[NR] This Isn't Over - Chapter 772

Later, after the sun has fully set, the trio are back in their room, around the campfire. Courtney finishes the rough meal they threw together and sighs. “This isn’t over.”

Jason nods, “But we know more now.”

Rosha, “It almost feels like we know less! What even is it? The dang thing bled, but barely and it could do that intangible trick. Are we sure it isn’t some kind of undead? Especially after escaping under water like that? We should have seen the thing surface.”

Courtney shakes her head, “It was a decent right for us, so even if the level isn’t necessarily all that high, the stats are there. Have you tried holding your breath lately? Give it a try.”

Rosha shrugs, “Okay?” And takes a bit of a breath before holding.

Jason, “The creature will be back tomorrow and it will still be targeting the dude. Except this time, I suspect it won’t be as hands-off. We’ve started the end game for this tall tale.”

Courtney nods, “It was waiting for a confrontation like in the stories. Though instead of sending a pack of dogs after it and losing one or two, we gave it a loss.”

Jason, “My bet? It will start with the whole ‘voice on the wind’ nonsense and try to creep people out. We told Liam that we drove it off for the night and I truly do believe it won’t be back tonight. However, we need to warn him, and I guess the guy as well, that things are likely to escalate. Though I doubt it will directly attack tomorrow, now that I think about it.”

Courtney considers that and nods, “Yeah, given the stories, I guess it isn’t likely to go straight into kill mode. Not that this should stop us from trying. If we can figure out where it is while trying to be creepy, nothing says we can’t attack it there and then.”

Jason, “If anything, that might be better for us. In the irl ghost stories, it would drag things out because of being a scary story. I wouldn’t be surprised if in NeoRealm, the creature has a proper reason for scaring people first. Including the possibility that it either feeds on fear or worse, gains power from it.

“Though the fact it was previously willing to just chill out around the town causing minor unease would point towards it being food. After all, it was scaring an entire town instead of just a lone individual out in the woods. No need to go overboard with a single dish when a buffet has been set for you.”

Courtney, “It could be both. Though if it is using fear for either, that puts this outside of the realm of a normal creature. Doesn’t mean undead, though those are one of the more common monsters to both be physical and eat emotions. Other emovores tend to be unseen spirits, while this creature is both visible and tangible.”

Rosha lets out her breath, “Okay, I give up! Why can I hold my breath for so long? Like, that wasn’t even the end of it!”

Courtney shakes her head, “Why wouldn’t we be able to? Most don’t brag about strength early on, but at level 100, people show off. There are more than a few videos of newly broken through players doing things like juggling ore boulders, backhanding trees into splinters, and so on.

“And while that is all physical strength stuff, well, it does represent how strong the body is. How long you can hold your breath? That’s also a function of your body. You can train it separately, but ever-increasing stats help with it as well.

“Such knock-on effects are how people decide which stat to focus on. As while there isn’t a stat for brains, some physical aspects will help with stuff like spellcasting. You know this, or at least, should.”

Courtney shrugs, “I guess? I just never really connected it to things like holding your breath. Getting extra Agility so as to allow more precise hand movements while casting just made inherent sense. All these extra bits? I can’t exactly imagine it as this giant status with a bunch of sub-categories. Or rather, I guess I can, but the sub-categories seem infinite in breadth.”

Courtney shakes her head, “That isn’t what is going on. The three stats are your body. There are no ‘sub-stats’ except for what appears on your status panel and those appear for their own specific reasons.

“For instance, take Jason’s Stamina stat. It isn’t like you lack stamina because you don’t have the stat. Rather, by gaining it, Jason’s natural stamina was boosted and other benefits that lay outside of one’s body appeared. In particular, the whole nonsense with traveling System-recognized roads comes into effect.

“Things like being able to see long distances? I’m sure you could get some kind of skill or maybe even an auxiliary stat for it, but in the end? Your base stats are improving your body, which naturally leads to improving your vision.

“And given how you can actually train to get as strong as people do from levels? The three primary stats are likely just the System coming in and smoothing out the results. So someone who only does pushups, still has their entire body improve instead of just their ability to do pushups and related matters.”

Jason, “Caveat, training helps with the specifics. Even after just doing pushups, your whole body gets stronger, you’re arms and such will still be stronger. This is why a high Agility mage differs from a high Agility ranger. The mage can move their hands through esoteric forms, but won’t be as capable of aiming a bow.”

Rosha, “Well then why only three stats? Strength, Toughness, and Agility are fine and all, but they don’t really cover everything I’d expect. I could see two or three more stats being easily added.”

Courtney shrugs, “Unless Jason has an idea, I doubt there is an answer.”

Jason nods, “There is likely an answer? After all, the System made the decision at some point. Though it could be as simple as those three being the only ones the System could manage without touching on the mind.”