02 – The Features of the User's Interface

As we climbed up the stone stairs, I split my attention between my steps and the window in my field of vision.

[Learned: Parallel Thinking – Level 1]

[Parallel Thinking – Level 1 [+] | You can split your attention to multitask; the higher the level, the more things you can do at once.]

I spent the last Skill Point on it. Thus, I could multitask three different things at once.

After that, I accessed [Help] to find some guide and information about the mechanism of this [UI]. To be honest, I could understand the purposes of attributes in [Status] because of [Help]. Anyway, my [UI] was the mix of this world's [Status Magic] and Satou's unique skill.

By the way, I had to stop momentarily when everyone else stopped to take a glance outside. I could not deny the beautiful, fresh, and rustic scenery outside, but my mind was occupied by a lot of information to enjoy the scenery.

The mage in the back urged us to continue walking, so we walked forward.

On the way, I understood the use of every feature that had an icon displayed on [HUD].

[Storage]; it is similar to the one Satou from Death March possessed. It is timeless with limitless space―truly limitless. I can separate a mixture into different base items and vice versa. As an example; separating soil and water from mud, and mixing soil and water to get mud. By the way, [Storage] is separated from the inventory of the Legendary Sword, but I can move the items from one to another through the [UI].

[Catalogue]; it has numerous white icons filled with question marks with only one icon displaying a picture of the base form of the Legendary Sword; these icons are connected with lines. It looks like the 'Skill Tree' in some video games, but instead of skills, these icons indicate the variations of the sword. This Graphic User Interface reminds me of the 'Weapon Catalogue' from the anime version of the Rising of the Shield Hero.

[Skill]; it is separated into three sections; the first one is for skills like [Swordsmanship] and [Zen], the second one is for the spells I learned, and the last one is for technical skills like [Cooking], [Sewing], [Fishing], etc.

[Recipe]; this allows me to craft/compound/forge/cook something as long as the recipe is available, whether by unlocking the recipes through absorbing something or knowing the recipes normally. It takes a different timespan to complete an item; the higher the quality and the power, the longer it takes.

[Party]; it shows a list of my traveling companions and allies in combat. I can check their [Status] via this feature. The most notable benefit of being party members of Holy Heroes is faster growth in level. The number of people who can register as party members is limited, but there is a [Battle Formation] sub-function that can register other people under my influence. Still, people registered in [Battle Formation] do not receive the benefits of party members.

[Unit Management]; it is similar to the one Satou in Death March possessed. However, mine has an extra feature; it can store the registered units in alternate space in which time stopped—it is similar to [Storage], albeit it is specialized for living beings; if registered units die, their corpse will be stored in [Storage] immediately.

[Help]; this is the feature that works like an encyclopedia and a guide as well. More information will appear after hearing the keywords.

I wanted to read more information, but we arrived at our destination. In front of us were double doors. One of the knights standing beside the doors announced our arrival. The doors swung open, right after which we entered the throne room.

I focused on someone sitting on one of the thrones on an elevated plinth. It was a middle-aged man, wearing a crown and luxurious robe.

(Aultcray Melromarc…and in another timeline, also known as Trash; despite his flaws, he has this oppressive aura around him. It is stronger than those authority figures back home.)

I silently mused.

"So, these kids are the four Holy Heroes? Regardless, my name is Aultcray Melromarc the Thirty-Second, and I rule these lands. Heroes, show me your faces!" He declared pompously.

I did not like how he acted, but I kept my opinion to myself. At this point, I was still weak, so I could not openly antagonize him.

Aultcray continued, "Now then, I shall begin with an explanation. This country, no, this whole world is on the brink of destruction!"

He explained about the Wave of Calamity, but I knew about the waves better than him. Thus, I ignored his explanation and began reading [Help].

The next topic was other features of my [UI] such as [Clock], [Hotkeys], [Map], [AR], [Detailed Analysis], [Automatic Loot], and [Log].

[Clock]; it shows the real-time clock and date. It is set in this world time and calendar. The time structure of this world is similar to Earth's; 60 seconds in 1 minute, 60 minutes in 1 hour, and 24 hours in a day, 30 days in one month, and 12 months in a year. As of now, the date is the 7th day of the second month. The first day of the first month is in spring.

[Hotkeys]; it has ten slots. I can appoint shortcuts for a certain function. As of now, only two slots are filled; they are for [Meteor Shower x3] and [Full Map Scan x3].

[Map]; it looks like a hexagonal radar-like map in the right top corner of my vision. It is expandable and can display a wider and bigger map. It has two sub-functions; [Radar] and [Search].

[Radar] is like [Map], though it can display the basic information and stats of living beings when focused and separate them into several categories indicated by their colors.

Red dots indicate hostile units. As long as the units harbored malicious purposes, they are deemed hostile despite not openly trying to harm me or anyone registered in [Party], [Unit Management], or both.

As an aside, I was not surprised when I discovered several red dots in the castle, but I kept my mouth shut.

Anyway, let's return to the color indicators.

Orange dots indicate neutral animals and monsters.

Yellow dots indicate neutral humans or intelligent humanoids.

Green dots indicate allied humans or intelligent humanoids.

Blue dots indicate units registered in [Unit Management].

[Search]; it is a sub-function of [Map] to search objects or subjects of interest within the explored area in real-time. It can display the information of subjects or objects of interest as well.

[AR]; it is capable to photograph and record objects or subjects.

[Detailed Analysis]: It provides a detailed analysis of something or someone, and it works together with [AR].

[Automatic Loot]; when my party members or I have finished killing all monsters in an area, my unique skill will automatically loot the remains and put them in [Storage].

[Log]; it shows the notifications and prompts in the left bottom of the [HUD].

Those were the features and functions of my [UI].

I was going to read the information about the Legendary Weapons, but someone called me and elbowed my side to get my attention.

"Hey! It is your turn now!"

It was Motoyasu. I blankly stared at him before realizing that everyone in the room was staring at me.

"Sword Hero, it is your turn to introduce yourself," said the short and shifty-eyed official standing beside Aultcray's throne.

I nodded slowly, stepped forward, and curtly introduced myself, "Ren Amaki."

Afterward, I stepped back.

Everyone was speechless, but I did not care about their opinions.

Before I put my attention on [Help], Aultcray began speaking.

"Now then, Heroes, please confirm your status, and give yourselves an objective evaluation."

I changed my mind; I remembered the other three could not access [Status Magic] without Ren's help in the series. Since I took over Ren's body, I had to tell them.

"Excuse me, but how are we supposed to evaluate ourselves?" Itsuki finally asked.

It was as I expected.

"There is a blinking icon in the corner of your field of vision. Focus on it," I explained to them.

They followed my suggestion.

"Level 1… That makes me nervous," Itsuki remarked.

Motoyasu nodded empathetically. "Good point, at this rate, who knows if we can fight at all."

"What is all this?" Naofumi wondered loudly.

"Do these things not exist in your world, Heroes? You are experiencing [Status Magic]. Everyone in this world can see and use it," said the short official.

I decided that my part in this farce was over, so I returned to [Help] to read the information about the Legendary Weapons.