The screen displayed his details:
Name: Rama
Level: 2
[Stats]
Strength: 5
Dexterity: 13
Perception: 11
Vitality: 5
Intelligence: 15
Available Points to Distribute: 1
[Skills]
Reader POV - level Max
Dagger Mastery - level 1
Rama stared at the stats, a frown forming on his face. "What kind of stat is this?!"
His eyes then shifted to the two gauge bars beneath the stats. One was labeled "HP" (Health Points) and was 60% filled, while the other was labeled "Spirit Points" and was 40% filled.
The "SP" bar puzzled him—he would have expected it to be labeled "MP" (Magic Points), but this system seemed different.
At the bottom of the screen, a line of text caught his attention:
[There are two unread messages]
- Guide on your player stats [unread]
- Your first kill reward [unread]
Rama decided to start with the first message, and as soon as he made his choice, a flood of information surged into his mind, almost as if he were absorbing it at 100 times the normal speed. Despite the overwhelming influx, for someone who had devoured countless stories and played an array of role-playing games, the details were easy to grasp.
Strength: This stat determines the density of one's muscles, affecting physical capabilities such as carrying heavy items, striking with greater force, jumping higher, and running faster.
Dexterity: Dexterity influenced reaction speed and precision in movement. High strength combined with low dexterity would make someone fast in a straight line but clumsy when it came to quick turns or navigating obstacles.
Perception: This stat enhances one's senses, allowing for sharper vision, heightened hearing, and a keener awareness of the environment. It could even improve the ability to discern multiple ingredients in food.
Vitality: This represents the overall condition of one's body and organs. A higher vitality meant a stronger heart for better stamina, denser bones to resist fractures, lungs capable of holding breath longer, and a liver more resistant to poisons.
Intelligence: This measures the brain's capacity, determining how well one can memorize complex information and process data quickly.
Rama was intrigued by the system's breakdown of human stats, which he found to be an accurate reflection of his own physical and mental state. His low strength and vitality perfectly mirrored his weak body. On the other hand, his high dexterity, perception, and intelligence brought a small, satisfied smile to his face.
"Ha! So all those years of reading and smashing the keyboard weren't a total waste after all!"
Yet, the system's stinginess with point distribution left him irritated.
Only one point for leveling up? With 10 being the baseline for a normal adult, it would take him until level 10 just to reach an average human's capability.
Unsure where to allocate his solitary point—wondering if it would even make a difference—Rama decided to focus on something potentially more rewarding. He opened the next message, hoping for some good news.
[Your first kill reward (unread)]
[Do you want to open it?]
"Yes!" he responded eagerly, anticipation bubbling within him.
[The following rewards are available]
Reward 1: Full recovery of current physical condition
Reward 2: Three additional stat points
Reward 3: One random item (tier 2)
Rama's eyes lit up with excitement. The options felt like they were lifted straight from his favorite novels. But before he could express his joy, another message appeared:
[You may choose one from the three options]
"..."
"...Stinggy Bastard!"
He muttered under his breath, the excitement quickly fading.
Each of the rewards was incredibly valuable, making the decision agonizing. He glanced at the [Obsidian Dagger] in his hand, recalling that the Avatar of God novel classified it as a tier 2 material weapon. This made the third reward less appealing, as he already had a similarly valuable weapon.
That left him with two choices: full recovery, which was tempting since it could restore his missing left arm or the three additional stat points.
As an experienced gamer, he knew the unspoken rule—never waste a full recovery option when your HP is still above 50%. Plus, what good was full health if he didn't have the strength to face what lay ahead?
After some internal debate, he made his decision.
[You received three additional stat points]
Available Points to distribute: 4
Strength: 5 (7)
Dexterity: 13
Perceptions: 11
Vitality: 5 (7)
Intelligence: 15
Rama decided to bolster his two weakest stats and immediately noticed the effects of his enhanced stats. His body felt revitalized, his muscles less strained, and his HP had risen to 70%, giving him a renewed sense of confidence.
Determined to explore, he carefully stepped out of the room.
Each step was measured, and he kept his senses alert.
The darkness seemed to play tricks on his eyes, making every shadow appear more ominous. The air was thick with a foul, musty odor that added to the unsettling atmosphere.
Dark, twisting roots covered most of the walls, ceiling, and floor, pulsing with a faint, eerie glow. This magical bioluminescence provided just enough light for Rama to navigate his way through the dank, oppressive space.
As he continued, he encountered a fork in the path. He paused, feeling a slight, chilly breeze. Trusting his instincts, Rama followed the cool air, which led him to a set of stairs. He ascended cautiously, the anticipation growing with each step.
At the top of the stairs, he emerged into a larger room, he cautiously peered into the room, adjusting to the dim light that filtered in. The room's dimensions and layout struck him as oddly familiar, though he was certain he had never been here before. After all, he would surely remember a room where dark trees occupied nearly a third of the space.
He remained still, listening intently for any sounds that might indicate the presence of danger. Soon, he heard a low, menacing growl. His heart raced as he realized another ghoul, almost identical to the one he had just fought, was prowling the area.
Determined not to be cornered back into the basement, Rama moved with deliberate caution. He carefully navigated through the rooms, evading the creature with stealth and precision.
Thanks to his enhanced vitality and high dexterity, Rama was able to slip through the space with calculated judgment, almost as if he were playing a real-life version of "Metal Gear Solid."
However, as he continued to explore the building, the layout began to seem increasingly familiar. The shapes, the sizes of the rooms, and the overall architecture resonated with something he had seen before. The realization struck him with a mix of surprise and recognition.
"This is the old guest house!"
The building was unmistakably part of the family estate where Rama had lived, The Purnama estate.
The eerie familiarity of the place was unsettling. It felt as though he had stepped into a dark, parallel version of his reality—a multiverse cloaked in shadows and danger. The whole concept reminded him of the "Upside Down" from Stranger Things,
...and suddenly, it clicked.
"Dammit, I'm so stupid… of course, this is the Shadow Realm!" he muttered, finally grasping the full implications of his situation. The Shadow Realm, as depicted in the Avatar of God's novel, was an alternate dimension tied to the real world, yet shrouded in darkness and supernatural creatures.
This was the downside of reading novels compared to watching a film: while he had absorbed the words and their worlds, his imagination couldn't always fully capture the author's vivid visual descriptions.
Rama's abrupt revelation came with a price. In his shock and distraction, he accidentally stepped on one of the ominous roots that stretched across the floor.
ROARRR!!
The ghouls detected the disturbance immediately, and Rama could hear the creature's growl growing louder as it moved toward his location.
Reacting quickly, Rama darted into the kitchen. With a burst of adrenaline, he squeezed into a small, hidden spot behind the doorway. He held his breath, eyes fixed on the entrance as he waited for the creature to enter.
Thump. Thump.
Rama's heart pounded in his chest as he heard the creature growl closer, each sound drawing nearer. The moment its head pushed through the doorway, he struck. With a swift motion, he drove the obsidian dagger into the ghoul's skull.
SPLLAATT!
The sudden, brutal attack caused the creature to scream and thrash, but the narrow doorway held its body in place. Fueled by adrenaline, Rama unleashed a flurry of fierce stabs. His high dexterity granted him precise coordination, and this time, there was strength behind his blows, a strength that brought an unexpected rush of satisfaction.
One stab! Two stabs!! Three stabs!!!
Before he could land the fourth, the creature slammed into him and sent him crashing to the ground. For a moment, Rama lay dazed, but as he looked up, he saw the ghoul collapse, lifeless, on the kitchen floor.
"Haha… I did it!... I did it!" he exclaimed, a mix of relief and exhilaration flooding through him.
As he savored the victory, he noticed his Spirit Points (SP) slowly climbing.
40%... 60%... 80%...
[You have leveled up.]
The surge in his Spirit Points provided a clear indication that the SP was functioning as his experience bar. However, based on the Avatar of God novel, Rama speculated that he was actually absorbing the spirit energy of the dead creature to enhance his own strength.
"Haha... I get it!" he exclaimed, a newfound clarity sparking in his mind.
[You received one additional stat point.]
Without hesitation, Rama allocated the point to strength, raising it to 8. But instead of celebrating, he stood still, his senses heightened, ensuring no other creatures were drawn to the noise of his battle.
Only after confirming that the area was clear did he step outside.
As Rama stepped out, the familiar sight of the yard, the statues, and the various buildings confirmed his suspicion—he was standing in the Shadow Realm's twisted version of his family estate.
The sky above was veiled in thick, dark clouds, throbbing with the ominous energy of a storm brewing just out of sight. Strange, shadowy creatures flitted through the air, their silhouettes barely discernible against the swirling gloom. The entire landscape was distorted, twisted into a nightmarish version of the place he called home.
Rama stood frozen as he tried to piece together the reason behind his presence in this eerie realm.