I'm Not Mad Just Confused

"Appraisal"

<"Appraisal successful, Item cup">

If you were to be looking at me right now you would see a depressing sight. Currently, you would see me mindlessly saying "Appraisal" over and over attempting to keep myself occupied.

After I woke up I realized I was still in the room that Ren had beat me up in. It's basically my new room now. I was already in my bed tucked up.

I first tried to convince myself it was just a dream. I soon started to rethink that when getting up felt basically impossible. At least it makes for better defense training, right?

Anyway to try and pass the time I've been Appraising random things. I just really want a purpose for this useless skill.

"Appraisal"

<"Appraisal successful, Item window">

I've also been just kinda lying here just trying to understand, how? It just doesn't make any sense.

I've asked myself many questions since I've come here. Like why did I come here? Why is Ren here? Why aren't there any people at night? Why do I talk to myself? What's the fastest way to get stronger?

All those questions can all be answered with almost a bit of thought. For instance, I'm here because I died; simple. Ren is the same way. Which, I don't feel like thinking about for long. There aren't people at night for maybe some strict curfew or magic? I talk to myself because it's fun. The fastest way to get stronger is to kill stronger monsters.

There's one question however that I just can't figure out. How did Ren do that?

"Appraisal"

<"Appraisal successful, Item bed">

I think it was "Self-control" now that I think about it. That's what she said before she clobbered me. Now let me ask a question. How do you activate skills again?

Exactly You gatto say them out loud. Or well manual activation but I didn't really see her open her stats screen.

So maybe Ren attained a skill named Self-control. The only problem is the name of the skill. Self-control. Meaning what? Your ability to control your own power. So maybe when she said it she was actually deactivating the skill not activating the skill…

Then attaining the skill shouldn't be the question here. For Ren to get the skill she would have to practice what the skill represents. Meaning she would have to constantly try to control herself.

An example of this was when I was reading I got the two skills: tunnel vision and fast learner. That's the first way I found to get a skill. The second way is attaining slime gems. Other monsters might work too though.

The question here is how her stats would get so high for her to have to control it. My only idea is that she has a different skill...

"Appraisal"

<"Appraisal successful, Item chair">

Anyway, I was thinking-

<"Requirements reach Appraisal Rank increased">

Wait, rank? I try to think of anything that has a rank and remember something. Quickly I open up my stats screen to check something.

<Akari> <Rank F> <Title(none)> <Job(Slime Slayer)>

<stats> HP 30/33 MP 35/35 PL 288 <Quest>

Strength 60

Speed 60

Defense 42

Intelligence 46

<skills> PersistenceST1(???) Flee(Rank F) Tunnel Vision(Rank F) Slow regen(Rank F)

Quick learner(Rank E) Advanced Appraisal(Rank E)

Deciding first to give a nod of appreciation for my highest stats; speed and strength I move on to my skills to find Appraisal. Or should I say Advanced Appraisal? And yup its Rank definitely went up from F to E. Does that mean E is better than F?

Wanting to practice it out I point to the nearby chair that I just Appraised. Let's hope I can just say Appraisal and It'll work.

"Appraisal"

…

<" Appraisal Successful Item Chair, Ash Wood, class F">

Welp, that's definitely more information than the last appraisal. So I guess it really did become better. Well, that's really sweet. Wait to get back on track here, maybe this is what Ren used.

Maybe somehow she was able to enhance a skill by using it constantly. Most likely from an accident, she doesn't know what she's doing after all. It's either that or something I'm just not thinking of.

Like I said before I doubt that self-control is actually the stat making her stronger. In that case, it would have to be a different skill but what? Whatever it is it would have to be something she can use consistently.

I don't know If you know but I've been saying "Appraisal" for a while now and it only ranked up once.

I look at my skills screen more time to see anything out of place and I do see something. The skill Perseverance has been with me since I've come here and doesn't have a description nore a rank tied to it.

Maybe Ren has a skill she came here with too. This skill may have an effect that makes her way stronger than me. Soooo basically her cheat skill is stronger than mine?

Kinda unfair seeing how I can't activate mine. I tried saying the skill out loud but to no prevail making me assume it's a passive skill like "quick learner". The only problem is trying to figure out the environment to make it activate.

Ahhh If only I could talk to Ren about this it would be so much simpler. It doesn't even have to do with pride. Sure, I'm mad that she just beat me up, but that won't stop me from figuring out something I should already know.

My body isn't even that bad anymore either. I could easily just walk out of here and ask her. This slow regen skill must be running in overdrive. It's kinda weird experiencing cuts close faster than normal but still worth it.

It's too bad I'm stuck in this bed… Oh, you probably want to know why I can't really move from my bed I guess. Well, you see when I woke up right next to me I found a purple-haired woman. Not wanting to blow my chances as I did with the catgirl I kept quiet.

The longer I waited tho the more I realized she was sleeping. Yes, I woke up to a girl sleeping at my bedside. She's still in her chair leaning over the bed right over my legs. So basically like in the hospital when someone waits beside their husband or something.

This right here is one of the best moments of my life and I'm not going to ruin it by waking her up. I would never want the feeling of her 2 ahem melons to leave me. Just let me have this.

As if to ruin the fun I was having I heard a knock on the door to my room.

"Uhh, Akari?"

As Ren greets herself she slowly opens the door to my room and walks in. Her arms are folded as she walks over in my direction.

"Look, I'll admit what I did last night was a bit excessive. So I came here to say..."

Hmm? Ren are you trying to say something come on spit it out. I can wait.

"Ugh, I just wanted to say I'm sorry." As she says this she looks down at the woman sleeping.

If I were to guess this person is most likely Ren's friend and must have somehow convinced Ren to apologize to me. Big thanks, purple-haired lady.

"Anyway, I also think your joking last night was a bit excessive too. Don't scare me like that"

Huh? Does she think all I said was just some joke? Maybe I can work with this. Right now Ren probably knows the position she's in. She knows she's stronger than me and she wouldn't just give up info that easily.

"I'm sorry too Ren I went a bit too far."

Ren looks back at me with a surprised-looking face almost as if she never expected me to apologize. Kinda rude not gonna lie but technically it's kinda out of character for me to apologize to her.

"When you told me there was a way to get home I didn't know how to react so I tried to play it off as a joke"

My quiet tone and delivery of how I said it is enough to even surprise me. I gato continue with this act though if I want her to believe me.

"I'm sorry Ren. If what you said is true I would be happy to go home."

Ren's face brightens up right after what I said and quickly rushes over to me. Once she gets to me she uhhh gives me a hug?

"I'm so happy we'll be able to go home," she says

After noticing she was hugging me Ren quickly lets go of me and brushes off her shirt.

"Ahem, Anyway, I'll go get the book and fill you in on the plan," she says as she leaves the room.

"Ok can't wait," I reply

Blehhh I'm going to barf if I keep this dum act up. Also, these skills are really funny when they like to appear. After the conversation, I got the skill "Deceive". Let's just hope this skill is a passive one. I don't feel like yelling Deceive during an important conversation.