"Status Window?" I called out.
The blue interface surfaced before my very eyes, shimmering with a faint glow.
╔═══||||═══════════||||══╗
➪𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉: ★★★★★
[100/100]
➪|𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒂 𝑷𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒔: 0.5|
°Name: Dustin Walters
°Grade: Mortal
°Age: 19
°Level: 2 [Exp: 0/1000]
__________________
°|STR:6|
°|AGI:10|
°|END:9|
°|VIT:6|
°|STA: 8||
°|PER: 6|
\—|Free Stat Points: 8|—/
__________________
°Title(s):The Guardian Who Runs From Fate {primordial}
°Skills:Cold-Blooded|passive|{legendary}
°Class:[🔒]
°Class skills:[🔒]
Status: healed.
╚══||||════════════||||══╝
"…"
I took a deep breath.
Slowly, I blinked. Once. Twice…
And the third time I blinked, I just did it to get the 'feel' of it, if that made any sense.
Definitely not because the insides of my eyelids itched.
I narrowed my eyes, keenly focusing on the floating status window.
The first stat that my gaze landed on caused a deep, disappointed exhale to escape my mouth.
But I nodded, my lips curling downward. A kind of sad gesture.
I see.
Seriously, I could almost feel the tears well up within my eyes.
"Such shitty stats," I muttered weakly, shaking my head.
Strength, agility, endurance, vitality, stamina, and per… wha-?
What the hell is that?
My brows furrowed.
Damn universe. Handing out a system to a non-gamer.
How am I supposed to remember that per means perception?
What the hell is per..
"Ah," A small exclamation left my lips as I inclined my head. "Perception."
As I uttered the word, my lips moved, quivering as a light chuckle bubbled.
"My own mind amuses me sometimes." I shook my head, waving the thought off as I locked in.
I did expect the low strength, yes. And agility.. It's very, very obvious that it'll be my highest stat. If you know what I mean.
Huh?
If 'you' know what I mean? Why am I speaking to a second person?
Lock-in, Dustin! You aren't bat shit crazy!
…yet.
Unfortunately, it turned out that, indeed, I was already bat shit crazy. And because of that fact, my mind had a series of dumb arguments with itself before snapping back into focus.
I shook my head frantically, a desperate effort to dissolve the crazy.
Then, I studied the status window one more time.
My lips curved into a grotesque sneer as my gaze landed on the 'Title' tab.
I tilted my head, unclenching the steel pipe as I lay it on the ground, adjusting my sitting position on the Rethon corpse. Turned out the gooey thing was actually a pretty comfortable chair.
"When did I even get this title?" I asked, the tone of my voice mixed with poignant and undiluted disgust. "The hell d'you mean 'runs from fate'?"
I scoffed, my head bobbing slightly.
"The Guardian Who Runs From Fate," I whispered, holding my chin as I mused. "Actually, it has a nice ring to it." I nodded.
I still feel offended, though. Why do I get a title related to running when I'm supposed to not be running anymore?
And the title rank is primordial, apparently.
Hm?
My eyes widened. Just slightly.
"Primordial… Guardian," I uttered. "I'm ninety percent sure I've heard that before. But I'm not sure where.. or when. Or how."
I shrugged.
Let me try tapping it. I might get an explanation or something.
I raised my arm, outstretched my index finger, and hovered it directly over the surface of the title.
It won't pass through, right?
I tapped the screen. And strangely, it didn't feel like my finger touched anything at all. The only way I knew I actually touched it was from the small buzz sound that echoed faintly as my finger tapped it.
[The Guardian Who Runs From Fate.]
It was the only thing that showed on the screen, as all other stats and stuff disappeared.
[Tap to see description.]
I tapped.
Huh?
What a long block of text.
[Once a guardian, always a guardian. Here's a question that, till this day, the universe itself is unable to answer: why does the Primordial Guardian Olephus never fulfill his guardian duties? No one knows.
But what the universe does know is that this lazy guardian owes fate.
And you, Dustin, have inherited this debt~]
[Effect: Nothing. Just a fancy title for a not-so-fancy debtor.]
As I finished reading the description…
"Uhh…" I stared blankly at the description, "Okay?"
Is this supposed to be a joke?
Or an insult?
Or both?
Whatever it is, it's really great, isn't it?
I've inherited the debt of a god-like being!
A 'guardian,' apparently.
I quickly exited the title description, my brows knitting into a frown.
Guardian my ass.
I shook my head, focusing on the 'skill' section of the status window.
"Cold-Blooded. My only skill, and a passive one at that. Don't need a description to tell me what it does." I whispered.
And it's 'legendary rank.'
Do all skills have ranks?
I'll assume they do. Because during the daily sign-in thingy, before the 10x multiplication system had an effect, the original skill I got was only ranked 'rare.'
I remember.
It might be a grading system that goes from normal to rare, then epic, legendary and stuff like that. Really game-like. And it seems titles are like that, too? The one I 'inherited' is primordial rank. And I'm guessing that's above all the ranks.
"Hmm."
This must mean that any skill I gain from the daily sign-in system will automatically surface here. On this skill tab.
I do hope I get more legendary skills. Heh.
But… does the 10x system only work on the skills I get from the daily sign-in?
It seems like it does. I mean, my stats aren't being multiplied.
"How do I know that? I still haven't used my free stat points, after all. Let me see if they'll be multiplied times ten."
I raised my finger once again.
Then I paused.
Must I touch it? Can't I do it with my mind or something? I'm not even actually 'touching' anything.
I nodded.
Yeah, I'm right.
I withdrew my hand. And focused on the screen.
"But if the 10x system really affects this leveling system, won't it multiply my exp? I don't think it did."
I shrugged. "Oh, well."
First of all, pump that strength up. I've been weak all my life. Can't have that anymore.
Immediately, my chest tightened.
I gritted my teeth, clenching my thighs with my palms. It wasn't painful, but it was uncomfortable as my sweat pores clogged, and goosebumps sprouted on my skin.
Slowly, a wriggling feeling crawled up my body from my stomach, slithering through my muscles, and rapidly moving toward my chest.
As the feeling reached my chest, it vanished. And my tightened chest loosened, clogged pores unclogged, and the goosebumps vanished.
I unclenched my thighs, heaving out a soft exhale.
|STR 6 > 10|
Not bad.
I raised my hands. And as I did so, my ribs cracked, as if they were fitting into place. And strangely, it felt like my skin expanded on my bones.
I clenched my fists. I could feel the not-so-subtle change in my grip. It was stronger.
I grinned.
Not bad at all.
\—|Free Stat Points: 4|—/
I'll spend the remaining 4 points on my lowest stats.
I closed my eyes, letting out a tender, satisfied hum.
|VIT 6 > 8|
|PER 6 > 8|
I opened my eyes.
======
°|STR:8|
°|AGI:10|
°|END:9|
°|VIT:8|
°|STA: 8|
°|PER: 8|
======
YES.
"Now, all my stats are rounded up. None is less than 8. When I level up again, I'll aim for better balance with all stats. Or maybe I'll dump them all on strength."
"Either way is good." I nodded.
With this, I confirmed it.
Yeah, that 10x multiplier system didn't interact or affect the leveling system in any way.
At least for now.
Now,
I picked up the steel pipe on the ground. And I clenched it, my now tightened grip perfectly wrapping around it.
Let's see what this newly increased strength of mine can do.
I waved the status window off. But before I did, I shot one more glance at the 'mana points' on top of the window.
0.5 huh?
That's the only stat that the stat points couldn't fill up.
I have no idea how to increase it. And if — like Margie always babbled, and like how it always is in video games — 'mana' is needed to activate most active skills I'll get in the future, then I'm cooked.
Unless I find a way to increase it.
But that sounds like way too much work. I might just stick to being a hitter and increasing my base stats.
I'm beginning to like this steel pipe anyway.
Now I'm pretty sure my class — when I do awaken one — will be about hitting things with steel pipes.
Wonder what kind of class exclusive skills I'll get.
No wait. How do I even awaken my class in the first place?
Why am I only thinking of this now?
Wait. Why am I suddenly remembering that I heard 'primordial guardian' the first time I heard the system voice?
"Haah, when I get to that bridge, I'll cross it," I spoke aloud, ending the sudden, crazed stream of thoughts.
I rolled my shoulders and cracked every joint in my body.
"First, I have to cross the literal bridge."
The grin on my lips widened.
"To go find Jericho."
Sure hope there are more Rethons on the way.