Ding!
With a loud sound, a blue, translucent window appeared in front of Col. It glowed and had ancient patterns bordering it. They gave off a feeling of a string of words made of the runes in the language used by Mavambo.
Col decided to call the language Origin Tongue after one of Mavambo's titles. The patterns the runic script made were mesmerizing and beautiful. It seemed to contain profound mysteries and shifted the more Col looked at it.
The System itself was a normal window with various tabs at the top. The default tab was written 'Stats' in English. The other available tabs were 'Feats and Boons' and the Log tab. There were empty slots with Tabs just floating there too. It was all… pretty unmystical really.
He focused on the stats tab and his information was displayed. To his chagrin, It was a damn table!
Name: Col Tanyaradzwa
Age: 19
Race: Inferior Human
Path(s): -
Step(s): -
Mana: 33/40
Health: 12/30
Strength: 9
Agility: 7
Vitality: 6
Intelligence: 8
Skills:
Sixth Sense (3) (Passive)Adrenaline Shot (1) (Active)
Techniques:
Basic Marksman (1)Basic Survivalist (1)Basic Hand-to-hand Combatant (2)Basic Swordsmanship (4)
Titles:
Traveller (Common)Touched By Dimensions (Mythic)Marked By Those Who Dwell In The Deep And High Places (Rare)Favoured by Luck (Ungraded)
Equipment:
One-handed pistol (Trash) (1)Hollow-Tipped Bullets (Trash) (10)
Col breathed out. That…. was more than he expected really. There was a lot to unpack there. For example his race….. Inferior Human? What was that about? No really, Col thought himself to be quite handsome. He was also fit and muscular, one might even say he looked sculpted. His features were graceful and symmetrical and he looked like he had been plucked from a painting. His bearing was graceful and powerful after the demeanor of his father(in public anyway).
That being said, Col found it hard to believe that he could, in any universe, be believed to be inferior to anything, much less human.
'Ding' As he was cursing at the sky in an inner monologue the system interrupted.
'Host is an inferior human being due to flawed genetics of a small world and not being acclimated to the mystical energies of the Origin. Host stats are lower than what is average for a 16-year-old in this world, which is a 10 in all respects. Thus host is, for all intents and purposes, INFERIOR.'
The system explained but it seemed to be enjoying this a bit too much. Was it intelligent? Col wondered.
'I am an Artificial Intelligence produced by this world itself therefore, I too am superior to you.' The system responded.
'Okay.' Col thought. 'This system is a bit stuck-up.'
He shook his head and turned to the other parts. 'Hey System,' Col asked, 'What is all this about Paths and Steps?'
'Ding! The paths are the methods of gaining power. They are as infinite as the Multiverses themselves. However, most converge at the higher levels. The difference is how strong one will be at each stage of the path and the point of convergence. Paths differ greatly in power like that and some are stunted. It is advised that host use their path and disregard any that are offered by others.
The steps are more simple. They are the stage at which one is in their path. The steps differ with paths and are unique, The system quantifies and makes them progressive. Some of the paths have no steps and are monolithic but the system still divides them to let the hosts know of every progression in the usual level of power.'
'Hold on' Col Interrupted 'Hosts? As in multiple? How many?'
'Ding! The system is available in some form on some minor worlds, most Major worlds, and all worlds which are awakened. Not that a country bumpkin like you from a minor world would ever have even an inkling of what those are. It serves countless beings.'
Col slumped. Everyone? On multiple worlds? Countless beings? His cheat…. wasn't even unique? What the hell man!! It was enough to make him fume in anger. But then he took a deep breath and his broken ribs calmed him down. He slumped once more. Who the hell did he think he was? He had no right to ask the world for special treatment.
He sighed. "Guess real life can't be like the stories," he thought aloud.
'Okay System. What about the others? Tell me about the numbered stats.'
'Ding! The rest of the stats are calculated as follows:
Mana: It is what is known as a complex Stat, meaning that it is derived from others. This is the rudimentary power available to all races. It shapes the world and interacts with matter on a quantum level. Those with an understanding of it can soar through the skies and rend space. It ties into so many things like affinity and inclination. Some paths are based on this alone. The way to calculate it is INT * 5. The source of the current depletion is when the host subconsciously used 5 mana to activate Adrenaline Shot and 2 points worth of mana to activate Sixth Sense for the first time.
Health: This statistic involves the current state of the host. It signifies how much damage the host has taken in truth and how fatal is. If it ever reaches 0, then I won't have to bother with trash like you anymore. It is calculated by VIT*5. Therefore it is also a complex stat.
Strength: This is the maximum amount of strength able to be exerted by the host. It is pretty straightforward. It depends on the body's state but it is pretty constant. It increases as one takes Steps on most Paths. The direct complex stat is hidden. It is a base physical stat from where complex stats can be calculated.
Agility: This concerns Flexibility and Speed. The complex stat is hidden. It is a base physical stat.
Vitality: This base stat is more complex than it would seem. It has many paths and is physical in the early stages. It affects things like Stamina and Defense alongside health. Most complex stats of this are hidden.
Intelligence: It is a mysterious stat, even for the system. It affects the control and retaining of energy. Additional information is locked.
Col's head ached as all that information was transferred into his head all of a sudden. He was shocked, to say the least. He had so many questions he wanted to ask and after an attempt, he hit a stone wall. The system was strangely reticent about explaining further on the stats.
It was suspicious. Especially the intelligence stat. Why was it locked and not hidden like the others? Unfortunately, all he got from questioning the system was a deafening silence and a piercing headache after he started getting pushy.
'Okay fine,' Col thought ' I'll just figure it out myself. Continue with the rest.'
The system somehow communicated both its dissatisfaction and the resolve to continue because it was its duty.
'DING! As far as skills and techniques are concerned they are mostly the same. Skills are acts using mana and techniques are something you train. They are self-explanatory. Skills can be acquired by doing the necessary action or the title associated. For example, Sixth sense is granted by the Touched by Dimensions Title. In parentheses are the level of the skill and type. It may be active or passive or even both in rare cases.
As far as techniques are concerned, they are gained through repeated training and mastery of the various aspects. They are often concerned with the use of tools or weaponry. They may sometimes be similar to skills. There may also be a skill and a technique for the same thing. In such cases, the synergy is greater than the sum of their parts. In parentheses is the level of the techniques. They range from 1-5.'
Col felt a shiver down his spine. He thought he had mastered quite a bit of the sword and combat. He had trained from childhood after all. Now he was being told that in this world he hadn't even mastered the basics? He was now starting to feel just how dangerous this world was.
Not to mention the fact that he already had skills and that he had even used them. Looking back that time that the world slowed down was probably Adrenaline Shot and that harrowing feeling of danger was Sixth Sense at work. The skill had already leveled up apparently. Sensing death and the world itself would do the trick he guessed.
'DING! Equipment is just as it says. It tells of your equipment and what its attributes and properties are. Proper equipment can do a lot for a warrior.
As far as Titles are concerned it would be wise for you to avoid learning of these yet. At least until you understand where they come from. You have been granted 5 boons of the Highest order by the Origin. Before I can go further, It is up to you to decide how to use the first two. All functions of the system shall be halted until then.'
'Uhhhh wait what?' Col, for the umpteenth time that day, was shocked.