Ciesta glared at me. "Can you stop with this exaggerated reaction already?"

"B-but I would have never guessed that you already have a hubby!" I exclaimed as I actively gesticulated. "Your voice is so young that I just assumed that you were about my age, but it seems I was mistaken. Of course, how foolish! Someone who can even possess a cat is bound to be a thousand-year-old witch!"

"Excuse me, but I'm not that old," she argued. "Though by human standards I definitely can qualify as your grandmother, I'm barely considered an adult member of my Race."

"So you are an elf or something?" I wondered. If there were kobolds and dragons, why couldn't there be elves?

"It's a secret." Her curt answer clearly indicated that she had no plans to disclose this information for now. "In any case, I see that you’ve already slightly improved your Communication. Honestly, it's a bit shocking to witness you gaining two Attribute Points just by raising the Skill level once after talking to me for a few minutes. It's cheating."

"You know, I actually don't feel that bad about the Moderator Quest," I confessed. "I'm just an ordinary guy, and yet the System gives me all these unfair advantages. I think that someone more competent could use my unique Trait and Title in a way more efficiently. This is why being given the responsibility to do something extraordinary doesn't feel unjust to me. It reminds me that I'm no one special and that I need to work hard to not waste my gifts."

Ciesta shook her fluffy head. "You really are a strange human, Lex. Others usually take each advantage they have—be it their looks, rich parents, or luck—for granted while at the same time blame each disadvantage on the unfairness of the world. And I think that it's just a normal reaction."

I nodded. "Normal, but not necessarily right."

This ended our short off-topic discussion.

"Anyway," she started, "just as you noticed, the low-Level monsters are rather weak compared to the low-Level Players. It makes perfect sense if you consider what Levels are in the first place and how they are gained outside of the System interference. Basically, your Level is how much your Essence Code is developed. You can imagine it as a tree that grows if you feed it with Essence—the taller the tree, the higher your Level. Some trees are thicker than others, and those are Elites, Champions, and Bosses."

One thing was extremely unclear in her explanation. "But what the heck is Essence in the first place? I also remember that the System mentioned Life and Soul Codes as well."

"It's too much to explain right now," she said in a bored tone. "In simple terms, Essence is what your scientists call Dark Energy—an invisible form of energy that influences the Universe on the macro-scale. Usually, it doesn't interfere with ordinary matter. But things change when Concepts come into play. I'll explain in more detail some day later. You don't need to understand it for now. As for the Life Code—it's what you call DNA. The Soul Code is harder to explain without using terms unfamiliar to you."

I knew some basics of modern physics, so I wasn't completely clueless when she explained about dark matter being Essence. And, just as she said, it didn't matter that much in the current situation. Instead, I needed the information that could help me to survive better.

"Okay, I get it." I nodded as I relaxed in the armchair. My shoulder already showed some signs of improvement.

She returned to the main topic. "Without the System, your Essence Code develops naturally. You can accelerate it through cultivation. In fact, in the worlds yet untouched by the System but where Essence has already started to materialize, sentient species become so-called cultivators and increase their power by absorbing Essence. It's also the main way the monsters grow in Levels. Being a part of a Dungeon accelerates the process manyfold."

"I have a feeling that you are about to get to the point," I said without a hint of sarcasm. I really was starting to feel more and more comfortable speaking to her. Had learning that she was a taken woman way older than I decreased the pressure on me?

"You are exactly right," Ciesta confirmed. "In fact, you probably can guess the answer if you think carefully."

"And take away your job from you?" I grinned slightly.

"I'm not going to be with you forever, you know? You need to learn how to think for yourself if you want to survive this new world."

I couldn't agree with her more, so I started to brainstorm the answer based on everything she just explained. It wasn't the first time she had given some hints, only to leave me figuring out the truth on my own. I preferred it this way instead of being spoon-fed all the time.

"If I have to guess, then the stronger you are by default, the better your Essence Code, and the faster it grows," I voiced my suspicion. "Though I'm not sure how Bosses fit into this."

"Hmm, indeed." She confirmed. "And what does that mean?"

"It means that the low-Level monsters are naturally weak. If I had to guess, then humans who cultivate instead of becoming Players should be stronger than kobolds by default."

"Seikai!" Ciesta said the word that meant 'right' in Japanese. "You can say that each creature has a Level that reflects its default combat power. It can cultivate to its Default Level in a very short period of time. For an average human, it should be around Level 9 and Level 19 for a highly trained one. Basically, the tree that is your Essence Code grows fast at first to catch up to your Life and Soul Codes. After that, you develop the tree to improve the other two."

"How does this compare to being a Player, then?" I wanted to clear the last doubt I had about her explanation.

"It depends. Usually, it should take only a few days to reach your Default Level naturally if your planet just started to bring Essence into physical form. For an average Player, it takes a couple of weeks of hunting to achieve the same, but if you are slaying stronger monsters without rest, it can be accomplished in a day or two. The thing is, after that, the divergence happens. Those who cultivate Essence, for example, people who failed to complete the first stages of the Tutorial and became Civilians, develop slowly but without much risk. Players, on the other hand, can gain Levels extremely fast as long as they keep up with the increased strength of the monsters and animals they must fight, but they also risk dying in the process."

It was a lot to take into consideration, but I was already basically locked on the path of a Player.

"O-okay, the last thing then," I said quietly, feeling that my social anxiety had started to resurface. "You mentioned a-animals?"

It seemed that whatever the endorphins I had received from learning that I could gain Experience, and that had allowed me to hold a decent conversation so far, was starting to expire. There was compensation, though.

You've productively talked to another person for a while!

Communication reaches lvl 3. Your FATE is increased by 2.

Oh, another improvement. I held back my joy and listened to what else Ciesta had to say.

"Indeed, sentient species and monsters aren't the only ones who can grow thanks to Essence. In fact, I bet that some of the beasts that were totally dominated by humans thanks to your science and tools now are way out of your league. For example, by my estimation, species like gorillas, elephants, and rhinos should be either at the peak of the Steel Rank or at the bottom of the Silver. In other words, around Level 100. Their Essence Fields should be dense enough to easily resist even grenade launchers and other high-caliber firearms. Even your modern battle tanks shouldn't be enough to suppress an average zoo."

"It's both funny and scary at the same time. . ." It wasn't that surprising that ten thousand years of scientific development lost to millions of years of evolution. In fact, the original situation on Earth was strange, where smart primates took over the world, completely dominating the natural killing machines.

The cat looked at me with what I assumed to be a smirk. "And you, Lex-kun, need to overcome them within a year. After all, Elite Bosses almost never appear before Silver Rank. There're exceptions, but you'd be really unlucky to encounter them."

". . ." I didn't even know what to say. Just joking, of course, I knew. "What the heck?! S-shouldn't you have told it to me from the start?!"

Now, the double EXP bonus from the Mythic Perk seemed more like a necessity than a pleasant bonus. I had been not too far from being killed two times already just to gain three Levels. According to her, the higher your Level is, the longer it takes to increase it, so how could she be so calm about it?

"Oh yeah," she exclaimed as if just remembering, "Beacon of Humanity is really good because it doubles the EXP you gain after all other calculations are done. So, let's say you kill something twenty Levels above your own and get a 200% Bonus. You'll get triple the Experience normally, but with this Perk, it will change to six times worth of EXP, instead. But here's a catch—with Shadow of Humanity, you can hunt even higher-Leveled monsters, gaining almost as much EXP while also receiving way more Coins."

"Okay-okay, I get it." I sighed. "So should I choose this Perk now that we know that I can Level-up?"

"Hmm. . ." She contemplated for a moment. "No, you need to complete your Dungeon Quest first."

I tilted my head. Why did she mention it now? I checked the Quest's description again to see if there was a hidden clue.

[Dungeon: Shadowbark Kobold Slaying Part 1] (Common)—You have entered a nest full of monsters, but you aren't here to talk, are you? Do what is expected from a Player and show them who's their daddy.

Objective: Kill 10 Shadowbark Kobolds of any variation (3/10)

Reward: 50 Lesser Essence Coins (LEC), 20 Contribution Points (CP)

Difficulty: Level 5-10, Easy

I hesitated but still asked, "C-contribution Points?"

Damn you, shaky voice.

"Yeah, they allow you to enter the Hall of Fame," Ciesta verified my guess, "and give you access to better items in the System Shop, among other things."

"Is getting in this Hall such a good thing?" I raised a brow. "After I take the Shadow of Humanity Perk, I will be banned from it."

"Getting a top spot in the Hall gives you some benefits, but most of them are related to Guild creation and aren't that useful to your personal power," she explained. "But if my guess is right, and you end up being the first of your Progeny Type to enter the Hall of Fame, then you'll be rewarded handsomely."

"And why do you think so?" I gave her a questioning look. "It's just the most basic of Quests, no way I would be the only one to get this amount of Contribution Points."

"Of course you won't be the only one. . . Just the first. You'll understand soon enough."

She worded it suspiciously vague. I wondered if she was trying to hide something from me but decided not to inquire too much as she had already told me a lot of things that she didn't need to.

"S-so, where should I put my points?" I pondered, not expecting her to give me a clear answer.

"I recommend you to concentrate on one physical and one mental Attribute," Ciesta unexpectedly replied. In your case, it should be Nerve and Spirit."

"I t-thought you wanted me to figure out t-t-t-things like this on my own." For some reason, I started to have a problem with the 't' character. I hoped that my Charisma would improve soon.

"There are three pieces of information you missed," she started to explain. "First, you can train your Body and Nerve up to seventy-five points combined, not counting the Free Points added through Level-ups. The same goes for Mind and Spirit, but Fate is an exception, and you, in particular, can get it to a hundred without wasting a single Free Point. Those are your limits as a Bronze-Ranked human. Second, by getting any Attribute to one hundred before getting to the Steel Rank, you earn a very useful Perk. Third, the Bronze Rank Level Limit is 25."

With this, everything fell into place. "Oh, I t-think I get it. As I only have one hundred Attribute Points t-to invest until the next Rank, it's better to focus them only on t-t-t-two stats and get three Perks."

Damn it, I cursed innerly. If not for the free Skill levels, I wouldn't force myself to speak over and over again and embarrassing myself each time. At least the stammering should stop after I raise my Charisma high enough, right?

"Tee-hee." I could swear that I heard a giggle. What was it? I glared at the cat that sat on the table near my armchair.

"D-did you just laugh at me, C-Ci-Ci-Cie-Cie-Cie. . .cat?" Why was it suddenly so hard to pronounce her name?

"Sorry, it's just that you misunderstood something. You don't stammer because of your low Charisma. This Attribute doesn't make someone shy. It works the other way around."

Now that I think about it, you said something similar already.

To refresh my memory, I checked the description of the Fate Attribute.

FATE: Charisma (10%), Luck (90%)

[Fate] reflects your relationship with the outside world. Additionally, it helps you to train your other Attributes faster.

[Charisma] reflects your ability to influence the outside world with your presence. The higher is this Attribute, the bigger is the effect of your existence on others living beings and objects. Additionally, it determines the Expansivity of your Vita and Mana, and also improves the morale of your allies.

[Luck] reflects your ability to attract support from the outside world. The higher this Attribute is, the higher the odds of positive outcomes. Additionally, it determines the Volatility of your Vita and Mana, and also increases your Critical Chance and Critical Damage.

"W-what's the deal with these vague descriptions, anyway?" I asked her after being sure that nothing was properly explained by the System.

"Even the Tutorial Guides don't really explain Attributes in deep detail." Ciesta shook her head. "Most of it is something you need to figure out yourself with practice."

"T-then I'm going to invest everything in Nerve."

You've productively talked to another person for a while!

Communication reaches lvl 4. Your FATE is increased by 2.

I decided to finish our prolonged conversation with this pleasant notification and proceed with the next part of the plan. It was somehow amusing that being info-dumped on by Ciesta allowed me to gain a whopping six Attribute Points while earlier I had risked my life for the eight from two Level-ups just before.

As soon as I raised my Nerve, I felt a sensation that was as peculiar as it was intense. A thin electric current passed through my whole body, making each of my hairs stand up straight. My whole body started to shake and then slightly convulsed. The dislocated shoulder seemed to recover in a moment as my eyes opened wide on their own. I felt energized but, at the same time, manic. My hands trembled as I looked around. The world seemed brighter than ever before. The white cat watched me with unhidden amusement.

"I forgot to tell you to prepare for quite an experience, Lexy." Ciesta blinked at me innocently. "Check your Attributes and Condition—you'll be pleasantly surprised."

I understood what she meant as soon as I saw the screen.

Health: 88%

Physical Fatigue: 0%

Mental Fatigue: 6%

Status Effects: Malnutrition, ???

Body: 7 (-1)

Nerve: 21 (-1)

Mind: 13

Spirit: 21

Fate: 16

Free Attribute Points: 0

After the last battle, my Health was approaching fifty percent because of the dislocated shoulder and hurt back. Now, though, most of the pain was gone. Of course, the biggest change was both of my Fatigues which had been above seventy percent after the fight and hadn’t seemed to decrease fast enough for my comfort. Plus, status effect Tiredness disappeared altogether, removing a one-point reduction from my physical stats.

"I didn't notice such a dramatic change the last time I had invested in Nerve." I pointed out the obvious.

"The more you improve your Attribute all at once, the better the effect in terms of decreased fatigue and temporary boosts. Don't forget that you basically achieved many years of hard work in a matter of seconds. You would feel more side-effects if not for the System, which controlled the whole process."

This just proved how incredible the Genesis System truly was when it wasn’t trying to enslave you.

"If you told me that I could recover so fast, I would probably have used it while fighting the kobold," I complained to her.

Ciesta made a cat version of a shrug. "Maybe, but then most likely it would have distracted you in a critical moment. Without prior experience, improving your senses suddenly can be risky."

I couldn't argue with that. In the end, I survived, and that was what truly mattered.

"I should have probably told you about it after the battle, though." The cat said as she walked towards the surveillance monitors. "Then you wouldn't have hidden here listening to me, but continued the hunt. You don't really have a reason to avoid this bunch."

She pointed her paw at the screen. "What do you think?"

I stood up from the chair and approached her, checking what she wanted to show me. On one of the camera feeds from the twenty-ninth corridor, four kobolds could be seen standing around the place where I had slain their tribesmen. They hotly discussed something in their barking language. The corpses were already gone, which was further proven by the fact that the blood that had dirtied my clothes and footwear was nowhere to see.

"I think that it would be impolite if I don't tell those doggies hello." I smirked as I took the reloaded Colt out of my pocket.

Let's test how much of a difference my improved Nerve makes in action.