When watching the anime, standing from the perspective of the "Great Tomb of Nazarick," it was undoubtedly a power fantasy, crushing everything in its path.
But from the viewpoint of the people in this other world, it was endless despair. The denizens of the tomb were nothing less than demons, entities that spelled the destruction of the world.
Of course, Aron felt no sense of belonging to either side. His concern lay in what would happen if, after joining the Sorcerer Kingdom, his identity as a transmigrator was exposed.
The Sorcerer Kingdom was ultimately just a tool for the Overlord to rule the world. Whether it was the Overlord himself or the Floor Guardians of the Tomb, none of them cared about anything outside Nazarick.
Especially the Overlord. To him, anything that could threaten the Great Tomb of Nazarick would be mercilessly eradicated.
Even if Aron posed no actual threat, the revelation of his identity as a transmigrator would likely be perceived as one, prompting the Overlord to eliminate him without hesitation.
Aron was convinced that before that happened, the Overlord would probably subject him to terrifying interrogations. He was just an ordinary office worker before crossing over—he wouldn't last even mild torture, let alone something extreme.
More likely, the Overlord would use memory-searching magic on him, reducing him to a mindless husk before executing him.
Aron rubbed his face hard, as if the pain could wake him from this nightmare. However, the sights before him didn't change.
"Just my luck!"
Following the bustling crowd, Aron dejectedly found a corner near the wall of a shop and sat down, leaning against it.
He wasn't physically tired.
In fact, his stamina and energy levels were far beyond what they were in his pre-transmigration state of perpetual fatigue. His arms even showed faint muscle lines.
Aron had already confirmed that this was indeed his body, but it was now in the form of a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old. Though he was only twenty-five before crossing over, the stark difference was evident.
This transformation was likely tied to his cheat ability—specifically, his "Innate Talent."
Aron squinted slightly, and a translucent screen appeared before him, visible only to his eyes. The interface was divided into two sections.
[Attribute Panel]
Player: Aron
Morality Score: 0 [Neutral]
HP: 13 (1%)
MP: 13 (1%)
Physical Attack: 13 (1%)
Physical Defense: 13 (1%)
Agility: 13 (1%)
Magical Attack: 13 (1%)
Magical Defense: 13 (1%)
Overall Resistance: 0 (0%)
Special Stats: 0 (0%)
Total: 7%
[Ability Panel]
Innate Talent: [Player]
Overall Level: 0 (No Profession)
Experience Points: 0/100
Profession: None
Skill Points: 0
Passive Skill: Inventory
Active Skills: None
Axel focused his attention on the ability panel, specifically on his innate talent.
[Innate Talent: Player – Grants the characteristics of a player (Unobservable, Unstealable)]
The description was brief, almost frustratingly so.
Still, the presence of the attribute panel before him was likely an extension of this "Player" trait.
Short descriptions often carried heavy implications.
As an experienced gamer, Aron could somewhat deduce the powers hidden within the "Player" trait.
At its core, it allowed him to break free from the limitations of his human race and its inherent constraints, enabling growth through leveling up.
However, even with this knowledge, Aron's unease remained.
This wasn't a game. It was a harsh, unforgiving reality.
Even if he somehow maxed out at level 100 before the Tomb's arrival, he wouldn't stand a chance against the Overlord and his forces.
A level 100 with no special gear versus the Overlord, who wielded god-tier artifacts, pay-to-win items, and World-Class Items? There was no contest.
And it wasn't just the Overlord. The Tomb housed other level 100 monsters as well!
Aron understood better than anyone else in this world just how overwhelming the Tomb's forces were. That understanding only deepened his despair.
"All base attributes are at 13 points, huh? Even without a profession, these numbers should already surpass the average person in this world," Aron murmured, his eyes scanning the attribute panel again.
The values weren't mere numbers—they represented his body's true capabilities. He could feel the vitality coursing through him and the unique energy within, which he assumed was mana.
By this world's standards, he was naturally gifted as a "Magic Caster."
As for the percentages following the stats?
Those were tied to the unique calculation method of "YGGDRASIL," the game the Overlord and his forces hailed from.
Aron recalled that the Overlord's overall stat value was listed as "683.6% + ?%." The question mark likely represented the Overlord's mana, which had exceeded the game's limits.
In the light novels, it was noted that the average mana for a level 100 player was 1,300 points, while the Overlord's mana was 1.5 times that.
Such was the power of a pay-to-win player.
Aron had once studied the mechanics of "YGGDRASIL" in-depth. Based on his understanding, all player races—whether human, demi-human, or heteromorphic—had identical stat ceilings for the sake of game balance.
[Player Theory]
Each level increased all attributes by a base value of 13 points.
At level 100, the theoretical maximum for any attribute would be 1,300 points.
However, this was purely theoretical.
In practice, each profession prioritized specific attributes. Warrior classes, for instance, boosted HP, Physical Attack, Physical Defense, and Agility. Magic-user classes, on the other hand, enhanced MP, Magical Attack, Magical Defense, and Special Stats.
Aron chewed on a small piece of black rye bread. The hard, coarse texture forced him to chew slowly, but hunger left him no choice.
The bread wasn't stored in his pocket but retrieved from his "Inventory," a spatial storage granted by his "Player" trait.
"This is no game," Aron muttered, gripping the bread tightly.
He would feel hunger, exhaustion... and death.
This was a world of harsh reality, not a playground.
And he, despite all his newfound abilities, was but a single piece on a board dominated by gods and monsters.
_______________
Upto 20 chapters ahead on patreon :-
patreon.com/BloodAncestor