The world returned to Kael in a symphony of pain. Each breath was a sharp reminder of the beating he had taken, a dull ache blooming across his ribs with every inhale. The training yard was empty now, the other initiates having left with Sergeant Borin, their laughter and chatter fading into the distance along with Kael's old life.
He lay in the dirt for a long time, staring at the twilight sky. The first stars were beginning to pierce the deepening blue, and for a moment, they looked like the distant, glittering orbs of his Evolution Tree. The interface was still there, a persistent, crystalline overlay on reality. It wasn't a dream.
[Health: 19/30]
The number was a cold, hard fact. He was injured, cast out, and alone. But the despair that had once been a suffocating blanket now felt like a cold forge, hardening his resolve. He had a direction, even if the path was unimaginably long.
With a groan that was equal parts pain and effort, he pushed himself to his feet. His body protested, but he ignored it, his focus turning inward. He had one Epiphany Point. A single, glowing unit of potential in the vast economy of cosmic power.
He leaned against the Menhir Stone once more, its solid presence a comfort. Closing his eyes, he willed the Evolution Tree to appear.
The universe of possibilities unfolded before him. This time, he didn't let the sheer scale overwhelm him. He focused, filtering the view to show only the foundations—the 1 EP Perks that were the building blocks of every great power.
· Keen Eye (1 EP): Slightly improves perception and ability to spot weaknesses. The first step to becoming a Scout or Archer.
· Sturdy Frame (1 EP): Slightly increases maximum Health and resistance to physical blows. The foundation of a Warrior's resilience.
· Mana Sensitivity (1 EP): Allows the user to faintly perceive the flow of ambient mana. The essential first step for any Mage.
· Quickened Step (1 EP): A minor, permanent boost to movement speed and balance. The bedrock of the Rogue's agility.
Each was a temptation. A single step down a path. But his blessing wasn't about choosing one path; it was about building the foundation for all of them. He needed to be strategic. What would help him survive now? What would help him grind for more EP?
He thought of the forest surrounding Oakhaven, of the minor beasts and herbs that could be harvested for meager coin and experience. Keen Eye could help him spot dangers and valuable resources. Sturdy Frame would mitigate the damage from the inevitable fights he'd have to pick. The choice was paralyzing.
Before he could decide, he felt a subtle shift within him, a soft click as if a cosmic hourglass had been turned. The sun had fully set. A new day had begun in the eyes of the System.
[Daily Essence Reset Complete.]
[Reallocate Essence?]
[Current Distribution: S:4, A:3, V:5, I:6, Sp:1]
[Available Essence from Daily Reset: 0]
He still had zero Essence to allocate. But the power to reshape himself was available once more. This was a different kind of tool, one he could use without spending his precious EP.
He stared at his pathetic attributes. His Agility had been his biggest liability in the fight. What if he sacrificed it, just for today? He selected Agility: 3 and, with a thought, moved the point to Vitality.
A wave of disorientation washed over him. He suddenly felt heavier, more solid, as if his bones had been filled with lead. The lingering pain in his ribs seemed to lessen slightly, becoming a more manageable throb instead of a sharp sting. His body felt more durable, but the world seemed to move just a fraction faster around him.
[Current Distribution: S:4, A:2, V:6, I:6, Sp:1]
He had made himself even clumsier. It was a risk. But his Health, he noticed, had ticked upwards. [Health: 21/30]. The extra point in Vitality had already granted him a small boost to his recovery and his maximum HP. It was a trade-off: mobility for survivability.
He reverted the change, sliding the point back to Agility. The heavy feeling vanished, and the world slowed back to its normal pace. The experiment was a success. He could adapt his body to his daily needs. For a grind in the forest, perhaps Vitality was key. For escaping a predator, Agility would be paramount. The power was his to command.
He looked again at his single, precious EP. The weight of the choice returned. Spending it felt like lighting a fuse on the only stick of dynamite he owned. What if he chose wrong?
"No," he whispered to the silent, star-dusted interface. "Not yet."
He would not spend it out of desperation. He would hoard it. He would study the Tree, understand the synergies, and learn what the world had to offer. His first step would be calculated, not reckless. He would earn his next point, and the one after that, through sheer, stubborn persistence.
Pushing off from the Menhir, he began the slow, painful walk to the small, isolated hovel on the edge of the village that he called home. The path was dark, and the windows of the other houses were warm with firelight and the sounds of families. He was an outsider looking in, more so than ever.
But as he walked, his mind was not on his isolation. It was building a plan.
The forest. It was dangerous, but it was also the only place a Stat Null with a dream of godhood could start. He would forage for herbs. He would set simple snares for rabbits. And he would fight the weakest of creatures, the ones the real hunters ignored. The rock-hares and the moss-rats. It would be pitifully slow. The EP reward for such trivial foes would be minuscule, if it existed at all. But it was a start.
He reached his hut and pushed the door open. The interior was dark and cold, a reflection of his old life. But as he stepped inside, a new prompt materialized, its light illuminating the dusty room.
[New Quest Received: The Grind Begins]
Objective: Earn 10 Epiphany Points.
Reward: Unlocks the 'Pathweaver's Insight' Perk, highlighting optimal early-stage Evolution combinations for Synthesis.
Ten points. To a militia initiate, it might represent a year of dedicated training and successful monster hunts. To Kael, it looked like a decade. A mountain that would require the movement of entire ranges of dirt, one grain of sand at a time.
He sat on his simple cot, the straw mattress crunching beneath him. He was Kael the Null, the exile, the bruised and beaten failure.
But as he looked at the glowing '1' next to his EP and felt the daily potential for change humming within his veins, he allowed himself a small, grim smile.
The mountain was vast. But he had all the time in the world.
---
Kael's Status
Name: Kael
Race:Human (Latent)
Titles:None
Health (HP): 21/30
Mana (MP):5/5
Attributes:
· Strength: 4 (Below Average)
· Agility: 3 (Deficient)
· Vitality: 5 (Average)
· Intelligence: 6 (Average)
· Spirit: 1 (Crippled)
Essence (Stat Points): 0 (Daily Reset Available)
Epiphany Points (EP):1
Active Quests:
· The Grind Begins: Earn 10 EP. Reward: Pathweaver's Insight Perk.
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