Chapter 5: The path to strength
1026 Words
Henry reached his room and wasted no time jumping into the bath.
As he soaked in the warm water, he closed his eyes and muttered, Status Window.
At his silent command, a translucent panel materialized before him.
---
[Status Window]
Name: Henry Darko
Race: Hunter
Age: 18
Level: 1
Exp: 0/1000
Health: 100/100
Skills: None
Spells: None
Weapon: Basic Dagger
Talent Limit: 4
---
Skill Points: 0
Attribute Points: 0
Strength: 2
Agility: 2
Intelligence: 5
Stamina: 5
Mana Capacity: 1.5
Magical Capacity: 0
---
Henry’s jaw clenched as he stared at the numbers.
"This is why I’m weak."
His stats were abysmal. A disgrace to any hunter.
After a moment of frustration, he exhaled sharply and closed the status window. Finishing his bath, he stepped out and stood in front of the mirror.
His own reflection stared back at him—a body adorned with countless scars, a reminder of the struggles he had endured. His pale skin only emphasized the contrast between his wounds and the world’s expectations.
And yet, he now understood why he had become the target of relentless bullying.
In this world, beauty was both revered and coveted. To possess such features without the strength to defend them was nothing short of a curse.
His striking appearance—long, flowing black hair framing his sharp features—had made him a target. If people couldn’t possess something, their next instinct was often to destroy it.
It was human nature.
With a sigh, Henry turned away from the mirror and approached his desk. The Hunters Academy was well-funded, providing students with the necessary tools for learning. Among them was a tablet and a watch strapped around his wrist.
"Let’s check my ranking."
He powered on the tablet, and within seconds, his student profile appeared on the screen.
---
[Student Profile]
Name: Henry Darko
Age: 18
Department: Hunter Department [Year One]
School Ranking: 3000/3000
Profession: Daggerist
---
Henry let out a bitter chuckle.
"Dead last."
This was why they had the confidence to target him.
But that ended now.
"I'm not the same Henry anymore. Everything changes now. It’s time to train. Time to avenge my brother."
He clenched his fists and sat on the bed, his mind already forming a plan.
"First and foremost, I need to address my talent limitation," Henry muttered under his breath.
His talent limit was set at four, restricting his potential growth. However, talent limits were not as simple as they seemed.
They weren’t absolute caps. Instead, they acted as an average value across all attributes.
For example, a mage with an overall limit of 5 could still have a mana capacity of 7, with their other stats being lower to balance it out.
The system followed a logarithmic curve—early growth was easy, but as one neared their limit, the differences became glaringly obvious.
And Henry?
His body had already reached its physical limit, meaning his growth in strength, agility, and stamina had stagnated. However, this also meant one crucial thing—
His talent cap for mana and magic power must be higher.
A flicker of determination crossed his face.
"Just because I started weak doesn’t mean I can’t improve. In my previous life, I was one of the best gamers in the world."
A strategy formed in his mind, and with it, a single name surfaced—
"Easter middle forest tree."
A hidden tree rumored to hold the power to break physical limitations.
"Finding it won’t be easy," he muttered, but that didn’t matter.
Nothing worth good comes easily.
Since it was Friday, Henry had the freedom to act as he pleased.
He swiftly grabbed his worn leather bag, securing his dagger at his waist. The familiar weight of the weapon was a comfort, a reminder that he wasn’t defenseless.
With a deep breath, he stepped out of his room and headed toward the academy gates. The sun had already set, and the once-busy pathways were now eerily silent.
His boots echoed against the stone corridors as he walked, mind focused on the mission ahead.
As he neared the gate, he felt a shiver run down his spine.
"I guess you didn’t notice my presence."
A deep voice interrupted his thoughts.
Henry’s body tensed as he turned around.
Standing there was the academy gatekeeper—an elderly man with a bushy white beard and piercing blue eyes that seemed to see through everything.
A mixture of amusement and curiosity flickered across the gatekeeper’s face as he leaned on his gnarled wooden staff.
"Identity," he said, voice low and gravelly.
Henry silently extended his student ID.
The old man scanned it, then gave a slow nod.
"As you know, you must return within a reasonable timeframe," the gatekeeper said, his tone laced with warning. "Stay vigilant. The world outside is far more dangerous than you may realize."
Henry bowed his head slightly. "Yes, Master."
With that, he stepped beyond the academy walls.
Guided by the past Henry’s memories, he made his way toward the train station—his first stop on the path to strength.
The academy was conveniently close, and within minutes, he arrived at the dimly lit station.
They are teleportation gates in this world but Henry considered his balance and took the right decision. He only had 100 silver coins in his disposal and the train service was free for all students in the academy.
Reaching the train station Henry offered his ID card to the officer that was waiting at the desk.
"Hoo... You're students of the Hunter academy , huh?, you may proceed, young hunter, safe travels" with a respectful bow he made way for Henry as he walked towards the train station that would take him to his destination. Circus city.
Walking into the train Henry walked towards an available seat and sat. Most of the seat were empty because it was getting late and the destination was not a famous place.
Circus city was one of the city that didn't have much to offer. It's was not a borderline city. It's a city filled with forest and wild life creatures, only few families and adventures live around there.
- Writer
