Current INT: 124
With Equipment? 149
Yeah. My brain was now the fantasy equivalent of a nuclear reactor. If I sneezed too hard, I might accidentally invent calculus.
But I had a problem: I was still playing it too safe.
See, being a jack-of-all-trades sounds cool, until you're face-first in a dungeon and realize "versatility" just means "you're equally bad at everything." In real life, sure, I'd love to be the guy who can rewire a toaster and also survive a bear attack. But in this world?
Nope. Specialize or die.
So I looked at my free stat points.
69 of them.
Just sitting there like unspent lottery tickets.
Time to cash in.
I chucked 51 points straight into INT. Boom.
INT: 200 (with gear).
And... nothing. No divine choir. No universal secrets unlocking. Not even a sarcastic system pop-up.
Rude.
Then it hit me, harder than a Brute zombie doing squats.
My INT stat? Wasn't actually 200.
Why?
Because +25 of that was from gear.
Translation: I was rocking fake brains.
System wasn't buying it.
"Ugh, fine," I muttered.
"Guess I need to pump 25 more INT the honest way."
I checked my unspent stat pool: 18 points.
So close. So frustrating. Like having 9 puzzle pieces for a 10-piece disaster.
"What now?" I groaned.
System Shop, my old frenemy, blinked open.
I typed: "INT boost."
No permanent upgrades. Just overpriced elixirs and sketchy potions with side effects like mild combustion.
But then—
Mystery Box – Limited Time Sale!
3 for 300 Soul Shards. Because gambling always works out in stories, right?
"Let's roll the dice," I said, and bought the bundle.
Box #1: OPEN.
BOOM.
[Item Acquired: Pause Button (x3)]
Effect: Freezes time for 5 minutes. Can be used 3 times.
System Remark: "Totally not cheating. Just… aggressively delaying."
I blinked.
"What—?! That's ridiculously broken... and somehow legal?"
Still, not what I needed.
Next box.
Box #2: OPEN.
POOF.
[Item Acquired: Sentient Rubber Duck]
Effect: Squeaks on command. Occasionally judges your decisions.
System Remark: "Quack responsibly."
I stared at the duck. The duck stared back.
"I'm putting you in the weird loot bag."
Last box. No expectations. Just desperation.
Box #3: OPEN.
FLASH.
[Bonus Stats Gained: INT +10 | WIS +10]
System Remark: "When in doubt, bribe RNGesus."
"YES!" I fist-pumped so hard I nearly hit myself.
"Now we're cooking with cursed IQ!
I add 15 points to intelligent.
INT (natural): 200.
BOOM.
Cue the brainplosion.
It hit me like someone crammed an encyclopedia, a spellbook, and a whole season of Science for Wizards into my skull at once. My vision blurred, mana shimmered in every color, and I saw how it all moved—through the air, through the world, even through me.
For one terrifying second, I understood things. Like… cosmic things. Like how to build a rocket engine with sticks and chewing gum. Then it passed, and I was back, blinking like a goldfish that had briefly become a philosopher.
SYSTEM UPDATE:
Your affinity with mana has deepened.
Congratulations! You are now 30% more likely to accidentally break the laws of physics.
Rewards:
+20 INT
+20 WIS
Spell upgrades followed like a magical Oprah episode:
Advanced Mana Manipulation Lv 4 ➔ Lv 9
Multiple Fireball Lv 5 ➔ Lv 10 (MAX)
Mana Arrow Lv 10 (MAX) ➔ Multiple Mana Arrow Lv 6
Light Ball Lv 10 (MAX) ➔ Advanced Light Ball
Inferno Burst Lv 4 ➔ Lv 9
Magic Shield Lv 9 ➔ Lv 10 (MAX) Evolve to ➔ Advanced Magic Shield Lv 1
Minor Heal Lv 6 ➔ Lv 10 (MAX)
System Remark:
Warning: You are now a Class 4 Magical Hazard. Please do not cast spells near flammable objects, sensitive electronics, or small children.
I sat back, breathing heavily, grinning like a maniac.
I wasn't a wizard anymore. I was a walking natural disaster.
Now came the fun part: spending skill points.
Every max-level skill had an option—wait around for a natural evolution (like a lazy Pokémon), or kick it into overdrive with a few skill points plus soul shards. Kind of like paying for express shipping on your own magical evolution.
I planned to save most of my skill points—because you never know when the system's going to drop a new overpowered spell called Death Hamster Barrage or something—but I did want to juice up a few things now.
Specifically?
Damage.
I needed maximum boom-per-second.
No more holding back. No more budget spells. I was going full arcane menace mode, and that meant investing in the flashy stuff.
So I scrolled down my skill list, fingers twitching with anticipation—and maybe mild caffeine withdrawal.
Let the upgrading begin.
I tapped on Multiple Fireball (Lv 10 – Max), ready to juice it up further.
The system blinked at me.
"Fireball skill has reached its current potential. You can't evolve it anymore. (For now.)"
Wait...for now?
I squinted suspiciously at the floating text. That "for now" felt like it was winking at me. But just as I was about to back out, a new prompt popped up:
"Would you like to deduce a new Fire spell? Current experience with fire spell is enough to deduce some.
Sneak peek available for just 10 Soul Shards!"
Ah. There it was. The classic bait.
"Yes," I muttered, tossing the system its pocket change like I was paying a street magician to show me a cool trick.
A flicker. A flash. And then—options.
Volcanic Barrage ( Tier 2 Spell )
Rapid-fire storm of molten fireballs in a wide arc.
Each fireball causes splash damage and Burn.
Cooldown: 40s
Chance to summon a mini-volcano under enemies: 15%
System Remark: "Congratulations! You are now legally classified as a natural disaster."
Solar Flare Cannon ( Tier 2 Spell )
Condenses multiple fireballs into one solar-hot sphere that pierces enemies and detonates at the end.
Cooldown: 70s
Bonus: Temporary blindness to enemies.
System Remark: "Please wear sunglasses. Or don't. I'm not your mom."
Flame Hydra Burst ( Tier 2 Spell )
Summons a flaming hydra head that spits fireballs for 10 seconds.
Scales with INT. +2 targets per 50 INT.
Cooldown: 60s
System Remark: "Because one fireball is never enough. Have twelve."
Phoenix Spiral ( Tier 2 Spell )
Fireballs swirl around you, damaging enemies nearby and healing you a bit per hit.
Cooldown: 90s
Bonus: Temporary Fire Resistance.
System Remark: "Look fabulous. Cook enemies. Win-win."
You can deduce one spell ( tier 2 ) with your current fire magic experience.
I grinned.
"Oh, yeah," I said. "One of these is coming home with me."
I grinned.
"Oh, yeah," I said. "One of these is coming home with me."
And duh. Like it was even a hard choice.
Solar Flare Cannon.
Maximum firepower? Check.
Long-range, wide explosion radius? Check.
Sets enemies on fire and blinds them with the light of a baby sun? Double check.
Honestly, the system might as well have slapped a sticker on it that said: "Overkill for Wizards With Flair."
Then the system, being its usual dramatic self, chimed in with:
Would you like to deduce Solar Flare Cannon?
Cost: 200 Soul Shards + 20 Skill Points
Yes / No
I tapped it so fast, I nearly sprained a finger.
New Spell Acquired: Solar Flare Cannon (Tier 2) Lv-1
Mana Cost: "A lot. Don't miss."
Cooldown: 70s
Bonus: Temporary Blindness
System Remark: "Congratulations! You've unlocked the magical equivalent of a bazooka. Please aim away from friends."
I could already imagine the battlefield scene, me, standing dramatically on some ruined stone outcrop, wind blowing, cloak flapping, casting Solar Flare Cannon like a final boss cosplayer who took things very personally.
Now all I needed… was a boss stupid enough to stand in my way.
Spoiler alert: There's one waiting for me.
Right now.
In the ballroom.
...
inserted the ballroom key.
The doors creaked open like they were auditioning for a haunted mansion ride. Inside? Pure over-the-top drama.
A red carpet rolled out like it had been waiting centuries for someone to make a grand entrance—spoiler: that someone was not me.
A massive grand piano floated in midair, keys moving on their own. Violins, violas, and cellos hovered in perfect formation, sawing away with invisible bows. The chandelier above flickered like it was trying to decide between "elegant" and "demonic rave."
And there, on a conductor's platform in the middle of the chaos, stood the main act:
[Appraisal Successful]
Grand Maestro Opus Mortalis
Zombie Mage & Conductor of Doom
Lv. 42
[System Remark]: "Wrote a symphony so powerful, it killed the audience. They gave it a standing ovation… posthumously."
He turned to face me, mask glittering like a cursed masquerade invitation. His baton twitched in his fingers like it was dying to overcompensate for something. His eyes glowed the classic red—you know, the "I eat souls for brunch" shade.
"Another critic?" Vellatrix sneered, voice dripping with undead diva energy. "Come to boo my masterpiece?"
"Honestly," I said, stepping in and cracking my knuckles, "I was just looking for the bathroom."
He snapped his fingers.
The violins shrieked like they'd just stubbed their metaphorical toes. The air turned thick, like someone had cranked the magical humidity to "evil swamp."
"And now," the Maestro declared, "the final movement… of your pitiful overture."
He lifted both arms with a flair that screamed drama club president. The baton in his skeletal grip lit up—crimson at the tip, sickly green at the base—like it couldn't decide if it wanted to hex me or vomit.
Overhead, the chandelier blazed to life with a flicker that said, I might fall and crush you, but no promises. Ghostly instruments began appearing behind him—violins, trombones, an entire undead orchestra fading into existence one eerie note at a time.
Then the grand piano floated even higher and started playing itself. Some sort of gothic waltz thundered out, the kind that sounded like Beethoven had come back from the dead with a vengeance and way too much espresso.
Yeah. I wasn't sticking around for the finale.
"Oh good," I muttered, already summoning my Advanced Magic Shield. "I love a dramatic opening number."
A shimmering bubble of protection flared to life around me, glowing faint blue. Unlike the wimpy versions I'd used before, this one could actually take a hit without collapsing like a soggy umbrella.
At the same time, Opus Mortalis snapped his baton.
The entire ballroom shuddered. The walls trembled like they were considering early retirement. Mana exploded into the room in swirling torrents of color and dread.
[System Alert]:
Boss Battle Initiated – Grand Maestro Opus Mortalis: Performance of Death, Act I
Great. A full orchestra, magic hurricane, and a zombie Beethoven wannabe with a vendetta.
Showtime.
.....
Kyle Walker (Lv. 31 )
HP: 1040/1040
MP: 2550/2550
SP: 1040/1040
Stats:
STR: 97 (+3 from Arm Guard) ( +5 leather armor ) ( Orc Chainmail +10) ( Achievement +1 ) ( Rings +8 ) ( 123 )
VIT: 76 (+3 from Arm Guard ) ( +5 leather armor ) ( Orc Chainmail +10) ( 94 )
DEX: 48 (+1 from Title ) ( Cloak of Swiftness +20 ) (Greaves + 5 )( 74 )
INT: 220 ( Circlet +5 ) ( Ring + 10 ) ( Staff + 10 ) ( 245 )
WIS: 79 ( Circlet +5 )( Ring +5 )( Staff + 10 )( 99 )
LUK: 30
Unassigned Stat Points: 3
Unassigned Skill Points: 78