2 Taking Stock of the Situation

"Okay, status update. Got all of my things scattered, or all least those I can see near here. There may be more scattered around. And learned more about my powers."

"First off, I'm not in home state of Texas anymore. Or the good, old US of A."

"Okay, I'm in an 'Earth'. Not just my planet Earth, but on another 'Earth' entirely. An alternate reality Earth."

"And it's the 'Year of Our Lord' 1872. And I'm in London. During the reign of Her Mastery, Queen Victoria."

"Yikes. "Gonna need new threads and learn the local custom and mannerism, but I've got no local currency. Need to fix that, or I'm going to stick out like a sore thumb. But that's a worry for later. Let's get on with the regular scheduled programming."

"Next, check what I've found lying around and what I've scavenged, so far."

"I got both of my canvas bags. One of them a rucksack; 30 inches long, with waterproof lining, and modified by myself to have straps outside to hold tools with long handles like crowbars and axes. This is my to-go work and hiking bag. Tough, rugged, and can carry almost anything I might need. The other is a plain sack bag, closed on the top with heavy-duty string. It has both backpack and shoulder straps so I can carry it with my other bag. A large cotton bedsheet, big enough for a king-sized bed. A regular black jacket. It has a lots of zippered pockets, good for carrying small things. Cargo pants, with zippered pockets also. Socks, so I won't turn my feet into a bloody mess while wearing my hiking boots. And my new gloves. Fire-resistant, cut-resistant, impact-resistant, water-resistant. Really great for protecting my hands. Not so great for hand dexterity."

"And the best find? My toolbox. Filled with all manners of tools. Screwdrivers, wrenches, files, saws. Everything I find needed for my work or just find handy and useful. And when I touched it, I unlocked my 'Toolbox' function."

"With that function, I can craft simple tools like disposable lockpicks, crude weapons like clubs and shivs, and basic explosives like Molotov cocktails and black powder. For more advanced crafting and modification of items, I need to unlock the 'Worktable' function. For that, I'm gonna need a lot more tools and equipment. And a large, sturdy table to hold them all, of course. There's even more functions like 'Alchemistry Set', 'Forge', and 'Enchant Altar' - each with their own unlock requirements."

"Pity I don't have my Halligan bar or the 9mm Beretta stashed in the safe under the bed."

"For the other aspects of my power, I've learned quite a lot. But it still feels like I'm missing something.... Something important."

"But, anyway.... This is what I learned so far."

"'Analysis'. That's the ability I used when I first picked up my boots. It's used automatically when I touched something. And the ability shows the relevant information about the target. Also, the information delivered differs from item to item. Some may have more, some less. The stats of my newly-crafted Wooden Club."

'PING!'

[WOODEN CLUB:]

[TYPE: Weapon(Blunt/1-Hand)]

[MATERIAL: Scrap Wood(+)]

[QUALITY: Crude(+)]

[ATTRIBUTES:]

[DUR: 9/10(+)]

[DMG: Blunt - 3/10(+)]

[ASPD: 3/10(+)]

[WGT: 3kg(+)]

[ENC: Arms - 10(+)]

[BONUS: N/A]

[ENCHANT:]

[None(+)]

[MODS:]

[HANDLE: None]

[BODY: None]

[HEAD: None]

[OTHERS: None]

"And this is my Hiking Boots."

'PING!'

[HIKING BOOTS:]

[TYPE: Armor(Foot)]

[MATERIAL: Ordinary Leather(+)]

[QUALITY: Common(+)]

[ATTRIBUTES:]

[DUR: 15/15(+)]

[RES: Blunt: 1/5(+), Cut: 1/5(+), Acid: 1/5(+), Fire: 0/5(+), Cold: 1/5(+)]

[DMG: Blunt: 3/5(+)]

[WGT: 2.5kg(+)]

[ENC: Lower Body: 10(+)]

[BONUS: +1 TO DEF]

[ENCHANT:]

[None(+)]

[MOD:]

[LINING: Standard]

[SOLE: Standard]

[INSERT: None]

[OTHERS: None]

"While most Attributes like DUR or Durability , DMG or Damage, WGT or Weight, and ENC or Encumbrance are the same for these two, some Attributes are quite different. The Wooden Club has ASPD or Attack Speed , while the Hiking Boots have RES or Resistance. Maybe it's due to their 'TYPE': the club is a 'Weapon' while the boots are 'Armor'. My power is not very helpful in that regard, having no 'Help' or Tutorial' function whatsoever."

"While most of the stats are easily understandable like DUR and DMG, why have both WGT and ENC? The answer? They are different functions. WGT affects the ability to carry the item, while ENC affects the body part, or parts, where the item is equipped. WGT is how heavy the item is, ENC is how well your body can wear that item on the specified body part."

"And 'Upgrade Points (UP)'? They're very, very, VERY important. This is the easiest way to modify an item's Attributes. Every stat in an item can be altered by adding Upgrade Points to it. Except for MOD(Modifications), which requires a 'Worktable' to attach, remove and change. And any item can be altered. From tests I've conducted, I can alter a simple rock to my wonderful gloves. The amount per item varies; items up to 'Common' Quality just requiring 1 point to increase each stat. My gloves, being 'Superior' Quality, required 3. It's not the only way to increase them, but it's the only way that I ALWAYS have access to. Upgrade Kits? Need to make them at a 'Worktable. Enchantments? The 'Enchant Altar' is needed."

"Also from my observations, item Quality at least ranges from 'Simple' to 'Superior'. There may be more higher 'Quality levels, but those are all I have access to, for now. 'Simple' are basic materials like rocks and wood. 'Crude' are like my Wooden Club and Scarf. 'Common' are most of my mass-produced items, like my boots and clothing. 'Fine' is my toolbox. Yep, the toolbox is upgradable. It even increases my 'Toolbox' function's ability. And 'Superior' is my gloves. Also observation suggests that an item's construction and capability affect its rating."

"The 'QUALITY' rating affects how high you can upgrade an item . Like 'Simple' materials can only go as high as 5 on on its only stat, DUR. 'Crude' has stats that can go up to 10. 'Common' has a max of 15. 'Fine' up to 20. And the 'Superior' gloves has a max DUR value of 50."

"The item's 'TYPE' affect stats, too. My Wooden Club, being a 'Weapon', can get its DMG value up to 10, it's max Quality value. But the Hiking Boots' DMG only go up to 5, regardless of it being 'Common' Quality, due to it being an 'Armor'."

"Not only that, I've also discovered my personal 'Status Sheet'."

<'Status Sheet'.>

'PING!'

[STATUS SHEET:]

[NAME: Henry Jones.]

[AGE: 33]

[GENDER: Male]

[BLOODLINE: Human]

[TITLES: N/A]

[HP: 140/140]

[UPGRADE POINTS: 0/11]

[ATTRIBUTES:]

[STR: 16(+)]

[CON: 14(+)]

[SPD: 12(+)]

[DEX: 18(+)]

[INT: 18(+)]

[WILL: 15(+)]

[CHA: 16(+)]

[PER: 13(+)]

[SPI: 10(Locked)]

[LUK: 10]

[BONUS:]

[DEF: 1]

[DEBUFF: N/A]

"Your regular LitRPG char sheet right there. With some caveats."

"There's no leveling mechanic whatsoever. That means being a murderhobo is not the way to 'ULTIMATE POWAH!'."

'Sigh.' "No power-leveling for me, I guess."

"Okay, here are the descriptions for each Attributes.."

"STR for Strength. Melee damage and carrying capacity."

"CON for Constitution. Increase Health Points, or HP in short, and HP regen."

"SPD for Speed. Move and Attack Speed is affected by this."

"DEX for Dexterity. Flexibility of body, especially hands. Girls at college said I should have become a doctor. 'Surgeon's Hands' they call it." 'Sigh'. "Should have asked Macey if she wants to go to the frat-sor ball. Ah, how is she, by the way?"

"Right... moving on. INT for Intelligence. Ability to learn and retain knowledge. I'm quite intelligent, if I do say so myself. I took all three college degrees at the same time. Some of them shared credit, sure. But still, THREE degrees. Even the university chairman was surprised that I finished them with failing classes. Earned Cum Laude in all three of them. AND finished in top 10 in the license exams for all three, too." (Author: Okay, you proved your point. Now stop boasting and get on with monologuing your part of the story.)

"WILL for Willpower. Resists mental influences. This... I'm quite scared why I have this. Does this mean there is a likelihood - and quite a large one at that - of something OR someone that can affect your state of mind. Even to the extent of being it to their will?"

More sighing "Guess I will find out sooner or later."

"Okay, next. CHA for Charisma. Affects initial relationship level with beings at initial meeting. Also affect your ability to persuade them. Dunno why I've got quite a high score for that. Yeah, I've a got body at that, but my face is just above average. And I'm not really good at talking with others. Like Macey. Guess I should have taken the self-confidence training course that was offered in uni."

"PER for Perception. Not great, but it's definitely higher than average. And the average is 10 for a normal human male. Found it out by clicking the 'Bloodline'. Anyway, it affects awareness of surroundings and the ability of my five senses. Got 20/15 vision, might be due to that.

"SPI for Spirit. This... I don't really know how to explain it. The description say it affect the person's ability to sense and interact with the Beyond. And cast spells and create enchantments, I guess. But it's locked, and I don't know how to unlock it."

"Last is LUK for Luck. How can my power quantify Luck? And the base for my race or 'Bloodline' is 0. ZERO. Nada. Zilch. Zip."

Another sigh. "Why?" A pause, lasting a minute or so. "Why? Was it because I'm fucking chosen to be here? Or was I lucky to have survived my transport here. Or is because I'm lucky I got these powers."

"I feel like I'm getting screwed up by having no 'Help' or 'Tutorial' function. And I don't know why."

More sighing and ruminations.

A few minutes later.

"Okay, Attributes. How to even increase my Attributes without 'Leveling-Up'? Spend 'Upgrade Points' on them. Yep, 'Upgrade Points'. This... this is why I mentioned that 'Upgrade Points' are very, very, VERY important. SUPER IMPORTANT. I can't really stress how important 'Upgrade Points' are. Almost everything can be upgraded by 'Upgrade Points'. Only two Attributes, SPI and LUK, are not increased by it. See, VERY simple... AND VERY important."

"The catch? To increase an Attribute, multiply the next value by 10 to get how many 'Upgrade Points' are needed. For example: to increase my PER(Perception) to 14, I need to spend 140 'Upgrade Points'. That's how hard it is to increase them. Same with items; 'Upgrade Points' are the most accessible way to increase my Attributes. Good thing they can be increased incrementally, No need to collect the required amount of 'Upgrade Points', I can add as many points as many times I want until I achieved the required amount needed. For example: I can add 1 'Upgrade Point' every day until I achieved the required amount. Increasing my Attributes is a long-term project. My studies hinted at consumables and rituals to increase my Attributes. But I believe they are very scarce or have side-effects that may render them not worth it."

"And my 'Upgrade Points' maximum is increased by 1. It seems I can increase the maximum by spending at least 10 'Upgrade Points' for 1 point increase. Based on that, the rate of increase seems to be 10% of total spent 'Upgrade Points'. It might not be correct, I don't really know. I only based it on the single increase after I used up all my 'Upgrade Points'. But if the rate of increase stays true, I can gain 8 more 'Upgrade Points' after one week. That will raise my max 'Upgrade Points' to 19. After a month, my max 'Upgrade Points' can reach 158."

"So let's talk about 'Skills'. Skills are..."

"Hraaaaaahhh..."

Henry is interrupted by that sound. The sound that came from beyond the entrance of the alleyway.

"Oh fuck... what the hell is that sound?"

The source of the sounds are getting closer.

"Okay... that's not good. Not good to all."

A shadow appears beyond the alley entrance.

"Nope. Time to get the fuck out of here."

Henry tries to run but....

"RAAAAAAAAAGGGHH!!!"

A roar. Or maybe a scream. Neither. Or both. It was blood-curling. Bone-chilling.

It forced Henry down on his knees. And rendered him nauseous, almost to the point for vomiting. Only his focus and maybe his quite high WILL score saved him from fainting entirely, barely.

The shadow moves closer, slowly covering the dim light coming from that end of the alley where it came from. Or appeared from.

"RAAAAAAAAAGGGHH!!!"

Henry almost faints at that next... sound. He feels it in his bones. In his mind.

In his soul.

That... sound is trying to rip his soul right out of his body. Trying to rend it. Trying to consume it.

"Over here... The Vranitch..."

Through the pain... Henry hears someone, or several someones, coming.

"Sergei, quick! Throw the Solarite into the alley!"

'FLASH!!!'

"AAAAAAAAAAGGGHH!!!"

This time it was definitely a scream. A pain-filled howl. It still sears the soul, but the intensity is lessened immensely.

"Pradesh, the rock salt rounds! Let that monster have it!"

'BANG!'

More pain-filled screams. Several 'somethings' pelt you, like dry sand blasted at you skin. It stings, but you welcome it. This pain is better than what you felt earlier.

Because the pain reminds you of being alive.

'BANG!' 'BANG!' 'BANG!'

More shots. More screams. More hollering and shouting from the other people.

"Uk'rum! Banish it! Now!"

Then you heard chanting, interspersed with more gunfire. The chanting becomes faster, louder.

More urgent.

Then the 'beast' howls some more. Then sounds of scuffling.

The chanting reaches a fever pitch.

And then a sound like a balloon popping. A balloon filled with something nasty.

Silence at last.

"Sergei, look. It seems the creature's victim survived the attack. Help me get him into to car. We'll bring him to the Sergei. Pradesh, William - clean-up duty. Uk'rum, erase all presence of the supernatural here.

"Da." "Yes, Sahib." "Whatever you say." "By Ulum's Grace, it will be done."

"Kid's a really lucky sonofabitch, isn't he?"

"Crude language, Sergei."

"Whatever, doc."

"Still, you are right." He then looks at Henry. "My boy, you sure are lucky indeed."

Henry finally succumbs to the sweet embrace of Morpheus.

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