Harry's legs felt like they were made of lead as he trudged alongside the others.
It had been at least an hour since they had managed to escape the monsters on the rock face. They had been moving steadily, taking short rests whenever they could, but everyone was starting to show signs of fatigue. The weight of the situation, combined with the exhaustion of their ordeal, was beginning to take its toll.
Ahead of him, he could see Mr. Thompson, his arm still wrapped in a makeshift sling, grimacing with each step but pushing forward with unwavering determination.
The teacher with glasses, whom Harry had helped earlier, was now leaning heavily on Ms. Reed. Her face was etched with worry, her breaths coming in short, labored gasps. It seems like they were close, considering they were a woman and a man.
Beside him, Harry noticed the girls in their group slowing down considerably. They were clearly exhausted, their steps sluggish and unsteady. One of them stumbled, and Mr. Avery quickly reached out to steady her. He was clearly tired as well, but he tried to put on a brave face, offering words of encouragement.
"We're almost there," Mr. Avery said, his voice hoarse but steady. "Just a little bit further."
They all knew he was trying to keep everyone's spirits up, but Harry could tell that the whole group was on the verge of collapse.
Their lips were dry and cracked, a clear sign of dehydration, and Harry's own stomach growled loudly, reminding him that they hadn't eaten since morning.
'This whole thing just needed to happen before lunch; just our luck.' Harry cursed inwardly.
Then he cast a glance back over his shoulder, scanning the path behind them. They had been lucky so far; they hadn't encountered any more of the creatures since their escape, but he knew they couldn't rely on luck forever.
The Endwalkers and the smaller creatures had shown they were capable of coordinating an ambush, and Harry was sure they wouldn't give up that easily. He was also sure the ones they met weren't the only monsters here.
As they reached a small clearing, Harry saw the faint outline of a medium-sized circular base or town in the distance.
They had spotted it from the rock soon after their escape, and it had given them a sense of direction, a destination to aim for. But now that they were closer, Harry couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that was creeping up on him.
Harry's mind began to race, drawing on all the knowledge he had accumulated from countless hours spent reading comics, web novels, and watching anime. In situations like this, it was never as easy as just finding a safe place. There were always traps, ambushes, or some kind of twist that made everything even more dangerous.
'Even if we manage to get there,' he thought, 'there's no guarantee that place is safe. What if it's already been overrun by monsters? Or worse, what if it's a trap set by the system or whatever is behind this whole thing?' He glanced around at the others, who were all too focused on putting one foot in front of the other to notice his concern.
Harry knew he needed to keep his head in the game. If things were really playing out like some twisted version of the games and stories he loved, then they would have to be ready for anything. He decided to check his status window again, something he had figured out how to do not long after his conversation with Mr. Thompson.
At first, he had tried all sorts of phrases, muttering under his breath as he walked. "Open sesame," "Status," "Open Status," "Status Open," and so on. It had taken several tries, each attempt growing more frustrated than the last, but eventually, he had found the right words.
"Show Status!" he said in his mind, and the status window appeared before him, hovering in his line of sight like a holographic display. He had been so excited that he had nearly tripped over his own feet. A small message had popped up at the same time, adding to his elation.
[You have learned how to open your Status Window.]
[You have gained 1 AP.]
[Your Intelligence has increased by 1.]
Harry had felt a swell of pride at the notification. It wasn't much, but it was something. It proved that he was on the right track, that he could figure things out in this strange new world. And if intelligence points were being handed out for things like that, maybe he wasn't as clueless as he had thought.
Now, as he opened his status window again, he took a moment to look over his stats. His heart pounded with anticipation as the familiar blue screen appeared before him.
---
[Status Window]
Name: Harry Parker
Health and Stamina:
• HP: 12/15
• SP: 7/15
• AP: 7
Core Attributes:
• Agility: 8.3
• Intelligence: 9
---
Harry quickly scanned through his status screen. His eyes lingered on the numbers under his health and stamina, trying to make sense of them.
HP: 12/15
SP: 7/15
He frowned. He had a rough idea that HP stood for health points and SP for stamina points, but he had no real understanding of how they worked. Did they measure his actual physical condition? Or were they some abstract representation of his overall endurance and vitality? And how did they regenerate? Did he need to rest, eat, or drink? Was there some kind of magic involved, given the bizarre situation they found themselves in?
As he pondered, Harry realized his current stamina was lower than his health. His SP was less than half full, while his HP was only a few points short of maximum. That made sense, he supposed; they had been walking for a long time, and the stress and effort of escaping those monsters would have drained his stamina.
But if his health was still relatively high, did that mean he hadn't been seriously injured during their escape? Or was it possible that HP wasn't solely about physical injury? Could it also include mental fatigue or emotional stress? He shook his head, feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the questions. He knew he'd have to figure it out eventually, but right now, he needed to focus on their immediate survival.
Harry shifted his gaze to the core attributes, noting the two entries listed.
Agility: 8.3
Intelligence: 9
Why were only his Agility and Intelligence showing? He knew there had to be more to it. In every game and story he'd read, there were always multiple attributes—Strength, Endurance, Wisdom, Luck, and so on. But here, he only had two.
He thought back to the messages he had received from the system. Both his Agility and Intelligence had increased at some point—his Agility from that desperate sprint up the rock face and his Intelligence when he figured out how to open his status window.
Could it be that the system only displayed the attributes that had been modified or revealed in some way?
That had to be it. Harry felt a small surge of satisfaction at his reasoning. It made sense. The system—or whatever was behind this strange reality—was showing him the stats that had been acknowledged or changed in some way. If he wanted to see more, he'd have to find a way to unlock or enhance his other attributes.
"Guess I'll need to test that theory when I get the chance," he thought, making a mental note to experiment later. But right now, he needed to focus on keeping everyone alive.
Looking around at his exhausted companions, Harry realized they needed a longer rest. They were all at their limits, especially Mr. Thompson and the teacher with glasses. If they pushed on without a proper break, someone could collapse, and that would put them all in even greater danger.
He turned his attention to Mr. Thompson, who was still leading the group with admirable determination despite his injury.
Harry took a deep breath, preparing himself to make a convincing argument to Mr. Thompson. He knew he had to sound rational and practical to sway the teacher's decision.
"Mr. Thompson," Harry called again, a bit louder this time, as he approached the front of the group. "I really think we need to rest here for a bit longer."
Mr. Thompson glanced back at Harry, his expression tight with pain but still focused. "We don't have time to waste, Harry. We need to keep moving. We're so close to that base—"
"I know, but hear me out," Harry interjected, trying to sound calm and collected. "We've been pushing ourselves for over an hour since we escaped those creatures. Everyone's tired, dehydrated, and hungry. If we keep going without a proper rest, someone could collapse, and then we'll be in even worse shape."
He noticed Mr. Thompson hesitate, his eyes flicking to the rest of the group. The teacher with glasses, still leaning heavily on Ms. Reed, looked like she could barely stand, and the girls were clearly struggling to keep up. Even Mr. Avery, usually so composed, seemed to be fighting his own exhaustion.
"Plus," Harry continued, "we don't know what's waiting for us at that base. If it's safe, great. But if it's not, we'll need all our strength to deal with whatever's there. It's better to rest now, regain some energy, and be ready for anything, rather than stumble in half-dead and be caught off guard."
Mr. Thompson's frown deepened as he considered Harry's words. The math teacher, Mr. Avery, stepped up beside him and gave Harry a curious look. "He's got a point, Mr. Thompson," he said. "We're all running on fumes here. A short break might do us some good."
The history teacher, Ms. Reed, who had been assisting the other teacher, nodded in agreement. "We can't afford to have anyone collapse out here. If we're not in any immediate danger, a rest could be the smartest move."
Mr. Thompson sighed, glancing around at the tired faces of his colleagues and students. Finally, he nodded. "Alright, Harry. You've convinced me. We'll rest here for a bit. But only for a short while—we can't stay too long in one place."
Harry felt a surge of relief at Mr. Thompson's agreement. "Thank you, Mr. Thompson," he said earnestly. "I promise it's the right call."
As Mr. Thompson began to announce the rest break to the group, the math and history teachers gave Harry a surprised but approving look.
"We didn't know you could be so level-headed, Harry," Mr. Avery remarked, a hint of admiration in his voice.
Ms. Reed smiled warmly. "Yes, it's quite impressive to see you like this. You've really stepped up."
Harry grinned, his usual cheeky demeanor creeping back. "What can I say? I guess I've been hiding my responsible side all this time. Don't tell anyone, though; it might ruin my reputation."
The teachers chuckled at his joke, a much-needed moment of levity in the grim situation. "Alright, Harry," Mr. Avery said with a playful smirk. "We'll let you off this time. But don't think we won't be expecting more of this from now on."
Harry laughed, feeling a bit more relaxed despite the circumstances. It was a strange feeling—being taken seriously and even respected by his teachers. But he knew he had to keep it up. They were all in this together, and every bit of cooperation and strength would count.
"Okay, everyone," Mr. Thompson called out to the group. "We're going to take a rest here for a while. Make sure to rest properly and try to eat something, well if you have something to eat that is. We need to get our strength back before we move on."
Harry watched as the group slowly settled down, grateful for the chance to rest. He knew this break wouldn't last long, but it was better than pushing on recklessly. As he sat down on a rock, he couldn't help but glance back at the path they had come from.
The monsters could still be out there, waiting. They had to stay vigilant. But for now, at least, they had a moment to breathe.
'Now that I think about it, there is supposed to be a super lucky or powerful protagonist appearing in these kinds of situations.' Harry thought suddenly as he leaned on one of the trees.
'In moments like this, when everything seemed bleak, the protagonist would show up and save the day.' That thought made him grin.
What if it was him?
What if he was the one who would somehow become overpowered, get everyone out of this mess, and be hailed as a hero?
He chuckled to himself, the idea as ridiculous as it was amusing.
Him, a hero?
It sounded like something straight out of a comic book. Not to mention the fact that he didn't care about being a hero, what he cared was power and cool stuff he could do.
Shooting out fireballs, slaying or taming dragons, swordplay, and so on.
But as his chuckles faded, he shook his head and forced himself back to this absurb reality.
No, if someone was going to be the hero, there were a few better candidates who came to mind immediately. The first was...
'...Arthur,' Harry smiled. 'Our class rep. Athletic, smart, and good-looking, He had always seemed like the kind of guy who would take charge in a crisis. The perfect hero archetype. But Arthur isn't here right now. So, I can't say anything concrete... Hmm... The other would be...'
'Our lovely student council president, Leila.'
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