with the bird and a voice resounds in my head.

System: The title Fishing Series has been received.

 

I place another worm in the fishing rod while I think on this title.

'From what I've come to understand so far that these series always show up when I get a rank S from one of the titles that belong to it.'

'If I'm right I should get some fishing title with that rank, let's check status.'

Notice: 10 mana has been deducted.

Status:
Level: 1 | Experience 0/100
Fame: 0 | Disgrace: 120
Class: None
Race: Human | Name: Iris | 7 Years old
Health: 170/170 | Mana: 360/380
Status Points:1
Strength: 4 | Stamina: 18 | Agility: 3 | Dexterity: 16 | Intelligence: 4 | Wisdom: 38
Soul: 130
Titles: Reincarnated(F), Mana(E), Mana Exhaust(S), Health(D), Beginner Reader(S), Purchase(E), Wisdom(F), Reader Series(F), Body Training(F), Animal Slayer(E), Fish Caught(F), Conserved Fish(S), Plowing Fields(C), Fish Type(E), Seed Type(C), Watering Field(C), Intermediate Reader(E), Fish Processed(F), Cooked Fish(F), Preyed Upon(F), Fish Spot(F), Fishing Series(F).
Skill Points: 2
Skills: Status level 23(E), System Library 5(F).

"Hum..." I look at the yellow screen in front of me searching for one.

"Ah! Conserved Fish rank S! It seems like I was right!"

"In other words, like this, I know that the other fishing titles will eventually be maxed and then the fishing series will rank up for each maxed title all the way to S."

"Since it is like this, I can also understand how many titles there are in total."

I start counting with my fingers, "F, E, D, C, B, A, S, seven ranks so seven fishing titles."

I look back at the screen," I have... 5 titles so far, if I'm right then I'm missing two more titles..."

A snap sound is heard and a voice then resounds in my mind.

System: The title Broken Wire has been received.

 

I run at the water and get the hold of the wire that is running away with my metal bait.

I do my best to pull the fish out of the water and as I do the wire starts hurting my hands.

Notice: 2 health has been deducted.

 

I don't give up and keep putting strength in the wire rotating it around my wrist.

Notice: 6 health has been deducted.

Notice: The Skill Bleeding Resistance has been acquired.

 

'A new skill!? Wait now's not the time.'

I put my feet back and start pulling with a lot of strength.

Notice: 8 health has been deducted.

 

One last pull, "Ah!!!" I shout and lift both arms up pulling the string as if I was holding the fishing rod.

Notice: 12 health has been deducted.

Notice: Bleeding Resistance skill has leveled up to 2.

 

The fish falls on the grass splashing on the floor.

'It was the only bait I had, I did it.'

'The skill leveled up that's pretty amazing.'

I breathe fast while closing my eyes.

Notice: 10 health has been deducted.

 

The adrenaline and excitement were overwhelming the pain I was feeling.

I unwire the wires from my wrists let them breathe.

"It's dripping a lot of blood and burning too."

Notice: 8 health has been deducted.

 

'I managed to get another title, I guess the last one could be a bit more hardcore and be breaking the rod?'

I put the wire that has the bait around a stick nearby then break the stick in half while doing a fishing pose.

Notice: 8 health has been deducted.

Notice: Bleeding Resistance skill has leveled up to 3.

System: The title Broken Rod has been received.

 

'It actually worked like that?'

'I repeat the idiocy I thought.'

Notice: 6 health has been deducted.

 

'I'm starting to lose less and less health, seems like the new skill is taking effect.'

'It's a little scary to be losing health like this, makes my heart race, but at the same time I know I have a lot of health now so I'll be fine.'

Notice: 4 health has been deducted.

 

I do the broken rod stick trick one more time.

"Let's check the status."

Notice: 3 health has been deducted.

Notice: Bleeding Resistance skill has leveled up to 4.

Notice: 10 mana has been deducted.

Status:
Level: 1 | Experience 0/100
Fame: 0 | Disgrace: 120
Class: None
Race: Human | Name: Iris | 7 Years old
Health: 156/220 | Mana: 350/380
Status Points:1
Strength: 4 | Stamina: 22 | Agility: 5 | Dexterity: 16 | Intelligence: 5 | Wisdom: 38
Soul: 130
Titles: Reincarnated(F), Mana(E), Mana Exhaust(S), Health(A), Beginner Reader(S), Purchase(E), Wisdom(F), Reader Series(F), Body Training(F), Animal Slayer(E), Fish Caught(F), Conserved Fish(S), Plowing Fields(C), Fish Type(E), Seed Type(C), Watering Field(C), Intermediate Reader(E), Fish Processed(F), Cooked Fish(F), Preyed Upon(F), Fish Spot(F), Fishing Series(F), Breaking Wire(F), Breaking Rods(E).
Skill Points: 2
Skills: Status level 23(E), System Library 5(F), Bleeding Resistance level 4(F).

'Seems like my health went up by a lot together with stamina and the title health, it's almost maxed.'

'The title, breaking rods leveled up, so I'll break some more rods the way I did.'

After breaking some more rods and losing a bit more health from bleeding I open the status again to see the changes that happened along with some voices I heard.

Notice: 10 mana has been deducted.

Status:
Level: 1 | Experience 0/100
Fame: 0 | Disgrace: 120
Class: None
Race: Human | Name: Iris | 7 Years old
Health: 210/280 | Mana: 340/380
Status Points:1
Strength: 4 | Stamina: 28 | Agility: 17 | Dexterity: 18 | Intelligence: 5 | Wisdom: 38
Soul: 130
Titles: Reincarnated(F), Mana(E), Mana Exhaust(S), Health(S), Beginner Reader(S), Purchase(E), Wisdom(F), Reader Series(F), Body Training(F), Animal Slayer(E), Fish Caught(F), Conserved Fish(S), Plowing Fields(C), Fish Type(E), Seed Type(C), Watering Field(C), Intermediate Reader(E), Fish Processed(F), Cooked Fish(F), Preyed Upon(F), Fish Spot(F), Fishing Series(E), Breaking Wire(F), Breaking Rods(S).
Skill Points: 2
Skills: Status level 23(E), System Library 5(F), Bleeding Resistance level 5(F).

'Seems like I was right, the rod title completed and the fishing series went up a little, now to break this wire 10 times, let's see if it'll be enough.'

'I'll tie it to my bamboo fishing rod every time just in case.'

After a while, I open the status to check if it worked.

Notice: 10 mana has been deducted.

System: The title Cheater has been received.

Status:
Level: 1 | Experience 0/100
Fame: 0 | Disgrace: 220
Class: None
Race: Human | Name: Iris | 7 Years old
Health: 210/280 | Mana: 330/380
Status Points:1
Strength: 4 | Stamina: 28 | Agility: 20 | Dexterity: 21 | Intelligence: 16 | Wisdom: 38
Soul: 230
Titles: Reincarnated(F), Mana(E), Mana Exhaust(S), Health(S), Beginner Reader(S), Purchase(E), Wisdom(F), Reader Series(F), Body Training(F), Animal Slayer(E), Fish Caught(F), Conserved Fish(S), Plowing Fields(C), Fish Type(E), Seed Type(C), Watering Field(C), Intermediate Reader(E), Fish Processed(F), Cooked Fish(F), Preyed Upon(F), Fish Spot(F), Fishing Series(D), Breaking Wire(S), Breaking Rods(S), Cheater (S).
Skill Points: 2
Skills: Status level 23(E), System Library 5(F), Bleeding Resistance level 5(F).

'Cheater title!? Rank S?' I laugh loud for some minutes.

'Seems like disgrace went up a lot, well sooner or later I would've ended up finishing the titles, so I don't think the system is actually mad at me.'

'In fact, having a title for such occasions seems like it expected someone to do it.'

'It sure was quite a surprise, my status has come a long way I even got a new skill, I'm really happy.'

I knot the bamboo wire to the bait and place another worm in it while smiling.

I get closer to the river since I lost some wire and place it on the water.

I place the fish I left in the ground from the earlier struggle inside the straw basket.

'It's a good thing I learned how to knot with mother otherwise I'd be screwed right now.'

'Can't be always depending on my parents.'

I spend a few hours fishing.

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