---
Three days later.
I woke up in agony and struggled to sit up.
On the bedside table, there was a bottle of mineral water and some painkillers. Without hesitation, I grabbed them, popped three pills into my mouth, and washed them down with water.
After sitting there dazed for a while, the muscle pain started to subside.
My body was still in shambles from the grueling daily runs. Without painkillers, there was no way I could win the point missions.
"Well, let's give it my all again today…"
I muttered to myself as I headed to the bathroom to check my Skill Tree.
Was it just my imagination, or had it grown a bit larger?
---
**Status**
Makoto Akatani
Level: 0
Health: 100 / 100
Mana: 10 / 10
Defense: 0
Strength: 10,000
Dexterity: 0
Intelligence: 0
Resistance: 0
Agility: 0
Mystery: 0
Spirit: 0
**Skills**
- Basic Strength
- Advanced Strength
**Equipment**
- Skill Tree
---
**Skill Tree**
Tree Level: 0
Skill Points: 0
Point Mission: Outer Loop
**Skill Menu**
- Basic Stamina (4 times available)
- Basic Mana (5 times available)
- Basic Defense (5 times available)
- Advanced Strength (4 times available) - NEW!
- Basic Dexterity (5 times available)
- Basic Intelligence (5 times available)
- Basic Resistance (5 times available)
- Basic Agility (5 times available)
- Basic Mystery (5 times available)
- Basic Spirit (5 times available)
**Completed Skills**
- Intermediate Strength (0 times available)
- Basic Strength (0 times available)
---
After unlocking Intermediate Strength for four consecutive days, I thought I had mastered strength. But there was more to come—Advanced Strength. Basic, Intermediate, and then Advanced.
The effect of the advanced passive skill was probably something like +10,000 to each stat. It was monstrous. My strength had significantly increased, and now I could easily crush doorknobs. Just look at my room's door—it's all weirdly shaped and hard to grip now.
Haha, my power is overflowing and unstoppable.
No, seriously, it's uncontrollable.
I break chopsticks just by holding them, and I bend forks out of shape.
I can't control my strength. I feel like a clumsy but kind-hearted monster from the forest.
---
**Advanced Strength**
Passive Skill
Greatly increases Strength stat
---
As I neared the peak of power, I couldn't control my strength, which wasn't mentioned in the description.
"I can't control my power… I might hurt someone eventually."
For the past few days, I kept telling myself, "Strength is everything for a man!" and continued unlocking Intermediate Strength, but now it felt like a mistake. I had a hypothesis.
My stats were extremely skewed.
Normally, stats don't grow so one-sidedly.
When leveling up, all stats grow overall, with some stats growing more or less than others.
But they don't become zero except for one stat.
Everything is supposed to grow in tandem. The immediate increase in strength from unlocking a skill defied the natural order.
"What should I do…? No one else seems to have this problem, and I can't control my explorer's power alone…"
Today was a holiday. Still early morning. I had free time.
What should I do to avoid being overwhelmed by my own strength?
I pondered for a while, trying not to break anything around me, and came to a conclusion.
To control my power, I needed to get used to it.
So, I decided to train against Dungeon Pomeranians in a simulated dungeon.
I headed to the training hall.
In the simulated dungeon, I could unleash my full power without any issues.
I carefully waved my student ID over the gate, cautious not to accidentally punch and break it.
Equipped with a magic sword—designed by the Dungeon Foundation to defeat dungeon monsters—I entered the simulated dungeon.
Initially, I tried to challenge it with just a fork, but now I had the wisdom to use proper dungeon equipment.
"Pomeranian, come out, come out, wherever you are~"
Holding a piece of jerky in my left hand and the magic sword in my right, I walked through the simulated dungeon.
A cute white fluffball appeared from around the corner, lured by the treat.
"Pom-pom~!"
"Aw, how cute! Here, here!"
The Pomeranian hopped towards me.
Once it got close enough, it suddenly bared its fangs and lunged for my jugular.
"So cute, but now you die~!"
I closed my eyes and swung the magic sword with all my might.
I felt a solid impact. When I opened my eyes, the Pomeranian was shattered into particles of light.
"Did… did I do it?"
Had I defeated a monster?
An indescribable joy welled up within me.
For over a month, I had tried and failed countless times to defeat the fearsome Pom-Pom. But now, I had done it. By myself. With my own power.
"I finally… finally defeated a Pomeranian…! Ugh…"
I wiped away the hot tears streaming from my eyes.
I couldn't let my guard down here; I might become Pomeranian food.
I stood up straight.
Looking at my magic sword, I saw that the blade was ruined, heavily chipped.
Could it be that I had damaged it with a single swing?
Was it because of my poor swordsmanship, or because I swung it too forcefully?
Probably both.
"Even the hilt is deformed to fit my grip."
The magic sword was designed to be durable against dungeon monsters.
For it to break like this, I needed to find a more compatible weapon.
I reached out to the particles of light left behind by the Pomeranian.
The light particles were known as experience points. In dungeon studies, they're classified as anomalous substance 'Gas Cristallo Energy,' but experience points was a much more familiar and understandable term.
The light particles absorbed into my body.
They quickly permeated my DNA, like a blessing.
"Even after gaining monster experience points, I'm not leveling up… Am I incapable of leveling up?"
Experience points obtained from defeating dungeon monsters were visible as light, but that wasn't the only source of experience in this world.
Explorers, also known as Blessed Ones, could gain experience from various activities. Even training, though minimal, contributed to growth.
Over the past month, I had been extremely dedicated.
Training after training.
Yet, I hadn't leveled up.
That was the answer.
I couldn't level up.
"Hmm?"
My arm itched.
An itch beneath the skin.
Was this… the Skill Tree?
The itch intensified, becoming unbearable.
I had to release the Skill Tree, letting a blood-red tree grow from my right arm.
The Skill Tree spread out to its usual size.
Remarkably, a small new branch sprouted from it.
No doubt about it, I saw it with my own eyes. It was growing, wasn't it?
"I thought it seemed a bit bigger… Wait, if I gained experience and it grew, then…"
Wait, am I getting screwed here?
Skill Tree, where did you put my experience points?
"You… you ate my experience points…! Wait! Have you been doing this for the past month?"
I was certain I had uncovered the truth.
The Skill Tree had been growing by absorbing my experience points.
For the past month, while I struggled, it had been growing comfortably, and once it was big enough, it broke through my arm to emerge.
What a troublesome tenant!
I was so angry I almost snapped the trunk, but I reconsidered.
The Skill Tree might not have done it out of malice.
Besides, it was my best friend now.
Thanks to it, I could continue my high school life without falling into despair, holding onto hope for tomorrow. My current attitude was selfish.
"I'm sorry, Skill Tree. I lost my temper. You've been supporting me all this time."
It might have been a baseless assumption that the Skill Tree was stealing my experience points.
What a petty person I was.
Unable to accept my lack of talent, I clung to the hope that I might still be a genius, an exceptional individual. And now, I was blaming the Skill Tree, which had given me room to grow.
That was unacceptable. I mustn't become more pathetic.
I wasn't a genius. I had to face reality.
"I'm sorry, and thank you," I muttered like a lovesick fool, gently stroking the Skill Tree.
The branches swayed gently, as if saying, "It's all good, partner. Let's keep going."
I left the simulated dungeon.
I still had the point mission for today.
Despite my doubts, I decided to go for the Outer Loop today.
Since it was a holiday, I planned to run slowly, taking care of my body.
That night, exhausted, I completed the point mission.
---
**Today's Point Mission**
Keep at it every day!
**Outer Loop**
Complete 10/10 laps around the Hero High School grounds.
**Reward**
2 Skill Points acquired!
**Consecutive Days**: 10
**Diligence Rank**: Silver
**Point Multiplier**: 2.0
---
Wait, something just happened!
Today's reward was 2 Skill Points!
I had been curious, but so that's how this system works!
As the consecutive days accumulate, the Diligence Rank increases, boosting the point multiplier!
I completely understood it now. What an excellent system.
I reached Silver Diligence Rank.
So, I was a Silver member from today?
Two points every day from now on?