"An upgrade? Thanks man." Jacob gleefully picks up the small vial that dropped in front of his feet, even bowing a few times to show gratitude. He quickly drank it, eager for a powerup.
Gulp Gulp. Wait, why is this oddly spicy? Holy shit.
A searing pain immediately took over Jacob's thoughts. It felt as though he was being scorched alive inside. It was like someone shoved multiple lit matches down his throat.
Jacob dug his nails into his palms while gritting his teeth. It was like a colony of red ants were nesting inside his lungs, heart, and any organ in general. He couldn't think, his mind drawing in blanks. All that he felt was the gnawing pain of being burned alive with an itchy feeling clawing through his body. Eventually, he passed out after minutes of going back between dead and alive.
When Jacob woke up, the sky was velvet black, studded with stars. A cool breeze brushed his face, and for a moment, he could almost pretend he was floating in the autumn night and that he wasn't convulsing mere moments ago.
He felt a lot better and a bit stronger. He also felt the stinging pain from his bleeding palms, but it was a lot better than everything else he's been through, so he didn't mind. He calmly patched himself up using a leaf and tree nectar before opening the status screen.
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Jacob Lee
Mana: 50 / 50
HP: 85/100
Strength: G+
Agility: G+
Stamina: G+
Charm: A
Mana Capacity: G Dexterity: G
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All that pain for a semi-rank upgrade. Whelp, it was better than nothing and he for sure wasn't ungrateful. This probably saved him a bunch of training.
It's pretty dark out so it'll probably be pretty dangerous to continue exploring. I'll call it quits for today. So, the traumatized man, curling up against a mossy tree trunk, somehow falls asleep and wakes up to a bright, sunny day.
"New day, new me, new stream! Good morning, everyone!" With a bright smile and cheerful attitude, Jacob continues on his way to nowhere in hopes that something will happen.
"Hey, so, if I die, that would mean my stats will return back to 0 right? Damn, gotta make sure I'm always in tiptop shape. That also means I can't afford to be too reckless anymore. That liquid was pretty helpful, but it was a whole experience and plot line to get through it." He continues yapping.
"Since I've been raw dogging it with my fist this whole time, the first goal should be to get a weapon. I could try to sharpen a stick on a stone, or I could try to get an actual weapon. But to get an actual weapon, I'll most likely either need to rob a bandit or buy one. Considering the setting, I'll probably run into a few hooligans soon enough but I'm still pitifully weak."
"Or I could also just spend some time working out and boosting a few skills. That makes sense. Day 1 of becoming a gym bro without the gym."
Jacob does as he wishes, spending practically the whole day working out. Yup, a total of 8 hours, reaching deep into the afternoon. He couldn't do a full pushup, so he was building up to one. He couldn't run far, so he was doing light jogs. If he keeps up this pace for a few months or so, maybe he'll reach average strength—
God of War sends a message
"Boring"
Jacob wiped sweat from his brow. "In my defense, how would I get stronger if I don't have a solid base first? It might be boring, but what good protagonist doesn't have a training montage?" Jacob explains.
God of War sends a message
"One who's in charge of entertaining others. Your commentary is lackluster at best."
Jacob blinks "...you're right"
"Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, I'm not feeling hungry, thirsty, nor really that tired. Was it because of the vial you sent me?"
God of War sends a message
"Yes. A revitalizing elixir, only usable on the weakest of the weak. If it weren't for my help, you would've taken months to awaken."
"Damn, thanks a lot. I really don't know what else to say. Won't let you down my loyal viewer! And I'll be your loyal servant."
"Since it's too boring for me to have a training montage, you think I could take on a slime now through pure strength? Emphasis on a slime."
God of War sends a message
"Find that out yourself."