Manic Pixie Flower Girl (2)

I wake up the next morning and quickly check my status. I would expect to see a significant increase in my endurance after running so many laps yesterday. If running one lap increased my endurance by a point on the first day, then how my stats would I gain by running eight?

No increase, huh?

Unfortunately, my stats didn't go up at all. In all likelihood, this means that buffing your stats with bonus points slows your physical growth. In hindsight, this makes a lot of sense. If you could increase your growth rate by using bonus points then people would just keep getting stronger exponentially without limit. I wish I'd known this before I poured all my points into endurance as it's going to be much more difficult to increase that stat through training in the future.

While gazing forlornly at my status, I notice something new under my skills.

'Buy Skill.'

Buy skill? Like with money?

I focus on this new option and a list expands to fill my vision. Twenty some skills appear on the list available for purchase. I notice skills like 'Flash Step' and 'Farsight' before my eyes settle on 'Stoneskin.'

It'd be great to get a skill to help me survive in case I run into another monster. That being said, none of these skills will help me kill a monster so the best thing I can do is not die while I wait for help to arrive.

I focus on the Stoneskin skill and some information pops up.

'Increase stamina consumption in exchange for higher resilience. -Xx levels'

Considering that it said 'Buy Skill' earlier. Xx levels was presumably the cost of purchasing the skill.

Well I've got Yy personal levels and Zz job levels which add up to Xx. Maybe that will be enough?

I select the Stoneskin skill and feel strength being sucked from my body.

'Congratulations, you've acquired the Stoneskin skill!' A little window reads on my status before closing.

My points are all gone.

Checking my status again, I can see that both my personal level and my job level are back to zero. Seemingly because of that, my endurance stat is back to where it was before I poured a bunch of bonus points into it.

Well that's convenient.

Feeling satisfied with myself, I stand up and try out my new skill.

"Nothing's happening." I frown. Despite activating the Stoneskin skill, I don't feel any different.

I grab a book and smack my hand with it.

"Wow!" My stamina drops by several points but I hardly feel the impact. I look my hand over and there isn't any bruising either. "Perfect, I'm sure this will come in handy. And the best part is, I can keep gaining permanent stats by training now that my endurance stat is back to normal.

I run downstairs and wolf down my breakfast before sprinting out the door.

"Josh! Good to see you. How ya doing?" I smile at my friend as he meets me by the North gate.

"Okay." I squint at his response which feels like it has more meaning behind it.

"Are you doing that on purpose?"

"What on purpose?"

"Nothing, never mind. Anyway, are you ready to go running again?"

"Okay."

"See? This is exactly what I'm talking about. You've got to be doing that on purpose." Josh tilts his head in confusion before Sampson interrupts our comedy routine.

"Morning boys!"

"Morning."

"Back for more sword training?"

"Definitely, but we were about to run first, so would you mind waiting a while?"

"Hell, I'm not going anywhere."

"Great, thanks." I nod at Josh and we take off running.

My legs feel like sausage compared to yesterday. Each step is agonizing as I just barely manage to stay ahead of Josh. We finish our lap and collapse on the ground.

"What happened to that endurance you had yesterday?" Sampson asks me with a chuckle. "Don't tell me you bought a potion just to runs laps around town."

"No, I just spent my levels on the Stoneskin skill." I reply casually. Sampson doesn't respond immediately so I turn and see a confused look on his face.

"Spent your levels? What are you talking about?"

"You can't do that?"

"No, I've never heard of anyone doing that. And did you say the Stoneskin skill? That's a pretty high level skill."

"Well, I thought it would be a good idea to get something like that after my run in with that Griffith." I shrug.

Sampson looks at me with concern for a moment before continuing.

"Nick, I'd keep that kind of information to yourself in the future. I appreciate you telling me but it's only going to cause you problems if you talk about that kind of thing."

"Got it. I'll keep that in mind."

I'm pretty shocked that it's such a unique concept but I push that worry to the back of my mind for now.

"Anyway, are you kids ready to try working with swords again."

"Sword fight." Josh responds with a serious expression on his face.

"I guess we are." I smile.

Sampson has Josh and I spar with each other for an hour before we're worn out. During that time I didn't lose to Josh once. Maybe it's just because I've seen some sword fights before but Josh fell for every feint I made and struggled to dodge or block any of my attacks. His movements were all clumsy and uncoordinated.

New expressions began to appear on his face during our bout. I could see anger and frustration as well as pain and depression; but he never quit. Even once we were both completely exhausted, Josh kept trying to spar with me.

"Again." Josh said, with tears in his eyes.

"That's enough for today, boys. Go home and get some rest. We can try again tomorrow."

"Again."

"I know you're upset but you need to rest. It's good to be competitive but learning is more important than winning and you're not going to learn much when you can hardly move."

"…" Josh doesn't respond but I can see the fire burning in his eyes as he looks at me.

"Hard work always triumphs over talent, Josh. If you work harder then me then you'll get better than me." Josh nods at my words and stomps off toward his house. It seems like he's more upset at himself for losing than he is at me for beating him.

I watch my friend leave as I consider the emotions storming through him. As he passes by the gate, I notice a young girl with pink hair staring at him with awe in her eyes. She reaches out to get his attention but Josh doesn't notice. I can almost see her hair droop in disappointment.

She watches him until he rounds a corner and then she scurried after him.

"Looks like Josh has a little friend." Sampson smiles.

"Yeah, I wonder." A few thoughts float through my mind but I just let them sit as I head home myself. I open a book on skills as soon as I make it to my room and confirm what Sampson told me earlier.

I check my status again and look at my Index skill which is the only thing that stands out. When I focus on it the description reads, 'A library of knowledge.'

Well that isn't very helpful. Is it saying the skill gives me a library of knowledge or that I have a library of knowledge? Also, what kind of ratchet system has both personal levels and job levels? This whole status thing is bullshit.

I frown as I complain to myself and stand up on my bed.

Wham!

My shoulder slams into the hard stone floor after I jumped off my bed but I hardly even register the impact due to the Stineskin skill.

The side effects are quickly made apparent as all the strength leaves my body. At a glance I can see that my stamina is all but gone. I drag myself to bed and fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.