The arena dissolved completely, leaving Zeph suspended in the familiar infinite white of the tutorial space. But this time, the emptiness felt different—expectant, like the pause before a grand revelation.
Text materialized before him in elegant script that seemed to pulse with significance.
[TUTORIAL COMPLETION - PERFORMANCE RATING: EXCEPTIONAL]
[BONUS REWARDS AUTHORIZED]
[SELECT YOUR REWARDS]
Three distinct categories appeared, each containing multiple options that hung in the air like glowing cards.
[SENSORY ENHANCEMENT SKILLS]
[Danger Sense (F)] - Provides subtle physical warning when hostile intent is directed at user within 10-foot radius. Manifests as skin tingling or hair standing on end. 3-second advance warning maximum. Passive ability, no resource cost.
[Enhanced Hearing (F)] - Amplifies auditory perception by 50%, extends hearing range significantly. Can detect heartbeats within 5 feet, distinguish between different breathing patterns. Passive ability, no resource cost.
[Movement Detection (F)] - Senses rapid movement within 15-foot sphere, even through light cover or obstacles. Does not identify what is moving, only that movement is occurring and general direction. Passive ability, no resource cost.
Zeph studied each option with the analytical focus he'd once applied to character builds in his previous life. His enhanced intelligence, modest as it was, let him process the tactical implications of each choice.
'Danger Sense seems useful, but it's reactive,' he reasoned. 'I'd still have to figure out where the threat is coming from and how to respond. Enhanced Hearing gives me more information and active control, plus the ability to gather intelligence through walls or around corners.'
The hearing enhancement also appealed to his survival instincts. Three years in the ruins had taught him that information was life.
Being able to detect enemies before they detected him, to overhear conversations and plans, to identify threats by their breathing patterns—those advantages could mean the difference between eating and being eaten.
'Enhanced Hearing it is.'
[SWORD TECHNIQUES]
[Phantom Step (F)] - Rapid footwork technique allowing single 3-foot dash during sword attack execution. Makes strike trajectory harder to predict and enables gap-closing or repositioning mid-swing. Cost: 2 SP per activation.
[Precise Cut (F)] - Concentration technique that enhances accuracy against small targets or weak points. Increases strike precision by 20% for single attack. Particularly effective against joints, gaps in armor, or vital points. Cost: 3 SP per activation.
[Flow Strike (F)] - Chain technique allowing seamless combination of two basic sword attacks. Second strike executes 10% faster than normal due to momentum conservation. Must be used as complete sequence. Cost: 5 SP for full combination.
This decision was more complex. All three techniques offered genuine combat value, each addressing different aspects of swordplay.
Precise Cut would enhance his already lethal targeting, making his killing strikes even more reliable. Flow Strike would give him combination options, allowing him to pressure opponents with linked attacks.
But Phantom Step offered something the others couldn't: mobility enhancement integrated directly into his offense. The ability to dash during an attack opened up tactical possibilities that pure damage or accuracy couldn't match.
'It's not because it shares a name with my katana,' he told himself firmly. 'It's because mobility is survival, and survival is everything. The ability to close distance, reposition, or escape during an attack sequence is invaluable.'
The fact that it complemented his natural agility focus was just a bonus.
'Phantom Step. Definitely.'
[ENHANCEMENT RUNES]
[Rune of Minor Might (F)] - Strength enhancement rune. Weapon inscription: +15% impact force. Body inscription: +1 effective Strength for physical tasks and combat applications. Permanent once inscribed, occupies one rune slot.
[Rune of Swift Motion (F)] - Speed enhancement rune. Weapon inscription: +15% attack speed. Body inscription: +1 effective Agility for movement and reaction applications. Permanent once inscribed, occupies one rune slot.
[Rune of Sturdy Flesh (F)] - Vitality enhancement rune. Weapon inscription: +15% durability and self-repair. Body inscription: +1 effective Vitality for health and stamina applications. Permanent once inscribed, occupies one rune slot.
Zeph's analysis here was purely mathematical. His current attribute spread showed clear weaknesses that needed addressing.
Strength: 4
Agility: 9
Vitality: 3
'Swift Motion would make my already strong suit even stronger, but that's inefficient optimization,' he reasoned. 'I need to shore up weaknesses before amplifying strengths.'
The choice came down to Strength versus Vitality. Both were critically low, both represented significant vulnerabilities.
But Strength affected his ability to deliver damage, to wield weapons effectively, to perform physical actions that could mean the difference between life and death. Vitality was important for longevity, but Strength was immediate tactical advantage.
'Rune of Minor Might. Better to hit harder than to take hits better.'
He made his selections with mental commands, watching each choice lock in with satisfying finality.
Then new text appeared.
[EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCE BONUS]
[SELECT ONE ADDITIONAL REWARD FROM REMAINING OPTIONS]
Zeph blinked in surprise. A fourth reward? The System was being unusually generous.
His remaining options were the two runes he hadn't selected: Swift Motion and Sturdy Flesh. The choice was obvious now.
'Rune of Sturdy Flesh. Can't have too much survivability.'
With a Vitality of 3, he was essentially made of tissue paper. Any significant injury could cripple or kill him. The additional point of effective Vitality would help, and the fact that it was permanent made it valuable long-term investment.
[REWARDS CONFIRMED]
[SKILLS ACQUIRED: Enhanced Hearing (F), Phantom Step (F)]
[RUNES ACQUIRED: Minor Might (F), Sturdy Flesh (F)]
[LEVEL UP BONUS: 5 ATTRIBUTE POINTS AVAILABLE]
The final decision: attribute allocation. Five points to distribute among his six attributes.
His analysis was swift and decisive. Agility was already his strongest asset at 9 points—boosting it to 10 would push it into truly exceptional territory for his level. That single point would represent a significant percentage increase in his primary combat attribute.
The remaining four points went to Strength, bringing it from a pathetic 4 to a respectable 8. Combined with the Minor Might rune, his effective Strength would be 9—finally reach superb levels in his second most essential area.
[FINAL ATTRIBUTE ALLOCATION]
Strength: 4 → 8 (+1 from rune = 9 effective)
Agility: 9 → 10
Vitality: 3 (+1 from rune = 4 effective)
Intelligence: 3
Wisdom: 3
Charisma: 5
The changes settled into his body gradually, muscles gaining density and coordination improving with subtle precision. He felt stronger, faster, more durable—not dramatically, but noticeably. The kind of enhancement that would matter in life-or-death situations.
[TUTORIAL COMPLETE]
[BEGINNING EXTRACTION]
The white space began to fade around the edges, reality bleeding back in like watercolors on wet paper. Zeph felt the familiar tug of dimensional transition, the sensation of being pulled back to the world he'd left behind.
His PP counter read 3,124 and climbing with every breath. His new skills hummed with potential in his mind, waiting to be tested. The runes settled into his skin like warm weight, permanent enhancements to his capabilities.
But most importantly, he was returning to the real world as a Level 1 awakened human with combat experience, tactical knowledge, and a cheat system that would let him advance at impossible speeds!
Buster and Chen were in for a very unpleasant surprise.
The light intensified, and Zeph smiled as the tutorial space dissolved completely around him.
'Game on, assholes.'