Viktor leaned in, scanning the skills with that half-grin of his. "Yeah, that tracks. Stealth at Expert, Reflexes, and Combat Mastery, both at Journeyman—classic assassin work. Not exactly shocking, Jasmine. You've always been built to move quietly and hit hard."
He tapped the screen with one thick finger, voice casual but thoughtful. "Deadly Precision and Critical Strike? Straight Damage Dealer. But then you've got Poison Resistance, Survivalist, Danger Sense,the stuff that keeps you alive. Most killers burn out fast. That's what makes you dangerous. You're not just sharp; you're durable."
I crossed my arms. "I just put points where I want them. My main focus is safety and surviving."
"Sure," he said, giving me a sideways grin. "And where you want them just happens to make you a walking executioner with the stamina of a frontline Tank. Funny how that works."
He rubbed his chin, eyes narrowing on the numbers. "Alright, here's what I'd suggest. Dex and Perception? That's your bread and butter—makes you faster, deadlier, harder to pin down. Strength keeps your blades from bouncing off tougher targets, so don't ignore it. But if you really want to go Damage Dealer with magic later, you've got to start feeding Intelligence now. Otherwise, you'll be all steel, no fire."
"You forgot Meditation. Doesn't that help with magic?" I said, confused.
Viktor scanned the list again, tapping at the glowing words. "Alright, Jasmine, this changes things. You've got Meditation. That's not just a regen skill. That's the foundation for magic. With that in your pocket, you're not just stabbing things in the dark; you're on the road to slinging spells."
He leaned back, folding his arms. "So here's how I'd spread it:
Dexterity: This is still your bread and butter. Makes you faster, quieter, sharper. You want to stay untouchable in close combat? Keep feeding this.
Perception: Goes hand-in-hand with Dex. Boosts awareness, accuracy, and tracking. Perfect for your assassin roots.
Intelligence: This is where things shift. With Meditation unlocked, every point here actually matters. More INT means more mana, stronger spells once you learn them, and better synergy with meditation training.
Strength: Keep it steady, but don't overdo it. You're already strong enough to cut clean through most things. Add here only if you plan to switch into heavy melee weapons.
Constitution: You're already tankier than most. 25 is more than enough for now—stop padding it and start sharpening your edge.
He grinned, pointing at the numbers again. "So, for your next spread? Split it three ways. Dex, Perception, Int. That makes you faster, deadlier, and opens the door for casting without losing your assassin core. Basically, you're making yourself the nightmare hybrid—Tank durability, Assassin lethality, Mage tricks."
Then his grin widened. "And I'm telling you, Jasmine—once you've meditated enough to use mana? You're not gonna be satisfied with just blades anymore."
I stared at the numbers a moment longer, Viktor's voice still in my ear. He wasn't wrong. I'd padded the Constitution enough. Strength was fine where it was. If I wanted to be faster, sharper, and crack the door wider for magic, I had to commit.
I dragged the points into place.
+5 Dexterity.
+5 Perception.
+5 Intelligence.
The glow settled, locking them in.
Status Window
Name: Jasmine West
Level: 8 (0/12,800)
Alignment: Neutral
Class: None
Title(s): Medusa
Health: 250/200
Stamina: 250/200
Mana: 130/130
MP Regen: +1 MP every 30 seconds
Strength: 20
Dexterity: 25
Constitution: 25
Intelligence: 17
Perception: 25
Luck: 6
Charisma: 7
Willpower: 15
Instinct: 8
Wisdom: 1
Free Attribute Points: 0
Skill Points: 5
The shift was instant. My movements felt lighter. My eyes sharper. Under it all, a faint hum of mana tugged at the edge of my awareness like a door waiting to be opened.
I glanced at Viktor and gave him a nod. "Thanks for the advice."
He grinned, big and easy. "No problem, Jasmine. Just don't forget me when you start throwing fireballs on top of all that stabbing."
I smirked. "No promises."
I flicked the status window away and flexed my fingers, testing the balance in my body again. The world just felt… sharper. Faster.
"Alright," I said, looking back at Viktor. "You've seen the Beginner's Store more than I have. Any skills there that would actually match me? Something worth burning these points on?"
Viktor scratched his beard, eyes going distant like he was scrolling through the shelves in his head. "Hmmm… yeah, a few. You're already stacked in Dex and Perception, so anything that builds on speed and precision is a good fit. Things like Quick Step or Shadow Veil would make you even nastier in close quarters. And for Int? You've already got Meditation—so if there's a basic elemental spell book, even just Spark or Mana Bolt, grab it. Doesn't matter if it's weak—once you've got the first, the stronger stuff will unlock down the line."
He leaned forward, grinning. "Oh, and Iron Will. Don't forget that one. With Nadia floating around and her Suggestion crap, you'll want your mind locked down tighter than Fort Knox. No shame in stacking Willpower when someone's trying to crawl inside your head."
I smirked. "So speed, precision, and mental defense. Pretty much the same things you've been telling me since day one."
Viktor chuckled. "Hey, when I'm right, I'm right. Just promise me one thing, Jasmine—if you pick up fireballs, let me yell the anime attack name before you cast it."
I rolled my eyes, but couldn't stop the faint smile tugging at my lips. "We'll see."