had


    How many points do I have, Archive?


    [Fifty-one.]


    And what are my attribute levels again?


    Striding Glaives


    Ripple SensorsHydrofuge SpinesRipple Returner


    <div>


    definitely


    My toughness level is at four now, huh? That should put me at… four times as tough as the average human?


    [That was how I explained it to you back then, yes, but in actuality, it is a bit more complicated than that,] [While your toughness level may be at eight currently, what, exactly, is the measurement of ‘toughness’? The hardness of your skin? The rigidity of your muscles? Going down this path of thought, what, exactly, is the measurement of ‘strength’ and ‘speed’? Is it your muscle density or something else?]


    Well, I assume the geniuses who designed you have the answer–


    [The only satisfactory answer is: there are a lot of factors that play into the measurement of a human’s base attributes, and typically, we only say someone is twice as powerful as an average human when all of their basic attributes are at level two. By extension, someone is only four times as powerful as an average human when all of their basic attributes are at level four,]  [In your case, you have five levels in strength, eight levels in speed, four levels in toughness, two levels in dexterity, and three levels in perceptivity. Add all of that together and average it out, you are only ‘about’ as powerful as four average humans. You must raise your dexterity and perceptivity levels to four as well if you want to be as powerful as four average humans.]


    … Okay. That kinda makes sense, I guess, Mama always said humans are made to be ‘balanced’ creatures. If all you have is incredible muscle mass for strength but no dexterity whatsoever, can you really say you can do the work of two people? Or if you can run three times as fast as the other kids in the town, but your skin gets chafed by the sand because of how fast you’re running and how not-tough you are, can you really say you’re capable of running three times as fast as everyone else without constantly being afraid of hurting yourself?


    [Well, my explanation is more physiologically orientated, but as long as you understand the principle, I can meet you halfway there.]


    But that ‘as powerful as four people’ measurement is still just an estimation on your part, right? I have fifty-one points to spend, but I don’t see how increasing dexterity and perceptivity now would help–


    [You are correct. It would not help right now,] [There have been cases of extremely stubborn Hasharana who focused only on increasing one or two types of attribute, leading to curious scenarios where their skin and bones were technically as ‘tough’ as brick walls, but because they lacked the muscle density that ‘strength’ provides, they were nearly unable to move. Especially for the attributes of strength, speed, and toughness, it is generally recommended that you do not leave any one of them too far behind.] [Especially for those with insect classes naturally inclined for speed. Please do not tunnel-vision on the speed attribute. Dexterity will help you control your speed, and perceptivity will allow you to see walls coming before you run into them.]


    … Um.


    Okay.


    But, in this scenario, I can literally see that wall coming at me–


    [Yes, yes, in this scenario. Now prepare yourself and hold off on spending your points immediately.]


    [This will be the toughest obstacle you have faced thus far.]


    …


    You can read my memories, can’t you?


    Do that again.


    Put her in front of me.


    … I remember the day I first saw my mama dancing in a sandstorm.


    I was ten years old back then, and though it was in the middle of the day, the sandstorm had plunged our little desert town into complete darkness. You could barely see sunlight filtering through the storm, but mama dragged me out there, onto the edge of a dune, and told me to watch.


    Sand blew through my scarf and dried up my mouth, but I remember shouting at her, telling her we should go home. Men have died much worse for much less—it was suicide trying to sand-dance in the middle of the storm.


    Mama laughed at me and told me to watch, though.


    So she shrugged me off, raised a knee, and when the dust devil swerved in towards her as though it had a grudge against her, the manifestation of the desert’s will—she launched, spun in place, and kicked the devil away with the tip of her toes.


    Just like that.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The rest of the storm still churned around us, but for that one, singular moment where her feet touched the will of the desert itself… it was like I’d stepped foot in another world where ‘miracles’ can be made.


    very


    possible worked


    That was the day I decided to take sand-dancing seriously, Archive.


    speed


    It may have been simple admiration at first, I’ll admit, but damned if people tell me sand-dancing isn’t something ‘normal’ people like to do.


    You live and dance on the very edge of your life, and that is fun, Archive! There ain''t need for more justification than that to do what I do!


    this


    beyond


    this


    … Haha!


    I lived?


    I lived!


    Archiveeeeeee! I fucking did it–


    I… holy shit.


    I need water.


    So much… salt… in my mouth–


    [Unlock the final tier two mutation.]


    [I thought about telling you to unlock it before the wave hit, but I wanted to see if it would come in handy. Otherwise, it would have been waste of points when you could have instead spent it on increasing your attributes instead.]


    [However, it is quite evident that this mutation will help.]


    <div>


    <div>


    <hr>


    … What?


    [A passive mutation,] [To sum, you are now able to drink any type of water, and you also have small gills on your face and neck that allows you to breathe underwater for around thirty minutes, give or take.]


    I have gills on my… what?


    were


    What a convenient mutation, though.


    And now I can drink saltwater, no problem?


    [Give it a try.]


    feel


    This is great!


    I’ve got this, Archive!


    With this, I–


    [The next wave will arrive in approximately twenty-eight minutes,] swore [Please use this time to catch just a few more crabs, grow stronger, and tough out the next wave. There is no telling how long you can dance until you die.]


    Come on.


    Dance until I die?


    That ain’t right, Archive.


    I’ll dance until I win.


    <hr>


    <div>


    also very


    Fleshy walls… acid under my boots… my sideways ship behind me…


    Ain’t I dead already?


    The hell am I still alive for?


    consistentall


    never


    did


    you


    want


    had