BXBX NOVEL Chapter 37: Remarks
At the start of the new week, Henry finally paid attention to the 18 Stat points he had accumulated through three Level-ups.
He invested 6 points in Strength, 4 Points in Agility, 6 Points in Stamina, and finally, 2 points in Perception to make sure he no longer neglected the only stat that could level up his <Insight>.
[Strength: 14 ——> 20]
[Agility: 11 ——> 15]
[Stamina: 6 ——> 12]
[Perception: 8 ——> 10]
\'Status.\'
[Name: Henry Morgan]
[Level: 6 (219/1000 Exp)]
[Race: Human]
[Class: Gunslinger]
[Title: Death\'s Bane, Gangbanger, Vyker-Killer]
[Hit Points: 60/60]
[Mana Points: 70/70]
[Strength: 20]
[Agility: 15]
[Stamina: 12]
[Perception: 10]
[Skills:
{Marksmanship Lv. 2 <Active Sub Skill: Quick Thinking>} {Taming Lv. 1 <Active Sub Skill: Bonding>} {Insight Lv.1}]
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When he allocated his Stat Points, Henry had taken a second to bask in his stat increase. His body changed and although its physical change was more subtle, it was still very apparent to him.
The way his muscles rippled underneath his skin to exert his strength, the way his body felt lighter, and the energy that surged in him. It was wonderful.
He clenched and unclenched his fist as though remembering that moment when a voice called to him and reminded him he was in a meeting with the rest of the gang.
"Henry, are you with us?" Charles asked.
"Hmm?" Henry said as Triss nudged him with her elbow even though he was already paying attention. She didn\'t know that.
"Are you with us?" Charles asked again.
"Yes. Yes, of course." He said.
"Good," Charles said and he didn\'t sound condescending. He really did think it was good that Henry was paying attention.
The reason for this, Henry knew, was due to the update to the \'Gangbanger\' Title which made it so that the Gang \'treated him like Kin or with begrudging respect\'. Henry\'s relationship with Charles was favorable enough so the man hoped to keep his attention as kin and an important part of the operation they were about to carry out.
"You seemed out of it for a second there," Triss said with a smile right by Henry\'s side as Charles went back to his briefing.
Henry looked at her,
"Just thinking," he answered.
Triss rolled her eyes at him,
"Pay attention."
"Yes, ma\'am," Henry told her in a whisper and with a small smile.
Ever since the healing of her wound with the salve, Triss had been more \'open\' about wanting to remain close to Henry. He didn\'t mind it and as he paid the barest bit of attention to what was being discussed in the meeting, Henry noted that he had not yet checked her Stat screen.
[Activating <Insight Lv.1>]
—————
[Name: Triss]
[Race: Human]
[Job: Gang Member]
[Health: 70]
[Strength: 14]
[Agility: 18]
[Stamina: 15]
*[Remarks: A beautiful lady with a Criminal past and present. Not yet at her physical peak and with plenty of room to improve. Her impressive agility and other Stats are worth noting but can be overcome and is, thus, Killable.]
—————
Henry frowned at the Remark that Triss was \'Killable\'. He had taken note that the remarks he gleaned with <Insight> always involved his chances in killing his target and wondered if that was just by default or somewhere in his head, he had indeed thought of killing them.
But that made no sense. Apart from Devon, Henry doubted he had ever considered killing anyone else in the gang.
\'Moving on.\'
His minute of <Insight> was still going so he looked all over the room, calling up Status screens he had not yet had the pleasure of looking into just yet.
—————
[Name: Charles]
[Race: Human]
[Job: Gang Member]
[Health: 90]
[Strength: 21]
[Agility: 12]
[Stamina: 16]
*[Remarks: At his physical peak with little room to improve. His Stats are impressive but is very much Killable.]
—————
—————
[Name: Tony]
[Race: Human]
[Job: Gang Member]
[Health: 80]
[Strength: 22]
[Agility: 11]
[Stamina: 16]
*[Remarks: At his physical peak with little room to improve. His Stats are impressive but is very much Killable.]
—————
—————
[Name: Stefan]
[Race: Human]
[Job: Gang Member]
[Health: 80]
[Strength: 18]
[Agility: 14]
[Stamina: 15]
*[Remarks: Like his Sister, he has yet to reach his Physical Peak. Impressive Stats but Killable.]
—————
—————
[Name: Dana]
[Race: Human]
[Job: Gang Member]
[Health: 80]
[Strength: 13]
[Agility: 19]
[Stamina: 14]
*[Remarks: A pretty lady with a tendency to appear sexy but all that gets ignored due to her being an utter Bitch. Her Stats are \'alright\' but not nearly enough to warrant her arrogance. She is very, very, very Killable.]
—————
As he read through Dana\'s Stat screen, Henry blinked hard, not sure if he was supposed to smile or grimace. The remarks seemed to sometimes be at default due to the lack of personal notes but with Dana, they were especially specific and spoke to his dislike of her personality and his begrudging note of her looks.
\'And finally…\'
——————
[Name: Angus Dionisio]
[Race: Human (Vyker)]
[Class: Spellbinder (Weakened)]
[Job: Gang Leader]
[Health: 130 (300)]
[Mana: 180 (400)]
[Strength: 35 (80)]
[Agility: 25 (60)]
[Stamina: 30 (70)]
*[Remarks: A Vyker who has lost his Creator, greatly diminishing his actual might and sealing his path to evolution. However, even with weakened Stats and a weakened class, he remains a force to be reckoned with.]
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\'\'Force to be reckoned with\' is putting it lightly,\' Henry thought with his eyes wide in surprise.
Henry knew the Stats in brackets were what Angus would still have been capable of had he not lost his Creator and yet, the \'weakened\' Stats were better than even Devon\'s!
Devon, the Half-orc Berserker with the rippling muscles had a lower strength Stat than Angus, a human, who had a lean physique and a mustache that made him look more like a sleazy charlatan than a brutal killer.
\'Appearances can be deceiving,\' Henry decided.
With the minute of <Insight> activation up, Henry finally allowed himself to be invested in the conversations.
"So what about the Vykers?" Dana asked with a glance, "We still have an attack from more of them to worry about."
"We scoured around quite a bit to find these three Langlot bases and we\'ve seen no signs of supernatural people nearby. We should be safe long enough to take our revenge." Tony explained.
"We shouldn\'t split up," Stefan said, "The Langlots are a bunch of morons but they do have the numbers."
Charles nodded,
"Yes. That\'s precisely why Tony and I didn\'t get too close.
You\'ll come with us, won\'t you, Angus?" He asked.
Angus shook his head while stroking the chest he had never been away from since they got it over a week ago,
"No, I don\'t think I will."
A minute passed and no one said a word. They all just watched Angus who noticed the tonal change in the hall and looked up,
"What is it?" He asked.
"This is big, Angus," Stefan said, "It will be good to have all hands on deck."
Angus waved him off,
"Bah, you don\'t need me," he said.
\'With Stats like yours, that\'s a lie, Angus,\' Henry thought but didn\'t say out loud.
"I look around this room and all I see is talent and passion. You\'ll do well without me. My time is better spent here. Unlocking this Chest."
"And you\'ve been at it for a week with no success," Tony said with a frown, "Isn\'t it about time we admit it\'s a dud?"
Angus chuckled,
"You have that little faith in me? I\'ve almost got it open. I\'m this close."
Angus held up his thumb and index fingers only an inch apart to emphasize his point but the Gang just fell silent, watching him again.
Eventually, Devon let out a grunt,
"We\'re wasting time. If Angus wants to stay back, it\'s fine. We\'ll be fine."
He left the hall first and everyone began to file out after him. They had only a few minutes to prepare before they were off for the hunt.
Like the last time he was in the meeting hall, Henry was the last to leave and a view of Angus\' hands roaming over the locked chest with a greedy but mystified look was the last thing he saw before he walked out and closed the door behind himself.