I PICKED UP A CHILD IN A DUMPSTER-Chapter 48: Amazing way to use Stat Points.

The thick fog covering half of Snowfall Mountain had been blown away, revealing distant lands I had never seen before.

Far beyond the forests... beyond the ridges of white mountains...

There was something black on the horizon.

I raised my hand and pointed.

"What’s... that thing?" I asked.

"Where?" she said.

I pointed harder, keeping my finger locked on the distant shape.

"...Oh. That’s a CHAIN."

"Chain?"

"Meh. I don’t really have the power to explain it," she muttered. "And I’m kinda lazy. Just watch!"

So I nodded quietly...

and turned my eyes back to the sky— where the Frosthowl and the green sprout continued their battle above the clouds.

High above the clouds, the Frosthowl suddenly dove.

Its massive body cut through the gray sky like a falling meteor flame, plunging straight toward the countless green sprouts rising beneath it.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

For a second, everything felt... delayed.

Like the world itself was holding its breath.

Then— Impact.

The Frosthowl crashed directly into the mass of living vines.

A violent explosion of fire, and shattered green Sprouts burst outward across the sky, the shockwave rolling over the mountain like distant thunder.

But something was wrong.

The destroyed sprouts... regenerated. Not slow or weakly.

They grew back faster, thicker, more furious than before— wrapping around the Frosthowl’s limbs, torso, wings, and throat in an instant, binding the monster completely.

The vines tightened.

Twisted.

Then—

They swung.

Once.

Twice.

Again and again, faster each rotation, the Frosthowl’s enormous body turning into nothing more than a weapon caught in a storm of green SPROUTS!

Circle after circle carved through the clouds.

Until—

THROW.

The Frosthowl’s body was hurled far beyond the white mountain range, vanishing into the distant horizon like a discarded comet.

Silence followed.

"...I see," the woman murmured softly beside me.

"So she decided to throw the Frosthowl away."

Her voice carried a strange annoyedness , eyes still fixed unto the far distant sky.

"That Frosthowl gets stronger the longer the fight continues. It adapts... evolves... even grows smarter."

Her gaze narrowed slightly.

"She knew she would lose if this dragged on. So she ended the battlefield instead."

Then—

her fingers slowly slid toward my temple... brushed through my hair... and suddenly— gripped hard.

"Owwh!?" I yelped. "What was that for?! Agh fuck! Get your fucking hand off my hair!"

"SHIT, it’s getting good!!!" she shouted, completely ignoring me while still clutching my hair.

"She really just threw the Frosthowl away because she knew she’d lose if the fight kept going!"

"F-fuckahhsjdj!?!!?!" I yelled, panicking as I tried to pull away from her grip.

I jerked backward.

Sat up and then— there was nothing beneath me.

"!?"

My body tipped into empty air.

"AAGHHHHH!!!" I screamed as the ground rushed up to meet me.

Shit...

Don’t tell me this is how I die.

Above, the woman’s eyes widened in shock.

She jumped.

The wind split around her as she dropped fast, faster than gravity itself, closing the distance in a single breath.

Then—

Catch.

She caught me.

Her arms wrapped around my waist, one hand steady behind my head as she landed lightly on the ground like nothing had happened.

The dirt of the ground barely stirred beneath her feet.

"...Shit," she muttered quietly. "My bad."

"ಠ⁠_⁠ಠ ...Ahah," I muttered. "Just... just get your hands off me..."

I stared at her scarred face.

Even with the thin scar beneath her left eye, another along her cheek, one more tracing her chin, she was still... unbelievably beautiful.

And her long, silky black hair fell softly around us, swaying in the cold air.

I opened my mouth to speak—

Then I felt something strange brush against my lips.

I blinked, confused, slowly raising a hand to my face.

My fingers caught the soft strands... and I realized I was holding her hair.

I spit her hair out immediately.

...Yeah. Never mind.

I’m just stunned. She’s not beautiful.

"When are you going to take your hands off me by the way?" I asked flatly.

"Oh— oh. My bad. Sorry."

She let go immediately.

My head dropped and thudded against the black soil.

"Tsk." I clicked my tongue, pushed myself up, and walked toward the campfire. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Behind me, she sprinted toward the tower wall, probably going to retrieve her katana.

As I stepped closer to the campfire,

a familiar window appeared beside me.

────────────────────────

Quest 3: Survive and Reach the Safest Zone

Threat Level: EXTREME

Objective:

Reach the Safest Zone—no matter the cost.

During this time, you were actively hunted by the following hostile entities:

1st — MOLE-RATS

Estimated Number: 0

Threat: None

2nd — MUNCHES

Estimated Number: 0

Threat: None

3rd — Whitefang Calamity

Designation: 1

Threat: It is still looking for you

Distance to Target: 602 KM

[Quest Status: COMPLETED — @#D#E#N##3 has been satisfied with the scenario.

Si Hon — F@T# Ch#####]

────────────────────────

"...Oh. Damn," I sighed, staring at the window with my arms folded around my waist.

"Six hundred two kilometers... that’s six hundred two thousand meters..."

A slow breath left my lungs.

"...I see. We’re so safe then."

My eyes narrowed at the distorted text.

"And... what? Why is it censored again? #!_... is that... my name?"

I squinted harder.

"Si Hon... Fate... Ch—? Channel...?"

Another notification appeared.

「Reward: 8,400 EXP」

「Reward: Any two Common Spells of your choice」

「Additional Reward: Information」

「Additional Reward: An Unexpected Event」

That immediately caught my attention.

"Meh. Screw the weird new stuff... I’m indulging in my rewards first!!!!!"

I shouted— only inside my head, since everyone else was asleep. Beside the mysterious woman high on the tower.

Another window popped up.

「8,400 EXP Acquired」

Lv 8 → 9 = 450 (Remaining: 7,950)

Lv 9 → 10 = 500 (Remaining: 7,450)

Lv 10 → 11 = 550 (Remaining: 6,900)

Lv 11 → 12 = 600 (Remaining: 6,300)

Lv 12 → 13 = 650 (Remaining: 5,650)

Lv 13 → 14 = 700 (Remaining: 4,950)

Lv 14 → 15 = 750 (Remaining: 4,200)

Lv 15 → 16 = 800 (Remaining: 3,400)

Lv 16 → 17 = 850 (Remaining: 2,550)

Lv 17 → 18 = 900 (Remaining: 1,650)

Lv 18 → 19 = 950 (Remaining: 700)

Lv 19 → 20 = 1,000 (Not enough)

「Level: 19」

「EXP: 700 / 1,000」

"W-woah... what the hell... that’s a lot..."

A huge grin slowly spread across my lips.

Then— another window burst open dramatically.

「Total Free Stat Points: 58」

"WOAH?! Fifty-eight?!"

I dropped unto the black ground, excitement rushing through me.

I cleared my throat, then.

"Status."

A blue window formed in front of my eyes.

────────────────────────

Name: Si Hon

Level: 19

Tendency: Careful Strategist

Job: Unemployed

Title: Thief — tap for more...

Free Stat Points: 58

Strength: 15+

Agility: 15+

Stamina: 15+

Endurance: 15+

Luck: 21

Intelligence: 19+

Mana: 6+

────────────────────────

"Hehehehehheheheh..."

A stupid, uncontrollable giggle leaked out of my mouth as I stared at the glowing number in front of me.

58 free stat points.

Fifty Eight.

That’s AMAZING...

I should not spend too much...

But it’s too much... so.

The moment the realization sank in— My arms moved on their own.

Fast, Careless and Greedy.

My fingers tapped, spammed, hovered everywhere across the floating blue window like I was afraid the points might disappear if I didn’t spend them immediately.

「Stamina +18 → 15 → 33

Endurance +18 → 15 → 33」

「Points used: 36」

I didn’t even read it.

I just ignored it.

「Strength +12 → 15 → 27」

「Total used: 48」

Still didn’t care.

The numbers kept rising, and that was all that mattered.

「Mana +6 → 6 → 12」

「Total used: 54」

My finger hovered in the air... and suddenly stopped.

I froze.

Oh... oh fuck... I think... oh no... Shit?

My eyes slowly dropped toward the corner of the window.

Toward the number I should have been watching from the start.

「Total Free Stat Points: 58 → 4」

"...Shit," I whispered.

A long, painful silence followed.

Then I exhaled, shoulders sinking in.

"Yeah... fuck this."

「Agility +4 → 15 → 19」

「Total used: 58」

「Congratulations for spending all your free stat points.」

"Agh... ಠ︵ಠ man..." I groaned, dragging a hand down my face.

"I was so excited I just tapped... wherever I could..."

Regret hit late.

Hard.

And completely useless.

────────────────────────

Name: Si Hon

Level: 19

Tendency: Careful Strategist

Job: Unemployed

Title: Thief — tap for more...

Free Stat Points: 0

Strength: 27

Agility: 19

Stamina: 33

Endurance: 33

Luck: 21

Intelligence: 19

Mana: 12

────────────────────────

I rubbed my face slowly, staring at the finished status window like it might magically undo my stupidity if I looked hard enough.

I didn’t even ask the mysterious woman.

Didn’t plan, didn’t even think.

I just... spent everything.

Like an idiot who suddenly found money in a game arcade

"...I really should’ve asked first," I muttered quietly.

The mountain wind answered with silence.

Then—

Another transparent blue window slid into existence beside the first.

「SYSTEM NOTICE」

「Congratulations.

You have exceeded the threshold of a standard human.

Your physical capacity is now classified as:

— Enhanced Human —

From this point forward, your performance will no longer be compared to civilians.」

Slowly, carefully, I opened my fingers that were covering part of my face... and peeked at the message.

"Oh, wow. At least I’m stronger now."

Another tiny line appeared beneath it.

「Congratulations Si Hon (⁠~⁠￣⁠³⁠￣⁠)⁠~」

"Yeah... sup." I pushed myself fully upright, brushing the dirt from my clothes. "So... I’m strong now, right?"

「Not yet, it’ll come sooner. (⁠~⁠￣⁠³⁠￣⁠)⁠~」

"Figured..." I muttered. "So that’s why I didn’t feel anything..."

For a brief moment, silence settled around me.

Then—

Another window appeared.

「Reward: Any two Common Spells of your choice」

"Heheheheh..."

All the guilt I had been feeling... all the frustration... all the quiet disappointment at wasting my stat points— immediately vanished.

Completely.

Replaced by something warm.

Bright.

Dangerously exciting.

"...Shit," I muttered. "Yeah... I forgot..."