Ironically, after I looked at the message, the first thing I think about to distract myself from the fight is thinking about the next fight. Specifically, what I should do with the three Overskill points I got.

There are several notable things about that. For one, I didn't get any for my first fight and got exactly three on my second. The same number as I earned tournament points. What that means is simple. Those who win their first fight, and then keep winning, have a clear advantage.

But there is also the matter of the changing arena. Because that could mean that, while the fighters become progressively stronger and more versatile, the arena becomes more and more complex. Of course, that is only a theory, though a highly likely one. And that also means that I am already one step behind.

Now, the question is, what shall I do with these points?

I could use them to increase the level of my pocket dimension, but that feels like a rather wasteful thing to do. Sure, I would be very happy over more space, but that is something I can't take advantage of right now and is more a long-term project. And any other improvement that I can think of right now won't be significant enough.

Then, there are my two Skills. Clearly, Heat resistance was the star of the show. But, they are pretty case-specific abilities. Heat resistance won't help me at all in most fights, and Shock absorption is too unclear. I can't be sure what the difference between absorption and resistance is, and if it is for electrical shocks, I would take the gamble and say that I won't fight someone that I need that for.

Instead, if it is for physical shock, it would be more useful. But I also assume that most people will try to use pointy or sharp weapons, making an increased defense against blunt trauma negligible if I have a decent shield.

Apropos shield. My big shield and spear were still in my hands when I woke up, and the small shield is back in my Pocket dimension without a single burn mark. And the same goes for the hammer. Even their position inside the Pocket dimension is the same as it was before the fight. What I fought with, must have been a complete copy of my body and abilities.

Anyway, that leaves increasing my Stats. Here I have two priorities. The first is, maximizing my preparations. And the second is versatility.

The result is actually fairly simple. I'm going to increase all my stats to twenty for now. By increasing my Stats to equal values, I might not have a distinct advantage in any given situation, but I also won't have any big disadvantages. And by limiting myself to twenty points, I won't be restricted outside of the fights and can train at maximum capability.

Just imagine. I train for a whole day to make precise long jumps, and then the fight starts, I get stronger and suddenly jump too far.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Taking a look at my stats, I exchange the Overskill points for Stat points and start investing them. I start with my mental stats, out of personal preference, and use a whole seventeen points to increase them all to twenty, leaving me with another ten.

Of those, I use eight to bring my stamina to twenty, which I assume is the easiest to get used to and one more in each strength and speed.

Status:

Memory: 20 / 100

Processing speed: 20 / 100

Concentration: 20 / 100

Strength: 16 / 100

Speed: 18 / 100

Stamina: 20 / 100

Looking at it like this, my Stats increased a lot faster than I thought they would. Only looking at the total numbers, my mental capability increased almost three times within two days. Or should I say nights?

Done with that, I have no other choice left but to make breakfast. I may still be feeling sick, but I need the energy for the things I have planned for today.

.....

..........

.....

I swing the sledgehammer from left to right with all my strength before pulling it up slightly and completing a circle over my head to bring it down in an overhead strike. Before it hits the ground, I let go of it and summon a portal that catches it almost perfectly. In the same movement, I pull out my hatched in an upward swing.

Quickly letting it go and summoning another portal, I throw the hatchet back into the Pocket dimension. Before the portal even fully disappeared, another appears with the tip of my spear poking out. Grabbing the shaft, I jump forward and stab at my opponent.

With a *thunk* the makeshift spear lodges itself into the tree.

With slight difficulty, I pull the spear out and put it away. Where I would normally be totally wasted by now, I am only breathing a bit harder at the moment, clearly showing the result of my increased physical Stats. Still, I sit down, waiting for my headache to recede.

Hitting the portal with the sledgehammer without it hitting the edge, was pretty difficult. And every time that happens, I get one of these headaches.

But what is still the most astonishing, is the speed at which I learned to do this. And this is not related to my physical Stats at all.

Of course, I have the cold, hard numbers. But it was still a bit hard to believe. Basically, over the past two nights, my memory quadrupled. But, even if you hear the numbers, you won't really understand what that means until you experience it.

Before, I guess that getting down this little quick-switch trick might have taken me days, but now I did it in a few hours at most. Sure it's not perfect yet, but good enough.

Maybe it is only possible because my memory was so bad before, but I think I got a surprisingly good feeling for what the memory Stat does.

Basically, it controls two things. Memorization, meaning that a lot more, and a lot more accurate, information is "saved" in my mind. But this isn't restricted to pictures like the famous phenomenon of photographic memory would suggest. Simply because that's not what this is. It extends to all senses, sight, smell, taste, hearing, and touch. I can remember all these a lot better. If I swing the hatchet, I can remember the action clearly and then analyze how to improve it.

But there is also a second part to it. This one even working retro-active. The recollection. While the memories are vague, ever since I increased the stat it fell me easier to remember small tidbits from my past, long-buried somewhere in my brain.

Truly, this is how those geniuses must feel. I can't help but feel a bit depressed at how stupid and forgetful I had been in the past despite all my efforts to change that, and now it came to me so easily. Well, easily might in this case be relative.