Chapter 4: A Fresh Start and a New Status!
Alex is praying like never before. He needs to awaken at least one skill that can give him some kind of combat power or advantage. If not, the upcoming tutorial mission will surely be the end of him.
Looking at him now, hunched over like a desperate cultist, it’s clear the accident hasn’t changed his overall character—he still looks like a pathetic loser.
[Awakening Innate Skill: Genius Conjurer]
Name: Genius Conjurer
Type: Boon
Level: 0 (Base level, can be leveled up)
Effect at Level 0:
Conjuration Duration: +10% (Conjured items last longer).
Conjuration Strength: +10% (Conjured items have increased durability, damage, and overall effectiveness).
Mana Cost: -10% (Conjuration spells cost less mana).
Leveling Requirements:
1 Soul Crystal and 1000 Fantasy Coins + 500 Fantasy Coins per level
Sub-skill: Arcane Medieval Armory
Effect: The character can rarely obtain new conjuration skills by defeating strong enemies. These skills allow the conjuration of medieval or fantasy-themed items (no modern or futuristic weapons like guns or grenades).
Limit: The conjured items reflect the equipment or style of the defeated opponent (e.g., slaying a knight might unlock a conjurable sword or shield).
Overall Rating: A-
Current spells: none
[Host has obtained a personal unique skill. Overall, this skill is very strong. The system would rate it as a miracle, given its potential to reach S rank. Unfortunately, this skill requires time to develop, and its true power emerges only after building a collection of conjuration spells. Hence, the overall rating is A- with the potential to become S. Current rating: F, as it currently does nothing.]
[90% of positive unique skills are rated C or lower. Host’s luck stat is indeed impressive.]
Alex's excitement flares after hearing about his personal skill, but it quickly fades. “This is a great skill”, he thinks, “and if this were a game, I'd be thrilled. But right now? It does absolutely nothing to improve my strength! I can only obtain spells from killing strong enemies. HOW THE FUCK am I supposed to kill strong enemies with these stats?!”
Panic slowly begins to set in. He might actually die this time. And then—
[Awakening second skill.]
[Awakening Innate Skill: Statistical OCD]
Name: Statistical OCD
Type: Bane
Level: MAX (Cannot be leveled or improved)
Effect:
Stat Distribution Limitation: The character cannot freely distribute stat points. They must use 4 stat points to raise all stats by 1 evenly.
Stat Conversion: Stats gained through special items (e.g., potions, artifacts) are automatically converted into regular stat points, which must also be distributed evenly.
Sub-skill: Hellish Greed
Effect: Gain 8 extra skill slots, reserved exclusively for the 8 basic skills (one for each stat-related skill), but lose 3 normal skill slots (character has only 2 compared to the usual 5).
Restriction: The character cannot progress beyond level 1 in those skills unless all 8 basic skills are learned and kept within 1 level of each other.
Overall Rating: None (This bane offers no positive rating and severely restricts progression and stat growth. It requires meticulous balancing at every stage of development.)
[Host has obtained a second personal unique skill. Host should—]
[ERROR ERROR – Current stats not in line with Statistical OCD Level MAX.]
[Statistical OCD Level MAX takes precedence over current stats.]
[Resetting current stats.]
Alex Kerber: Lvl 0
HP: 50/50, MP: 50/50
STR: 5, AGI: 5, PHY: 5, SNS: 5, CHA: 5, MNA: 5, INT: 5 SPR: 5, LUK: 5
Available Stat Points: 0
Innate Skills: Genius Conjurer lvl 0, Statistical OCD lvl MAX
Free Skill Slots: 2/2, Free Basic Skill Slots: 8/8
Alex feels his entire body shift. His mind becomes slightly sluggish, but physically, he feels incredible. He closes his eyes and a long-forgotten memory surfaces, himself as a child, running freely across a soccer field, leaving everyone in the dust as he chased after the ball.
Tears roll down his face, unbidden. He begins to cry.
He was about to die without even the smallest chance to fight back, a death sentence with no possible appeal. Alex, grateful that he finally made a good decision and took a gamble that actually paid off, feels as though he's been handed his last opportunity. He knows that if he screws this up, that’s it. This is the final chance he’ll ever get, at life, at a future, at everything.
This bane, this supposed curse, has reset his entire life. There will be challenges ahead, sure, but for now, Alex can only think of one thing:
“This is a second chance! I won’t waste it! Fantasy Realm? HERE I COME!”