5. Unexpected Encounter

“Hello?”

Ardan turned, searching for where the noise came from. The only thing behind him was a large, bushy hedge, reaching up to his shoulder. Rising from the grassy patch beneath him, he hesitated for a second before creeping closer to the bush. Surely nothing in such a secure and safe town like Greixol could hurt him. Cautious as to not alarm whatever the thing was, he walked softly and ducked his head down.

As Ardan neared the hedge, the rustling sound stopped and he slid his hands in, widening a space to see what had made the noise.

Nothing.

There was nothing there, only a clump of brambles. Shaking his head, Ardan returned to the shaded spot of the grass and sat down again.

That meditation must have done something to my head.

He blinked a few times, then got back to the task at hand, to figure out what the strange points were.

“Menu.

A quick glance over the menu told him that there was both a skills and a statistics sub-section. Frowning in thought, he opened the statistics section first.

Now let’s see what I can do with stat points.

Statistics Physical Non-Physical Stat Web Item/Skill Buffs

Ardan Boone Points Spent

None

Strength 5 Dexterity 5 Endurance 5 Recovery 5 Durability 5 Appearance 5 Available ATP 20

Ardan took a step back as the massive screen popped up in front of him. What in the bloody hell is this? This was unlike any RPG game he had played before.

“Information. Please.”

Thankfully, the information screen replaced the statistics menu quickly.

Statistics Information

Statistics are split into three tabs in the menu. The first is physical, where you use ATP (attribute points) to improve different aspects of the different parts of your body. Each ATP can increase either strength, dexterity, endurance, recovery, durability or appearance of a certain body part. How much it increases depends on the size of that body part. For example, if you choose to increase your entire body’s strength and you’re two metres tall, it will increase it by 0.1%. Thus, if you choose to increase your forefinger’s strength and it’s two centimeters, it will increase by 10%.

Appearance is similar to the other categories. However, the amount changed is determined by how many ATP are used.

The non-physical aspects of statistics are more defined than physical. It has six non-physical attributes that can be increased by using ATP. The final tab is the Stat Web, which has two webs to show what you’ve spent your stat points on

This was completely different and new to Ardan. Never had an RPG game been so… free. This system allowed him to alter his own physical body. He had to try it out.

“Add one ATP into strength.”

As he said the word, the box labeled strength turned light, like he had somehow selected it. When he completed the sentence, a soft yellow glow surrounded his entire body. Warmth filled it, before disappearing a moment later, along with the glow. Apart from that, Ardan didn’t feel any stronger, fitter or just more powerful in general.

But that was a given, of course.

Ardan had only used one ATP, meaning that his entire body’s strength had increased by less than a single percent, since he was two metres tall. However, he had glowed, and some warmth had passed through them. That had to be a sign that the system could change his physical body, right? Also, he assumed the ‘five’ in every row were his base stats.

But Ardan wasn’t satisfied. If this system could change or improve his physical body, couldn’t it make his jump higher, or make his fingers strong enough to be able to scale walls?

Maybe even get back up to his room…

He looked up, wondering just how many possibilities this system had unlocked.

Of course, he had to try. What could go wrong?

He had nineteen ATPs left to spend, and a wide range of options to spend them on. Looking back at the screen once more, he decided to go with a fast, agile build. ‘Build’ was a common term in RPG games that meant the area a certain individual would spend most of his stat points into.

An agile build would usually consist of most points spent into ‘agility’ or ‘dexterity’ in this case. Ardan always played fast, agile classes like assassin or ranger that depended on speed to evade attacks. But first, he had to climb.

Unfortunately, this was Ardan’s first real world experience, and he didn’t realise that climbing consisted of more than his hand’s strength.

“Put five points into strength and another five points for dexterity in both my hands.”

The warmth flowed through his palms once more and the glow returned for a second. As it left, a strange tingling feeling enveloped his hands. They felt… stronger.

“Non-physical statistics.”

Ardan wasn’t done yet. He still wanted to see what increasing non-physical attributes would do.

Statistics Physical Non-Physical Stat Web Item/Skill Buffs Ardan Boone Points Spent

None

Mana Capacity 5 Mana Regeneration 5 Reflexes 5 Charisma 5 Sense 5 Concentration 5 Available ATP 4

Reading the screen, a new question popped into Ardan’s head. What was this mana thing? He had a feeling it had something to do with skills…

Does adding stat points here work like the physical ones?

“Put the rest of my points into reflexes.” He said.

Unable To Identify Command

His command hadn’t been specific enough?

“Put four points into reflexes.”

No yellow glow surrounded him, nor the warmth that would usually follow. However, the unspent ATP went from four to zero. Then, just as he closed the screen, he heard another rustling sound coming from the bushes.

Again? Didn’t I look there just now?

Closing the stat window, Ardan approached the hedge again, this time being less cautious than before. He watched the bush, surprised to see the leaves swishing though there was no wind.

Whatever creature that had caused the rustling before had returned.

“Hello? Is someone there?”

Once again, there was no reply.

The bush gave way, and a figure emerged from the shadows with a low growl.

Crimson eyes stared him down, black pupils dilating. It paced around Ardan, its slender yet muscular legs padding the ground, saliva dripping from pointed teeth. In front of Ardan was a wolf, its silvery coat shimmering in stray sunlight.

Grey Wolf Lvl. 4 HP 350/350 AP 23

Ardan was paralysed by shock. How was a wolf here?

“Hey there… Good doggy?”

Its teeth bared menacingly, and whatever courage left in Ardan was drained away. The wolf lunged forward, claws outstretched and canines unsheathed. Ardan awkwardly leapt backwards, just barely avoiding his attacker.

Still in shock, Ardan stumbled back. He observed the beast from mere meters away from where it stood, prepared to attack again. Picking himself off the ground, Ardan stood very still. The wolf made no movements towards him, but growled softly. Its eyes glimmered with ferocity, coupled by a set of bloodstained teeth.

Unarmed, defenceless, exposed, Ardan ran for a tree to the right. He ducked behind it as the wolf landed where he stood before, scratching the bark. He heard a loud bark and backed away, only to find himself pinned against the wall.

Quickly running through the options he could take, Ardan realised that no one would come to rescue him. Everyone was either at work or school, and he was in a secluded part of the neighbourhood. There were only two options. Escape from the wolf, or somehow subdue it. Both equally impossible. He, a fifteen year old elf with no magic or weapons, couldn’t take on a hungry, fully grown wolf.

It would be easier to just run away, but the chances of him escaping the wolf were slim. Scaling the wall was also out of the question, because Ardan couldn’t jump that high. There were no other escape routes, unless… he looked back towards the tree, just a few metres in front of him.

The tree wasn’t especially large, but its branches spread out far and high, less than a metre away from the second floor’s balcony. Small, low hanging branches extended from the tree, just within jumping height. If he could climb the tree, he could escape from the wolf and get back into his room, two birds with one stone.

It wasn’t like he had any other choice, anyways.

Decided, Ardan took a small step forward that earned him another growl. The wolf seemed to be deciding whether to attack or not. It was hesitating. This was his chance.

Ardan dashed forward, giving the wolf as much berth as possible while making a beeline straight for the tree. The wolf reacted quickly, but the amount of space he needed to cover wasn’t much. It barked loudly, startling him, yet he didn’t stop to look back.

Jumping up, Ardan reached his hand out for the lowest tree branch. As his fingers wrapped around the branch, he felt the feeble object bend under his weight. Would it hold?

Snap.

Ardan’s body tumbled down, still gripping the broken branch tightly. He heard angry barks as he fell and shut his eyes tightly.

Thud.

Ardan landed on the ground hardly, the roots of the tree doing little to soften his fall. Remembering the wolf, he shot up, bruised and clothes dirty, barely evading a deadly pounce. Backing away once more, Ardan held the small part of the branch he had torn off the tree in a defensive position. Now that he looked, it was a thin, flimsy thing. It would never have held his weight in the first place. But that was a problem in the past. Now there was a different kind of problem.

The wolf, now enraged, had stopped hesitating and came to a decision. To kill him.

It pounced yet again, claws ready to tear him apart. Unconsciously, Ardan's body moved on its own, sidestepping the wolf’s attack at the last second. The wolf seemed as confused as he was. When could he move like that?

Then Ardan remembered the stat points. He had added four of them into ‘reflexes’, so that must have been improved significantly. Yet… he glanced down at his hands quickly. Adding the ten points into his hands hadn’t done much good so far, so why was it any different with a non-physical attribute?

The wolf didn’t give Ardan any time to think, as it leapt up at him ferociously. But this time, Ardan was ready. Disposing the useless stick, he dodged to the right and lashed out his arm at the passing wolf.

A jarring impact hit his fingers and pain enveloped his arm, but Ardan pushed on, gritting his teeth and driving his fist forward, into the wolf’s head. A second later, it was over and the wolf lay sprawled on the ground behind him.

However, Ardan didn’t go unscathed. Three large, raw gashes ran across his left forearm, dripping blood onto the grass. His jacket was ripped and stained from the injury.

- Alert! -

You have taken 60 damage.

You have taken 92 damage.

Languidness filled Ardan’s body and he dropped to his knees for the second time that day. He had taken more than a hundred damage. Didn’t he have a hundred health points? The pain made it hard for him to think. Ardan glanced up at the corner of his vision, barely managing to register the screen.

#8902 Ardan Boone PR: Insane Offline Lvl. 5 - 11324/15000EXP HP 48/200 MP 100/100 Fatigue 23 (To open menu say menu)

Many things had changed, but Ardan ignored them, concentrating on his new health. Somehow, he had managed to double the amount of health points - which had helped him survive. Was it because of his recent level ups? But why was he so weak?

Apart from this, something was wrong. Something was missing. Something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

Grrrrr.

Ah, that was it. He hadn’t gotten the kill notification yet.

The wolf wasn’t dead. In fact, it was probably even more enraged than before. Ardan clambered to his feet slowly, feeling weak and exposed. The wolf was at just above half its health points while Ardan was below a quarter, meaning it had come out victorious in the scuffle.

Yet, though Ardan’s left arm was screaming at him, the wolf was also injured, hobbling on three feet. The question now was whether he had done enough for it to leave him be.

If it wasn’t, Ardan was going to experience first hand what happened when his health points hit zero.

Gripping his upper arm, Ardan trudged backwards towards the tree, still keeping eye contact with the wolf. It was testing its injured foot, tapping it softly on the ground before retracting it quickly. By this time, Ardan was sweating profusely and his arm was leaking a dangerous amount of blood.

Finally, the wolf gave Ardan one final growl and turned around, disappearing into the bushes as mysteriously as it had emerged.

Ardan gave a sigh of relief before collapsing onto the ground by the tree. The pain was getting worse and he felt lightheaded.

Am I going to die?

+ - + - + - +

A figure crouched in the bushes, sighing in frustration. The wolf’s appearance was unexpected, almost giving his position away. At first, he thought observing Ardan would be easy. It seems he was wrong. The figure glanced back at Ardan, slumped by the roots of the tree, severely injured. A part of him wanted to help, but the doctor’s voice echoed clear in his mind.

“Observe the boy. Do not, under any circumstances, allow him to know you are observing him."