Kieran, still reeling from the System's explanations, decided to take a more pragmatic approach. "Alright," he said, trying to keep his voice level despite the whirlwind of emotions inside him. "You said you could show me my... stat panel? Let's start there. I need to know exactly what I'm working with."
"Of course! It's very straightforward," the System replied, its tone shifting back to a more helpful, if still somewhat childish, enthusiasm.
Instantly, a translucent screen appeared in Kieran's vision, shimmering with a soft, white light. It displayed a series of words and numbers, arranged in a way that reminded him of the role-playing games he used to play during his long, confined days.
Name: Kieran
Title: None
Strength: 2
Agility: 1
Vitality: 4
Intelligence: 6
Mana Capacity: 11
Mana Regeneration: 2 per/min
Mana Skill: 0
Kieran stared at the panel, his expression a mixture of confusion and disappointment. The numbers seemed... pitifully low. He had always been weak, but to see it quantified so bluntly was a different experience altogether.
"Is... is that it?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper. "These stats are... terrible."
The System sighed, a sound that seemed to vibrate in his head. "Well, they're not terrible," it protested, though its tone lacked its earlier confidence. "They're... baseline. You have to remember, you were incredibly weak before. You've essentially been reborn. Think of it as starting from level one."
"Level one," Kieran muttered, running a hand through his hair. "So, what does this all mean? What's a 'good' stat?"
"For a newly awakened Hunter," the System explained, "stats generally range from 1 to 10. These are what we call 'novice' stats. Most Hunters, once they awaken, are stuck with that range. They can improve them slightly through training and experience, but they can never truly break past that initial threshold."
Kieran's eyebrows furrowed. "But you said... you said I'm different?"
"Yes!" the System perked up, finally sounding more cheerful. "That's the good news! Because of... well, because of the unique circumstances of your awakening and my involvement, you have the potential to evolve. Unlike the average Hunter, you're not limited to these novice stats. Once all of your base stats reach their maximum of 10, you can break through to the next level."
Kieran's eyes widened slightly. A flicker of genuine hope ignited within him. "So, you mean..."
"Yes," the System cut in, its voice filled with a hint of pride. "With enough effort, with enough training and growth, you can surpass the limitations of ordinary Hunters. You can reach the ranks of intermediate, advanced, and even elite Hunters. And even that isn't your limit, but let's not get ahead of ourselves."
Kieran was shocked. He had always believed that a Hunter's potential was fixed at the moment of awakening. The idea that he could actually grow stronger, that he could surpass even the most powerful Hunters he had seen on television, was almost too much to comprehend. He had resigned himself to a life of weakness, and now, he was being told that he had the potential for greatness.
He stared at his stat panel again, his mind racing. The numbers still seemed small, insignificant. But now, they represented not a limitation, but a starting point. A challenge.
"Okay," he said, his voice gaining a newfound determination. "So, how do I improve them? What do I need to do?"
The System seemed pleased by his change in attitude. "That's the spirit! It's simple, really. You train. You fight. You grow. The more you use your body and your mana, the more your stats will increase. It's a gradual process, but it's consistent. And you have an advantage."
Kieran raised an eyebrow. "An advantage? You mean I won't get bald by doing 100 push-ups, 100 squats, 100 sit-ups and running 10 kilometers each day because if that's it, it's kind of a relief"
"Of course not, though you will have a daily quest which grants you reward. Aside from that" the System explained. "Your mana capacity and regeneration are already... surprisingly high for someone with such low physical stats. Most people who awaken with stats as low as yours would have equally low mana capacity and regeneration. But yours..." The System paused, as if it was accessing some internal database. "Your mana capacity is comparable to that of a beginner intermediate Hunter, whose stats are usually in the 11-100 range."
Kieran blinked, surprised. "Really?"
"A peak human, someone with no awakening, would have a stat of 1 in all attributes. Most newly awakened Hunters also start with 1 in all their stats, which they then slowly increase through training. You're already far beyond that. And your mana regeneration... an average novice Hunter regenerates 1 point of mana per minute. Those who are very adept at mana control can improve it by a few seconds. An intermediate Hunter typically regenerates 2 points per minute. You're already at the intermediate level for mana regeneration."
Kieran looked at his stat panel again, this time with a slightly different perspective. He was still weak, physically. But he had a hidden reserve of power, a wellspring of mana that was waiting to be tapped. He wasn't starting from zero. He was starting from... somewhere.
"So," he said, a slow smile spreading across his face. "I'm weak, but I have potential. And a lot of it."
"Exactly!" the System chirped, sounding delighted. "You're a diamond in the rough, Kieran. You just need a little... polishing."
Kieran clarified what the system means when it said that the system can act as a mana storage. "So, about this mana storage thing... how exactly does that work?"
The System explained, "Any excess mana that you generate will be stored within me. You can then access this stored mana whenever you need it. However, when you release the stored mana, it all come out at once. You'll be drawing on that stored mana, in addition to your regular regeneration, until it's gone."
Kieran considered this, a skeptical expression on his face. "So, basically, you're leeching off my mana production and then making me use it up over time? That doesn't sound like much of a benefit. It sounds like I'm just powering you."
The System grew timid, its earlier enthusiasm fading slightly. "Well, it's a symbiotic relationship! And besides, about that mana skill..."
Kieran seized on this. "Aha! You're changing the subject! You promised me a mana skill. So, let's have it."The System hesitated.
"About that... do you actually know how Hunters gain their skills?"