The police were called and the cashier’s boss awarded me with the groceries I was going to buy. I wave goodbye to the cashier as I exit and head home. Once I got home, I sat on my couch and watched TV while eating soup. Apparently, TV news reporters still do their jobs and report everything.

“Good evening Tokyo, my name is Kanashi Hito, level 2 and my partner, Amai Ha level 1.”. I think you don’t need to state your levels; we don’t need to know them. At least I don’t. “Headline news, crime rates have spiked and is rising here in japan. Police have interrogated every captured criminal and said that their reports claim that the average level of these criminals is level 7.” … Wait. What?!

A person boosted their level to 7? How?! That must be a joke- “Wait… I’ve got some new info, it turns out that along with crime rates rising, so has heroes. Not the caped ones, but rather those innocent bystanders. Today alone has over 30 cases of criminal attacks which have been foiled by bystanders alone.”

… This makes me feel a little un-extraordinary all of a sudden. Well I mean, all I got as a prize was the stuff I was going to buy anyway- Hey wait, think! If those criminals could level up, then I can too! Maybe my level changed after beating that guy from earlier…?!? It changed, but it went down?!?

How is this even possible?! My level is -101 now! Why am I losing my levels, if my level was 1 it would be fine! Why did my level start at negative 100???... Okay… Think… What if I train or exercise? Would my level get better?... I guess there’s only one way to find out. From today onwards, I’ll start leveling up!

-5 days of extensive training later-

This… Is… Awful! My level dropped to -107! I’ve gotten stronger, faster and smarter yet my level is dropping. Maybe positive things decrease my level? Then I’ll have to do things that negatively affect me. I’ll live off the streets for a few days and starve myself to the very limit, I hope this works.

-3 days of living homelessly later-

What… My level is -111… I went through all that rubbish for nothing! I need an explanation right now!... -after visiting countless libraries- Oh yeah, this is new for everyone else too, there’d be no books about this… I give up, I’m going home. I won’t do a single thing that will cause me to decrease my level.

As I reached my house and opened the door, I see 3 odd figures on my couch and a giant purple portal in the middle of the living room… Great… What now?