The Draconics arrived at the boy's house, a dilapidated and strained-looking building. Weeds and thorns choked the yard, and the paint was peeling from the walls. Inside, the house was no better, with cobwebs filling every corner. The party was shocked by the structure's poor state.
The boy led them to a room where a woman lay shivering on a bed, despite being covered in thick blankets. Tsuoma's Eye of Truth opened, and he saw a powerful curse on her. It had merged with her, draining her life force.
His eyes scanned the room. "Damn, a demon is the cause of this," he muttered, "and it's still here."
He looked up and saw a giant spider, bigger than a tarantula, lurking above Natael. "Natael! Above you! A giant Drake Gustof!" His eyes had shown him the creature's species, which wasn't from Earth. He knew the spider was dangerous as his party members drew their weapons, even Miles on edge. Tsuoma wondered what made the spider so terrifying. He checked with his Eye of Truth, and what he saw was mind-blowing.
STATS
Name: Drake Gustof
Specie: Demon spider
Rank: Level 50, D rank
Health: 600/600
Agility: 200/200
Speed: 500/500
Strength: 1000/1000
Stamina: 200/300
Mana: 200/400
Magic & Skills Used: Curse magic.
"Wait a minute, what is this?"
[Your Eye of Truth has been fully awakened. Now you can see the stats of everyone and everything. Your appraisal eyes are SS class—the highest. If you develop them, they can do a lot more than just see stats. One which is seeing flashes of memories]
Tsuoma held his head. "Just like a game, huh? Who else can use it?"
[Less than 10 percent of the humans in this world can use it, I think. But not to worry this is your very own power, like Teruki's empathy. So use it wisely.]
Tsuoma looked around, checking the stats of everyone, and was shocked to discover that none of them reached level fifty. The strongest among them, Miles, was at level 45. "We are doomed. Even Teruki doesn't stand a chance." The system sighed.
Teruki was shocked, but Tsuoma decided to check her stats anyway. He was shocked to see her stats increasing drastically. He saw an ability that could help them out.
"Holy Lance."
That was a convenient ability, and he quickly formulated a plan, taking everyone's stats into account. He was ready. "Natael, cast a sealing spell to limit its powers! Sasha, I need pegs to stick it to the floor! Miles, cast your gravity magic on it! Teruki, use Holy Lance! That should destroy it!"
They all looked at him in shock, a single question evident on their faces. "How did you know our powers?"
He saw the questions on their faces. "No time to answer now. Just do it!"
They did as they were told, and the Drake Gustof roared, trying to free itself. "What's next, Tsuoma?" Natael yelled.
Tsuoma checked the stats of the Drake Gustof again.
STATS
Name: Drake Gustof
Specie: Demon spider
Rank: Level 50, D rank
Health: 200/600
Agility: 100/200
Speed: 500/500
Strength: 50/100
Stamina: 200/300
Mana: 100/400
Magic & Skills used: Curse magic.
"It still has enough mana to curse us," he thought. "It seems the curse also drains its mana and then uses the victim to regain strength and stamina. We could win if we had a mana-draining spell, but it might backfire since it can also drain our mana. I can't see my own stats… or can I? I'll do it like in the movies."
He projected his thoughts and centered them on his stats. A blank screen that only he could see appeared. "Activate stat panel," he thought. Words began floating on the panel, and he saw his stats.
STATS
Name: Tsuoma Sadeo
Specie: Human, Mage
Rank: Level 80, B class
Health: 1000/1000
Agility: 500/500
Speed: 300/300
Strength: 500/500
Stamina: 300/500
Mana: 5000/5000
Magic & Skills Used: Sword Magic, Dark Magic, Holy Magic, Light Magic, Creation Magic. Eye of truth. Geographical knowledge.
"Hmm, so at my level, these are the skills available to me," he thought. "And all these magic spells are B-class. Time to use Light Magic."
The panel moved again, and a window appeared. He saw "Spells For Light Magic," but only three were listed. "Well, I'll have to train harder, but I can use one out of these three."
[Light Purge: -5 Stamina, -1000 Mana
Light Dragon Attack: -3 Stamina, -50 Mana
Light Pierce: -1 Stamina, -50 Mana]
"Well, it drains my mana fast, but resting will gain it back. I'll go with the first skill. With the mana consumed, the damage will be much."
The demon spider had broken a rod, and Miles was struggling to hold it down with gravity. Tsuoma was now surrounded by light energy. "Guys, move away!" They were shocked to see this and jumped back, standing near him.
"I have to contain the damage to just here," he said. "I hope I can. Light Magic: Light Purge!"
A massive beam of light struck the Drake Gustof, enveloping it as it yelled. The demon spider's body began to pulsate, expanding and expanding. "Oh, gods and goddesses, it's going to explode!" Natael howled.
Tsuoma raised his hand and thought of a defense spell. He carefully constructed the magic circle, and once it was completed, he added it to his skills. It was currently at level 10 and only consumed 20 mana, but it was worth it.
"Light Magic: Solid Light Shield!" he chanted, covering all of them as the Drake Gustof exploded, taking half the building with it. A massive wind threatened to tear them apart, but the shield held on until the blast stopped.
"My, and here I struggled to contain the blast," he said, falling to the ground, breathing heavily. He checked his stats.
STATS
Name: Tsuoma Sadeo
Specie: Human Mage
Rank: Level 80, B class
Health: 1000/1000
Agility: 500/500
Speed: 300/300
Strength: 800/800
Stamina: 295/400
Mana: 3880/5000
Magic & Skills Used: Sword Magic, Dark Magic, Holy Magic, Light Magic, Creation Magic. Eye of truth. Geographical knowledge.
After a few minutes of rest, Tsuoma woke up and saw the building had already been restored by Natael. He checked Natael's stats.
STATS
Name: Natael Feirysky
Specie: Human, Holy Knight
Rank: Level 40, E rank
Health: 450/500
Agility: 300/300
Speed: 400/400
Strength: 500/500
Stamina: 300/400
Mana: 1000/1500
Magic & Skills Used: Restoration magic, sword magic, holy magic, fire magic.
"His restoration magic took little of his mana. Holy Knights sure are strong."
Natael walked to the woman and touched her head. Her cracked skin began to fill out, and color returned to her cheeks. Her red hair, which looked as though it had been forcefully pulled out, began to fill back in. After the restoration, a beautiful woman stood before them. The boy jumped on his mother, hugging her tightly.
"I may not have healing magic, but at least she is back to normal now," Natael said, chuckling as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. Tsuoma chuckled at his newfound friend.
After sipping cups of cold tea, the party gathered around the woman, and she told them her story. She had been gathering wood for the furnace when something big—which looked like a spider with a demon head and human limbs—jumped in front of her. She was terrified, and the Drake Gustof opened its mouth and spat on her, which began to drain her life force. She didn't like it when her son had to steal for them to survive, but she had no choice as she was slowly rotting away.
Tsuoma was in awe and checked her stats.
STATS
Name: Rietta Namiktu
Specie: Human
Rank: Level 20, F rank
Health: 50/70
Agility: 100/100
Speed: 35/45
Strength: 40/100
Stamina: 50/150
Mana: 0/0
Magic & Skills Used: None
She was just a normal human, unlike her son.
STATS
Name: Shamash Namiktu
Specie: Dragon-born
Rank: Level 35, E rank
Health: 350/350
Agility: 200/200
Speed: 100/100
Strength: 250/250
Stamina: 100/200
Mana: 200/200
Magic & Skills Used: Shapeshifting, Fire Magic, Dragon Magic, Transformation.
"His father must have been a powerful dragon-born." Tsuoma decided to ask about her husband in a discreet way so no one would know he could see their stats. "Where is your husband? I don't see him around."
Rietta sighed. "My name is Rietta Namiktu. I had a husband, but he left me when my son, Shamash, was only four. It's been eight years now, and he hasn't returned. He was a dragon-born, and we had Shamash."
All except Tsuoma were shocked. "You mean your son is a powerful species?" Natael said in shock.
"Yes, and I hope he returns soon. Shamash needs to know his father," she said. "Anyway, my name is Natael Feirysky, and I am a member of the Berserk Stronghold Guild in this city. If you are ever in need, come and ask for the Draconics Party. I will come to meet you. In the meantime, have this token and take care of yourself and your son."
As he said this, Sasha brought out a brown sack tied at the lip and handed it to her. "Inside is five hundred dalfs. That should last you both for a while," Natael said. Rietta looked at him, her eyes glittering as she tearfully accepted the money.
Shamash began moving uncomfortably, and Tsuoma went to him and touched his head. "Wanna join my party, kid? I want to get established in the guild first, and after that, I'll create my party, but you can be the third member, you know."
Shamash began to weep uncontrollably. He remembered stealing from them, and yet they had shown him so much kindness. Though the offer was tempting, he couldn't leave his mother alone, and he explained that to them. Tsuoma smiled and patted his head. "It's okay. Just visit the guild and ask for Natael, and it will be okay."
Rietta asked them to wait for a bit before leaving. She went into a room, and when she returned, she handed each of them a green potion in a plastic vial. "I might be only human, but I know how to make potions," she explained. "That is a mana and health restoration potion. It will restore your mana and health when you drink it." The party accepted the potions and left the house.