Chapter 22

While calculating and writing down the stats, I realized I had spent an absurd amount of time...

I won't do this again.

(Slightly, did I scare them too much?)

When I gave a light explanation about character building, it seemed that Rad and the others were slightly depressed.

I didn't do this just to show off my knowledge to the uninformed and feel good about myself.

Well, I did get carried away halfway through, but what I said was true.

--- Bleble is easy to play but hard to master.

The most straightforward example of this is the difficulty design.

When I first played Bleble, there was hardly any strategy guide on the internet, and the online forums were deserted.

So, without any prior information, I freely collected and leveled up characters, progressing smoothly through the early stages... and got stuck in the mid-game.

This is because there is a significant trap in the difficulty adjustment of Bleble.

I didn't tell them about the complicated experience system, but to put it simply, "the higher the total stats, the more experience needed to level up," and "the higher the level compared to the enemy, the less experience gained from defeating them."

I intentionally told Rad and the others that "high stats are more important than high levels," but this isn't always true in the early stages.

Early-game enemies are designed to be weak so that any character can defeat them easily.

Most equipment also has a high fixed attack power, so whether your stats are low or high, you can defeat enemies quickly. At that point, characters with "low growth values" can grow faster.

However, as enemies get stronger in the mid and late game, this is no longer the case.

Characters with "low growth values" that leveled up smoothly will eventually fall behind the enemy's stat inflation.

They will eventually be unable to defeat even enemies of the same level, making it difficult to earn experience and leading to a dead end.

On the other hand, characters with "high growth values" are the opposite.

They often lag behind in level due to the high experience needed in the early stages, but if you take the time to develop them, they will easily surpass the characters that have stagnated due to inflation and eventually become far more powerful.

They are truly late bloomers.

(The most frightening thing is that characters with low growth values become strong quickly, so you don't realize your development method is wrong until it's too late.)

That's why my first playthrough of Bleble was terrible.

When my party members reached around thirty, I was stuck, and two years passed as I aimlessly wandered.

I was inevitably killed by the resurrected evil god, leading to a bad ending.

I was forced to start a second playthrough.

To avoid this, it's important to understand the stats and develop characters systematically...

(But it seems this world doesn't have the concept of representing stats with numbers.)

When I tried to explain agility to Rad and the others using numbers, they didn't seem to understand until I added, "about intermediate level," and then they finally got it.

Well, the girls were either indifferent like Prana or nodding along with everything I said like Mana, so it didn't make much difference.

However, if they don't understand stats, how did they decide on their roles?

I decided to ask them frankly.

"How did you decide on your roles?"

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Rad and the others exchanged puzzled glances.

"I've always dreamed of being a hero who defeats enemies with a sword..."

"I'm not good at physical activities, so I thought magic would be a good fit."

Rad and Nuk answered, and then Prana and Mana continued:

"...Because I thought this would be the most useful."

"Well, I can't swing a sword, so I thought it would be better to use healing magic from the back..."

(Hmm...)

Everyone's reasons made sense, but as someone who creates characters by carefully examining stat sheets, I couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.

(Maybe I shouldn't expect too much.)

Well, I heard that the initial party members receive a slight stat adjustment, so they won't be completely useless.

If their stats don't match their roles, we can reconsider.

I set my strategy in my mind, took out a notebook from my inventory, and turned my gaze back to Rad and the others.

"From now on, I'll check your stats and innate abilities and write them down here. When I call your name, come and get it."

Only Mana responded with a cheerful "Yes!" while the other three just looked bewildered.

"Stats are a numerical representation of your abilities. We'll use this to decide our future plans."

Even after this explanation, only Nuk muttered, "You don't mean...," while the other two's reactions were lukewarm. But it's probably better to show them.

"Rad."

"Y-Yes."

I used <Insight> on the red-haired young swordsman, who responded uncertainly.

---

Rad

LV 4

HP 164 MP 46

Strength 54 Vitality 63

Magic 27 Spirit 45

Agility 36 Focus 27

---

(As expected, it's clear.)

The initial stats at level one are equal to the growth values from six level-ups.

Since he leveled up three times to reach level four, it's six plus three, which is nine.

So, if we reverse-calculate, we divide these values by nine...

---

Strength 6

Vitality 7

Magic 3

Spirit 5

Agility 4

Focus 3

Total 28

---

This way, we can see the growth values per level.

Furthermore...

"Rad, what's your job?"

"Me? I'm a Fighter..."

Nodding in agreement.

The three new party members each had a suitable low-level job.

If that's the case, it's normal to assume that Rad also has a low-level warrior job.

I remember all the stat adjustments for low-level jobs.

---

Strength 2

Vitality 2

Magic 0

Spirit 1

Agility 1

Focus 0

Total 6

---

The adjustments of 2, 1, and 0 each appear twice, totaling six.

This is the common growth value for low-level jobs.

Subtracting this from the growth values reveals the innate abilities, which are often referred to as the "character's potential."

I quickly calculated on the notebook's margin and then...

---

Strength 4 (Great)

Vitality 5 (Excellent)

Magic 3 (Average)

Spirit 4 (Great)

Agility 3 (Average)

Focus 3 (Average)

Total 22

---

Seeing these values, I almost felt dizzy.

While slightly less balanced, his total stats of 22 are four points above the average of 18!

His high Vitality, Strength, and Spirit make him almost the ideal Power Warrior.

Hey, my total is just nine!

I wanted to shout.

"Hey, how was it? Good or bad?"

"...I don't know. Think about it yourself."

I wrote down Rad's stats on a separate piece of paper and then roughly tore out the page with his stats and innate abilities and pushed it towards him.

Rad, who received it, seemed moved, saying, "This is mine..."

"Next. Nuk."

For the second person, it's already a familiar process.

I know the initial jobs of the other members besides Rad.

I quickly calculated Nuk's innate abilities using his current stats and the values for his initial job, Magician.

---

Nuk

LV 4

HP 110 MP 82

Strength 18 Vitality 36

Magic 63 Spirit 36

Agility 45 Focus 45

---

---

Strength 2 (Bad)

Vitality 4 (Great)

Magic 5 (Excellent)

Spirit 3 (Average)

Agility 4 (Great)

Focus 3 (Average)

Total 21

---

(Grr...)

Even with a slight stat adjustment to ensure the initial party can perform their roles, he didn't fall short.

His low Focus is a drawback, but it's within the range where the adjustment can help.

Moreover, for a mage, high Magic alone can make you top-notch.

"...This is your current stats and innate abilities."

"Yes!"

I handed the stat sheet to Nuk, who seemed unusually tense.

Once he received the paper, he seemed to lose all awareness of his surroundings and stared at it intently.

(...Well, that makes sense.)

For adventurers, innate abilities that determine their stats are their lifeline.

The sharp Nuk must have realized this faster than anyone else.

...And the one with the worst innate abilities in this group, no need to hide it, is me.

"Then, the third person is... Mana."

"Yes!"

Her high-pitched voice seemed to indicate nervousness, but as an adventurer enthusiast, she always seems nervous around me.

Perhaps this girl is the one who can maintain her composure the most.

(...Well then.)

Surprisingly, everyone so far has had nearly ideal stat distributions above average.

I braced myself and calculated the innate abilities of the Priest, Mana, while trying to suppress the pain in my stomach.

---

Mana

LV 3

HP 100 MP 66

Strength 24 Vitality 32

Magic 48 Spirit 56

Agility 24 Focus 32

---

---

Strength 3 (Average)

Vitality 4 (Great)

Magic 5 (Excellent)

Spirit 5 (Excellent)

Agility 2 (Bad)

Focus 2 (Bad)

Total 21

---

(Hmm, this...)

Even though she is one level lower as a Healer, these innate abilities.

Is she a bit of an accident?

The ideal stat distribution for a Healer is Spirit, Magic, Focus, and Agility in that order.

High Spirit is good, but for Agility and Focus, which are crucial in emergencies and for spell learning and casting, a 4 is ideal, and at least a 3 is necessary...

(Well, it can be compensated with equipment adjustments.)

Moreover, higher-level jobs offer some variety in weapons and spells.

There might be ways to utilize her higher Vitality and Strength.

I quickly dismissed these thoughts, wrote down the numbers, and handed the paper to Mana.

Mana, who received it, made a rare, puzzled face and walked away.

But her puzzled expression didn't last long.

When Rad and Nuk came running over and showed each other their papers, they started discussing excitedly, "What do you think of this Strength value?" and "Is it bad to have low Spirit?"

Seeing this, I was reminded, just a little, of my younger self.

Not the Lex who worked mindlessly like a cog in society, but the one who used to be glued to the TV, playing games with intense focus...

But I shook my head.

Now is not the time for such nostalgia.

"Finally..."

"Me."

Before I could finish, the Scout, Prana, stepped forward.

(Surprising.)

I thought she wouldn't be interested in this, but she stood in front of me, slightly tensing her body.

But the process is the same.

I quickly activated <Insight>...

---

Prana

LV 4

HP 92 MP 46

Strength 45 Vitality 27

Magic 27 Spirit 27

Agility 54 Focus 72

---

---

Strength 4 (Great)

Vitality 3 (Average)

Magic 3 (Average)

Spirit 2 (Bad)

Agility 4 (Great)

Focus 6 (Genius)

Total 22

---

(Hold on! What's with these guys! Are they using some kind of cheat tool!?)

I tried not to show it on my face, but I was screaming in my mind.

Just when I was a bit relaxed after Mana's stats, they threw another bomb at me.

A stat distribution that seems ideal for a Scout, or rather, an Archer who uses a bow.

Especially the innate Focus value of 6, "Genius," which is a special value that rarely appears.

As evidence, even among the unique characters with generally high stats, only a handful have the innate value "Genius."

Yet, here I am, getting "Genius" after "Genius" for random characters, while I, who am "completely useless," wonder what to do.

"...How?"

And, with the paper in hand, she asked me,

"--- Am I useful?"

Prana, who had somehow moved closer, asked me as if she could see through me.

"! That, I'll tell you now."

My heart almost stopped.

Being able to respond at all was a miracle.

I roughly pushed the paper into Prana's hand and cleared my throat.

"I've seen your stats and innate abilities. The results are..."

As I spoke, Rad, Nuk, Mana, and even Prana looked at me with a mix of hope and anxiety.

Meeting their gazes head-on, I opened my mouth.

"...Beyond my expectations. You all have the potential to become not just great, but greater than great."

As soon as I said this, Rad and the others erupted in excitement.

Even Prana, who rarely shows emotion, clenched her fist.

"Everyone has high overall stats, excelling in their areas of expertise and minimizing unnecessary abilities. It's as if you were born to be adventurers. And..."

That's right.

Even with the adjustments, the stats are statistically impossible.

Numbers that are incomparably promising to mine.

Still...

"--- Still