The Beginning of the End

Zeno had a system that assisted players.

It displayed a status screen, provided a map, managed inventory, and offered countless other features, just like in a game.

On the status screen, there were gauges for HP, mana, and stamina.

But Arlon never used them.

Not because they were inaccurate. In fact, they were terrifyingly precise.

And yet… they weren't.

Because stamina couldn't truly be quantified by numbers. A person on the brink of collapse could still run if chased by a dog.

Willpower, instinct, adrenaline—none of it could be captured by a percentage.

The same went for the HP bar.

It was accurate up to a point. But once it hit 1 HP, things got murky. At a glance, 1 and 0 didn't seem that different.

But between them stood a mountain.