He focused, looking at the interface.
…
[SYSTEM]
Name: Keane
Level: 1
Class: None
EXP: [██████████]
[STATS]
Strength (STR): 10
Dexterity (DEX): 10
Constitution (CON): 10
Intelligence (INT): 10
Wisdom (WIS): 10
Charisma (CHA): 10
HP: [100 / 100]
MP: [100 / 100]
Resistances: []
[Skills]
None
[Sub Skills]
None
…
'Ten points each,' he thought, pacing the mossy stone. 'Stats, skills, sub-skills. Gotta play this right.' He knew the system's logic, having coded it himself. Every choice mattered, but how did they work here, in this too-real world… he could only follow his knowledge for the time being.
From his knowledge of how the system worked, strength was raw power, melee damage, lifting, carrying… A high Strength fighter could crush skulls or hurl boulders, but without adequate points in constitution, they'd tear muscles or snap bones under their own force. Without dexterity, their swings would be slow, easy to dodge, and overall sluggish, and without wisdom, they'd burn out, swinging wildly with no restraint and fine control.
Dexterity governed speed, agility, accuracy, evasion… an increase in it meant an increase in all those aspects. A dexterity build meant dodging arrows, striking with finesse—daggers, bows and arrows, piercing weapons… but not brute clubs. Yet again, dexterity but with low strength meant weak hits, like a mosquito's sting, and the player would have to prioritize weapons that were the best of the best to compensate. Low constitution would leave you fragile, and one hit could end you. Pair it with intelligence, though, and you'd master traps or stealth, striking with surgical precision.
Constitution was akin to endurance, health, stamina, resistance to poison or disease, and the likes. It boosted HP, letting you tank hits, but without dexterity, you would turn into a sluggish wall, a pure tank, absorbing blows you couldn't dodge. Without the wisdom stat, you'd miss subtle threats—illusions, curses—relying on raw toughness alone.
Intelligence fueled magic and learning. High Intelligence meant devastating spells or quick problem-solving, but without constitution, a mage's body could break under their own power, veins burning from overchanneling of mana. There were ways around this of course… in the game, and mages didn't need as much points in constitution as other classes like warriors and knights. Without wisdom however, they'd miscast or waste mana, blind to their limits.
Wisdom was perception, insight, mana efficiency. It countered illusions and guided strategy. Without Intelligence, a wise fighter would be like a monk, instinctive but limited. Without Constitution, they'd tire, unable to sustain their focus. Wisdom tempered Strength and Dexterity, preventing reckless overexertion, even mana.
Charisma was influence—persuasion, leadership, morale buffs. A high Charisma leader could sway crowds or charm allies more easily, but without Intelligence, they'd sound like a condescending scholar. Without wisdom, their manipulations would backfire. Paired with Strength or Constitution, Charisma can turn physical presence into intimidation, like a warlord's aura.
The system's balance was brutal. Push one stat too high, and diminishing returns kicked in. HP came from Constitution and level, MP from Intelligence and Wisdom or Strength and Constitution for stamina. Attack power split into physical (Strength) and magical (Intelligence). Defense leaned on Constitution plus armor, speed on Dexterity minus gear weight. Accuracy and evasion pitted Dexterity against an enemy's, while critical hits hinged on Dexterity's finesse.
'This is my code for sure, who would have thought I'd have to deal with the traps I set for the players…' he thought to himself with a mental grimace, after all, making the game more difficult and intricate was mostly his idea.
'Constitution would keep me alive,' he thought, rubbing his jaw. 'But ten points won't make me a tank.' The forest certainly wasn't safe. 'I need to move fast, and hit hard enough to survive.' He didn't need to think much, dexterity was the answer—speed to escape, evasion to dodge, and accuracy to strike. Strength would back it up, giving his hits weight. 'No luxury for Constitution,' he thought, grimacing. Though he would love to do something to reduce the cold, it seemed it would not lie in increasing his stats.
He summoned the system again, its glow steady.
…
[STATS]
Distributable Stat Points: 10
- Strength (STR): 10
- Dexterity (DEX): 10
- Constitution (CON): 10
- Intelligence (INT): 10
- Wisdom (WIS): 10
- Charisma (CHA): 10
[Skills]
Distributable Skill Points: 10
- None
[Sub Skills]
Distributable Mastery Points: 10
- None
…
'Here goes,' he thought, focusing. 'Eight points to Dexterity. Two to Strength.' He willed the allocation, not necessarily commanding by saying it in his mind. The system hummed, or at least it felt like it did, numbers flashing… His body tingled, muscles tightening, senses sharpening. He felt lighter, faster, like he could outrun the wind. His arms flexed, stronger but not bulky, making him wonder if his physique would change with stat increase, after all there was no such mechanism in the original system.
```
[SYSTEM]
Name: Keane
Level: 1
Class: None
EXP: [██████████]
[STATS]
Strength (STR): 12
Dexterity (DEX): 18
Constitution (CON): 10
Intelligence (INT): 10
Wisdom (WIS): 10
Charisma (CHA): 10
HP: [100 / 100]
MP: [100 / 100]
Resistances: []
[Skills]
None
[Sub Skills]
None
...
Keane blinked, heart racing. "Wait," he muttered, staring at the interface, specifically, one particular part.
…
[STATS]
Distributable Stat Points: 10
…
The distributable points hadn't changed. His jaw dropped. "No way." He checked again, expecting a glitch. The number held firm, 10 points, untouched, even after his allocation. 'This… this means…' His mind reeled, a wild laugh bubbling up. 'Infinite points?' He saw it now—endless Strength, Dexterity, everything. He could be a god.
'Holy shit,' he thought, grinning like a wolf. He laughed, a wild, disbelieving sound. "No way. No fucking way…"
'I could break this world.' His ambition surged, visions of cities bowing, gold piling, women at his side... but then he froze, cunning kicking in. 'Not yet.' He didn't know this world's rules, its players. 'What's the catch? Nothing's this easy.' He closed the system, its glow fading. "I'll figure you out," he said aloud, eyes gleaming.
Whatever the case may be, he was about to test the limits of this "infinite system."