Chương 103: Stat Distribution

To wrap this whole tactical evaluation up, I also desperately needed a massive upgrade in my Agility stat. My current speed was severely lacking, and if I did not want my enemies to treat me like a stationary archery target, upgrading my reflexes was an absolute mandatory survival requirement.

This was an especially pressing crisis given the hilarious reality that my maximum HP was so pathetically low that a stiff breeze or a mean look from a low-level monster could instantly send my soul straight to the game over screen. With my final strategy locked and loaded, I pressed my finger against the floating blue interface and began distributing the goods to optimize my biological mainframe.

I funneled exactly 1 point straight into my Intelligence stat, giving my mystical damage department a nice little mental booster shot to keep my energy blasts hitting like an absolute truck. Next up, I double-tapped the screen to dump 2 points directly into my Strength stat, ensuring my body could actually keep up with my movements and that my physical shots would carry enough raw impact to match my brainpower.

Moving right along to the evasive maneuvering sector, I dedicated 1 point to my Agility stat, adding just enough extra grease to my hinges so my legs could actually dodge incoming fire instead of tripping over their own shoelaces. Finally, I sprinkled the very last remaining token right into my Dexterity stat, sharpening my overall coordination and motor skills so my trigger finger could operate with flawless, high-speed precision.

••••• HP: 20 MP: 60 Gold: 22 •••••• [STATS] VITALITY: 2 INTELLIGENCE: 6 STRENGTH: 4 DEXTERITY: 4 AGILITY: 4 ••••• An instantaneous wave of physical transformation cascaded straight through my anatomy the absolute millisecond the system locked in those fresh allocations. It felt like my entire biological infrastructure had just received a premium oil change and a massive electrical jumpstart all at once, with every single fiber of my being vibrating at a noticeably higher frequency.

To test out the fresh modifications to the hardware, I raised one palm and slowly clenched it into a tight fist before spreading my fingers wide again, testing the tension in my grip. The sudden influx of raw, unadulterated power coursing through my knuckles brought a massive surge of pure, unfiltered joy to my chest, making me feel like a cartoon villain who had finally unlocked the secret to conquering the local neighborhood.

I couldn't hold back the sheer excitement of my sudden upgrade, letting out a wild, booming burst of cackling laughter that echoed through the surrounding airspace. Unfortunately, my volume control department completely malfunctioned, and the chuckles came roaring out a little bit too intense for the peaceful lobby atmosphere.

The entire surrounding audience of adventurers immediately paused their discussions, swiveling their heads around to stare directly at me with a dense gridlock of utter confusion and judgment written all over their faces. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Before I could explain to the judging crowd that I was just celebrating a mini personal victory, the rest of my squad abandoned their marketplace screens and marched straight over to my chair to see why I was laughing like a maniac. I leaned forward, looking up at the crew.

"Alright, guys, what is the play here? With the mountain of monster junk I just listed on the board, do you think I will walk away with enough cash to craft at least one sweet piece of Tier 1 gear?" Dimitri stepped forward, crossing his massive tree-trunk arms while looking down at my tiny frame with a gaze that practically radiated pure paternal warmth and unadulterated kindness.

"Do not let a single shadow of doubt weigh down your spectacular heart, my excellent brother!" Dimitri boomed out, his thick Russian accent turning the noisy marketplace into a grand lecture hall for pure positivity.

"To completely forge a magnificent piece of Tier 1 gear from the very core of its blueprint, you must prepare a glorious treasure of at least 500 shimmering gold coins. It is a heavy mountain to climb, yes, but every single coin is a testament to your undeniable strength, and your magnificent dedication will easily conquer this economic frontier!" My wallet flinched just hearing that number.

"Yikes. Well, let us just pray the local buyers go absolutely nuts on my listings so I can scrape together enough to make one. But hey, what about Tier 1 Skills? Should we look into buying some of those today too? Standard Tier 1 Skills are usually super cheap, right?" Right on cue, our favorite ball of nerves slowly hoisted one single hand into the air, looking like she was trying to confess to a crime as she prepared to completely destroy my high hopes.

"T-Tier 1 Skills actually cost exactly 1000 gold coins each, Arthur-san..." Aiko squeaked out at an incredibly low volume, her stuttering accent vibrating with panic as she immediately looked down at her boots. The sheer weight of that price tag hit me like a kick to the shins, completely ruining my great mood in a split second.

"Great. Now I am just straight-up sad." ••••• We ended up spending the next few hours inside the Player Center, which sounded incredibly boring on paper. In reality, it was surprisingly entertaining. The main reason was Dimitri. The guy had somehow turned sitting around and doing absolutely nothing into a live documentary narrated by a man who looked fully capable of wrestling wildlife for fun.

He kept sharing stories about his homeland, one after another, and every single tale somehow sounded more unbelievable than the last. At one point, he casually mentioned that he had once scared off a bear by yelling at it. A bear. Not a dog. Not an angry goose. A bear. And the most disturbing part was that nobody in the room immediately called him a liar. Everyone simply nodded as if that was a perfectly normal thing for a Russian to do. Honestly, I wasn't even sure whether I should be shocked.

Maybe somewhere in Russia, intimidating bears through verbal aggression was considered basic elementary school education.

"Today, children, we will be learning mathematics, geography, and how to assert dominance over large predators." The more I listened, the more plausible it sounded. Dimitri certainly looked like someone who could frighten a bear into reconsidering its life choices. As he spoke, his large hands moved dramatically through the air, reenacting parts of the story. His expressions shifted effortlessly from serious to amused, making every scene feel vivid enough to picture.

Even the way he described ordinary things somehow made them interesting. A simple fishing trip became a survival adventure. A train ride transformed into a bizarre comedy. A visit to a local market somehow evolved into a story involving a drunk man, three chickens, and what sounded suspiciously like a minor international incident. I stopped trying to determine which parts were true. The stories were far more enjoyable that way. What impressed me most wasn't the stories themselves.

It was how naturally he flowed from one topic to another. One moment he would be talking about snowstorms. Then somehow that led to hunting. Which somehow led to food. Which somehow led to childhood memories. And before anyone realized it, he was already telling an entirely different story while making it feel like we had followed a perfectly logical path. The transitions were so smooth that I never noticed the turns until we were already halfway down a completely different road. Nobody interrupted him.

Nobody checked their auctions. Nobody looked bored. Everyone remained focused on whatever ridiculous adventure was coming next. It felt less like listening to stories and more like sitting around a campfire with a storyteller who knew exactly how to keep people hooked. Every time one tale ended, he dangled a small detail that naturally pulled everyone toward the next. A strange person. A mysterious place. An unfinished incident. A questionable decision that absolutely required further explanation.

And before long, we found ourselves leaning forward again, waiting to hear what happened next. The hours slipped by without anyone noticing. Honestly, if Dimitri ever got tired of being a Player, he could probably make a fortune just charging people to sit down and listen to him talk.