Single Stat System

Chapter 8: The Journey Begins

[Status]

Name: Sakim

Level: 1

Class: None

Title: Vessel Of The Greed Sin

_____________

HP: 200 | 200

MP: 100 | 100

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Vitality: 2

Intelligence: 1

Strength: 1

Agility: 1

Dexterity: 1

Perception: 1

Available Points - 0

"..."

Sure enough, his Vitality stat and HP had doubled!

Right now, Sakim was staring at his status displayed on the screen. He'd some knowledge regarding this so he wasn't too surprised at all.

Putting stat points on Vitality stat would definitely increase his maximum Hit Points (HP) and his Reflect chance, a chance to reflect damage by 50%. It really was amazing if he could gain a great amount of HP with his Passive Skill: Double Vitality and have a high chance of Reflect so that he could kill those who would try to attack him with their own attack!

He really was wondering if it was just a coincidence or this Passive Skill: Double Vitality of him was really a compensation to his Curse: Single Stat System to begin with.

On the other hand, adding stat points on Intelligence stat could increase his maximum Mana Points (MP) and increase his Pierce chance, an ability to ignore defense by 50%. Defense could minimize or possibly ignore the received attack damage but with Pierce chance, a portion, or possibly, all of the defense would instead be ignored and the attack dealt would be maximized.

Going to the Strength stat, this stat could increase his maximum Attack damage and Critical chance, a chance to give additional 50% damage. Sakim learned that this additional 50% Critical damage was at its minimum and it could be increased using some ways in this world.

On the other hand, Agility could increase his maximum Movement Speed and Dodge chance, a chance to evade all kinds of the incoming attack. Whether it was a curse type or debuff or any kind of attack that dealt status effect, it would all be evaded by the Dodge chance. It would appear that as if your body would dodge on its own.

Dexterity could increase his maximum Defense and Block chance, a chance to block 50% received damage. Even Pierce and Reflect were helpless against it, both of them couldn't bring the supposedly given damage.

And lastly, the Perception stat would increase his maximum Attack Speed and Hit chance, a chance to perfectly hit the target no matter how nimble the target was. It was the nemesis of Dodge chance. Hit chance hit everything while Dodge chance avoids everything but Sakim knew that the winning side was still to the one with the higher stat.

In any case, a good balance with all of these stats was very essential to better have a greater outcome but sadly for him, the only stat available that Sakim could put his stat points was Vitality stat. Just by looking at all the greyish font colors of all the other stats except to Vitality of which it had a white font color, Sakim really had an urge to cry.

It was pretty obvious that all those words in grey weren't available for him!

But what made him jolted in shock was the name of him given by the System.

"Why is it Sakim? It's not my real name though, it's just what people called me in my past life..." Sakim muttered to himself as he realized, "Is this system trying to annoy me again?"

His real name in his past life was 'Salonga Kimuel'. He had no father[1] in his past life so he had no Middle Name.

Anyway, by getting the first syllable of each word of his surname (Salonga) and his given name (Kimuel), it would result in his nickname, Sa-Kim[2]. So he really wondered why the System would rather choose his title rather than his real name.

But thinking about it now, it wasn't too bad at all. His ability was related to stealing and taking everything to himself so being named Sakim seemed to be cooler than his real name.

Sakim put back his attention towards the Status window and he noticed what was the title he had. As if his pupils narrowed like those of the cats, Sakim really was surprised this time. Only then he remembered the very last words of the old woman she encountered after his death, *Good luck, Vessel of the Greed Sin... ...and try to repent from your sin if you can.*

Now that he thought about it, what did that old woman mean of the Vessel of the Greed Sin she was saying? Why did she refer him like that? Did this mean that he'd just became a Vessel of some kind of being or it was the 'Greed Sin' itself that made him a vessel so that it could manifest itself?

Many questions of uncertainties lingered in his mind but all his doubts were directing in one thing, the 'Greed Sin'.

With his curiosity hitting the max level, Sakim breathed a deep one as he said, "Title, Vessel Of The Greed Sin."

[No information available!]

"!"

Sakim was surprised to see that only a little window of notification with the content of "No information available" had popped up. He really was wondering what was the description of his title or the use of it or anything that he would possibly gain from this title.

But there was nothing else he could do. The System prevented him to learn anything about it so as reluctant as he was, he could only sigh in dismay.

As he was helpless, he then stared at the [Rusty Sword] that he was holding on his other hand as he raised it forward. He then shifted his gaze above the crater as he muttered with a smile, "Now then, should I try to level up now?"

Without saying anything, the hologram screen vanished as it felt that Sakim didn't need it in the meantime. Sakim then slashed his [Rusty Sword] aimlessly while thinking how useless it was. And it even got more useless when Sakim realized that he didn't know how to hold a sword.

Just by thinking about it could make Sakim let out a bitter smile but nevertheless, he started his journey and made a step forward.

He needed to level up first to at least level 5 for him to open the 'Quest' function of the System. With that in mind, he really was determined for leveling up.

He needed to get the one-time quest given by the System and obtain the map of this place. That quest was to go to the beginner's village and it also was the first thing he needed to do.

Because only in that place could he get a real quest and only by completing quests could he level up faster.

Just killing monsters alone was a waste of time and effort. And also, he needed to complete some quests to get some better items.

Tap! Tap! Tap! The sound of his footsteps with his wooden slippers hitting the stone echoed to the surroundings. He didn't know why but his feet didn't hurt a bit by wearing these hard sleepers.

In a few moments, with his hand and sword supporting him up, he reached the top of the crater with a little difficulty. The crater might be too wide that it had a 'five meters' radius but it wasn't too deep for him to be incapable of climbing up. He really wondered how did his small body form such a crater.

Gazing to the woods that were obstructing his view, Sakim failed to see any monster at all or any sort of living beings except the trees and grasses around.

"Hmmm, maybe they all have run away from this place. After all, it's pretty scary to see something falling from above." Sakim made a guess inwardly.

With that in mind, Sakim stepped forward to see if he could find any victims inside the woods.

He felt rather strange. It was completely silent and even the wind was suppressing its howl as if afraid of something. He kept looking around in caution and walked inside the woods for at least ten minutes but he still did not find anything at all.

The sun kept peeking down below from the slightly opened spaces given by the towering trees. The creaking sound of the woods and leaves rustling with the wind could be heard. Sakim halted his step for a moment as he looked back trying to see the path he took.

But seeing that nothing was wrong and the trace of the crater was still could be seen from afar, Sakim retracted his gaze and continued his steps.

Tap! Tap! Tap! His wooden slippers echoed to the surroundings with a continuous rustle of the leaves all around. Sakim gripped his sword more tightly as he thought of something.

"Monsters doesn't usually in the form of a beast or sort of, sometimes they also look like..." Sakim pondered inwardly as he turned around and made a step forward to go to a certain tree. After which, he inverted his sword and stabbed it into the tree right away.

Pasak!

Roar!!!

Just the moment the sword pierced through the tree trunk, the tree had gone wild making Sakim fall back and leave his sword on the tree. A smile crept upon his lips as his guess was actually correct, "It's really a Tree-type Monster!"

But his smile didn't last for too long as the hologram screen popped out right in front of his face.

[You've met the Hidden Boss!]

At first, he really was surprised with his widened eyes when he saw the notification. But his surprise turned into horror when he saw the description of the Tree-type Monster that was written in gold color saying,

[Devil Tree - Hidden Boss]

Rank: Common

Level: 15

HP:

"!"

What the heck?! Sakim cursed inwardly. was the world playing tricks on him? Was the curse still not enough and they've sent him a Hidden Boss to take his life?

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[1] It only means that his father left him and his mother before he's even born.

[2] Sakim literally means Greed in the Filipino language.