The Rise of Max bladeheart

Chapter 10 - Steady Advancement

Chapter 10 - Steady Advancement

Max studied the illuminated display in front of him with a thoughtful expression.

"Being able to allocate five points to any attribute of my choosing is definitely useful… but looking at these numbers, five points barely make a difference."

He studied the display screen intently while he examined his available choices.

{Attribute Stats}

»Strength: 1

»Perception: 1

»Agility: null

»Speed: 1

»Bravery: null

»Intelligence: 4

»Charm: null

{Available Attribute Points: 5}

Max used his hand to tap his palm as he thought about his options.

"If I spread them out evenly, the growth will be balanced, but at the same time, it might not be as impactful as concentrating them in one area…" His brows furrowed slightly.

He took several moments to think before letting out a deep breath.

The weakness of multiple attributes when one attribute stands out strongly could create problems. Great strength becomes useless when speed remains lacking. My strength would become useless because I lack speed and other abilities.

He took a deep breath before starting the distribution process.

"Alright… Add one point to Strength."

The Strength attribute now holds +1 Attribute Point.

"Add one point to Perception."

The Perception attribute now contains +1 additional point.

"Add one point to Speed."

The character now possesses +1 additional Speed attribute point.

His eyes stayed fixed on the remaining characteristics. The existing high value of Intelligence led him to postpone its adjustment.

"Hmm… That leaves Bravery and Charm. Which one should I choose?" Max rubbed his chin.

After a brief hesitation, he reasoned, "Charm might help in social situations, but Bravery is more useful when facing adversity."

He gave a decisive nod before giving the order.

"Add one point to Bravery."

The system failed to grant points to an attribute that did not exist.

Max blinked. "What?"

Frowning slightly, he tried again.

"Add one point to Bravery."

[Unable to add points to a non-existent attribute.]

Max blinked. "What?"

Frowning slightly, he tried again.

"Add one point to Bravery."

[Unable to add points to a non-existent attribute.]

His brows drew together as he shifted his focus to another attribute.

"What about Agility?"

"Add one point to Agility."

[Unable to add points to a non-existent attribute.]

A frustrated sigh left his lips, but he forced himself to remain calm.

Something didn’t add up. He carefully examined the attribute panel again, and after a few moments, realization struck.

»Agility: null

»Speed: 2

»Bravery: null

»Intelligence: 4

»Charm: null

"So… I can't assign points to Agility, Bravery, or Charm at all," he murmured.

That was a problem.

"Then… how do I unlock them?" He furrowed his brows in frustration.

The system had always provided guidance whenever he encountered something new, but this time, there were no hints.

For now, the best course of action was to focus on what he could control.

"If I can't assign points to them, I’ll just add the remaining to Strength and Speed."

"Add one point to Strength."

[+1 Attribute Point has been added to Strength.]

{Updated Attribute Stats}

»Strength: 3

»Perception: 2

»Agility: null

»Speed: 2

»Bravery: null

»Intelligence: 4

»Charm: null

{Remaining Attribute Points: 1}

"Add one point to Speed."

The moment he issued the command, something unexpected happened.

[Host has achieved Agility.]

[Points can now be assigned to Agility.]

Max's eyes widened.

"Wait… How did I suddenly unlock Agility?"

He glanced back at the updated panel, trying to understand the mechanism behind it.

»Strength: 3

»Perception: 2

»Agility: 1

»Speed: 3

»Bravery: null

»Intelligence: 4

»Charm: null

{Remaining Attribute Points: 0}

"Was it because I increased my Speed?" He tilted his head in thought.

There wasn’t enough information to draw a conclusion, but overthinking wouldn’t get him anywhere.

Instead, he stood up and flexed his fingers, feeling a subtle yet noticeable difference in his body.

To test his newfound strength, he walked toward his bathtub, placed both hands on the edges, and took a deep breath.

He tightened his grip and lifted.

"Hnnngh—"

The tub barely left the ground before he had to set it down.

Panting lightly, he stared at his hands in amazement.

"I actually lifted it… even if it was only for a moment."

The bathtub weighed about eighty-five kilograms—far more than he could have handled before. Though he couldn’t lift it fully, he was confident that carrying fifty kilograms now wouldn’t be an issue.

A grin spread across his face as he stepped into the tub and leaned back.

"This is it…" His fingers curled into a fist.

"This is how I start changing everything."

—

The following morning, Max followed his usual routine.

Despite seeing his brother and mother leaving at the same time, he didn’t bother asking for a ride. In fact, he left before them.

As he moved, a familiar notification appeared.

{Daily Quests}

»Today’s Tasks (1/3):

Travel 7km (Status: 0.1/7km)

Climb a height of 40 meters (Status: 0/40m)

Carry a total weight of 250 kilograms (Status: 0/250kg)