The feast had been nothing short of extraordinary. The laughter, the clinking of glasses, and the delicious food had created a warm, unforgettable memory. But for Sam, the euphoria faded the moment the festivities ended. His mind was already preoccupied with the weight of his stagnation, a thorn that dug deeper with every passing day.

  As the others lingered in the dining room, Sam excused himself quietly. He made his way upstairs to his room, his heart racing with anticipation. Locking the door with simple mana-threading—a technique he'd mastered months ago—he prepared to confront his frustrations head-on.

  “I need to check my stats,” he muttered to himself. “Figure out what’s holding me back and what I can do to finally break through this Level 15 barrier.”

  With a determined breath, he spoke the familiar command. “Status open.”

  A faint glow filled the room as a translucent, game-like interface materialized in front of him.

  Name: Samuel Raveish

  Title: None

  Class: Shadow Mage

  Level: 15

  Experience to Level Up: 0/5000

  Health: 281/281

  Mana: 329/329

  Available Stat Points: 0

  Credits: 12,937

  Rank: Above Average

  

• Strength: 32
• Agility: 27
• Sense: 21
• Reaction Speed: 30
• Reaction Time: 31
• Intellect: 22
• Perception: 25
• Stamina: 20

  

1. Goddess Divine Protection: Grants 0.5% immunity to enemy attacks.
2. Reborn Battler Divination: Boosts physical attack power by 7% and physical defense by 4% when activated.
3. Scale A Pult: Transforms nearby scales of creatures into a barrage of piercing projectiles.
4. Language Comprehension: Understand and write every known language.
5. Analyse:

  

1. Shadow’s Sword (10 mana): Conjures a sword of shadow. Deals shadow damage. Mana Consumption: 1 mana per second.
   
     
   • Level: 1
2. Shadow Stealth (2 mana/sec): Grants invisibility through shadows. Mana Consumption: 2 mana per second.
   
     
   • Level: 1
3. Shadow Ball: Creates a shadow ball of varying power and size based on mana investment. Mana Consumption: Varies.
   
     
   • Level: 1

  

1. Shadow’s Fortune – Locked
2. Emotion Enhance – Not decided
3. Rage Manager – Locked
4. Rage Consumer – Locked

  

• Stat Points Per Level: 5

  Sam stared at the screen, frustration boiling within him. “When did I even get the Goddess Divine Protection?” he wondered aloud.

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  Flashback:

  “Since this is our first meeting in a long while, I’ll grant you a gift,” Melissa had said, her voice gentle and cryptic. “You can also ask a question, if you wish.”

  End of Flashback.

  “So, this is the gift she mentioned. Bit underwhelming, but I guess it might save my life someday,” he admitted grudgingly.

  Shaking off the thought, he turned his attention to the shop. “Let’s check this properly this time. No frantic scrolling or panic-buying like when I fought those demons.”

  With a tap, the system store interface unfolded before him.

  Potions:

  

1. Healing Potion:
   
     
   • Grade 1: 1,000 Credits
   • Grade 2: 3,000 Credits
   • ... (up to Grade 15: 2,500,000 Credits)
2. HP Recovery Potions:
   
     
   • Grade 1 (5% HP): 250,000 Credits
   • ... (up to Grade 6 (100% HP): 500,000,000 Credits)
3. Mana Recovery Potions:
   
     
   • Grade 1 (10% Mana): 117,000 Credits
   • ... (up to Grade 5 (100% Mana): 1,000,000,000 Credits)

  Special Items:

  

• Curse Remover: Removes most curses. Price: 200,000,000 Credits

  “Figures,” Sam muttered. “Half the options are locked because I’m too low-level. I can’t even raise my level, so what’s the point?”

  He sighed and opened the weapons tab.

  Swords:

  

1. Iron Sword – Attack: 12, Speed: 7, Price: 500 Credits
2. Coket Blade – Attack: 26, Speed: 21, Price: 7,547 Credits
3. Bonesheave Sword – Attack: 49, Speed: 35, Price: 26,054 Credits
4. Imperial Ringer Sword – Attack: 69, Speed: 73, Price: 60,000 Credits
5. Raveish Sword – Attack: 150, Speed: 57, Price: 162,667 Credits

  Daggers:

  

1. Silent Dagger – Attack: 6, Speed: 23, Price: 1,250 Credits
2. Assassin’s Desire – Attack: 17, Speed: 40, Price: 11,111 Credits

  Sam sighed again, his disappointment deepening. “Potions are decent, but weapons? There’s barely any variety, and most tabs are locked. It’s like the system is mocking me.”

  Just then, the door creaked open, and Isonorai stepped inside. Her calm, radiant presence filled the room, but Sam quickly turned his head to avoid her gaze.

  “Have you decided which crystal you’re going to choose?” she asked, her tone even but curious.

  “As I said, I need time to think,” Sam replied, a hint of defensiveness in his voice. “I’ve got seven days, and I’ll decide when I’m ready.”

  Her expression tightened briefly. “Why are you stalling? Are you nervous about your choice, or are you just trying to avoid it?”

  Sam smirked slightly but didn’t look at her. “Why are you so eager, Isonorai? Excited to teach me? Or is it something else?”

  Her frustration was evident now, though she masked it quickly. Without another word, she left the room, her steps brisk but composed.

  As the door clicked shut, Sam stared at the status screen one last time. “I need to figure this out,” he muttered. “If I don’t, I’ll be stuck like this forever.”

  Meanwhile, outside the room, Isonorai paused. “What was he doing in there?” she wondered aloud. “Talking to himself, muttering about progress… maybe I’m just overthinking.”

  She walked away, a mixture of curiosity and annoyance lingering in her mind.