Physique Upgrade and Starter Perks

"How was your day then, little lion?" an aged man smilingly asked me, "I hope it's been good. But from the state of your clothing and the injuries on your body...I'd say it's been rough day," his smile went away as he gave me a once over.

It had been a few hours since I killed the scarred man, and after that, I went on to kill seven more prisoners before my grandfather, Tywin Lannister, came and stopped me.

I didn't notice it at first, but I had been gaining points for each kill I did. I'd have to check it out later.

Nodding, I replied, "It has been a...sobering day for me, grandfather," I said with a indifferent voice, the slight horrors of killing someone still stinging my brain. Though perhaps it was because of my Witcher physiology, I was in a much better state than some people would be.

"How so, Damien?" Tywin leaned over his desk and leaned his chin on his hands, his cunning green eyes looking down at me.

Meeting his eye contact, I answered, "That's it's easy to kill someone. That everyone's weak to a blade to the chest. It just sobered me up and made me want to try harder at life and train harder," I shrugged, breaking eye contact and looking around the room, "I hope you won't tell mother what I've been doing. She'd probably get incredibly mad at both me and Uncle Jaime," I looked back to him, signalling with my eyes that nobody would want that. Not even him.

"Hmm," Tywin nodded his head before standing up, "It's good that you've learnt this, Damien. You see, I have hope for you, boy," he smiled and his wrinkles got even more pronounced, "You have smarts and you have martial ability beyond your age. Otherwise you wouldn't have been able to kill 8 people," he stated in a matter-of-fact way, and in some kind of messed up way, he was right. But oblivious to my thoughts he carried on, "You're a true Lannister, boy. A Lion among sheep. Some would even say you're a Lion in human skin due to your abilities...but I don't think that's a bad thing," he mused, the fire next to him, crackling and casting shadows over his face, making him look quite sinister, "But nevermind that. If you need anything - training resources, more instructors...more prisoners - come and tell me. All I ask is that you don't forget who you are and who your family is," he said before turning around and sitting back in his chair, reading and filling out documents.

"Now go and get washed up, otherwise your mother will find out even if I don't tell her," Tywin said without looking up at me, "And go to the Maester Pycelle to get some medicine to aid in your recovery. Tell him I sent you and for him to keep quiet," with that, he spoke no more and I just nodded before heading off to the bathing quarters.

. . .

Eating some of the pills Maester Pycelle gave me, I swallowed them with some water before sitting down on my bed and closing my eyes.

'Status'

[Name: Damien Baratheon (Lannister)]

[Age: 10]

[Physique: Lv1]

[Skills: Swordsmanship (Lv2), Dagger Proficiency (Lv2), Hand-to-Hand (Lv1), Dual-Wielding (Lv3)]

[Perks: N/A]

[Mutagen Points: 800]

[Upgrade and Perk Menu - Y/N]

Mentally, I clicked the 'Y' and a plus sign appeared behind each of my skills, behind my Physique level, and next to the word 'Perks'. Knowing where my priorities lay, I clicked the plus sign next to my Physique level and more text appeared in my mind.

[This will cost 500 Mutagen Points. Do you still wish to continue? Y/N]

Gritting my teeth and preparing for some pain, I mentally pressed the 'Y' before boiling heat filled me, flooding my veins and boiling my blood.

Cracks and snaps rang throughout my room, and if it weren't for my already high pain tolerance, I'd have screamed out loud. Luckily I hadn't, otherwise I'd have to explain to them what was happening to me.

The energy was changing my muscles, my nerves, my skin, my bones...even my goddamned hair. Everything was changing. Becoming tougher, harder, more powerful.

If before, I had the physical capabilities of an athletic man, then I felt like now, I was growing to the level of an elite-athlete, or nearly an Olympic-level athlete.

The pain was horrible but it was suppressed by the thought that this pain was washing away my weakness, bit by bit, making me less susceptible to the harsh outside world of Westeros and less likely to die to it and it's inhabitants. This world was a world ruled by power, whether that be political or personal power, it didn't matter. I'm a Lannister, a Baratheon by name only, and a prince, so I already have political power.

This pain would help me gain personal power.

So I pushed through it.

Before I knew it, the whole ordeal was over and I was panting heavily, gulping down air and sweating buckets.

Closing my eyes again, I mentally pressed against the '+' next to the perk section of the status. Suddenly I was shown four tables, each with a perk tree in them.

[Strength Perks: N/A](+)

[Dexterity Perks: N/A](+)

[Stamina Perks: N/A](+)

[Intelligence Perks: N/A](+)

[The price for each starter perk is 100 Mutagen Points. Do you wish to see the starter perks? Y/N]

Clicking 'Y', another four tables appeared in my head.

[Strength Starter Perk, +10% Physical Strength and Toughness, +10% Vitality and Healing Ability, +5% Resistance to Ailments Such as Bleeding] (+)

[Dexterity Starter Perk, +10% Movement and Attack Speed, +10% Reaction Time and Agility, +10% Senses] (+)

[Stamina Starter Perk, +10% Physical and Mental Stamina, +10% Recovery Ability, +5% Resistance to Pain] (+)

[Intelligence Start Perk, Unlock Ability to use Level One Signs] (+)

Looking in my head at these perks, I remembered that I had 300 points to spend, so I could get three of them. I looked over each and every one of their benefits, and finally, I came to a conclusion. I clicked down on my first perk - Strength.

The additional physical strength and toughness was a welcomed ability, but the reason I took this perk was because of the increased health and healing ability. Plus, the resistance to bleed would help me immensely. These reasons brought me onto my next perk.

Stamina.

Stamina/Endurance is the most important thing in a fight. If I can keep on going further, for longer than my opponent, they'll lose and they will die, leaving me the winner and alive. Alive being the most important thing, honestly. Plus, the increased recovery ability and resistance to pain will be boons for me in the future.

Now, I was brought to my last perk choice. Either Dexterity or Intelligence. One would help me be quicker with keener reflexes and senses, while the other would let me use simple combat magic which would give me a unique trump card to use against my opponents. But even then, when I really thought about it, I quickly decided what I needed.

Dexterity. If I needed to dodge, this is what I'd need, and dodging saves your life.

Sure, Signs would be incredibly useful. But right now, I need a stronger physical body with more prowess. Level One Signs aren't even that powerful, either. I'd rather get and practice Signs when I'm a bit older and have more access to Mutagen Points through the wars to come.

[Do you wish to confirm the Perks you have chosen, Y/N?]

Clicking the 'Y' just like I had many times today, I felt another round of heat spread throughout my body. It was still painful but compared to the physique upgrade earlier...it was practically nothing. Or was that just my pain resistance kicking in?

Anyway, despite the pain, I was still smiling. Because like before, this was pain that was weeding out weakness.

Finally, the pain gave way to feelings of power and clarity.

Standing up, I flexed and tensed my muscles, getting a feel for the overwhelming power held in them, and walked over to the mirror in my room and looked at myself. Taller than my peers, athletic-looking with compact and defined muscles that looked odd on my 10-year-old body, and from the few fights I'd been in, I had some scars, scatted around my torso and arms. I had some scars around my hands from where I'd nicked them when I was practicing with my daggers. Yet I cared not for the fact my appearance was marred because these scars are memoirs of my journey.

They're priceless and I wouldn't trade them for anything.

Looking to my face, I saw my shoulder-length blond hair, pulled into a ponytail and falling down my back like a waterfall of gold. Looking toward my eyes, I saw my golden yellow eyes staring back at me, the very color of them making them feel like an animals eyes instead of a human's.

Even then, that didn't mare my handsome appearance. My pale skin, delicate and noble features, yet also the sharp and angular lines that mixed with those noble features...I was a future lady killer in the making. If I had to compare myself to anyone, it would be Alucard from Castlevania. At least the Netflix adaptation of him.

"Brother!"

"Brother!"

I heard two bell-like voices shouting from the halls, their innocence clear in their voices. So clear that I'd know exactly who it was, even if they didn't shout 'Brother' at the top of their thoughts.

Shaking my head, a smile spread across my face before I slipped on a loose white tunic and went to answer my door. Just as I stood in front of my door, two sets of rapid knocking came from the door, intermixed with giggles of excitement. Smiling and shaking my head again, I opened the door with a mock-reprimanding expression on my face, "Now, now, what did I teach you about being so uncivilized when you knock on someone's door? Hmm?" I asked, still smiling.

"Brother! Stop being such a stick in the mud! Mother told us to come tell you that the food is done!" Myrcella, my younger sister. She was the third oldest sibling out of the four of us. Looking to the right of her, I saw my youngest brother, Tommen, nodding enthusiastically at what Myrcella said.

They both looked up at me with their innocent little eyes, awe and admiration floating in their blue eyes.

I was the oldest sibling. Then a year later, Joffrey was born. Another year after that, Myrcella was born. Then finally, four years after that, Tommen was born. And unlike Joffrey, I wasn't a sadistic little bastard to my younger siblings. I didn't bully or torment them, but I looked after them and helped them when need be.

Hence the admiration in their eyes.

"And what about Joffrey? Do we need to go and pick him up?" I asked, a forced smile plastered over my face.

Joffrey. The only sibling of mine who wouldn't accept my help. It seems that even with an elder brother, he still turned out to be a narcissistic piece of shit. Very envious as well, as shown by his unusual hatred of me because I'm simply better at fighting than he is. But this has caused a slight change. He's not a total coward anymore. He actually took sword lessons and stuck to them, and despite not being the best, he's still gonna be quite a bit more capable than the canon Joffrey.

Though nothing compared to me, or most people in the show, really.

Shaking her head, the 8-year-old Myrcella smiled up at me with her pearly whites, "No, we don't, brother. He's already there with mother," she trailed off for a second, "Now come on! Mother told us that we're having a whole pig!" she said in her usual giddy excitement whenever she spoke to me about something that had caught her attention.

But I wonder...

Would she be in so much admiration of me if she knew that'd I'd been fighting, killing, and covering myself in people's blood earlier today?

Would...Would she still have an appetite to sit and eat with her older brother then?

I wonder...