Chapter 41: Attack, Defense, and Chance

“Am I even sure it’s her voice? I can’t even recall her face anymore. After all, I was just ten when she died…” Roy stood in the shower, with water running down from his head to his toes.

’No, it must be because I’m tired. I haven’t really slept properly since I got my system, so now I’m hearing things,’ he told himself and sighed.

“I should get some proper rest.”

Roy put that weird occurrence at the back of his mind and remembered, ’My rewards!’

He switched off the shower and called out, “System.”

[Level #4 — Cleared!]

[Rewards: +1.0 Stat Points, +20 Error Points.]

“That should be sixty error points now. Heh. Not bad,” Roy commented, then requested to see his current data.

Immediately, another blue virtual panel opened in his vision.

+

[Host Data]

Name: Roy Mclloyd

Age: 16

Level: 5

EXP: 3,880/5000

Stat Points: 1.0

Number of Sign-Ins: 4

Skills: Link (Active), 2x Multiplier (Passive)

Linked Hosts: 1/1

Abyss Souls: Veinback Ripper (Strange)

Overall Stats: Physical = 4.0, Willpower = 4.0, Attack = 1.0, Defense = 1.0, Chance = 1.0 >> Total = 11.0

Overall Rating: “Slowly getting stronger, but you’re still an edgy loser who was lucky to be granted a unique system.”

Miscellaneous: [Apple]…

+

“Whoa, so I’m already this close to levelling up!”

Roy was both astonished and flabbergasted. The latter, more so, because it turned out that his master’s harsh and crazy actions were what made him progress this fast, this rapidly.

After killing just a few abyss creatures, he would be in Level 6.

“Wait, but what’s up with this rating? I’m not the edgy loser between us, tsk.”

Moving on, Roy considered what to invest his stat point in, thinking, ’I didn’t listen to Master Abe and invested in my Willpower instead of Physical, but before that, he made me invest in Willpower. I can never know what that psycho of an executioner is thinking…’

Roy felt that since he hadn’t listened to his mentor that time, he should try to make up for it and ended up adding the stat point to his Physical stat, raising it from 4.0 to 5.0.

“I can’t keep on investing in only my body and mind-soul stats. I wonder, what are my Attack and Defense stats really doing?”

He asked aloud, but the iridescent cube responded.

[Host, your <Attack> deals with all attacks you perform, and increases the damage done. While your <Defense> deals with all attacks you receive, and reduces the damage dealt.]

“Can you give me an example?”

[If Host strikes a rock, the damage dealt will be as a result of your current strength provided by your <Physical> stat; let the expected damage dealt be 1. But then, if your <Attack> stat is 3, then the total damage dealt would be 4. Do you understand, Host?]

“Hmm. I do,” Roy said, caressing his chin while standing naked in the shower. “That means when I apply [2x Multiplier], the damage dealt would then be 8?”

[That is correct, Host.]

“Not bad.”

[As for <Defense>, in addition to your physical resilience, imagine a thick membrane over you that reduces the impact of an attack, and subsequently the damage done.]

Roy opened his eyes wide in understanding. After receiving such an apt explanation from the cube, he sought to properly define his stats.

Physical held his strength, stamina, dexterity, agility, and more. Willpower was his…

“Wait, what does Willpower really do? And Chance too…”

[Host, your <Willpower> holds the avenue of control you have over your mind, soul, and energy. And <Chance> is your level of universal alignment for a fortuitous encounter.]

Roy wore a thoughtful expression and repeated, “…universal alignment for a fortuitous encounter, huh.”

Right then, Donny banged on the restroom door and shouted, “Roy, are you sleeping in there, for God’s sake?!”

“Oh! Sorry, I’m coming out now…”

* * *

After the battle with the undead had ended, Master Abraham only returned to the APC to freshen up before moving out again, stating he didn’t want Sunfire stealing his energy crystals.

In that time, Roy managed to get some well-needed rest.

By the time he woke up again, the sun was already at its highest, and Master Abe was busy on the vehicle’s monitor, replaying the previous battle for whatever reason, whereas Donny was somewhere outside.

Roy drowsily walked up to the front of the vehicle and sat in his chair, the one behind the driver and passenger seats, meant for the captain of a raid party.

“You’re up, good. I’m rewatching the battle to find the flaws in your combat technique,” Master Abraham took the initiative to explain, never taking his eyes off the screen, though.

’I didn’t want a lecture, so I didn’t ask, but you told me anyway. How neat,’ he tiredly thought and yawned.

“Well, thank you,” Roy said half-heartedly.

Master Abraham glanced at him coldly, not keen on the boy’s sarcasm.

“Your [2x Multiplier] skill is what type?”

Roy rested in the chair, in a poor posture. “Passive.”

“Hm. And how many exp did you gain from the Gate Boss?”

“Six thousand, as you said. That means, a Mutated Demon will give me eight thousand, and a Mutated Devil ten thousand. That’ll be crazy,” Roy fantasized.

Master Abraham wore an inscrutable look.

“Oh, and Master, how was I able to still get the kill? Lady Sunfire was the one who killed it! Even if I didn’t use the rag doll, she would’ve still done so.”

Master Abraham thought for a second and answered, “You cursed it to receive an unfortunate event, and that sealed its fate. If Lady Sunfire weren’t there, it would’ve died through other means. Without the curse, it could’ve escaped, you never know.”

“I guess.” Roy still didn’t fully grasp the structure of it all, but he felt there was no point trying to understand anymore. As long as it worked, why bug about why it did?

“Oh, and Master, what are your own stats? MATH.exe is quite unique. What’s your system title, too?”

Master Abraham seemed to contemplate telling Roy, but decided there was no harm in doing so and voiced, “Quickness, Focus, Solve, Complexity, and Chaos…”

Roy exclaimed in awe. Quickness was equivalent to his Physical stat, whereas Focus was to Willpower, Solve was to Attack, Complexity was to Defense, and Chaos was to Chance.

The C-Class Executioner continued, “…And my system title is: The Fundamental Laws of the Universe Are Written in MATH.exe.”

’Master Abraham’s system is really something. Linking to him next isn’t a bad idea, but then… the psycho gave up on signing in,’ Roy clicked his tongue.

“What do Solve, Complexity, and Chaos do?” He asked, finding the other stats quite intuitive to understand.

Master Abraham suddenly stood up. “That’s for another day. Get your dagger, we’re moving out. I’m going to teach you mortal combat.”

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