"Hah!" Lone yelled as he slammed his wooden swordspear against the practice dummy.

Sweat flew from his exposed arms and his face as he jumped back and then closed in again to strike once again.

This time Lone spun on his heel to deliver a surprise attack to the dummy's flank.

Both the dummy and the wooden swordspear were heavily dented during the impact, and splinters flew everywhere. The dummy, however, bounced right back as if it were some sort of roly-poly doll.

Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Polearm Mastery] has levelled up! It is now Intermediate Level 1.

Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Swordspear Mastery] has levelled up! It is now Advanced Level 5.

Two full weeks of almost nonstop training only for Polearm Mastery to increase by five levels and Swordspear Mastery to increase by a measly four.

Lone threw down his training weapon in frustration and walked over to the nearby bench to sit down and catch his breath.

He took his tank-top off since it was drenched in sweat, revealing his toned body.

Reaching into his Dimensional Storage, Lone pulled out a bucket of water. He brought his lips to its rim and chugged a good third of the entire bucket before he tipped the rest of the water over his head.

'It's not enough,' he thought. 'I was beyond stupid to fix Soph's eyes so impulsively. It wasn’t her or my fault that they were apparently special, but still… Unless I use my Tail Spear skill or Mental Destruction and literally kill Daisuke, then I probably can't win. He's a C-ranker. That's a gap I can't fill unless I kill the little rat, which, in turn, will only get me killed.'

He sighed deeply and decided to pull up Polearm Mastery's information to distract himself since it had ranked up.

Passive Skill: Polearm Mastery

The parent skill of all polearm-based masteries.

All polearms used by the host will pierce and cut their targets 15% [+10%] more easily.

Cost: N/A Mastery: Intermediate Level 1

Lone stroked his chin in thought. 'Pretty basic but it’s a parent skill so any rank up is monumental.'

"Ye've gotten better, laddie," Grimsley said as he walked around the bench Lone was on and seated himself next to him.

"Grimsley?" Lone asked. "What brings you to the training ground?"

"Ach, ye know the story, laddie," Grimsley said with a shrug. "Barely ah penny tae ma name. Ah just finished ma shift in the guild's forge. Fookin' 'uman craftmanship is shite as can be, but there's still some stuff ah can learn fae it. Ah came here tae watch ya be ah daft wee cunt. Nothin' new."

"Daft? What's daft about what I'm doing?" Lone asked as one of his eyebrows wiggled in challenge.

"Haha, laddie, did naeone teach ya 'ow tae apply yer stats?" Grimsley asked.

The confused look on Lone's face answered his question for him. "Fae Primals's sake... Ah thought yer stats were just so low 'at it had nae impact. At least, 'at's what ah thought when ye were trainin' under me."

"What do you mean? Applying stats? Do you mean they don't passively make me stronger, faster, smarter, and all of that?" Lone asked. Naturally, his curiosity was going through the roof.

Grimsley gave him a mean portion of side-eye. "Laddie, were ya born under ah rock? Who da fook doesnae ken aboot applyin' stats?"

He sighed deeply and got off the bench. "Up ya get, laddie. Ah'll show ya. Ya should know ah do better teachin' through doin' rather than sayin'."

Lone nodded and stood to face Grimsley. "So, how does this all work?"

"It's simple, laddie. Even kids can dae it," Grimsley claimed as he twisted his shoulder around a bit and grinned. "Ah'm gonna punch ya right in the belly, awright?"

Lone nodded. "Sure. Go ahead."

Grimsley didn't hesitate. His big and meaty fist slammed right into Lone's solar plexus but other than being a little bit winded, nothing happened. The punch seemed to be just as powerful as it had looked, nothing more, nothing less.

"Dinnae gae me 'at look, laddie. Ah'm givin' ya ah comparison. 'At was me usin' the normal passive boost ma strength stat gives me. Workin' ah forge fae decades gives ya ah fookload ah Strength, Vitality, Vigour, and Dexterity, in an’ ootside o’ levellin’, ya see. Now, ah'm gonna apply mah Strength," Grimsley said.

He wound up his arm again and a smirk so wide it looked like the damned horizon spread across his lips. "Clench yer teeth, laddie, yer gonna feckin' feel this one."

Like a powerful whip, Grimsley's arm lashed out and slammed straight into the centre of Lone's chest.

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"Guh!" Lone spat out what saliva was in his mouth as his body caved inwards and he shot through the air.

His body bounced violently off the back wall of the training area, and he could feel that several of his bones had broken from the punch.

Grimsley slowly walked over to Lone and gloated, "'At, laddie, is the full strength o’ ah level 232 Stone Dwarf with over 1,000 Strength."

Lone coughed up a mouthful of blood and then pushed himself up from the ground as he let Basic Regeneration work its magic and heal him.

Grimsley grimaced at the grotesque sound. "Can ya naw make 'at sound ah wee bit less like a cat screechin' an' beggin' fae death?"

"I don't decide what the skill sounds like," Lone replied as he felt his bones repair and pop back into place. "That was... insane. Can all kids really do that? You're only a D-ranker! If you can do that then what can a strength-focused Divine do? Rip the whole fuckin' continent off the planet?"

"He exaggerates, son," the voice of Gilbert claimed as the good-looking goatee-sporting dragonkin walked into the training area. "Only one in a hundred people are able to tap into their stats and properly apply them. That number shrinks as you rank up, but it is common knowledge. As a side note, all monsters can fully harness their stats at all times, which is what makes them so dangerous."

Grimsley clicked his tongue. "Now why'd ya have to go an' say 'at? The lad learns quickly. Ah reckon 'e'd 'ave learn'd 'ow tae apply faster if 'e thought everyone could dae it."

"When I hear mistruths, I make it my personal mission to correct them," Gilbert answered with a smile. "It is in my blood, after all."

"Ha-ah, 'at didnae stop ya fae lyin' tae 'at duke arsehole ah couple o’ weeks ago," Grimsley grumbled.

At the same time, Lone got back up onto his feet. "Can you apply your stats, Gilbert?"

"Yes and no," the guildmaster answered. "I can apply my Vitality and my Magic Power but none of my other stats."

"Oh. So it isn't a none or all kind of thing?" Lone asked.

"Indeed. However, if you ever run into someone who is an A-ranker or stronger then they likely can apply at least one stat, usually one they specialise in. Tell me, son, what is your highest stat and how high is it, exactly?" Gilbert asked in a scholarly manner, clearly intent on teaching Lone about the subject.

Eager to learn of a new way to gain strength, Lone pulled up his status to answer the man's question accurately.

Status Name: Lone Immortus Sex: Male Age: 24 Level: 139 Species: Foxkin Rank: E Race: Golden Foxkin HP: 36,843/37,620 SP: 25,456/32,350 MP: 38,460/38,460 Basic Stats Strength: 2,413 Vigour: 3,235 Dexterity: 2,082 Agility: 2,399 Vitality: 3,762 Luck: 121 Secret Stats Charm: 80 Charisma: 49 Magic Power: 3,846

"Magic Power. It's at 3,846," Lone said.

Silence consumed the training area. Gilbert coughed softly and said, "Sorry, son. I misheard you. 846, yes? Well, in that c-"

"No. 3,846," Lone corrected blankly.

Grimsley laughed loudly. "Laddie, ya really need tae stop teasin' the old goat. One day 'e'll 'ave an 'eart attack."

'... They already know about my ability to create things; Gilbert since I just told him, and Grimsley since I used it to heal him and his niece as well as break his niece's collar... What's one more secret? I trust them and they can help me get stronger,' Lone thought as he nodded.

"I have a skill that makes it impossible for me to gain stats when I level up based on the life I have lived, nor can I gain stats outside of levels rarely like a normal person, instead, I consume a portion of the stats of whatever I kill, be it monster or person," Lone admitted.

Grimsley immediately laughed again. "Ye an' yer jokes, laddie! As if ah skill like 'at exist- Oi, Gilbert, why ain't ya sayin' anythin'?"

"I have heard of such a world skill before," Gilbert admitted. "It and what Lone is describing are not one and the same, but it is definitely possible. We could always simply subdue a monster and have him kill it to test. There are other ways to test stats too as some mercenary guilds require concrete numbers before accepting new members. We could use one such method if you don't believe him."

Grimsley stroked his long beard thoughtfully before he shook his head. "It disnae really matt'r. World skill, aye? Let's go with 'at then."

"Uh... What exactly is a world skill?" Lone asked. "Let's assume I know and I'm asking for a friend."

"What friend?" Grimsley laughed. "Like ye 'ave any pals, laddie."

“Always with the brutal honestly, huh?” Lone remarked to which he got a grin in return.

"Hmm. Well, son, to put it simply, world skills, unlike normal skill, only level up when further understanding of the skill comes to the host. Practice will not equate to additional proficiency," Gilbert explained. “They are gifts from the world and can’t be earned via practice.”

"I see," Lone answered. "So how do I apply stats?"

"That isn't something that can be taught. Everyone has the ability to do it theoretically, but as mentioned earlier, only one in a hundred ever manage when it comes to the low ranks. Some just learn faster than others," Gilbert answered in reference to their dwarven companion. "It took me over 200-years to learn how to apply my Magic Power. Just give it time. If you keep being serious with your training, then it will come to you sooner or later."

"If yer stats really are 'at 'igh despite yer rank, laddie, then it should come tae ya pretty quickly. Stat quantity is ah pretty important factor fae applyin'," Grimsley added.

Lone nodded, though those answers frustrated him somewhat. 'I could have used an immediate power boost like that. Who'd have thought that my stats weren't being properly applied to my body? It makes sense in retrospect.'

Lone was certainly stronger now than he was back on Goblin Island, but he couldn't lift boulders or punch through walls. He couldn't jump ten metres in the air or flawlessly channel his MP without the help of the associated chants and mental images.

'Well, whatever. I've had enough of a break. I at least want to reach advanced rank in a few more of my melee-based skills. It's doubtlessly better to get stronger in what I can train as opposed to what I cannot train,' Lone thought. "Thanks, Gilbert, Grimsley. I'll be getting back to my training now if you don't need me for anything?"

Gilbert smiled. "I just came to check up on you. I'll be going back to work."

Grimsley shrugged. "Ah ain't busy. Ah think ah'll just bask in the sun over 'ere on this bench while I watch ye fight ah losin' battle against 'at there dummy."

"Asshole," Lone said with a grin.

"Aye, what of it?" Grimsley responded in kind as he got comfy. "Well? Get tae work. The dummy willnae wait all day fae ya."

"What, does it have a packed schedule or something?" Lone responded as he picked up his dented wooden dual-ended swordspear.

"Aye. The bugg'r's gotta put up with yer shite all day, hahaha!" Grimsley laughed.