Waking up with a start, Mateo's eyes scanned his surroundings wary of any hidden threats or looming dangers. Forcing himself to calm down and stop panting, Mateo reviewed his memories, searching for anything that would explain how he found himself lying on a comfortable bed in front of a fireplace.
Unable to remember anything after killing the hyena queen, Mateo watched in amazement as the room twisted and turned like a cartoonish scene before his very until, POP!, it exploded like a cartoon bubble, and he found himself in a familiar room. FragHIM's castle like abode.
Floating before him was FragHIM, only instead of the blinding golden light as his head, he had a face, a familiar one in fact.
The face of the wise old hermit like man who appeared in his memory to teach and perform the earth boulder skill, his first and only skill.
Tired of waiting, the wise old FragHIM started the conversation. "Well done, Mateo. You passed my challenge, though it was through unconventional means, a pass is still a pass."
"What do you mean challenge, are you saying that you are the one who caused those demonic hyenas to attack me.
Do you know the nightmares I'll have, what about panic attacks in the middle of the night drenched in cold sweat, huh.
The only way I'll have a chance of feeling better is if you compensate me with some unique skill or OP weapon, and even that might not be enough."
Shocked by the shameless performance of the muscular teen in front of him, FragHIM's brain short circuited, something Mateo mistook for acceptance.
That was before the divine stick of judgement found its mark on his scalp, the force reaching his brain and resetting it, granting inner peace and the wisdom of knowing who to scam and who not to.
Immediately, Mateo kowtowed on the floor, accepting the error of his ways and asking for forgiveness. Being the kind and gentle elder he was, FragHIM unsummoned the divine stick whose pressure commanded subservience.
Given his free will back Mateo was about to offload a truckload of complaints filled with colourful language when the faint outline of the stick appeared behind the old man, forcing him to change his complaints into words of thanks.
Satisfied with Mateo's change, FragHIM continued with what he wanted to say. "The challenge I gave you was a way of proving you deserved the rewards I gave you earlier."
"What rewards are you talking about??" asked Mateo with clear undisguised confusion.
"Well, you see the stats I unlocked for you, on a normal basis I am only allowed to unlock two for you, but I unlocked three instead.
See, that can be excused by me being pleased with your performance of surviving 24hours, but the problem is the third stat I unlocked for you.
LUCK.
Believe it or not, this is the most powerful stat in the universe, since it basically steals bits and pieces of the fortunes, fates and destinies of those around you and it cannot be stopped or interfered with."
Hearing what FragHIM had done for him, Mateo was moved, almost to tears since now his path to the top was guaranteed. He was about thanking FragHIM until he saw the constipated look on his face.
Don't celebrate just yet because I have to lock it again, not forever, just until you reach the 4th TIER. Till then, you would be stuck with normal luck with many episodes of horrible luck, nothing too serious.
"What do you mean nothing too serious. It's not like I even used the good luck for anything. Give me one instance where I had good luck and I'll allow you to lock it without putting up a fight." said Mateo with a face showing that he meant business.
"Hmm. That sounds like a good plan, after all it's not like I'm some all powerful being who can do whatever he wants. Wait, I am and I summoned a simple stick to teach you that." said FragHIM in an attempt to show how Mateo had no option. Seeing the resolute expression still plastered on his face, FragHIM decided to give him what he wanted since it didn't really take anything from him.
"A prime example would be the hyena attack you survived 12 hours ago. Because of your 18 luck points, your plan went well , securing you the win.
A person with normal luck might have the grenade detonate earlier or later, bringing with it a new set of problems.
But a person with horrible luck,... nothing would go well. They could have the grenade ring get stuck, the grenade exploding early.
They could also trip over a rock, have the grenade bounce of the hyena queen and back to them, the explosion could blow the hyenas in their direction leading to cracked bones among other complications. The possibilities are truly endless." said FragHIM with a passion that made Mateo suspect that he wished that would happen.
"Bro, why would you tell me this. How do you expect me to allow you to lock my luck when any of this could happen to me at any time." cried out Mateo.
"What do you mean why did I tell you. You asked to know remember. But I wouldn't worry too much after all you'll still have normal luck most of the time." replied FragHIM, clearly enjoying himself at Mateo's expense.
"Okay. *Sighs* I am ready. Do it."
"Pfft. Look at him acting all stiff and scared. And what was with that deep voice. I did it before I even told you about it, at the beginning of the conversation."
"What. You tricked me. Now you have to compensate. "
"I didn't trick you since I didn't need your permission in the first place. And why are you so greedy. You are always looking for a way to scam me. Didn't you receive home training."
"How dare you accuse me of scamming you.
You locked a crucial stat of mine and now I'm doomed to a life of watching above in case something falls on me and kills me. I think I deserve a little something for my troubles."
"Hmm, you're not wrong. Let me see what I can do."