"So this is my golden finger..."
Zelier scratched his head.
The attributes were divided into basic, advanced, and ultimate, with thoughtful explanations appended to each.
Judging by the standard of sixty points for an average person, his basic attributes were quite solid.
As a mage, his Spirit and Intelligence—the two most crucial stats—hadn't dragged behind; in fact, they were even slightly above average, which was good news.
As for advanced attributes, each point increase cost two attribute points, so the average ought to be cut in half accordingly, down to thirty points, right?
His thirty points in Perception were fairly standard, but forty-five points in Charisma was definitely something worth noting.
Was it because the original host had a pretty good character model?
Then there was Luck.
This metaphysical concept was actually classed as an ultimate attribute, costing four points for every single increase.
Weighted accordingly, the average for Luck should hover around fifteen, yet his panel showed an astounding forty-one points—even surpassing his Perception.
That was bordering on absurd... Could he be the chosen one?
Next, Zelier shifted his gaze to the talent skills section at the very bottom of the panel.
Mage talent skills—to be unlocked upon leveling up.
Choose one of two.
Option One: Spell Surge.
Increases maximum mana storage, mana recovery rate, and mana potency based on a percentage of your Spirit attribute, laying a foundation as solid as bedrock for your magic.
"Firepower is justice!"
Option Two: Formula Deduction.
Grants the ability to analyze any visible spell structure, reproduce it, and make it your own.
However, analysis speed scales with Intelligence: the higher the Intelligence, the faster the deduction. The complexity of the spell structure will also affect progress.
"Nice spell you've got there. Too bad it's mine in the next second."
Zelier stroked his chin in thought.
Comparing the two, one looked like a stat monster, and the other like a mechanic monster...
If he chose Spell Surge, his sustain, mana pool, and even spell power would all receive a noticeable boost—the core attributes of any mage.
But Formula Deduction...
Just from the description alone, Formula Deduction was undeniably an extraordinary skill.
In this other world, learning magic required spending small fortunes on spell scrolls, and certain rare varieties were so scarce they were practically priceless, impossible to find at any cost.
With Formula Deduction, all he had to do was watch someone cast a spell to analyze and unpack its spell structure. It was practically a divine ability.
Still, the analysis speed scaled with Intelligence...
Which meant he would have to prioritize Intelligence when assigning points. And according to the status panel, Intelligence was tightly bound to Charisma—four points in Intelligence raised Charisma by one.
Was he going to end up taking the path of a charm mage?
Zelier shook his head vigorously.
Forget it, it was far too early to worry about that.
Talent skills required a level-up to unlock; he still needed to find a way to earn more experience points.
To be fair, while mage was a prestigious class, it demanded heaps of resources to pave the way forward.
For an unpedigreed, self-taught mage of humble origins like Zelier, before truly coming into his own, he was hardly of any real use.
In a brawl, he couldn't match a swordsman; taking hits, he couldn't endure like a vanguard; running away, he wasn't as nimble as an assassin; and until he learned high-damage spells, his ranged output fell short of a ranger's.
Over these past five days, the party had slain twenty-two wild wolves in total. Marcus had taken down nine, while Gray and Vallis had each killed six.
As for Zelier, he had killed exactly one.
He could hardly even be called an adventurer at this point; Zelier was more like a middle-schooler out on a field trip.
He patted his cloth pouch. Aside from dry rations, there was only a dagger inside.
If the kid had brought even a hand crossbow, he wouldn't have ended up scraping by with a single kill... So stupid, Zelier couldn't help mentally mocking his predecessor.
The night wind brushed past, bringing a brisk chill along with a strange scent...
The pungent, musky stench of wild wolves!
Jolted from his thoughts, Zelier snapped to attention and yelled out instinctively!
"On guard!!!"
The snoring and teeth-grinding inside the tent cut off instantly. Following a rustle and scramble of bodies, the flap was violently thrown open.
Gray was the first to charge out with sword in hand, followed closely by Marcus and Vallis.
Within those few seconds, points of eerie green light slowly emerged in the dark bushes, flickering continuously.
Zelier clenched his fists. He knew those weren't will-o'-the-wisps, but wolves' eyes.
They were here.
Judging by the positions of those glowing eyes, the wolves had encircled the party's flank and rear in a semicircle.
Zelier couldn't help tensing up.
In his past life, the most he had ever killed was a chicken. Facing these vicious wolves in the pitch-black night left him feeling thoroughly out of his depth.
"Don't panic, kid. They're just beasts..."
Gray's gaze remained locked on the bushes as he twirled his sword with a practiced flourish.
"Saves us from scouring the whole mountain if they deliver themselves right to our doorstep."
Marcus and Vallis were ready as well—one raised his shield at the front, while the other drew his bowstring taut, poised to strike.
The battle erupted in an instant as howls and charges tore through the night!
Vallis's eyes narrowed. Aiming at the foremost wolf, he released with a sharp twang, striking true!
The fletched arrow punched straight through its eye socket, burying half its shaft inside. Blood gushed out as the wolf's body skidded forward a couple of paces on momentum before collapsing in a heap.
At the same time, Gray and Marcus sprang into action.
"Ha!"
With a roaring bellow, Marcus stepped forward, drawing the wolves' attention first.
His massive build gave him an advantage; the wolves couldn't easily reach his throat.
Moreover, Marcus swung his round shield with watertight precision, battering any wolf that attempted to pounce.
Beast bones were no match for such brutal impact, snapping beneath the force before Marcus's war blade followed through to deliver a lethal finish. His burly silhouette amid the pack looked like a god of war.
Gray covered Marcus's flank. His swordsmanship was fierce and incisive, more than enough to handle the wolves; a single swift slash cleanly cleaved a wolf in two at the waist.
Shrill, agonized howls echoed endlessly, scattering forest birds in panic. Thick, foul-smelling blood splattered across the grass, mingled with shredded innards.
With Marcus and Gray holding off the assault up front and Vallis providing arrow support from behind, the party's formation held rock-solid.
Their fighting style shifted as well, moving from heavy slashes to precise thrusts—after all, the wolf pelt was the most valuable part, and every intact pelt meant extra coin.
Marcus, Gray, and Vallis were having the time of their lives cutting down wolves, while Zelier looked completely out of place by comparison.
Clutching his dagger, he stepped forward several times eager to help, only to glumly realize there was nowhere for him to even intervene.
"Sigh..."
Zelier let out a sigh, feeling rather melancholic.
There was no helping it—this was just what mages were like in the early game.
Chapter 2