I continued scrolling through the questions and answers the system had recorded. Most of them were just random musings — things I had asked myself in passing, likely while I was still trying to wrap my head around everything. Not actual inquiries directed at the system. In other words, not helpful.
So I ignored those. There was no use in wasting time revisiting my own scattered thoughts from when I barely knew what was going on.
Instead, I focused on the entries that seemed more deliberate — the ones that actually gave me some kind of structure or deeper explanation about how the system functioned. Those, at least, had substance.
[QUESTION: What is the STR attribute?
ANSWER: It is the numerical value related to the body's physical strength. It refers to impact force, propulsion, and reaction. Strengthened by Agility and Endurance.]
I stared at that answer for a moment. Honestly, I couldn't even remember why I'd asked it in the first place — or maybe I was just asking out of reflex, trying to get a grip on the mechanics of this strange world. Still, the response was useful.
Apparently, Strength wasn't just about raw power or lifting heavy things like in video games. It also involved propulsion and something called "reaction." So if I understood it right, that meant it would affect how hard I could push off the ground when I ran, how far I could jump, and how fast I could punch or move — not necessarily in terms of agility, but sheer kinetic output.
The mention of "reaction" was curious. Maybe it referred to how quickly my body could respond physically when something happened — like intercepting a blow or moving out of the way. Not based on reflexes, but on muscular power.
That would explain why Strength was boosted by Agility and Endurance. Agility probably helped guide the motion — the speed and direction — while Endurance made sure the body didn't snap in half under the strain. In other words, Strength could only be fully effective if the other stats kept the body stable.
It made sense, in a way. If I got too strong too fast, I'd probably end up injuring myself constantly. Kind of like putting a race car engine into a cardboard box and expecting it to hold together.
This whole system was beginning to feel like a web of interdependent parts — each stat reinforcing another, forming a kind of internal balance.
[QUESTION: What is the AGI attribute?
ANSWER: Numerical value related to reaction speed. Strengthened by Strength, Intelligence, Endurance, Dexterity, and Perception.]
Agility, huh?
'So it's not about movement speed like in most games… it's more about reaction speed. That's a meaningful distinction.'
The answer confirmed my earlier suspicion. Every attribute had multiple influences, and Agility was no exception. It was affected by five others — Strength, INT, END, DEX, and PER — which hinted at its complexity.
Reaction speed, in this context, probably referred to the nervous system — how quickly I could perceive a stimulus and respond to it with my body. That would naturally involve intelligence for decision-making, perception for input processing, and dexterity for actual execution. Even endurance, oddly enough, made sense — if my body couldn't sustain repeated fast reactions, I'd burn out in seconds.
The system wasn't just about numbers. It was about synergy. Everything fed into everything else.
[QUESTION: What is the INT attribute?
ANSWER: Numerical value referring to the body's IQ and the accumulated knowledge that can be applied. Strengthened by Agility, Perception, Charisma, and Endurance.]
This one made me pause.
'So Intelligence doesn't just mean raw processing power — it includes usable knowledge? That raises a few questions... like how the system defines knowledge and how it's actually applied.'
Back when I worked at Azure, I took a full cognitive assessment — my IQ was 192. Not that it ever helped me avoid all the dumb decisions I made. Still, it gave me a baseline.
IQ, as I remembered it, was split into various subfields: Logical Reasoning, Spatial Visualization, Mathematical Analysis, Verbal Interpretation, and Memory. I wasn't particularly outstanding in most of them — just above average — but Memory was where I really stood out. I could recall details with sharp clarity, and I knew how to organize information in a way that stuck.
But that was a different life. That was before... everything.
Now, all that knowledge — all that so-called intelligence — felt like it was being recontextualized. Repurposed.
The system wasn't just copying old human definitions. It was integrating them into something... living.
[QUESTION: What is the CHA attribute, and why are there two of them?
ANSWER: There are two CHA attributes: one for Charm, one for Charisma.Charm is the numerical value tied to physical beauty. It's influenced by Strength, Endurance, and Charisma.Charisma is the numerical value related to emotional intelligence (EQ). It's influenced by Agility, Intelligence, Endurance, and Perception.]
I actually sighed when I read this one.
'Of course there are two. Why make it simple when you can overcomplicate things for no reason?'
Charm and Charisma being separate made sense, I guess. One was visual — beauty, presence, the kind of appeal that made people turn their heads. The other was internal — how well you read people, connected, persuaded, led. But they still used the same abbreviation: CHA. That was just asking for confusion.
I'd have preferred something more intuitive. But the system didn't care about ease. It wanted function.
And maybe... challenge.
[QUESTION: What is the RES attribute?
ANSWER: Numerical value related to the body's ability to endure harmful effects and reactions. Strengthened by Agility, Perception, and Strength.]
'So Endurance isn't just stamina. It's about resilience. The body's ability to take hits, process toxins, maybe even resist sickness or pain.'
And apparently, it worked hand in hand with Strength. Which made perfect sense — the stronger you were, the more strain you'd put on your body, and the more resistance you'd need to handle it.
I thought of it like a cannon. Strength is the force of the blast; Endurance is the thickness of the barrel. Without a strong enough barrel, the cannon explodes. Simple.
Still, the implications made me uneasy.
'Wait… if the system strengthens Strength faster than Endurance, and the limiters in my body were removed... does that mean I was born without a cap? That I've been straining my body since day one?'
[ANSWER: Correct. From the moment your soul or the system awakens in the body, your natural limiters begin to be removed to maximize development and preservation mechanisms.This is because Strength increases more easily through daily activities than Endurance.Thus, whenever your Strength rises, your body will suffer strain and automatically boost Endurance in response — as a survival mechanism.]
That was... intense.
It meant that my own body had been compensating silently this whole time. Adapting under pressure. Reacting on instinct.
The system didn't just give me power — it forced me to earn it.
[QUESTION: What is the DEX attribute?
ANSWER: Numerical value related to fine motor control. Strengthened by Agility, Endurance, Intelligence, and Perception.]
'So Dexterity is about precision — fine control over every part of the body. Not just coordination, but intention.'
If I raised it high enough, maybe I could do surgery blindfolded or draw with perfect accuracy. But the answer didn't specify any upper limits.
[ANSWER: Depends on the world — and on your own knowledge.]
Cryptic. But also kind of motivating.
It meant that my limits weren't just numbers. They were tied to what I knew and how I understood the world around me. The more I grew mentally, the more control I'd gain physically.
[QUESTION: What is the PER attribute?
ANSWER: Numerical value representing the amount of information the brain can detect from its surroundings. Strengthened by Agility, Intelligence, and Charisma.]
'So this is about sensory input. Awareness. Maybe even instinct.'
A high PER would probably mean I could notice subtle shifts in temperature, hear heartbeats in a crowd, or catch the flicker of a blade in my peripheral vision.
[QUESTION: What is the LCK attribute?
ANSWER: The degree of assistance provided by the world and its rules. Strengthened by Soul Rank and Soul Level.]
'Great. Now the world itself is stacked against me because I have negative Luck. As if being stuck here for nine months in the dark wasn't miserable enough.'
Still, there was hope.
If Soul Rank and Soul Level could improve Luck, then it wasn't set in stone. I could change it. Earn it.
But that led to another question…
'What even are Soul Rank and Soul Level?'
The answers didn't come.
This whole system — these stats, these definitions — felt like pieces of a puzzle. Each answer I got just opened more questions. It was frustrating. Overwhelming, even.
Like trying to solve an equation without knowing what half the variables meant.
But even so…
'Don't underestimate me. I'll figure this out. Faster than Fate expects.'