[Amemura Ryoshu] (Human)
* Status Bar *
[Mana: (Null)]
-Main Stats
[Strength 12.25 (F-)
Endurance 11 (F-)
Agility 11.5 (F-)
Perception 15.3 (F)]
-Secondary Stats
[Charisma 10 (Unranked)
Regeneration 10.15 (F-)
Intelligence 18.8 (F+)]
I sighed deeply as I examined my pathetic character stats. Aside from average Perception and slightly above-average Intelligence, everything else resembled that of an ordinary adult. At least my Charisma was decent—supposedly representing beauty that was considered high before the Temple Invasion, what most people in this world refer to as World War III.
After the invasion, Elves and Dwarves taught humans to harness supernatural powers, helping us suppress the monsters and restore peace. This ushered in an era of modern technology powered by a newfound resource: Mana. Now, Mana saturates our entire pnet, transforming Earth into an ideal cultivation ground.
The stat system is straightforward enough. Except for Mana, which can be Null (0), all stats range from 1 to 100. Anything between 1 and 10 is Unranked. Every 10-point increment represents a rank increase:
[11 → 20 is rank F,
21 → 30 is rank E,
...,
81 → 90 is rank SS,
91 → 100 is rank SSS.]
You don't need to memorize all this. Your watch or the nearest Adventure Guild can instantly tell you your rank. The system also indicates your position within each rank using minus (-), nothing, or plus (+) signs. Below 4 points is early rank (-), above 7 is peak rank (+), and between is mid-rank.
My Strength of 12.25 puts me at F-, simir to most of my other stats. My Charisma of 10 is merely average by modern standards. For context, models typically range from rank F to D, idols from C to B, and movie stars from A to S. Beauty beyond S rank is indescribably rare—only legendary monsters in history have achieved such heights.
At Spiral Academy, every student has a Charisma of at least 20, though that's considered the bare minimum. Thirty or above is the standard, with nobility and princesses reaching as high as 69 (no joke intended). My former crush Katia, for instance, already boasted a Charisma of 60 as a first-year cadet.
But I shouldn't dwell on my status problems. Almost any stat can be improved through various methods.
Now I'll look at [Status Bar]
[* Trait *
* Technique *
* Potential *
[Swordsmanship] (F-)
-Stab (Lv.1)
* Talent *]
So it's true—my character really is a swordsman, albeit with such a pathetically low rank that I only possess a single skill: Stab.
----Potential----
[Swordsmanship] (F-)
Description: You are a beginner in using swords.
-Stab (Lv.1)
When active, the first close-range hit consumes "Stamina" and increases the "Critical Rate" by 5%.
----------
Basic as it may be, Stab's Critical Rate boost is too valuable to ignore, considering a Critical Hit multiplies damage at least twofold.
Now, let's examine what I've collected from the old man's pce.
----Equipments----
[Hidden Mask] (D+)
Description: Crafted by a Legendary Bcksmith!
-Gorgeous
Increases the "Charisma" stat by 5 units when equipped.
-Hidden
When you infuse Mana into the mask, the User erases a portion of your existence.
-??
-??
--------
Just as old man Atsuta mentioned, this mask can conceal me when infused with Mana—useless for now since I don't possess any Mana yet. Still, becoming more attractive when wearing a mask is a nice perk. And there are two hidden functions? Interesting.
"Appraise," I commanded.
[The level of Authority "System" is too low to fully appraise this item!]
Wait, I have an Authority? That's new.
"System, what is my Authority?"
----Authority----
[System] (Lv.1)
Description: given by ??????
-Status Bar (Lv.1)
????????
-Appraisal (Lv.1)
????????
----------
"It can't even appraise itself," I muttered. Is System truly considered an Authority? Perhaps it's because I'm an NPC?
Hmm, screw those useless thoughts.
Now let's check my weapons.
----Weapons----
* [Formless Bow] (E-)
Description: a fine bow crafted by a friend of the legendary bcksmith.
-Retractable
Can be retracted by infusing Mana.
-Guard Break
Super flexible bowstring makes every shot increase 5% "Attack Power" and 10% "Critical Rate".
And if it is a "Critical Hit", it ignores 90% of the opponents' "Defense".
* [Iron Dart Rope] (F)
Description: a string dart made of iron, crafted by the legendary bcksmith at a young age.
--------
Even though I can't yet retract the bow, I can still utilize Guard Break. If something goes wrong, I'll at least have a means to fight back. Fortunately, I requested a few arrows before teleporting.
----Items----
[Wooden Arrow] x15 [F-]
Description: made from cheap materials and has super weak destructive power.
--------
Atsuta cimed that giving away too many items would cost him substantial money, so he only provided about a dozen low-quality arrows.
"Well, beggars can't be choosers," I muttered, turning my attention to the two items that had just been upgraded.
----Items----
* [Memory Orb] [Good Memory] (F-) → [Super Memory] (B-)
(Potential → Talent)
Description: Increase memorization → Memorize almost anything.
-Nearly Cannot Forget (New!)
Can remember almost everything the User has heard and seen.
* [Memory Orb] [Fast Reflexes] (F-) → [Lightning Reflexes] (C)
(Potential → Talent)
Description: Accelerate reflexes → Reflexes develop beyond normal humans.
-Sense Enhancement (New!)
All 5 senses are beyond the human realm.
-Death Sense (New!)
The User can sense sudden death before it strikes, increasing the "Perception" stat by 20 points in 1.5 seconds.
--------
As expected, the first bug exploitation yielded the most substantial upgrades. Being in an A+ rank Hidden Temple means the gate's energy is particurly concentrated and powerful. This bug allows the energy from skill books or memory orbs to upgrade via the gate's emanations.
I tried using the bug again to enhance the two skills to the highest possible rank, A+. But after rubbing the orbs against the gate for over five minutes with no sign of improvement, reality dawned on me.
The bug was fixed after one use.
"Dammit! Dammit!" I cursed.
So bugs can only be exploited once? This completely disrupted my strategy. I had pnned to use bugs and glitches to become exponentially stronger, making most bosses trivial challenges. But the System's immediate bug-fixing capability demolished my entire pn.
"If I'd known this sooner, I would have headed straight for an SSS+ rank Temple," I mented with a sigh. "Whatever needs to be done has been done. I can't undo it now."
At least these two skills will accelerate my training and Lightning Reflexes will prove invaluable in combat. Plus, there are multiple ways to upgrade abilities in this game, with plenty of other bugs to exploit. This isn't the end of the world.
I made a mental note: save the most crucial bugs for future use and maximize their effectiveness.
For now, I needed to absorb these memory orbs and prepare to complete the Temple trial.
"I suppose I have to swallow these," I grimaced, staring at the disgusting orbs. "Hopefully they're tasteless."
I swallowed hard.
[Host has acquired 2 new talents "Super Memory" and "Lightning Reflexes".]
Suddenly, all my senses amplified to their maximum. The world around me decelerated. A tickling sensation spread throughout my body, gradually intensifying into excruciating pain.
I colpsed to my knees, then fell prone. When I attempted to move my arm, extending it before me and wiggling it back and forth, I experienced a strange sensation—as if watching myself in rewind.
'This must be the aftereffect of Lightning Reflexes,' I thought.
Beyond my heightened senses, my brain operated at full capacity. Long-buried memories resurfaced from my subconscious, as though I were simultaneously reliving every experience I'd ever had.
I should have consumed each orb separately. My impulsiveness had turned both enhancements into torment.
After "resting" for a while, my senses gradually normalized. I took deep breaths to regain my composure and maintain my sanity.
Once recovered, I began searching the grass near the gate for something crucial. I discovered various useful items—Poisonous Mushroom, Forgotten Grass, Echidna Flower—but they weren't what I sought.
Strange. I distinctly remembered these items appearing more prominently in the game. Had their spawn locations changed?
"Oh! Here it is," I excimed, finally locating my target. "Appraise."
----Items----
* [Four-leaf Clover] (A)
Description: Legend says that whoever finds it will be granted a wish.
* [Seven-Year Ginseng] (A+)
Description: Super rare, can make medicine or absorb directly.
-Enhance
When consumed, increase "Main Stats" by about 1 to 5 points.
-Limit Break
Removing impurities and increasing the ability of the consumer to "Absorb" Mana to rank A+.
--------
"Alright! Let's tackle my first dungeon in this world!"
I spread my arms wide and opened the gate. A deep underground cave appeared, its atmosphere heavy with darkness. Torches lined the walls, providing minimal illumination for adventurers.
Despite having visited this pce hundreds of times in the game, experiencing it firsthand felt remarkably fresh. The Temple's challenge consisted primarily of puzzle-solving and trap-avoidance—fortunately, I remembered all the shortcuts and pitfalls.
My objective was the Reward Chest at the trial's end.
While navigating the dungeon, I contempted some fundamental concepts. Each character possesses a different power limit—what humans call Potential Limit and the System refers to as Mana.
"Oh my god, I nearly forgot that—!" A sharp arrow suddenly shot from the wall, nearly striking my face. I plucked the poison-tipped dart from where it had lodged. "This will be useful."
Now, where was I? Ah, yes. Potential Limit directly corretes with the Mana stat, determining a person's capabilities. Mana represents the percentage of ambient Mana one can Absorb and Store within their body.
Think of your body as a cup of water. Absorb depends on the cup's opening size, while Store represents the cup's capacity. Currently, I don't even have a cup.
Humans require a Mana Core to store Mana, unlike other races or monsters that can do so naturally. I pressed a hidden button on the wall, revealing a concealed door—a shortcut to bypass most of the trial. Just a few more minutes of walking, and I'd be finished.
Some might consider this approach cheap, but why not exploit every advantage?
The Ginseng root I found earlier addresses the final component of the Potential Limit equation: Absorb. People are born with varying Mana Absorption abilities, with some naturally favored over others. However, methods exist to enhance Absorption.
Consuming Ginseng eliminates most bodily impurities, increasing Mana Absorption efficiency. Essentially, it attaches a funnel to my metaphorical cup. Despite having zero Storage capacity at present, I could still utilize Mana, albeit inefficiently.
Both aspects are vital—you can't Store what you can't Absorb. And the Mana Core doesn't just store Mana; it amplifies and transforms it. Nevertheless, I wasn't in a hurry.
I would consume the Ginseng root after utilizing the next glitch at the path's end.
* *
After walking for several dozen minutes, I reached the trial's conclusion. In the game, I would have exploited a bug for infinite speed. But since bugs were single-use, I decided to save it for a more critical situation.
Upon completing the trial, a gate appeared at the exit, accompanied by the coveted Reward Chest. I opened it, revealing several items:
----Reward Chest----
[Gold Bar x5], [Protection Neckce (A+)], and [Extra Stat: Alteration].
--------
[Alteration: 1 (Unranked).]
I approached a statue near the room's end—a massive, creepy eye representing Phobos, the God of Fear. I could have chosen a different dungeon, but my options were limited in my weakened state. Besides, this particur bug works with any statue.
"I hope I won't regret what happens next," I sighed.
Taking the four-leaf clover I'd found earlier, I began reciting a spell:
"QWTYUIOPLKJHGFDSAZXCVNM."
I tore the clover apart, dropping precisely three leaves atop the statue.
[A new effect has occurred.]
[All stat points are now temporarily stacked into a stat in only 1 minute.]
I selected my newly acquired Alteration stat.
[Adding 89 stat points to the Extra Stat 'Alteration'!]
[All other stats will temporarily change to 1 to keep the Host alive.]
[Alteration: 1 → 90 (SS+).]
Immediately afterward, I swallowed the remaining leaf.
[Conditions have been fulfilled.]
[Another additional effect has occurred!!]
