Starting Stats

Damien settled on a rock just outside the novice village, taking a moment to catch his breath before willing his status screen to appear. His eyes scanned the familiar display.

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[Name: Damien Morningstar]

[Race: Human]

[State: Mortal]

[Rank: 0]

[Level: 1 (0/10)]

[Title: N/A]

[Free Attribute Points: 0]

[Health: 100/100]

[Stamina: 100/100]

[Strength: 9]

[Agility: 10]

[Vitality: 10]

[Intelligence: 8]

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A satisfied chuckle escaped Damien's lips as he took in the numbers. "Ha Ha Ha!" It had taken years of relentless training to get here, and today it was all paying off.

For the last three years, Damien hadn't missed a single day of training. With Joe's optimized regime guiding him, he had pushed himself to the limit. Though his stats weren't the absolute peak of human potential, they were close enough to make him proud of his accomplishment.

In this game, starting stats ranged between 0 and 10, depending on the individual's prior condition. Damien's rigorous regimen of physical training and strict diet had ensured his starting stats were among the highest possible for a beginner. But even with his impressive start, Damien knew better than to think he was the best. Joe had mentioned there were those who had undergone extreme augmentations, breaking human limits with chemical serums and enhanced training from birth.

That Damien had achieved such a high level without any artificial enhancements was a testament to his natural talent, but he shook his head, dispelling any lingering thoughts of arrogance. Overconfidence could lead to mistakes.

With a deep breath, he began analyzing the stats, double-checking their descriptions despite having a general understanding. He wasn't the type to overlook details.

Strength: This defined his physical damage output when using weapons or his bare hands. It was a vital attribute for attack-based warriors. Each point of strength equaled one point of damage.

Agility: Speed, reflexes, and the ability to evade attacks were all tied to agility. Faster movement and quicker attacks could mean the difference between life and death in battle. One point of agility improved all these aspects proportionally.

Vitality: This was the measure of his health, directly tied to his survivability. One point in vitality equaled ten points of health, making it the most important stat in the early stages. Low health meant vulnerability to even the weakest monsters.

Intelligence: The number of skills or magic he could learn and use depended on intelligence. This stat was crucial for magic users, though Damien didn't consider himself much of a spellcaster. Still, it was useful to understand.

Stamina: His endurance, affecting how long he could fight or perform any physical action. Running out of stamina would drop all other stats to one-tenth of their normal value. The only way to recover it was by resting. Each point of stamina added ten points to the total.

With the essential stats reviewed, Damien moved on to his inventory. He found the same worn-out beginner items every new player started with: a ragged pair of pants, shabby shoes, a threadbare sleeveless shirt, and a rusty long sword.

He grimaced at the sword. Damien wasn't a fan of swords; he much preferred spears for their reach and versatility. Still, he sighed and accepted the reality of starting gear. These items were placeholders, expected to be replaced soon after beginning the game. Nevertheless, as he was currently standing in his underpants, he equipped everything without hesitation. His mismatched attire wasn't stylish by any stretch, but it was better than wandering around half-naked and risking the ire of the NPCs, who likely wouldn't appreciate his lack of decorum.

With his clothing situation handled, Damien opened the map. As expected, the only visible area was the novice village. Everything beyond its borders was cloaked in darkness. He wasn't surprised. To uncover more of the world, he'd need to explore the uncharted territories himself or buy a map.

Reaching level 10 was his primary goal, as it would allow him to leave this village and choose where to go next. But there was something he needed to take care of first.

"Time to get started," Damien muttered, standing up and heading back toward the village.