Chapter 47: Status Menu Unlocked
The smell of something delicious wafted through the air, pulling me out of the dark void of unconsciousness. My nose twitched, and for a moment, I forgot about the pain that had been my constant companion for what felt like an eternity. My stomach growled, betraying my body's desperate need for sustenance. But as soon as I tried to move, the pain came rushing back, sharp and unrelenting, like a thousand needles stabbing into every inch of my body.
"Ugh... what the hell?" I groaned, my voice hoarse and barely audible. My ribs felt like they'd been crushed, and my limbs were heavy, as if they were made of lead. Even breathing hurt. I winced as I tried to shift my weight, only to be met with a fresh wave of agony. "Damn it... why does everything hurt so much? Did I get hit by a truck or something?"
I forced my eyes open, blinking against the dim light. The first thing I noticed was the canopy of trees above me, their leaves swaying gently in the breeze. The sunlight filtered through the branches, casting dappled shadows on the ground. Wait... trees? I wasn't in the ruins anymore. Where the hell was I?
I turned my head slightly, wincing at the stiffness in my neck, and saw a small fire crackling nearby. The fmes danced zily, and the smell of food grew stronger. Someone was cooking. My stomach growled again, louder this time, and I tried to focus on the figure tending to the fire. It was the demi-human sve, the one the noble twins had left at the entrance to the ruins. He was busy stirring something in a pot, his movements calm and methodical. I guess he must have heard the commotion and come to find us. But why hadn't Menato killed us? I frowned, trying to piece together what had happened.
Then it hit me. Menato hadn't found the artifact. He must have been so frustrated that he just left us there, figuring we weren't worth the effort. Lucky us, I guess. But still, the fact that we were alive was a miracle. I gnced to either side of me and saw Neralia and Lashley lying unconscious, their bodies battered and bruised but still breathing. At least they were alive. That was something.
I turned my attention back to the fire, watching as the demi-human sve continued to cook. He didn't seem to notice I was awake, or if he did, he didn't care. My body was still in too much pain to move, so I just y there, staring at the fmes and trying to ignore the throbbing ache in my ribs.
Just as I was starting to drift off again, a loud *ding* sound echoed in my head, jolting me awake. My vision blurred for a moment, and then a screen appeared in front of me, glowing faintly like some kind of holographic dispy. It was the system again. Great. Just what I needed.
**[Mission 3 Results]**
- **Primary Objective: Completed.**
- **Primary Reward: Achieved.**
- **Secondary Objective: Failed.**
- **Secondary Reward: Not Achieved.**
- **Mission Completion Condition: Completed.**
Another screen popped up, this one beled [Bonus Reward: Achieved]. The text below it expined that the bonus was awarded based on the difficulty of the mission. I barely had time to process that before a third screen appeared, this one with the words [Status Menu Unlocked] in bold letters.
[Status Menu Unlocked]
Name: Kaizen Vale
Age: 17
Race: Human
Missions Completed: 3
Average Mission Difficulty Compared to Other Users: ☆☆ out of ☆☆☆☆☆
User Performance During Missions: ★☆☆☆☆
[Energy (Ki) Sensitivity]
? Ki Bst: Level 4 / 100
? Ki Aura: Level 10 / 100
? Ki Sense: Level 19 / 100
[Physical Attributes]
Stamina: 16
Dexterity: 7
Speed: 7
Agility: 8
Int: 9
Strength: 12
Luck: 5
[Note: The stamina bonus has already been attributed to the user.]
[New Feature Unlocked: Status Menu]
? To access the status menu in the future, the user must touch their temple with two fingers.
Stared at the table, my eyes darting from one section to another. It was… surprisingly organized. Almost too organized for a system that seemed to enjoy screwing me over at every turn. My stats were id out clearly, and for the first time, I could see exactly where I stood. Strength and stamina were my highest attributes, both in the double digits, but everything else was embarrassingly low. Agility? 8. Dexterity? 7. Luck? A pitiful 5. I groaned. No wonder I kept stumbling into trouble.
The energy profile was a bit more encouraging. My Ki Sense was at Level 19, whichh was the highest of my Ki-reted abilities. Ki Bst was only at Level 4, though, which expined why my attacks felt so weak. And Ki Aura? Level 10. Not terrible, but not great either. I had a long way to go if I wanted to survive the next mission.
The bonus rewards section caught my eye. The stamina boost had already been applied, which expined why I didn’t feel completely dead despite the beating I’d taken. And the Ki control improvement? That was a nice touch. Controlling Ki had been like trying to wrestle a wild animal, so anything that made it easier was welcome.
I sighed, leaning my head back against the ground. The table was helpful, but it also highlighted just how far I had to go. My stats were mediocre at best, and my performance rating was a measly star. Just a star. That was just insulting. I knew I wasn’t exactly a powerhouse, but seeing it id out like this made it hard to ignore.
“Well, Kaizen,” I muttered under my breath, “looks like you’ve got a lot of work to do. Better start grinding those stats.”
The screen faded, leaving me staring at the trees above. The demi-human sve was still cooking, and the smell of food was making my stomach growl louder than ever. But my mind was stuck on the Status Menu. What were the limits for these stats? Could I improve them over time, or was I stuck with what I had? And what about the Ki abilities? Was there a way to level them up faster?
I reached up and touched my temple with two fingers, just like the instructions said. The Status Menu flickered back into view, glowing faintly in front of me. It was a small comfort, knowing I could check my progress whenever I wanted. But it also felt like a reminder of how far I had to go.
“Alright, System,” I muttered, closing my eyes for a moment. “You win. I’ll py your game. But don’t think for a second I’m going to let you beat me.”
The screen disappeared, and I was left lying there, staring at the fire and listening to the crackle of the fmes. The next mission was coming, and I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be any easier than the st. But at least now I had a better idea of where I stood. And maybe, just maybe, I could start closing the gap between me and the monsters I kept running into.
