Chapter 4: First steps (2)
Pov Blaze
1 Hour later
I opened up my system status to look at everything.
_Status_
Blaze Nights
Lv: 1
Race: Lesser werewolf (human)
Bloodline:-----
Exp:0/500
Gold:20,000
_Stats_
HP:300/300
MP:60/60
Str:4 Int:6
Agi:8 Con:3
Luck:19
Stat points:21
Skill points:3
—-Skills—-
_Unique skills_ [Aura manipulation lv:1 {S}]
_Active skills _
[Claw slash lv:1{D-}] [Lycans Rage lv:1{C}]
_Passive skills_
[Predators Body lv:1{B+}] [Unyielding Soul lv: max {SSS}] [Devour:lv:0 {F-}]
I ignored the race and bloodline trait, as I could easily assume that my system would allow me to evolve into a higher breed of werewolf. The bloodline trait was blank and gave me no info, so I gave up on it for the time being. What was more important was getting more details on my stats.
"System, explain each stat in detail and what it represents," I commanded as multiple panels popped up going over everything in detail.
{HP, or health points, is the calculated value of how much damage the user can sustain before death}
{MP, or mental power, is the limit of one's mental capacity, not necessarily tied to only being a percentage of one's energies, as it's also a showing of how much mental stress one can overcome before going into an unconscious state or mind out state, which will force the user to experience bodily harm}
{STR or strength is the value of the user's physical power, striking force, carrying ability, as well as physical skills and/or job skills using said stat.}
{INT or Intelligence is the value of the user's intelligence, which not only makes one smarter to a degree but mostly allows the user to process information faster, as well as comprehend new and old information. Increases one's potency with magic and arcane energies as well as influences proficiency. Will not always increase the MP value.}
{AGI or Agility is the value of the user's speed, nimbleness, dexterity, and body reaction speed. Increases the effectiveness of all senses, whether it be the cardinal five and sometimes more unique senses.}
{Con or Constitution is the value of the user's overall wellness, both physical, mental, and spiritual. increases the resistance and natural health of the user, as well as the overall capacity and potency of one's inner life energy, as well as external integration of energies. Will always increase the HP value. If the user uses Ki or life energy, the stat helps scale the capacity as well.}
So far, all these stats seemed self-explanatory, or so I thought. These normal stats now held more value to other things that I or others may not be aware of. Like con being my overall healthiness and defense, rather than just a simple HP boost, which would also explain my low Int, as it's my overall mastery of both mental capabilities and magical prowess, as many dumb individuals could still have a great magical ability and a high Intelligence stat but not be a genius. It can make you smarter, but that does not mean you'll be instantly smart or a genius. Which, sadly, many believe was a thing only to find out in the long run that dumping it all in one stat was useless; everyone must find a balance or build that works for them.
I was also surprised, as it directly told me what stats affected Mana and Ki, as those are two energies many learn and use to get a leg up over people. Werewolves are naturally very in tune with Ki, but I've sadly not been blessed as such. I always preferred magic anyway, and mana is easier to learn. Even if one does not naturally know how to manipulate mana around them, it's something one can learn from teachings such as Ki. It's very hit or miss, as it's different for everyone, and the ways one is taught are more so just tips or vague things one must understand to feel the energy.
Learning to channel mana into a spell is difficult if you don't know the ways, but even then mana can be used to straighten the body. That was my go-to method with swordplay, as it was more effective, as the only spells I knew were basic fireball and mana skin. When I was younger, I was seen as a prodigy, as without a system I naturally learned to manipulate mana into fire, but it seems my weak body got worse, making it a burden to learn more as a mage.
I'll have to try and channel my mana to see if I can learn it again naturally or through the system. After seeing this final stat and my skills, as I was getting off track as I was drying off my naked body and tail, many faded scars could be seen on my slender yet slightly framed body.
I always was a fast, flexible fighter rather than a simple boxy frame, which only added to my androgynous looks that annoyed me to no end when many would call me a woman or when guys would hit on me, as I would mostly tell em to fuck off, as they were never my type anyway.
Looking at the final stat, I felt my heart skip for a second as this wasn't a typical RPG luck stat for bonus damage. Luck is something different...
{The unique stat given to the user as LUCK represents going against causality. If the user was put into a situation where one would normally fail or get nothing, the user's existence makes it so that even something can be given to benefit the user, but luck is not all good, as there must be equal exchange to going against causality. So the user will suffer to grow as the user did before gaining the system and before that.....}
{Lycan wanted the new user to work five times harder to grow stronger, but do not fret, as each improvement makes the user able to go against said suffering. The strong make one's fate, and in turn, will no longer be forced to suffer but fight the suffering.}
{Gained stat points cannot be used to increase luck; only the user's actions, certain quests, and items can raise luck. The higher it is, the more valuable the reward the system will give the user, but in return, karma will come to bring strife; random encounters will also be more likely, as well as rare drops and other things.}
"T-this is bullshit! I'm given a stat that will not only give me good shit but will make me suffer to get it. That's not lucky; that's fucking...ah just ahh!" I screamed out to myself in my empty apartment building, slumping on the floor.
"....fuck it. I've suffered already; then at least this time, I know I'll be rewarded for it, right?" I said to myself, sighing.
I've always hated those bastards with better systems and skills, always taking from me, but now I won't suffer in silence, but with a hidden grin. What I lose I'll only get rewarded with better! Maybe I've gone mad, or maybe I've finally understood it all. I've never preferred an easy win. I always preferred challenges anyway, and with this cheat, no matter what, I would get something as I would earn it from my hard work. After calming myself down, it was time to see what was new. Bringing up my unique ability id say the hard work of my past paid off as I started to read the description in detail.
{[Aura manipulation]: One can manipulate one's aura or the Soulforce that comes off one's very soul. The fact that you have this ability goes to show how strong your very soul is. As aura comes in many different colors and forms, you can use it in many different ways, such as object construction, spells, buffs, and even curses, depending on one's imagination and sufficient Soulforce. Soulforce is measured not by a number but by the culmination of stamina and mental strength, as one soul has no measure but can expand and grow; one will know their limits without them having to be shown.}
{Your aura color is gray, meaning your aura is defined in a state of neutrality, as it can be positive or negative; both will give it different strengths. It will not be raw power but refined and defined; your soul is in the perfect balance of pure and corruption. It is up to you to choose how to use this aura.....}
{[Claw slash lv:1 {D-}] throws out claws magical energy (can be further straightened using aura)}
{[Lycans Rage lv:1 {C}] temporarily doubles all stats for five minutes while increasing the damage one takes. This is a unique rage skill that can only be used by werewolves, as the primordial werewolf Lycan could use the strength and power of a fully transformed werewolf in a non-transformed state while keeping the sanity of the mind; however, the bloodlust to hunt will grow drastically in this state. If one manages to devour the heart of their prey or a heart, increase in all stats by 2 (max stack of 03 before resting back to original stat numbers), cool down 1 hour after user unless a full moon is out and visibly shining. }
After evaluating my only active skills, these were pretty good as I had a good range ability and a busted rage ability; however, the requirement to eat the hearts of my prey meant I would have to eat whatever I'm fighting. I'm not above eating human or sentient life; we werewolves thrive off it. I've just never done the killing; I've only been given what others would hunt, but that would also mean I'd have to eat trolls or goblins and other monsters and beings. The thought alone made me want to puke....but my mouth was also drooling at the mere thought of ripping into one and eating them whole.
Only now did I finally understand the name of my system; it would make me want to eat the things I'd fight to grow stronger...I'd crave to eat to gain its strength.
{~User has unlocked a hidden quest~}
{~Quest: devour to grow strong~}
{~The user has managed to understand that this system requires him to eat not just food but strong life to gain even more straight the user came to the conscious conclusion that to get strong, one must throw away some form of morality.~}
{~Eat strong living life (0/3)~}
{~Reward 500 exp~}
{~Failure increases bloodlust till the user is forced to eat life or death.~}
{~As a bonus for first-time hidden quest unlock skill devour has been upgraded to lv:1~}
Surprisingly, I wasn't mad or distraught.
Without knowing till now, I was smiling madly elated with the prospect of doing this, as before I never saw a use to eating people or monsters; we just had the urge to do so, no real benefit besides its taboo nature, but now I'll gain something from this. Then it clicked the system wasn't some AI or something else ...It was me, it was my soul, and it was happy at the very thing all werewolves loved to partake in. I wasn't asking some program for some information; I was asking another part of me. I quickly looked at the passive skills as I got dressed and donned my low-ranked gear.
{[Predators body lv:1{B+}] Your senses are as sharp as predators, enhancing all your senses to that of a breed hunter, yet do not mistake this as experience, as one your body is now only made to be one; it is up to you to actively hone them.}
{[Unyielding soul lv: Max{SSS}] Your soul will not bow down to any man or king nor the infinite gods above you. Because of this, you can stave off mental and most spiritual invasion flung your way...However, be forewarned this is not a skill that is always used in your favor as it can be used against you by your own self... for what the soul perceives as good, bypassing the body and mind.}
{[Devour lv:1 {F-}] The main skill of your system; most will grow strong from killing and training, but you will gain random permanent stats from the enemies' hearts you eat, with a slight chance of gaining an ability from the eaten foes at lower levels and a higher chance from foe's your current level and an almost guarantee from enemies 10 levels or higher.
{_Ability 2_ Not only does flesh and hearts sate your hunger and strength, but monster and magical cores as well will give you benefits from eating them, from stats to other random effects/ skills.}
{_Ability 3_ Anything the user eats will give back HP and/or MP as well, depending on what is consumed. The amount is also dependent on the item and size of item consumed; most foods will heal even if rotten or raw. Cooked or prepared meals will always be more beneficial for healing unless it is a direct kill or a being or organ containing energy.}
As I finished putting on a pair of black cargo pants and a faded dark purple shirt, I looked at my old worn mana steel straight sword. Picking it up and wondered if this would even do me any good, as I was better off selling it. Since it had a low-level fire gem in it, the blade itself could sell for about 500 gold.
As the blade was about to snap and my new stats and lack of mastery skills would slow me down, as I was no longer a simple spell knight. That and the blade was far too heavy now; I could just barely hold it up with both hands. I wish I could swing it around to get a basic sword mastery 1 skill, but if it breaks then I can kiss that idea goodbye till I buy a new one even if I could properly swing it. Just as I was about to say fuck it and walk out the door to sell it and buy a basic sword to start hunting, I felt oddly compelled to look at the gem, as I'd have to be insane as I pried the gem free with little resistance. Looking it over, as it was basically a mana core, right? So why not eat it?
"It said monster cores and magical cores, but a simple fire gem?....nothing lost, nothing gained...Right?" I said to myself. Against all my reasoning, I swallowed the gem as my teeth couldn't break it, gagging a bit and coughing, believing it would destroy my throat. This was hell; I couldn't throw it back up?! I was choking and gagging on the gem as I fell to the Floor holding my throat; only when I was going to curse my dumbass thinking did my body grow hot as the pain faded, and my mouth became sweet and slightly metallic tasting as it slid down like a pill with ease. Only for a system prompt to flash before my eyes.
{Low-rank fire gem has been infused with mana for so long that it became a conduit for fire, meeting the requirements of a low-rank fire core user; gained +3 INT.}
{Int:6>9}
I could only stare in disbelief that that actually fucking worked...