A few days later.
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[Status]
Makoto Akatani
Level: 0
HP: 100 / 100
MP: 10 / 10
Defense: 0
Strength: 500
Dexterity: 0
Intelligence: 0
Resistance: 0
Agility: 0
Mystery: 0
Spirit: 0
[Skill]
'Basic Strength' x5 Evolvable to higher-level skill
[Equipment]
'Skill Tree'
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[Skill Tree]
Tree Level: 0
Skill Points: 0
Point Mission: Completed
[Skill Menu]
'Basic Strength'
Obtainable Times: 0
'Basic Endurance'
Obtainable Times: 4
'Basic Magic'
Obtainable Times: 5
'Basic Defense'
Obtainable Times: 5
'Basic Dexterity'
Obtainable Times: 5
'Basic Intelligence'
Obtainable Times: 5
'Basic Resistance' NEW!
Obtainable Times: 5
'Basic Agility' NEW!
Obtainable Times: 5
'Basic Mystery' NEW!
Obtainable Times: 5
'Basic Spirit' NEW!
Obtainable Times: 5
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So, I had finished acquiring 'Basic Strength'.
I could clearly feel the increase in my strength now. For example, I could crush an empty Monster Energy can vertically with my fingers. How about that power? That was the strength of 500.
However, even for explorers, that was probably something anyone could do. I had to try harder since I didn't have talent. I had to work 10 times, no, 20 times harder than others.
By the way, quite a few NEW! skills had increased.
It seemed that when I completed a point mission, new skills got added. Although this was just my feeling, I was not sure about the details.
The newly unlocked skills in the [Skill Menu] were as follows.
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'Basic Resistance'
Passive Skill
Increases the Resistance stat
First, lay the groundwork
Reduce damage from magical attacks
Better safe than sorry
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'Basic Agility'
Passive Skill
Increases the Agility stat
First, lay the groundwork
A stat related to speed
If you don't get hit, it doesn't matter
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'Basic Mystery'
Passive Skill
Increases the Mystery stat
First, lay the groundwork
Control the mystery and challenge the unknown
The opponent is not ordinary
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'Basic Spirit'
Passive Skill
Increases the Spirit stat
First, lay the groundwork
A strong spirit is necessary to deal with mysteries
An indomitable spirit is the most terrifying weapon
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I somehow sensed a pattern.
All the newly added skills were basics.
They were passive skills to strengthen stats.
Now I should have had all the basic skills.
Endurance, Magic, Defense, Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Resistance, Agility, Mystery, and Spirit, the 10 basic skills.
Would there be no more additions to the [Skill Menu] or would there be more?
We wouldn't know until we completed tomorrow's point mission.
It was unclear whether point missions were the trigger for adding unlockable skills.
"Alright, I did well today. I can probably eat dinner in the cafeteria tonight."
Since I was sweaty from just completing the point mission 'Perimeter', I decided to take a shower before going to the cafeteria.
I closed the status window. Suddenly, I stopped. There was a strange display on the [Skill] section of the window. 'Evolvable to higher-level skill'? I touched it with my finger.
'You have acquired a certain number of the same skill. The skill will evolve.'
There was a change in my body.
My muscles, under my skin, started moving.
My muscles, the structure, was changing... intense pain.
"Ugh."
The pain subsided eventually.
I gritted my teeth and breathed heavily.
"Hah...hah, what happened with the skill evolution..."
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[Status]
Makoto Akatani
Level: 0
HP: 100 / 100
MP: 10 / 10
Defense: 0
Strength: 1,000
Dexterity: 0
Intelligence: 0
Resistance: 0
Agility: 0
Mystery: 0
Spirit: 0
[Skill]
'Basic Endurance'
'Advanced Strength'
[Equipment]
'Skill Tree'
━━━━━━'Skill Tree'━━━━━━━
[Skill Tree]
Tree Level: 0
Skill Points: 0
Point Mission: Completed
[Skill Menu]
'Basic Endurance'
Obtainable Times: 4
'Basic Magic'
Obtainable Times: 5
'Basic Defense'
Obtainable Times: 5
'Advanced Strength' NEW!
Obtainable Times: 4
'Basic Dexterity'
Obtainable Times: 5
'Basic Intelligence'
Obtainable Times: 5
'Basic Strength'
Obtainable Times: 0
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Strength had increased to 1,000!?
The [Skill] 'Basic Strength' x5 had disappeared and turned into one 'Advanced Strength'.
'Advanced Strength' had also been added to the [Skill Menu] as an obtainable skill... let's check it out.
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'Advanced Strength'
Passive Skill
Greatly increases the Strength stat
Strengthen the basics to secure real power
Begin to advance to the height of strength
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This was clearly an evolution of 'Basic Strength', a higher-level skill.
Did this one skill increase the stat by 1,000?
If so, wasn't this too monstrous? It was 10 times more effective than the basic skill.
Hmm, maybe all the basic skills had this evolution.
Did that mean, for every basic skill I completed, the obtainable skills in the [Skill Menu] would have advanced skills added?
Ugh... what should I do? I thought of focusing on agility to become a speedster after completing strength, but if there was an advanced version, I felt like mastering strength completely.
"Is it the ancient romance of extreme specialization...? But, I can't redistribute skill points, right? Is it naive to think point missions will always exist? They might suddenly stop... I need more skill points, demand is outstripping supply...!"
What should I do?
Should I continue down the path of strength?
The next day.
I headed to school.
Class 1-4 was as noisy as always.
At the beginning of the school year, students moved around seeking their place.
Like brain synapses constantly reconnecting, the human relationships in the class changed moment by moment. Especially in this early period of high school, everyone, consciously or unconsciously, sought their place, changing their fixed positions.
Over a month had passed since the start of the school year, and groups had solidified.
Initially, people tried to befriend those nearby, but after about a week, they decided, "This person doesn't fit," or "We don't seem compatible," and left their first group to stabilize in a second group.
So, where was Makoto Akatani's place?
In the middle of the class. Oh, don't misunderstand. It was just that my seat was physically in the middle of the class; in terms of school caste, I was at the very bottom. It was sad.
The chattering students returned to their seats as the teacher opened the front door.
The instructor for Explorer Theory, Mr. Komine, entered. He was a painfully middle-aged teacher with pink hair. Wearing a white shirt untucked, he carried textbooks under his arm.
"Let's start the class."
I placed the tablet issued by the school at the time of admission on the desk and took notes with a stylus while listening attentively to the teacher's lecture. I took a very serious approach.
The amount of notes was minimal. Mr. Komine wrote only the key points and explanations on the whiteboard in a minimalist style.
Explorer Theory mainly covered various subjects explorers needed to learn to conquer dungeons.
Stats, skills, dungeon equipment, abnormal substances, the Dungeon Foundation, monsters, bosses, dungeon terrains, characteristics, and so on.
There were many things to learn.
In the past, there were no schools, and explorers had to learn these things on their own in the field. It was tough for explorers back then.
While listening to Explorer Theory, I had a thought.
Mr. Komine was said to be a former explorer; should I ask him for advice on extreme specialization?
"Alright, we've covered the main points. Any questions?"
"Mr. Komine."
"What's up, Akatani?"
"Extreme specialization, right?"
"What are you talking about?"
Oops, I rushed my answer.
"Power is the answer, right?"
"What are you talking about?"
"It's a question about stats. Isn't it stronger to specialize in one stat rather than distributing them?"
"That's an unusual question..."
Mr. Komine crossed his arms and pondered for a moment, then began to speak fluently.
"First of all, most stat growth is not something that can be controlled by the individual. Wanting to increase HP or MP doesn't make it so. The blessing of the gods is not something that can be manipulated by human intention. Therefore, discussing specialization is meaningless unless you can freely allocate your own stats."
Actually, I could. That was my only special trait.
"Moreover, an explorer's strength is also the strength of their skill power. Of course, there are exceptions. However, generally speaking, if we look at an explorer's strength from the perspective of stats
and the equipment they possess, then the power of skills is important, even if we have the same stats. Do you understand? A person with more powerful skills is stronger, and that's it. Therefore, it's better to master your skills rather than focusing on stats."
Mr. Komine stared straight at me.
"Instead of pursuing extreme specialization, consider diversifying and mastering multiple skills, which can be more beneficial. Balance is key."
I nodded, absorbing his advice.
"Thank you, Mr. Komine. That was very insightful."
He smiled, satisfied with my response.
"Good. Focus on your studies and training, Akatani."
After class, I felt more confident about my approach. I would continue to enhance my skills and aim for balance. My journey as an explorer had just begun, and I would work hard to achieve my goals.
The next day, I took my usual seat in class. However, a new face caught my attention.
A transfer student had joined our class.
Her name was Ai Hoshino.
She had striking features and a calm demeanor. The class was abuzz with curiosity.
Mr. Komine introduced her and assigned her a seat near mine.
"Hi, I'm Ai Hoshino. Nice to meet you all."
She glanced around the room, making eye contact with everyone. When her gaze met mine, she gave a slight nod. I returned the gesture.
As the day progressed, I couldn't help but feel that there was something unique about her.
During lunch, Ai approached me.
"Mind if I sit here?"
"Sure, go ahead."
She took a seat, and we began to chat.
"So, what do you think of our school so far?" I asked.
"It's interesting. Everyone seems friendly."
"I'm Makoto Akatani, by the way."
"Nice to meet you, Makoto."
We continued our conversation, sharing stories about our interests and hobbies. Ai was surprisingly knowledgeable about dungeon exploration. She even mentioned some techniques and strategies that I hadn't heard of before.
"Have you been an explorer for long?" I inquired.
"Not really. But I've always been fascinated by it."
Her answers were vague, but I didn't press further.
As the days went by, Ai and I became good friends. She often joined me during my training sessions, offering tips and encouragement. Her presence was motivating, and I found myself pushing harder than before.
One evening, while training, Ai revealed something surprising.
"Makoto, I have a special ability too."
"Really? What is it?"
She hesitated for a moment before answering.
"I can enhance the abilities of others temporarily."
"That's incredible! How does it work?"
"I need to concentrate and channel my energy into the person I want to enhance. It's not permanent, but it can make a significant difference in battles."
"That's amazing, Ai. We should definitely team up for dungeon exploration."
She smiled, clearly pleased with my reaction.
"Let's do it, Makoto. Together, we can achieve great things."
With Ai's support, my journey as an explorer took on a new dimension. Our partnership strengthened, and we tackled challenges with renewed vigor.
Days turned into weeks, and our bond deepened. Ai and I became inseparable, facing trials and triumphs side by side. Her ability to enhance my strength, combined with my evolving skills, made us a formidable team.
As we conquered dungeons and uncovered secrets, I realized that my initial focus on extreme specialization might not have been the best approach. Ai's influence taught me the value of balance, teamwork, and adaptability.
Together, we strove to become the best explorers, unlocking new potentials and forging an unbreakable bond. The path ahead was uncertain, but with Ai by my side, I felt ready to face whatever came our way.
The journey of Makoto Akatani and Ai Hoshino had just begun, and it promised to be an epic adventure filled with challenges, growth, and unwavering friendship.