[MISSION IN PROGRESS...
LET THE GAME BEGIN.
OBJECTIVE: GET TWO HUNDRED POINTS ON THE FIRST DAY [00:20:34:32].
REWARD: A SHADOW SKILL.
FAILURE: ALL STATS SET TO NEGATIVE.]
It seems I just can't have it easy, can I?
I exhaled slowly, staring at the timer counting down in my vision.
[You should probably get on with it if you don't want to lose whatever little chances of survival you have in this world,] said the useless voice in my head.
Another sigh escaped me as I surveyed my surroundings. The dilapidated building looked like a hurricane had torn through it and decided to stay for the afterparty. Everything was in tatters. What used to be a couch was now just splintered wood and exposed springs. The TV lay face-down on the floor, its screen shattered, mercury pooling around the edges like liquid silver. Above me, the ceiling sagged dangerously low—close enough that I could probably touch it if I jumped. The carpets had burned away to nothing but ash stains on concrete.
Whatever this place used to be, it was just a shadow of that now.
I'd managed to set up a workspace using scraps of wood I'd found scattered around. On this makeshift table, I'd laid out everything I'd scavenged on my way here. Still no proper weapon, and since I had no affinity skills to rely on, improvisation was my only option. I'd taken a wooden plank and found a jagged piece of metal, which I'd secured to one end with whatever nails I could find. The result was a crude spear. Probably useless against anything serious, but at least I wasn't completely unarmed.
Beyond that, I had a torn backpack. Most of the pockets had holes, but the main compartment was intact enough to hold supplies. A hammer—too short to use as a weapon unless I grew a few inches. A lighter that still worked, though I wasn't sure what I'd need it for yet. Some tape, mostly used up but enough remained for emergency repairs. A pack of gum, because why not?
Then there was the questionable food: worm-infested canned goods and a package of noodles that somehow still looked edible. I'd found several smashed phones lying in the rubble and some plastic bags that probably wouldn't serve any purpose.
And finally, there was this.
"A gun."
A pistol, to be exact. Completely useless. Empty when I'd found it in a dumpster beside this building. No bullets, no magazine. Just dead weight shaped like hope.
I packed everything into the bag, trying to ignore the notification still hovering in my peripheral vision.
[MISSION IN PROGRESS...
LET THE GAME BEGIN.
OBJECTIVE: GET TWO HUNDRED POINTS ON THE FIRST DAY [00:19:58:42].
REWARD: A SHADOW SKILL.
FAILURE: ALL STATS SET TO NEGATIVE.]
My plans to lay low for the first few days? Gone. Unless I wanted to become completely useless in this world, I had no choice but to move. With negative stats, I might as well consider ending things myself.
I continued packing, then paused mid-motion. The mission mentioned stats, didn't it?
[...Yes?]
"So where are the stats?" I asked while shoving the lighter into a side pocket.
[Ding!]
[Say status.]
"Status?" I said, raising an eyebrow.
The air in front of me shimmered.
A translucent interface materialized, hovering at eye level.
[USER STATS
NAME: LEO.
AGE: 18.
CLASS: LUNAR, YEAR 8.
AFFINITY: SHADOW.
SKILLS: NIL.
PROFICIENCY: 0%.
STRENGTH: 7.
ENDURANCE: 5.
AGILITY: 10.
INTELLIGENCE: 23.
MANA: 200/200.
CHARM (AFP): 13.
AVAILABLE POINTS:
SP: 0.
AFP: -5400 (NEGATIVE) +0 (POSITIVE).]
I studied the numbers. Pretty decent for a side character, I thought, noting the respectable mana reserve. But what were those point categories?
[Oh, that. The SP means stat points, which can help upgrade stats, while the AFP is for shop purchases and charm increases.]
"What?" I stared at the interface in disbelief. I could do all this and didn't know?
[That's because you didn't ask.]
"So I can't use affection points to level up other stats?"
[No.]
"What about the shop?"
[Get to level 2 first.]
"And how do I get these points?"
[SP can be obtained from missions, while AFP comes from the emotions of main characters you interact with.]
"The negative sign?"
[It's just as you guessed. It's for negative emotions. And yes, positive emotions are more valued compared to negative ones.]
Silence stretched between us as I processed this information.
"You know what," I said after a moment, a grin spreading across my face. "Put all that's left of my AFP into charm. Let's see if good looks really have their own set of luck."
Nasty thoughts began creeping into my mind.
I really shouldn't have found out about this.