The window faded away and the visage of the dead spider returned before William. That is, until it began slowly seeping away, disappearing into a smoke like whisp, which slowly blew toward and into William's body. After which more screens began to appear.

Due to attaining your soulskill 'System' you have unlocked the following abilities:

'Status (P)'

'Level-Up (P)'

'Identify (A)'

'Help (A)'

Continue utilizing 'Level-Up' in order to develop your abilities

[Congratulations]!

Due to slaying the 'Luminescent Lurker', qualified as a tier 10 boss you have gained the ability 'Eyes of the Hypnotizing Hunter (P)'

[Level-UP]

Due to obtaining enough soul-energy through slain foes you have leveled up.

Now level: 3

[Skill gained]!

Eyes of the Hypnotizing Hunter - Your eyes now glow a brilliant luminescent blue, those that look within them can be enamored, making friends and lovers easier to attain, and foes easier to misdirect.

What is this... William thought, feeling his life seep out of his shoulder as his heart thumped loudly in his ears. I guess it's a good thing Baba taught me to read... Wait, it says I have something called 'Help' William thought as he reached out toward the fading windows. Help! he thought.

Nothing... Maybe if I say it, he concluded.

"HELP!", he shouted as a spike of pain shot through his shoulder.

Welcome to 'System', your new soulskill!

It's highly recommended that 'Status' is used soon after assimilation, in order to distribute available stats and perk points.

CHOOSE WISELY.

After use, stats and perks are incredibly difficult (and painful) to get back or otherwise redistribute.

Starter skill 'Help' can be used on individual skills in order to elaborate on their usage.

Starter skill 'Identify' can be used on items and individuals, in order to better understand them.

Good luck!

Well... That's useful. I guess, he thought as he sat up slowly, saying "Status." quietly.

Low health. Must be because I'm basically dead, he thought worriedly. I need to heal... Badly. Why couldn't I have just gotten that as my soulskill. Heal! Tadah! Instead of this book... Doesn't seem super helpful...

[Status]

Level:3  Health: 4/32(1% per hour)  Mana: 32/32(1% per hour)  Stamina: 5/27(1% per hour)

(14) points distributable

Strength: 5  Vitality: 6  Agility: 5  Dexterity: 5  Endurance: 4  Perception: 4

Wisdom: 4  Fortune: 3  Intelligence: 6  Willpower: 6  Charm: 7  Fate: 7

Skills and Perks: (Tap to Open)

Strength: The might necessary to carry things, as well as smash them.

He began pressing around on the screen, each square lighting up when he pressed on them, descriptions emerging in his mind for each.

Endurance: Hardens the skin and bones, allowing the body to take more punishment before damage is truly lethal.

Vitality: The biotic power of regeneration, the body's ability to knit itself together again and maintain homeostasis.

Intelligence: The mind's raw computing power and efficiency.

Wisdom: The mind's ability to effectively make decisions, heavily relates to memory.

Willpower: Individual's ability to withstand otherwise insurmountable problems.

Agility: The body's speed and reaction capabilities.

Perception: The body's ability to sense through various methods.

Dexterity: The body's flexibility and other abilities necessary for movement.

Charm: Ability to convince, seduce, and otherwise misdirect people, or monsters.

Fortune: Increases the odds of finding objects with high monetary value or that lead to monetary gain.

Fate: Increases the likelihood that things that benefit you, and your life, directly will happen.

William's brain ached with the influx of information. It's burning knowledge into my mind, I didn't even know most of those words before now!

Intelligence +1. something chimed in his head.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

What... he thought as he varified that his intelligence was indeed now at 7 in his status. So I'm smarter for doing nothing really. I guess this might turn out useful, if I survive this anyways... Right then, no use waiting til I'm nothing but a puddle... 4 points into Vitality, 2 into Strength, 2 into Agility, and 6 into Endurance. I need to get well and make it so I don't get so overpowered again. Won't be so lucky next time. He thought as he pressed the plus sign next to his chosen stat distributions.

[Status]

Level:3  Health: 7/52(1% per minute)  Mana:32/32(1% per minute)  Stamina:11/52(1% per minute)

(0) points distributable

Strength: 7  Vitality: 10  Agility: 7  Dexterity: 5  Endurance: 10  Perception: 4

Wisdom: 4  Fortune: 3  Intelligence: 6  Willpower: 6  Charm: 7  Fate: 7

Skills and Perks: (Tap to Open)

Right, time to look into these perks, judge where I'm at in power, and decide whether I can leave or not, he concluded.That looks a lot better now. Gotta make sure I don't become a meathead like Brusk, I promise future-me I'll drop more points in mental stats later! Wait... I'll be fully healed in less than two hours. That's a bit ridiculous, it can't work that way. There's no way... , William sat slack jawed, dumbfounded at his realization. He had heard of mid-tier Rare or Runic level soulusers healing that quickly, those above that even faster, but this was a bit overwhelming. What'll I be classed as?, he wondered excitedly, the threat of death slowly wearing off.

[Perks]

(2 points unspent)

Familial Inheritance (1 point)

Second Wind (1 point)

Knife Novice (2 points)

Have Not Life (4 points)

Seeing this William began checking what the different perks did.

[Familial Inheritance]

What lives within your heritage becomes yours to wield, allows use of lesser version of your parents' soul skills.

[Second Wind]

Allows for a faster recovery from dire circumstances, when you fall below 15% health or stamina, gain regeneration of both equal to 5% per minute of their respective pools. Effect ends when you reach 20% in both pools.

[Knife Novice]

Allows for ease of use with knives and daggers, also unlocks several knife related skills. Increases Agility and Dexterity by 2 each when taken.

[Have Not Life]

Do to living at least five years in hardship you have unlocked this perk. Through struggle comes strength, perserverance, and will. For each month lived with this perk unlocked, increases all stats (Except Fortune) by 1% permanently. Increases Fate by 5, decreases Fortune by 1.

Unlocking others soul skills was unheard of, but it was a lesser verson. The last one is definitely interesting. But it'll have to wait, he thought as he distributed a point into Second Wind and Familial Inheritance. Instantly he felt something engage in his body.

[Skills Gained]!

Ignition - Gives you the power to ignite things, setting them ablaze or creating small explosions in air.

Earth Shaping - Allows for simple Earth manipulation.

Immediately after selecting the perks he felt Second Wind engage, knitting his shoulder back together slowly. He looked down and could visibly see his shoulder coming together, almost as if time was moving backword. It itches a bit, he thought to himself when suddenly his legs began popping and his ankles jerked around, correcting themselves. *Crack crack*

He cried out a bit, but was trying to keep quiet in case more monsters happened to be around. Finally after sitting for around ten minutes while his legs fixed themselves, he stood and walked to the entrance of the cave, it was dark outside.

Great, he thought, it's pitch black, guess I'm staying here tonight...

He wandered back into the cave and began gathering luminescent webs from around the roomlike cavern in order to form some kind of bed, his arm and chest aching harshly. This is when he stumbled upon a small hole like structure of webs, about a meter and a half deep, hidden in a corner of the cavern. Within it he could see the skeletons of several different creatures, aswell as items that had fallen to the bottom.

With a nod he slowly worked his way down to the bottom. There he found a backpack made of leather filled with various items, a guard's uniform that was far too big for him, and a shattered bottle, the type to hold potions. Sighing he took the backpack and slung it over his uninjured shoulder, and slowly hoisted himself out, using the webs for leverage, as painlessly as possible.

William finished gathering the webs into a small heap-like bed and sat, opening the backpack. Within it he found three half-loafs of bread, a letter in an envelope, a small leather sack of coins, and a wrapped shortsword. He set the sword and bread down and opened the letter, within he found a short inventory of supplies, as well as prices for each and projected profits. At the bottem of the letter there were instructions about the re-enchantment of a sword.

With a quizzical look he picked up the sword, unwrapping it and holding it in front of himself with both hands. It wasn't very long, only about half of a meter. It was made from a very dark metal, and had lacings of dark red enscription dancing over it's surface and handle, all stemming from the tip of the sword, with lines leading to its edge. "Identify.", he muttered.

Sword of the Hungering Strike (Rare)

A sword cursed, then enchanted, thereby enhancing it's enchantment, but also it's curse.

Damage: 15-20 (Enhanced by Strength and Agility)

Curse: Wielder can be influenced into fighting when they otherwise wouldn't.

Enchantment: Strikes remove life and give it, wielder heals for 10% of damage

That's. Not too bad. I think?, he thought to himself. William had never dealt with enchanted weapons, or weapons in general for that matter. He rewrapped the sword and set it down beside him, close to his "bed" side. Laying in the soft webs, he stared upwards, to the ceiling of the cavern, and couldn't bring himself to close his eyes.

Finally, he broke. What am I doing here?!, he thought quickly to himself, panicking. What was all that, how am I still alive? How am I still alive!? None of this makes sense and yet I felt so calm about it all. It seemed fine. It's not fine! What's happening to me?

"What's happening to me!", he asked the open air, as he felt a small sob escape through his voice. It must be the System. It has to be... This isn't me. I couldn't do this..., he thought to himself dismally, pressing his eyes tightly together, feeling tears arc down his cheeks.

Wisdom +1

Hidden Skill Discovered (Effects Amplifed!)

The Systems Influence - Balances the mind, allowing for careful action, as well as converts the body to the System's rules, making it more efficient and unburdened by biological laws.

Currently Lvl: 1 Stage: Initial (Now Second, due to Amplification)

With this William's tears faded from his face, he felt that he was alright. Safe.

As long as I have my strength., he thought to himself, My. Strength. That was a good thought he decided as he fell asleep.