After calming down, I take a deep, depressive sigh.
I’m not mad!
Okay? Okay? Okay.
That random downgrade was pretty inconvenient, but at least I have some sort of armour now!
…Even if its all Rank F
B-but it’s better than nothing. Right?
Y-yep. I’ll take whatever I can get. You know that thing we all said as kids right?
Umm, what was it again?
…
Oh right!
“You get what you get and you don’t get upset.”
Yeah. Something like that.
Let’s check out what these super budget weapons can do.
“Check item status?”
Yeahh, I figured that wasn’t going to work. But [Appraisal] should work right? I mean, I know it works on inanimate objects after I tried it on that rock.
“[Appraise]!”
Damage: 5 Durability:100 Resistance: 10 Specials: None> Damn. This junk might’ve been worse than I expected. What is with this crappy equipment? I mean, 10?! 10?! … What about my other loot? Armour: 1 Durability: 150 Resistance: 5 Specials: None> Armour: 0 Durability: 50 Resistance: 1 Specials: None> Armour: 1 Durability: 125 Resistance: 5 Specials: None> Armour: 10 Durability: 150 Resistance: 10 Specials: None> …Yyep not good at all. The stats are all copiously low and essentially useless. [Basic Cloak] is probably the worst of the lot, but I do have a question, Why are the [Basic Sandals], my strongest item? It even outranks my supposed ‘weapon’, the [Basic Blade]. I mean, I get leather should be stronger than a thin slab of wood, but isn’t that a bit too much? But in the average Asian household, I do suppose that slippers are the preferred weapon choice. These sandals don’t have any damage stat though, so maybe I can’t hurt anyone or anything with it. Could cosmetics possibly not deal damage? I smack myself with my sandals experimentally. Ow So it does hurt. What about the stick? Thwap! Yowch! That hurts way more than the shoes. Maybe the stick has some sort of damage multiplier? That would make more sense. Or maybe an item has to be used for its specified purpose, or there will be a damage reducer. What I’m trying to say is that either the stick increases its base damage because it’s an offensive item, or the sandals have their damage reduced because they're not an offensive item. Hmm. That still seems confusing, doesn’t it? I suppose the better way to word it would be: Either items get a buff if used for their intended purpose, or they get a nerf if used against their intended purpose. If you put it that way, the latter seems more liable. I mean, the damage stat is there for a reason. If armour, resistance, or damage were to be multiplied, that would kind of negate the numbers and statistics, wouldn't it? So yeah. Thats my reasoning. It might be a bit flawed, but I barely know anything about this world, so there isn't much a can say for sure. I can only think of the most logical explanation. ...Well, what do I do now? I suppose I should clear the dungeon, but can I really do it? I mean - and yes, I am very much aware how much I’ve been saying those words, but I have a limited vocabulary, okay? Okay? Okay? Okay. So as I was saying, I’m an average university student, though I didn't attend university. But I’m 19, so the word 'uni' came up to mind. Theres nothing wrong with that. …Right? … Well, time to clear a dungeon! And you exactly do I do that, you ask? Heh. This is no place for amateurs. If you’ve never been in a dungeon, you shouldn’t be hanging around here. You need experience killing monsters. No, not the virtual ones, but real, bona fide monsters. ...W-why are you looking at me?!?! I aimlessly wander the dungeon. Some sort of magical lamps illuminate the passageways, giving off an eerie vibe. The walls seem tainted with age, like an ancient relic or temple. The musty uncirculated air ripple through my nostrils, making me cough a bit. Everything about this place seems wrong. An anachronism of the past. An oddity. An anomaly. Whaddaya know, when don’t goof around, I can seem pretty smart, can’t I? I could be a New York best seller! Hmm? Stolen novel; please report. What’s a fourth wall or two? How am I breaking it? Huh? What do you mean a character can't have a self-consciousness outside of their story? This is so confusing. While I ponder on these pointless thoughts, I hear some rustling near the corner of a passageway. I stealthily peek through, to see an... ...EEK!!! WHY IS THERE A HUGE ROACH LOOKING THINGOMABOB?!?! SHOULDN'T DUNGEONS BE FULL OF GOBLINS?!? NOOOOOO!! I HATE, HATE, HATE BUGS!!!!! WHYYYYYYYYY!!! HOW CRUEL IS MY ANTI-PLOT ARMOUR???? MY NEMESIS IS STANDING TWO METRES FROM ME!!! I quickly appraise it. Unnamed Level: 7 Rank: D Class: None> Hmm? Isn't that way stronger than me? So if it sees me, I’m totally screwed, right? Welp, shit. The r-roach noticed me. Still thinking about stupid stuff, I react too late. I feel a searing pain scatter though my body, with most of the pain condensed in my shoulder blade. What? Nrrggg? Ow, ow! Crap, this really hurts! This is worse than that scalding water incident when I was a kid! Gyahh! W-why is it shaking its head?! Ngyaaah! Ow, ow, ow! This bastard is trying to RIP MY ARM OFF!! Desperate and panicked, I pound the stick as hard as I can, bashing the roach’s hard, metallic exoskeleton. Nothing happens. Stop! Please, please, please! Stop pulling on my aarm! I thrash again and again, hopelessly pounding the stick to no avail. D-Damn it! I cannot die like this! I won’t let some stupid bug kill me! I-I wish this idiot would just die already. I grate my teeth, trying my best to ignore the overwhelming pain, and strike one more time. I see a faint crack on the roach’s exoskeleton, and it seems to notice too. It flinches in pain, releasing its vice like grip, and throws me onto a wall, dislocating some of my bones in the process. I- I can win this! I play an old trick in the book and kick up as much dust as I can from the ancient floor. With the roach momentarily stunned, I relentlessly stab the already semi-wounded area. It violently attempts to throw me off in retaliation, but I ignore my consciousness slipping away and pierce as hard as I can. This is anyone’s game. If I can hold on for long enough, my victory should be ensured, but on the other hand, if this stupid bug hits me one more time, I don’t think my body will be able to handle it. Oof! As I slam onto a wall, my only hope of victory - the stick - gets flung away. I try to get up and retrieve it, but my body refuses to budge an inch. Not good! I must end the fight quick. Arrg! What can I possibly do? I don’t wanna die. NO, I REUFESE to die. Not to some dumb bug. not to anyone. Anyone who stands in my way is an enemy, and must be eliminated. Forcing myself to stand up with my good arm as support, I dash towards my weapon. However, this movement leaves me wide open, and the irritating bug takes this opportunity to attack, swivelling in to bite me, latching onto my leg. Shoot! This seriously hurts-Arrrgghh! Did it just rip off my leggg? Rena Shinohara has acquired skill [Pain Resistance Lv1]> What is that gonna do? This seriously is going to be one of the stupidest death ever! NO! It's not over yet! I can still fight! In a last ditch attempt, I punch the wounded area as hard as I can, with all my pent up hate, all the sorrow I felt, and all my emotions. I hear I crack. I punch, again and again and again and again and again. I keep on punching and don’t stop, even as I feel my consciousness slowly slipping away. All basic attributes increased. Level up proficiency acquired. Proficiency has reached required level. Skill [Pain resistance Lv1] has become [Pain resistance Lv2] Skill points acquired. Skill points doubled as hero bonus. Combat points acquired. Combat points doubled as hero bonus. 50% of max health has been healed. Additional 50% of max health has been healed as hero bonus.> The voice rings inside my head. The world seems lighter, and my dark vision is now somewhat clear again. I try to process all this information inside my head. So... what did I lose in total? Well, I got the heal which is nice, considering I lost a good chunk of my body, and I still got both the skill and combat point doublers, but I lost all of it from now on. Wait- HUH? SO YOU'RE SAYING NOT ONLY DID I LOSE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DOUBLE MY PROGRESS, BUT EVERY SINGLE POSSIBLE PRIVLEDGE WAS JUST REVOKED? I lost all my stuff? What even is this stupid 'hero' gig? I've lost so much perks and items to it, literally feels like my human rights are being revoked! Seriously, what the hell?. I probably lost a whole lot of epic, insanely overpowered loot! What even is a 'hero'? Nothing about this discrimination feels humaannnn!!!! I. Want. My. 'Hero'. Privileges. Is that too much of a request to ask for?! This isn’t fair. Not even in the slightest way!! Seriously, what the heck is this? How scuffed can it get? Which evil god could possibly be responsible for this? Ever since I “spawned” into this world or whatever, its always been this hero jig that ruins everything! Maybe it would have been better if I never had the hero title to begin with? I mean, I have no buffs or any benefits right now. In fact, all I got was the mental stress from having these perks revoked. So yeah, I suppose it would be better if I started with nothing. I guess a better way to explain would be with an analogy or something. I mean, who would you feel more sorry for - a young, smart, and talented kid living on the streets, or some random normo living on the streets? Obviously the one with potential. The more you gain, the more you lose, because you have a lot more to lose. So yeah. That's the inner turmoil I'm experiencing right now. Starting off as 100 and falling to zero would certainly more worse than falling from 1 to zero. Argh, dammit. I seem to always have this habit of getting lost in my thoughts. Even when I know this situation is dire, I still can't stop my thoughts from wondering. Although one could argue that's my saving grace. No normal person could stay sane in my situation, yet I'm still calm and sanguine despite my circumstances, because I allow myself to be distracted from reality... ...Hmmm, if you put it that way, maybe this isn’t such a bad thing? Crap. Here I go again, thinking about copious amounts of useless stuff. Okay, I veered a bit off track, but let's get this survival mission started! That roach was really dangerous, but if I don’t get caught by surprise like before, I should be able to solo one of the roaches. The [Basic Blade] also turned out to be my saving grace, so I'm really thankful I didn't just throw it away. But what if I get jumped by two or more roaches at the same time? ...Yeah, no way am I gonna get out of that situation alive. Let's just pray to lady luck that that doesn't happen... ...Not that I think lady luck has been smiling down on me these past few hours. I mean - isn't this all just a bit too much? Getting randomly reincarnated, attacked by a group of rabid wolves, entering a dungeon full of hostile monsters before finally fighting a gigantic, mutant roach? Haha... the outside world sure is scary. Makes me want to hole back up in my room and fight some boss monsters. Though I certainly won’t wanna be running into boss monsters this time round. My life is literally on the line! Well, that being said, did I get stronger after leveling up? IF I wanna check, Mr. [Appraisal] sure is the guy to go to! "[Appraise]!" Name: Rena Shinohara Level: 2 Rank: F Class: None> Well, there don't seem to be any directly visible changes, apart from my increased level. Never mind what I said before [Appraisal] sure is useless, isn't it? I still haven't found any other skills I can use apart from [Appraisal], because [Pain Resistance] seems to either only activate when I feel the corresponding attribute, such as pain, or is passively activated all the time. Which means I can't test out or train any of my current skills. U-unless I hit myself a buncha times. Whoa. Am I a genius or what? That way I can improve both my defensive and offensive skills at the same time! Talk about killing two birds with one stone! ...Except hitting myself means I take damage, which means I'll be weakened, which means if another roach shows up... ...Yeah, never mind. That was a stupid, short-lived plan. T think the best thing I can do right now is prepare for the next battle, which means getting stronger in a short period of time. I reluctantly salvage the roach's corpse meticulously, looking for parts that I can use. And believe it or not, there are some things that practically scream ‘weapon!’ when you look at them. Namely, the legs. It never occurred to me, but these legs have weird, spiky prods on them. They look like even better weapons than my stick if I were to be honest. It’s time for an upgrade, baby! What if I try checking its stats? "[Appraise]!" Damage: 15 Durability: 150 Resistance: 10 Specials: None> ...W-well that was surprising. Is this roach just too strong, or was my stick way too weak? Hmmm, but the leg of the roach is still Rank F, despite the roach being Rank D, a step above Rank F. How does that work though? When I think about it, the roach didn’t really use it’s legs when it was fighting me, did it? Maybe different parts of the body have different stats? Does that mean the mouth is ranked D? How does that work though? Of every single part of the body is ranked differently, it the total rank the average? …That seems too complicated. What if I [Appraise] the roach as a whole? Unnamed Level: 7 Rank: F Class: None> Noo waaay. How the heck did this guy just lose one rank? Last time I checked, this bug was ranked D or something. So either I have the memory of a goldfish, or the roach really did somehow downgrade one or two pegs. Am I incognizant and forgetful? I don’t think so, well… at least I hope not. Which means the roach really did lose a rank. How on earth did that happen though? Maybe because it died, it’s less powerful? I mean – sure, the roach’s body is still intact, apart from that leg, which means its body is still as strong as it was a few minutes ago. But the roach can’t attack me right now, can it? If I were to put it into an analogy, the roach would be sorta like some sort of futuristic battle bot. The robot is dangerous and all, but without fuel, it can’t move. It still retains its missiles, laser beams and other fancy jazz, but without energy, it’s just a lump of metal. Its defensive abilities are still the same, but otherwise, it might as well be nothing but a hinderance. But I still can’t believe I got a better weapon so fast. Forget me saying that dodgy sword was my lifeline, if some random monster drops can outrank it, that stick sure was useless. I can’t believe I was basically worshiping it a few minutes ago. Haha… Call me ungrateful if you want, but I’ll always prioritise myself over anyone else. If a better weapon can increase my survivability, I’ll be glad to cast the worse weapon away… Now, Byee!! Time to go bug exterminating with this newfound weapon of mine!