But the biggest question remained: Was there really any rush? There was no need to take any Stat Perks, wasn't there?
...
I could ignore the stat gain perks, just take all the miscellaneous perks, and train until I reach godhood- ignoring any of the 2x stat gain. Except... there was the possibility that stat growth would end being geometric.
As exp payouts increase, my stat growth would possibly accelerate; and eventually, the difference between taking and not taking a stat gain perk will become as stark of a contrast as night and day. It could possibly save me decades of training... I did not know how powerful this Gamer System can go- if there is even an upper ceiling of power that it could grant. But power beyond Avatar-level was a fair bet.
All I needed to do now was balancing the early game risk so that I can reach the eventual late game payoff in raw power.
"Risk and reward..." I muttered to myself just for a moment before making my choices.
[ Selection made. Please confirm... ]
[ Origin Story ]
Fire Nation: You were born unto the Fire Nation and its colonial territories. Fierce and militaristic. The Fire Nation has waged a war of aggression against the rest of the world for the last hundred years, and slowly but surely winning it.
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[ Stat Gain Perks ]
[ Careful, you can only choose Stat Gain Perks perks now! ]
Powerful Build (400 rp): You are gifted with a naturally powerful body. Start with 15 Strength, and gain Strength twice as fast.
Agile Frame (400 rp): Quick reflexes with quicker eyes, a markedly swift combination. Start with 15 Dexterity, and gain Dexterity twice as fast.
Robust Body (400 rp): Pain and poison are no great obstacles to your tireless vigour. Start with 15 Constitution, and gain Constitution twice as fast.
Bending Prodigy (400 rp): Your grasp on the spiritual is stronger than most. Start with 15 Spirit, and gain Spirit twice as fast.
..
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[ Stat Malus Perks ]
Dull Mind (+200 rp): You were dropped on your head as a child. Gain Intelligence half as fast.
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[ Miscellaneous Perks ]
Compass (50 rp): The power to un-lost yourself. You possess an innate, but imprecise compass towards your Quest's next objective.
Expanded Inventory (100 rp): More space to hold your useless junk. Increase your inventory capacity from just a closet space to a pair of shipping containers
Weapon Familiarity (50 rp): Instant HEMA and Wushu. Whenever you wield a new weapon, automatically gain basic foundational proficiency on it equal to one week of continuous study and training.
Pretty Privilege (100 rp): Oh no, he's hot! Sometimes a great body and a roguish smile are all one needs in life.
Magic Fingers (50 rp): Your GF will thank you for taking this perk. All your massages are supernaturally good.
Siren's Voice (50 rp): Your voice is like molten chocolate in people's ears. +50% to Reputation and Affection gains from conversations.
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[ Challenge Perks ]
Conscripted! (+300 rp): Goo~ood morning, Earth Kingdom! Start your new life as a fresh recruit on the hellish frontlines.
Bad First Impressions (+200 rp): Something about you just strikes people off the first time around. Everyone starts at -10 Reputation.
Marked for Death (+300 rp): A noble somewhere will keep hiring professional assassins to kill you until you find and confront the noble.
"Confirmed..." I replied to the text box as I steadied myself. "Is that all? Do I drop in now?"
[Customise your appearance and give yourself a name. ]
I grinned with relish. Time to sculpt an appearance to match my capabilities.
...
[Earth Kingdom wilderness, South of Omashu]
"Onwards, you deer-dogs! For the Glory of the Fire Nation!"
In these dusty badlands of arid valleys, a battle was being fought over this nameless little hamlet. The noon sun was blistering high in the sky as the black and red uniforms of the charging Fire Nation soldiers contrasted with the green and yellow uniforms of the Earth Kingdom militia. The metallic clash of blades, the constant rumble of rocks being shifted and the roar of flames being launched.
A Fire Nation offensive crashing against defending Earth Kingdom forces- a tale that has been repeated over and over again for the last 98 years. Killing each other over a stockpile of grain and water that had more value than the entire hamlet's collection of orange clay houses... or the civilians cowering inside.
The Fire Nation was- without a doubt- waging war of aggression, and I had joined on the side of aggression...
"Khan!" A Fire Nation soldier called out to me- a messenger hawk on his forearm, "The Captain says we wheel towards the northern side of the village!"
... And I loved it.
"I'm on it!" I barked out an acknowledgement before waded through the battlefield like a grown man would a kiddie pool. Standing at 7 feet tall (2.13 m), I towered over everyone else in my faceless red and black armour- even the tallest among the crowd barely reached my chest, and it only made that analogy seem more accurate.
I was an armoured giant that struck an intimidating figure on the battlefield, everyone else may as well been children playing at war. Every move I made turned heads, both ally and enemy; and the fear in Earth Kingdom milita's eyes was palpable as I approached.
But to be frank, this had been a mild miscalculation on my part.
[ Name: Khan "The Giant"
Level: 1
Level exp: 128/250
Rank: Private First Class. 41st Division, Fire Nation Army.
HP: 296/400
Strength: 15 (+3)
Dexterity: 15 (+1)
Constitution: 15 (+2)
Intelligence: 0
Spirit: 15 (+1)
* Finish Combat to acquire Stat Points * ]
I wasn't as strong as I looked, not yet at least. Right now, my size was mostly cosmetic thanks to my unique Gamer physiology: In reality, I was only a few short steps stronger than a nameless Fire Nation soldier mook, more of a trained athlete than anything superhuman.
That fact only highlighted that some caution was in order, because I'm certain that my meagre strength wasn't anywhere near sufficient to best a named character in the Avatar series and their metres-thick plot armour. But eventually...
One day soon, I'll grow into my new body, fill it up with enough strength to tear down the heavens and impose my own order on the world.
Until then however, all my great height did was put me at a disadvantage- rocks got launched at me and struck at the very large target that my body posed. My height also seemed to give Fire Nation officers a vast overestimation of my current prowess, going so far as to give me the moniker 'Khan the Giant' despite being fresh off the boat just two hours ago.
Worse still, this battle had us outnumbered 3-to-1, and despite Fire Nation soldiers having more rigorous training, that was still some odds when the Captain's only orders were 'charge' while he just stayed back in his command tent on the hill.
Real life military officers can't be that much of a crayon-eating moron, can they?
I've never been even fit enough for the army, but even I knew that level of incompetence must be impossible. This must be the work of the [Conscripted!] perk no doubt- dropping me into the action at the very start. And I had a feeling that if I hadn't built for combat, I would very much be in trouble right about now. But I had built for combat, and now, such an exciting start in life only proved to be an advantage.
My red-armoured fist gripped my chosen weapon tight, and readied to deal violence.
(Common) [Iron Meteor Hammer]
A melee weapon consisting of a solid metal ball suspended at the end of a 6-metres-long chain. The ball is swung around at great speeds to build deadly momentum before sending hurtling towards the enemy.
Its reach is unmatched by any other melee weapon, and its chained nature means that it cannot be blocked or parried like a normal blade- essentially forming a massive threat zone that demands respect from its foes. However, the meteor hammer is hampered by its slow attack speed due to the wind up required to gather force for each strike; and requires both high Strength and Dexterity to wield properly.
[ Weapon Proficiency: Lvl 4 - Novice ]
At high proficiency levels, the meteor hammer becomes an extremely versatile and unpredictable weapon. The long chain becomes a fearsome weapon in its own right as it is used to bind limbs, trip feet, trap weapons or constrict around necks with ease. Meanwhile, the metal ball can crush straight through rock and armour alike while also permitting powerful strikes at oblique angles of attack that would be nigh impossible with conventional weapons.
....
Don't forget to throw some power stones :)
...
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