"It was my fault it got that hit on you anyway, so it's not a problem," Joey said as he ripped off what was left of his shirt, which was more strings than fabric at this point. Beneath the tattered cloth, James could see Joey's lean but increasingly muscular frame. Red welts marked his skin where the salamander's claws had raked across him, but they hadn't broken through, a testament to his growing resilience.
"Hey, what's your {Bronze Skin} level at now, Joey?" James asked, curiosity evident in his voice.
Joey glanced at his status, squinting for a moment. "Uh, I just leveled it to four. Why?"
"I'm just amazed at how well it held up during that fight!" James exclaimed, his voice filled with admiration. He could still picture how viciously the salamander had clawed at Joey, yet the bruises were superficial.
Joey grinned and flexed his bicep, striking a playful pose. "Yeah, I’m pretty strong, right?" He tossed the scraps of his shirt aside and plopped down on the cave floor, his eyes fixed eagerly on the dissipating mana swirling above the dead salamander. There was a boyish excitement to him, as if waiting for a prize to pop out of a piñata.
James wouldn’t admit it out loud, but he was starting to notice how Joey’s body was filling out, the beginnings of muscle definition that suggested he was growing fast. Puberty, as James remembered from his Earth life, was unpredictable, usually kicking in between eight and sixteen years old, but here in this world, it seemed different—more accelerated, almost supercharged by the presence of mana and their status. His father had once told him that kids were considered "technically adults" once they received their status at ten, but the age of majority was still fourteen. It seemed Joey was already beginning that transformation, and each fight seemed to push it along further.
The swirling mana reached a crescendo, and James felt a tingle along his skin. He had a feeling it would yield something good this time since he’d gotten the final hit. Plus, if he was right, this fight would put him over the threshold for leveling up.
{Level Three Dark Salamander Defeated - Kill}
{Bonus EXP for fighting an enemy higher level than you}
{42 EXP Awarded}
{Congratulations! From your efforts, you are rewarded}
{One Wedding Dress of Veiled Glamour} (Ashen)
{Congratulations! Your reward is doubled!}
James felt a prickling sensation as the essence from the Salamander entered into him, and he could see a smaller portion flow into Joey. It felt like growing pains, like his bones were stretching beyond what they were ready for. He glanced at his status and saw why—he was on the verge of leveling up, and the discomfort was intensifying.
The sensation of his body trying to accommodate this new surge of energy was almost unbearable. He called out to Joey, who was examining the pair of wedding dresses they’d been rewarded with, a comically upset expression on his face. "Joey, I have to level up, and I don’t want to do it here where anything could come at us. Can we head back to the cave so I can do it there?"
Joey, still frowning at the dresses, nodded. "Man, already leveling up? Alright. I accidentally leveled up once while I was out and about, and it was a pain. I get what you mean." With a sigh, Joey grabbed the dresses, folding them awkwardly over his arm as they made their way back to their cave—now something of a home base for them. They both moved cautiously, Joey glancing up at the ceiling much more frequently now than when they’d first set out. James kept his trident ready, scanning every crevice for any hint of movement.
Every step for James was agony; each jolt made him wince, and he was tempted more than once to just accept the leveling prompt on the spot. But he held off, unwilling to risk it in the open. He knew that if something attacked, he wouldn't be of much use. By the time they finally made it back to their little alcove, James collapsed with a sigh of relief, laying himself down against the cold stone floor. He pulled up his status.
The cave felt like a small safe haven—away from the constant danger, where they could catch their breath. The dim glow of the phosphorescent mushrooms bathed the alcove in a soft greenish light. Joey set the dresses down, his expression a mix of frustration and amusement at their odd loot. He settled down beside James, watching as his friend focused on his status.
Name -Jameson CastellioAge -10Titles -| Dungeon Marauder (Crimson) |
| Convergent Soul (Crimson) |
| Mana Harmonization (Cobalt) |Achievements -First KillRace -Human (Ashen Rank One)Level -2 (30/100)Class -N/AHP -305/325MP -265/265 +15Stamina -272/325Strength -
6 (+1)
Dexterity -6 (+1)Agility -5 (+1)Intelligence -9Endurance -6 (+2)Charisma -5Wisdom -7 (+1)Fate -12Innate skillLevel 1
******
Level 50LockedLevel 100LockedActive SkillsPassive Skills| Trident Proficiency (Ashen Rank Three)|Affinities********
{Congratulations! From your efforts you have leveled up!}
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{+ 3 Free Attributes}
{+ 6 Free Attributes from (Achievement - First Kill)}
{Congratulations! From your efforts you have leveled up - Trident Proficiency (Ashen Level Three)}
**{Please allocate your Free Attributes now}**
The first thing James noticed was the natural stat increases—perhaps they were magical, or maybe just the physical effects of leveling up and integrating more essence into his body. He didn't really know for sure. What he did know was that this was a wild ride, and the more he explored his abilities, the more questions he had. But those experiments would have to wait. Right now, he needed to focus.
The pinpricks of discomfort were only getting worse, forcing his attention back to the status screen. The amount of free attributes he had to allocate was substantial—far more than he’d expected. The achievement bonus alone had granted him as many points as most of his starting stats were baseline.
"Don’t worry about keeping watch, but I’m charging you a crumb for it!" Joey broke into James’s concentration, his grin mischievous, clearly eager to lighten the tension.
James sighed, shooting a tired glare at Joey, who was clearly taking advantage of his situation. All he could do was grunt in response. He felt the pressure mounting—he had to finish this soon.
He tried to focus. The stats were straightforward—this reality seemed almost like an overlay of a video game, which was a strange concept to grapple with. He'd been trying not to dwell on it too much, given how foreign everything already felt, but now he had no choice. He needed to think carefully about where to put his points.
The early levels in a game can often spell out the build for the rest of the game, at least if James went off video game logic so he spent a few minutes digesting the status page, though it didn't give a whole lot of details and he couldn't expand on it. He made a mental note of each of the stats and what he thought they did.
as he went through each stat mentally, he was trying to consider its importance. Strength was clear-cut—it represented his physical power. It could affect many things: his ability to fight, his speed, or maybe even how well he wielded the trident. Dexterity was similarly straightforward—it involved fine motor skills, control, and precision. James noticed he was more dexterous since getting his status, able to use his hands in ways that felt more fluid and capable. Recalling his abysmal piano skills, he was sure that it would be different if he had this control now. Even despite a whole different body the adaptations felt natural.
Agility was trickier. Was it pure speed? Movement coordination? It was hard to tell. It felt like the lines blurred between agility and strength, but James assumed it was his ability to navigate obstacles, move swiftly, and keep his balance. He remembered dodging the salamander’s lunges—it was those instincts, the sharpness of movement, that he felt Agility must represent.
Then there was Intelligence. It made sense that his Intelligence was high. The combined knowledge of his two lives—Frank’s life and James’—put him above the average ten-year-old, even in a essence-infused world. The more he thought about it, the more a subtle buzzing grew at the back of his mind. He realized that the points they were gaining naturally might be due to the essence integrating itself into their bodies and minds, forcing growth where it didn’t come naturally.
Endurance was self-explanatory—how much punishment he could take, how far he could run, how resilient he could be. But it also felt like more than that. Here, endurance seemed to affect how his body responded to everything, not just physical activity. It was about stamina, how much he could endure without giving in to pain or fatigue. He thought back to how he recovered after being slammed by the salamander—it was that fortitude that allowed him to keep going despite the pain.
James closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the stone wall. The prickling sensation was turning into something sharper—like needles piercing into his muscles. He had to make a choice. He looked over the attributes again, feeling overwhelmed. This was more than just deciding how he wanted to improve—it felt like a glimpse into what kind of person he wanted to become. He could be stronger, faster, tougher. Or he could focus on his mind, his mana. But this wasn't a game. Every choice had weight.
"You look like you're about to pass out," Joey observed, peering at James. He reached over and pulled out one of the remaining crumbs from the donut they'd rationed. He held it out teasingly. "Here, maybe this'll give you a boost."
James cracked an eye open, a weak smile crossing his lips. He reached out and took the crumb, popping it into his mouth. It was a strange thing—something so small bringing a bit of relief. The sweetness of the donut seemed to calm him, even if just a little. "Thanks," he said softly.
"Don't mention it. Just don’t go all weird on me when you level up," Joey said, giving him a thumbs-up, then leaning back, eyes open listening for any movement.
James took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. He knew he had to be smart about this. He couldn't afford to be reckless. He remembered his fight with the salamander, how he needed more speed, how Joey's {Bronze Skin} had kept him from getting seriously hurt. He needed to be more balanced—he needed to make sure he could survive, but also that he could fight back.
Deciding to take a well-rounded approach, James allocated two points to Strength, two to Dexterity, two to Agility, and two to Endurance. He paused, staring at the final attribute point. It felt like the last piece of a puzzle, like the thing that could tip the scales in a specific direction. After a long moment, he decided to put it into Wisdom—something told him he'd need it.
As soon as he made his selection, the pain that had been coursing through his body suddenly spiked, then vanished. It was like a dam breaking, a flood of energy rushing through him. He gasped, his muscles tensing involuntarily as the essence worked its way into every part of his being. It felt as though his body was being reshaped, remolded to fit the changes he'd made. There was a searing heat, followed by a cooling wave that left him feeling strangely refreshed.
Joey watching James. "You done? You look... less like you're dying now."
James let out a shaky laugh. "Yeah, I think I'm good now. That was... intense." He flexed his hands, feeling the new strength in his fingers, the slight tingling in his limbs as if they were waking up from being asleep. It was strange but invigorating.
"Good, 'cause I wasn't gonna carry you around if you passed out. You’re too heavy for that." Joey grinned, nudging James's arm playfully.
"Thanks for the support," James replied, rolling his eyes. He looked at Joey for a moment, a smile tugging at his lips. "You know, I’m really glad we’re in this together."
Joey shrugged, but there was warmth in his expression. "Yeah, well, you’d be lost without me. And someone’s got to keep you from getting your head bitten off."
James nodded, feeling the truth in Joey's words. They had survived so far, and as strange and dangerous as this world was, they had each other’s backs. That was something to hold onto. Something to keep pushing forward for.
"Alright," James said, standing up and feeling the renewed strength coursing through his body. He extended his hand to Joey. "Ready to go take on some more salamanders?"