Glorious Vanity (SI LitRPG)

...For having a race as grandiose as Human (Heaven Defying) my stat growths were pretty bad.

If I did the math right, discounting the bonus points... it should end up something like STR+2, AGI+2, VIT+1, INT+9, MANA+0, and LUCK+0.

And I got ten bonus stat points from the level as well... I didn't know if it would always be ten. In fact, I highly doubted that. But it was a good start.

"Let's see..." I stared at my status screen and considered what to do.

First of all, I definitely didn't plan on sticking out. Even if I spent all my stat points across the board, I doubted that it would get me to the same level as those four that I saw wrecking house. Not only that, but I had the feeling that it'd be pointless trying to catch up in terms of physical stats.

Strength? Even dumping all my bonus points, I had the feeling it fell far short of that guy with the axe who casually ripped people apart. Facing him or someone that strong, I'd be dead.

Agility? The two women were much faster with their auras than I could ever be, and if I pissed off either, I'd be dead.

Vitality? No matter how good my body was, if I got split in half like what that isekai-looking protag did with his knife, I'd be dead.

Not only that, but since my physical stats were so low that some minor exertions were enough to get some pity points to increase them. It was probably better to keep it that way for a little while.

Most importantly though...

I glanced at my mana stat. And then I reread the detailed help menu on it.

"...The hell? Does that mean that other humans increase mana with every level?"

Did the system want to balance the fact that Divine Anathema could lead to some crazy shenanigans? Or was it an actual incompatibility because Earth actually had no mana? Or both?

Whatever the case, that was a problem.

I frowned and placed my hand on my chin, thinking.

Luck was irrelevant because my titles and racial trait capped it out... At least it seemed to be capped out. Maybe not though... but for the foreseeable future, I didn't have to worry about luck.

Intelligence wasn't an issue either since my title tripled the growth rate. And if there weren't any variances in the level system, that meant that I would essentially be getting a full set of bonus points chucked in every level.

...Of course, that was assuming that my stat growths were normal.

I didn't have a scale for anything... And unlike most other people in this situation, I didn't get a handy cheat spell like 'Identification' or 'Analysis' to show me all the pretty numbers directly.

...Though some other people might have that, which meant I was at another disadvantage.

But enough dwelling on what I didn't have.

Night was falling, the tutorial was continuing, and I needed to prepare before things hit the fan.

"...Might as well dump it all in Mana."

The system said it had a synergistic effect with Intelligence, and if I knew anything about these sorts of web novels, I knew that mana was the key to getting OP and could compensate for other things later.

I didn't know if that held true here... but it should at least be more useful in giving me more things to work with.

Though, how did I-?

[Would you like to invest your bonus stat points into Mana?]

...That was scary. Was the system reading my mind?

[No. However, User's will is transmitted during attempts to modify the User's status. Lingering thoughts during the transmission may be analyzed.]

In short: it was reading my mind. Great. One more thing to worry about in the future.

I sighed and then waved my hand. "Yeah. Invest it all into Mana."

[Confirmed. Allocating bonus stat points... complete. Please confirm your status.]

I paused. "Weird. Isn't this about the time where I suddenly-"

A sudden surge. No, not a surge. A 'pop.' Like the feeling of going into high altitude or deep under water and then returning to sea level. The same feeling of your ears popping back into place. Except, it wasn't my ears, but my entire... body? Vision? Awareness?

I could suddenly see, feel, taste, hear, and smell 'something' in the air that hadn't been there before.

Running my hand through it, I muttered, "So this is mana, huh?"

A faint mist that had a refreshing feel to it. Of course, that was all. It seemed like I wasn't fortunate enough to get something like [Mana Manipulation] right off the bat...

Or did I?

If I used [World Creator (Minor)] on what I could see now-

[World Creator (Minor) cannot operate using mana. Please upgrade your title to World Creator before attempting to use mana as material.]

Dammit.

Wait. But [A Different Path] let me make conceptual weapons, right? Then if I used this ambient mana...

[You lack mana.]

"The hell do you mean I lack mana?! It's right there!"

[You lack mana.]

"Argh..." I ran my hand through my hair. "This is bullshit."

Did I waste my points...? Dammit. Why did other isekai people get to abuse the system so easily...?

"Whatever."

What was done was done. And it wasn't like those extra points would be saving me from getting instakilled anyway when my base stats were so low.

I shifted my attention away from my status and to my newly acquired items.

A [Full Restore]... it was a glittering potion that looked like something straight out of an RPG. A glass bottle with golden liquid sloshing around.

The [Iron Armor Set] was what it said on the tin: a set of iron armor. Other than the fact that it seemed perfectly tailored to my body, it wasn't special.

What drew my eye though was the [Emergency Exit Scroll].

"Hm..." I picked up the item and took a closer look.

It was a golden parchment, rolled up in a small tube. Unfurling it, I saw a bunch of random and incomprehensible symbols.

I recognized a few of them. There were a few runes tossed around, like that one that looked like a lightning bolt, the 'F' rune... but there were also random kanji and hieroglyphs written on it.

In short... it seemed like flavor text.

"How do I use this thing? And what does it do?"

[Query received. Response: Tear the parchment. It will transport you to the nearest safe location.]

I blinked. "Wait. You'll answer my questions?"

[Query received. Response: If they are pertinent.]

"...Is there a time limit on this tutorial?"

[Query received. Response: No. However, the Administrator of the Tutorial may increase the difficulty in response to non-compliance.]

Well, there went my plan of just waiting about. In fact, I was actually surprised that the Adminstrator hadn't-

[Objective updated!]

[Objectives: By any means possible, capture the Imperial Fortress's Dungeon Core.]

[Urgent Objective: Survive the pursuit of the Shade]

[Warning! The Shade is using scrying magic to find targets!]

I froze. "Fu-"

[Warning! The Shade is seeking the Chosen who completed <First to arrive> and <Arriving alone>!]

My eyes widened and I quickly pulled my shield in front of me. "What was that BS about luck being capped out?!"

Dammit!

Alright, think. A Shade... it was probably a ghost-type monster thing. Which meant it was mostly magical... which meant it was probably intangible.

Which meant I was screwed since I didn't have anything magical to use against it.

No, I had that flame spell, but it was 'heavily degraded.' And I doubted that a tiny ember could do anything, even if it was supposedly the Flames of Ragnarok.

So then what the hell do I-

[Your Luck foils the scrying attempt!]

[The Administrator intervenes, using your Status as a target!]

[No One's Story activates and erases the mark!]

[The Shade is furious at losing its target and rampages!]

[Urgent Objective complete.]

An ear-splitting shriek reverberated in the distance. Not long after, the ground shuddered, like an earthquake erupting.

And I felt it.

An ominous and eerie presence, like the sensation of being alone in a dark cellar but ten times worse. Not only that, but I could 'feel' it. Probably a result from my newly awakened mana senses, but there was a clear killing intent and malice in that presence.

One that was, thankfully, swiftly going away from me.

"...Alright." I glanced at the system messages and said, "Maybe it wasn't total BS. But still..."

What now?

I couldn't just sit here all day. My unique set of titles and skills managed to foil the Administrator's attempt to kill me, but I was certain that wouldn't last forever.

And it seemed like the people upstairs were hating the fact that I was just waiting around.

Obviously, I was a dead man if I tried to go out there directly. My stats were too low at the moment... and probably wouldn't get much better for a long while.

But at the same time, it seemed like I'd also be a dead man if I just kept waiting around because that Administrator was getting pissy about me not doing anything.

It seemed like, at least for the time being, I had to put on *some* show.

In that case...

I pulled open my status screen again, as well as my skill descriptions, carefully reading them.

After some thought, an idea came to mind.

"Hey System bro. Does the dungeon core need to be in one piece for me to complete the quest?"

[Query received. Response: Destruction of the Imperial Fortress's Dungeon Core will be counted as success in this mission. However, capturing it will grant the user additional benefits and rewards.]

"Psh." I shook my head. "Screw that. I'm not getting that greedy."

Not to mention the fact that completing those hidden objectives were enough to be instantly marked as a target... Nope. I'd pass on that.

"Well then..." I closed my eyes and then imagined it.

Up above, on the ground, the drone I made earlier.

Then, down here, the tablet and remote control.

...Was it because I made them before? Or did my increased mana and stats do something?

Either way, I heard a soft 'plop' echo in front of me. The remote control for my drone, as well as the tablet display. And from the fact that it was showing the side of a hill, the drone seemed to have spawned where I wanted it to.

I picked up the tablet and remote before sitting back against the wall of the bunker. "Drone strikes are a bit cheap... but I've gotta even the playing field somehow."

At that last thought, I paused.

...Was this why Americans weren't usually isekai'd?

...Nah. Couldn't be. After all, it wasn't like ALL of us would resort to excessive fire power in a pinch, right?

-V-

[Status Screen]

-Biography-

Name: Vain Glory

Age: 20 (Adjusted)

Race: Human (Heaven Defying)

Current Condition: Healthy

-Racial Traits-

Divine Anathema - Those not only forsaken by their gods, but those who have killed their gods and constructed their own. Drastically reduces effectiveness of Divine Attacks. Minor probability of obtaining partial Divine Authority through analysis and perception. Greatly increased hostility by Divine Beings.

-Traits-

Man of a Thousand Faces (Can filter emotions and experience through personas)

Well-Read (Increased intelligence growth)

Self-Determined (Luck is treated as 100 for calculations)

-Titles-

World Creator (Minor) - Allows construction of non-magical items through one's will

Hero Creator (Minor) - Removes growth limitations on user and their allies

-Parameters-

Level: 2

Strength: 10

Agility: 8

Vitality: 7

Intelligence: 31

Mana: 30

Luck: 15 [100]

Bonus Stat Points: 0

-Skills-

No One's Story - A gambit that defies the gods through sacrificing one's identity and very memory. All attempts to scry your status are denied. Removes skill requirements. Memory and visualization abilities are enhanced.

A Different Path - Direct interference with a hero's fate, granting him a new path and divergent futures. Allows reproduction of 'conceptual weapons' provided the requisite materials. Allows reproduction of 'sword skills' provided the requisite understanding.

Flames of Muspell (Heavily Degraded) - A miniscule spark of the flames that will harken the end in Ragnarok. However, though miniscule, it is still an authentic spark of the world-consuming flames. Immune to all but extreme temperature changes. Mild resistance to Absolute Zero or Absolute Flame. Can summon a tiny ember of Ragnarok's flames.

First Aid - A basic healing spell that stops bleeding and accelerates the body's natural regeneration.

-Inventory-

Full Restore x1

Iron Armor Set x1

Emergency Exit Scroll x1