A heavy silence hung over Destia. A mixture of dread, longing, and hints of hope interwove above the tumultuous continent, proving the people’s mixed reactions to Genesis’ proclamations. Intriguingly, regardless of their feelings, no one dared look away or shut their ears to the Prime Adjudicator’s following words.
A satisfied smile tugged at the edge of Genesis’ lips as he began the crucial address. “First, and foremost, we shall tackle your Stat systems. Stats are the building blocks upon which all your skills and powers are built. Until now, we have used a very clean, easy-to-understand, stat-calculation system to help you all become familiar with how stats work. However, reality is a lot more blurred, is it not? Health Bars do not exist. It does not make sense that something dies just because you emptied a health bar. There are plenty of miraculous tales of men, women, and animals surviving what should have been certain death. To better reflect these realities, your current stats will be condensed into seven stats that I will explain now.”
Genesis’ subsequent explanations were long, aiming to cover all possible sources of confusion for Residents and Summoned alike. Summarizing the key details, they came out as such:
Strength was the first and simplest stat. In essence, it covered the total value of every muscle in a being’s body. Due to some beings’ ability to better condense their muscles, beings with similar strength values could end up with largely different physiques. Of course, some might train their upper body to absurd levels while neglecting their lower body. They could end up with similar strength values as those with more balanced builds but weaker upper bodies.
Agility was the second stat. Agility governed a being’s reaction speed, reflexes, coordination, balance, and body control. Just like with strength, beings could now train in a specific direction to further perfect an aspect of their agility. For example, someone train to be insanely fast, but if they had poor body control, they could end up appearing clumsy to similarly fast warriors.
Constitution governed stamina, toughness, body density, blood amount, and immune system. Like all previous stats, a being’s constitution was an average calculated from the factors above. A being could have insanely high stamina, but with relatively low toughness, whereas another could have adamantine-like skin, but with low stamina.
Vitality , which was the bedrock of all living beings, governed cell vitality, metabolism, and cell-repair efficiency. Essentially, those with high vitality were like unkillable cockroaches. They could rapidly recover from any injury as long as they were given time. However, Vitality did not equate to lifespan. For example, sea cucumbers could regrow damaged organs in less than a week, but could only live for eight years on average.
Intelligence covered a being’s reaction speed, memory, ability to focus, mental strength, processing speed, visualization, creativity, and many other cognitive abilities. Intriguingly, the wisdom stat had been scrapped, absorbed into the intelligence stat. Furthermore, Intelligence no longer directly affected magic. It boosted a being’s ability to understand and execute the complicated magic spells, but it no longer correlated directly to the damage inflicted.
Perception covered the five senses: Smell, Sight, Hearing, Taste, and Touch. As always, beings could train to be better in one of these senses compared to the others.
True Perception covered a being’s ability to sense other energies in the world. These included mana, chaotic energies, and much more. It could be seen that this stat would become deathly important for mages, and any who intended to use mana to strengthen themselves.
The previous Wisdom Stat was glaringly missing. This left people wondering how they would calculate how much mana they had going forward.
“You are all wondering how you can figure out how much mana you have?” Genesis confirmed with a gentle smile. “As a default, most beings will not have mana in them going forward. Instead, you will be able to use True Perception to sense and control the world’s mana to cast your spells. The higher your True Perception, the easier it will be to control, manipulate and cast the world’s mana. This does not mean that you can cast spells ad-infinitum.”
Genesis tapped his head. “You will consume mental energies when casting spells. Without sufficient Intelligence and True Perception, you will quickly exhaust yourselves. Of course, you can probably overdraft your mental energies in cases of emergencies. But, I advise against it. Your brain is perhaps the most important organ. If you damage it, there is no guarantee that you will be able to heal it completely.”
Genesis paused for a second, but then as if coming to a decision, nodded, and then added with a teasing smile, “For those of you whom the world’s mana is insufficient, you can look into acquiring a mana core. I am sure you are already familiar with mana beasts. For those who wish to generate their mana, you should use these creatures as a template.
“Mana cores have lots of advantages. First, it will drastically improve your True Perception. Also, without the need to manipulate the world’s mana, you will save much more mental stress, which in turn, allows you to cast many more spells. Be warned, though. Creating a mana core is far from easy. Failed attempts can result in serious or permanent injuries, loss of levels, crippling, and in some cases, even death! I would not recommend attempting to create one unless you have at least 100 points in both Intelligence and True Perception. Once you create a mana core, a new stat: Mana will be added. This will let you keep track of how much mana you currently possess.”
Kashi slightly frowned as he listened to Genesis’ news. As an Elder Dragon, his future move-sets would largely center around mana manipulation. He needed to quickly familiarize himself with True Perception after the update if he did not want to lose over eighty percent of his combat ability. He also needed to look into acquiring a Mana Core as soon as possible!
Furthermore, Kashi finally understood why Razznik’s clone could cast so many legendary spells despite having the same stats as him. The clone must have developed a mana core that housed tremendous amounts of mana. The Chaos God drew from that mana core and the world to fuel his seemingly endless high-level spells. In a way, it was a soft demonstration for the Destians to visualize what they should be working toward.
Did he plan this out?
Just like Kashi, many mages and some hybrid warriors chewed their lips in thought at Genesis’ reveal. Indeed, the tutorial was over. The difficulty just escalated a thousand times more from this announcement alone. Right then and there, over eighty percent of mages and hybrid warriors decided not to risk getting a Mana Core. They would focus on increasing their Intelligence and True Perception rather than their Mana Core.
Genesis’ smile somewhat dimmed, but he accepted the result with a resigned sigh. No matter the world, sentient beings mostly prioritized their lives over possible gains. It stood to reason that most would choose the safer method to advance. Despite accepting this fact, he resolved to at the very least, reward the brave ones. “Instance Dungeons containing methods to build a mana core will rise in several locations. These dungeons will contain several tests. Higher scoring challengers will receive methods of mana-core creation tailored to their specific builds. Keep in mind that these are just suggestions in the end. You can choose to ignore the given method, and instead, forge one on your own.”
Having covered the stats extensively, Genesis chose to round up before moving on, “Other stats like Charm, Charisma, Leadership, and more will be converted into skills. However, keep in mind that skills that affect the mind can be resisted with a high enough Intelligence, and or, True Perception. That covers your stats. Next, we will look at skills.”
Genesis took a breath, and then continued, “Your skills will continue to function as they have for the most part. Mastery of each skill is done through repetition. However, from now henceforth, Intelligence will play a role in how quickly you master a skill. I am sure you understand. An intelligent being will find it a lot easier to master a brand new skill, compared to a dull being. Furthermore, I assure you, this is not something that will just ‘happen’ as a result of ‘divine intervention.’ Each of you will feel your intelligence increasing along with your stats. You will find complicated runic structures a lot easier to decipher, picking up new languages will be a cinch, and you will easily identify flaws in both your and your opponent’s techniques.”
The Prime Adjudicator’s lips curled in a teasing, cruel smile. “Summoned, you might find your original bodies increasingly dull each time you return. For your sake, I hope you retain your ability to differentiate your reality and ours. Do not get drawn in by the sweet nectar of increased knowledge, or you might get burned.”
Kashi did not like the sound of that. Just what is Genaco trying to do here? Artificially raising someone’s intelligence in-game was sure to have detrimental effects when they returned to their dull-by-comparison real-world body. Were they trying to get people addicted?
Unfortunately, Genesis did not seem like he would assuage the draconian’s worries. “Summoned and Residents alike will have access to skill books and training manuals. You can choose to instantly download the skill books into your brain if you meet the Intelligence requirements or slowly decipher them yourselves. I’ll leave the benefits of both approaches for you to discover on your own. Training Manuals, on the other hand, are physical exercises you need to do to raise certain stats. They are one of your best bets to increase your stats outside traditional leveling up. Both will be available as always in various dungeons.”
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
“Finally, we arrive at perhaps the most controversial change yet, Bloodlines.” Genesis licked his lips. A playful, but slightly malicious light flashed through his eyes but for a moment, gone before most could notice.
“Bloodlines, which could also be construed as a racial ability, governs the general evolutionary and growth ability of any race. Some bloodlines come with great advantages, but also with some disadvantages.” Genesis clapped his hands. “With the preamble done, let us get right into it.”
Previously, Bloodlines existed in Live No Evil as a way to determine how easily certain races could master different skills. For example, dwarfs learned blacksmithing faster, while daeben were more skilled with painting, and runecrafting. However, with the Intelligence overhaul, the ability to master certain skills was no longer boosted by bloodlines, but rather by Intelligence.
Bloodlines had instead gone through a major overhaul itself. Like in real-life, bloodlines would determine the general way a being’s stats would grow per level. For example, barring any major tampering, Bull Dogs would almost always develop powerful muscular structures, whereas Hippos would develop fat and blubber suited to their environment.
In a similar vein, bloodlines would determine stat distribution per level, taking most of the choices out of the individual’s hands. If someone wanted to develop a particular stat, they needed to train a lot harder in that specific skill, or allocate their free stats to it. That was right, each race now had Assigned Stat points and Free Stat points at every level.
Furthermore, bloodlines were broken down into ten general levels. Each level brought with it more stat points per level. Aside from Level 0 bloodlines, all other bloodlines had fixed Assigned Points.
Bloodline Level 0: 18 SP/L (Stat Points per Level) [18 Free Stat Points (FP), 0 Assigned Stat Points (AP)]
Bloodline Level 1 (Common): 15 SP [15 AP] (reserved for non-intelligent species like goblins, kobolds, etc. Freshly turned vampires also fall in this category)
Bloodline Level 2 (Common+): 20 SP [5 FP, 15 AP] (Daeben, Halben, Wisben, Dwarfs, Vampire Barons, Most Beastkin)
Bloodline Level 3 (Rare): 25 SP [5 FP, 20 AP] (Centaurs, Drakul, Dwarf-Giant Hybrids. Vampire Viscounts, Canine Beastkin, Feline Beastkin)
Bloodline Level 4 (Rare+): 30 SP [5 FP, 25 AP] (Cambions, Vampire Earl.)
Bloodline Level 5 (Epic): 35 SP [5 FP, 30 AP] (Vampire Marquis, Dragons, Beta Werewolf.)
Bloodline Level 6 (Epic+): 40 SP [5 FP, 35 AP] (Vampire Duke, Giants)
Bloodline Level 7 (Legendary): 45 SP [5 FP, 40 AP] (Vampire Prince, Elder Dragon, Alpha Werewolf. Kira)
Bloodline Level 8 (Legendary+): 50 SP [5 FP, 45 AP] (Vampire King
Bloodline Level 9 (Divine): 60 SP [10 FP, 50AP] (Vampire Lord, Divine Dragon, Emperor Werewolf)
Deity: Information Unavailable.
Those at Bloodline Level 0 were considered the weakest, but they also had the greatest freedom in choosing their growth trajectory. There was only one Level 0 Bloodline in all of L.N.E, the most numerous and diverse human race.
Just as many humans groaned at the revelation, Genesis revealed that all beings could improve their bloodlines through two methods. First, they could find a way to transform their bloodline into superior ones. Turned vampires and werewolves were prime examples of this method. Another, much harder method was to improve the quality of one’s bloodline. Dragons practiced this method, evolving continuously until they achieved the highest, Divine Dragon bloodline.
Humans were unique in that they were the only race capable of transforming their bloodline into any other bloodline without failure. Furthermore, even after transformation, they would retain full control of their stat point allocations.
Stryke was a great example of a human who had changed bloodlines. Assuming his new tora bloodline was level 3, he would be able to freely allocate all 25 Stat Points as he wished.
The implications of this were quite evident. Humans had the slowest head start, but through purposeful stat allocation, they could better specialize and train in their desired direction. Furthermore, by assimilating greater bloodlines, humans could even close the gap with better bloodlines.
“Do not be discouraged just because your bloodline might be a little lower,” Genesis said. “As previously stated, there are several training manuals and classes that can help you grow your stats with focused training. Humans generally can use any type of training manual, but you’ll find that other bloodlines are heavily restricted when it comes to what kind of training manuals are compatible.
“Finally, for those of you who wish to upgrade your classes, or switch to something similar, Class-Change Divine Steles will be erected in every capital city. Once you head there, touch it, and a series of compatible classes will be made available to you. You will be handed a mission if you meet the requirements for a class of your choosing, which upon completion, will reward you with said class. Keep in mind that some unique classes will not be displayed on these steles, and can only be encountered by chance.
"Furthermore, Classes, just like bloodlines are divided into nine tiers. Each higher class will grant additional fixed stat points per level in addition to empowering new and old skills. I suggest you pick your classes wisely."
Genesis took a short pause, allowing everyone to digest the information he just shared. He had spoken for such a long time that it was inevitable some missed crucial information. Fortunately, the scribes had jotted every word. Before long, this entire speech would be public knowledge.
“Now, before I leave, I must hand out the promised rewards.” Genesis smiled as he stretched his hand toward Oni Hill. With a swift scooping motion, the rest of the Lake of Enlightenment flew into the sky and rapidly condensed into a tiny drop of water, which Genesis stored in a vial. “As promised, Kashi of the Twilight Wolves.” Genesis flicked the vial, and it shot down, past the clouds into the draconian’s waiting palm.
Genesis then looked at Oni Hill with a hesitant expression. However, after a while, he murmured, “He could use some old friends.” With his mind made up, Genesis made another grabbing motion. This time, Kashi, and everyone else present stared in shock as the incomparably huge mountain range broke off from the earth. Shockingly, there was no earthquake as expected from such a massive tectonic activity.
No. The bottom of the levitating Oni Hill was exceptionally smooth, like butter cleaved by a hot knife!
Genesis nodded, evidently pleased with himself, as he tore open a gigantic portal to a dark realm overhead. Without ceremony, he tossed the entire mountain range into the portal and then promptly shut it afterward.
The Prime Adjudicator chuckled as he dusted his palms with a smug expression. He then waved at the Destians and left these final words behind. “Summoned, you have twenty-four hours to find somewhere safe. After which, you will be summarily booted to implement the new updates. Afterward, you will need to wait seventy-two other-world hours before returning. Thank you for participating in the Battle for Oni Hill. Your feats will go down in history. As a present, I have left each of you with the expected evolutionary chart for the major races. See you soon!”
With those words, the Prime Adjudicator promptly disappeared from view, leaving behind the befuddled warriors on Drakase.