Survival in the Ruins: I can make everything evolve infinitely

Chapter 20: Speculation × The True Value of Attribute Points

On the island where the fourth Hunter Exam was held, Lorraine sat cross-legged atop a large boulder, facing a gentle stream. Despite the tranquil scene, his attention was entirely fixed on the system panel only he could see.

[Level 100 Deity System]

Name:Lorraine

Level:1 (110/1000)

Vitality:1

Mental Strength:1

World:Hunter x Hunter

Lorraine gazed thoughtfully at the unchanged values for vitality and mental strength since the beginning.

Initially, he hadn’t paid much attention to the attribute points. After all, being level one meant he only had one point in each attribute.

However, as days passed with no change, his curiosity grew.

On the first day, Lorraine assumed it was due to just starting his training—no surprise if the values hadn’t shifted.

Yet after three intense days in the Trap Tower, where he felt significant physical improvements, his attribute values still hadn’t budged.

Was it possible the increase hadn’t reached the system’s minimum threshold?

Lorraine considered this but remained skeptical.

Based on his initial upgrade, one point of vitality equated to two tons of strength. His sprinting speed could likely break the five-second mark for 100 meters, and his endurance was enough to run several consecutive marathons effortlessly.

Despite his noticeable progress, these impressive benchmarks made a single point seem disproportionately powerful.

Lorraine pondered further, convinced that these attributes were more than just raw physical stats. His theory? Vitality wasn’t merely strength, speed, or endurance—it was something deeper.

His thoughts circled back to the ultra-high-speed state he achieved during his game with Netero. He had attributed this state to his upgraded attributes, particularly the mental strength.

His physical fitness was decent but not exceptional; even Killua surpassed him in sheer physical prowess. Therefore, his entry into that state must have been due to his single point in mental strength.

But how powerful was one point of mental strength?

Initially, Lorraine believed it placed him above the average human, but now…

If one point allowed him to approach Netero’s level—arguably the strongest human in this world—it had to be more than that.

Netero’s ability to compress his perception of time came from his mastery over his mental state. Lorraine began to suspect that one point of mental strength represented the pinnacle of human potential.

If mental strength was so profound, could one point of vitality be similarly underestimated? Was it not just raw numbers like two tons of strength or five-second sprints, but something more essential—a reflection of life’s essence?

Under this theory, vitality and mental strength enhanced his fundamental life force and spirit to peak human levels. The difference lay in how they manifested: mental strength was more immediately apparent, while vitality required gradual physical conditioning.

Testing this theory would be simple.

If, after exponentially increasing his physical training, his vitality still didn’t rise, it would confirm his hypothesis.

“If I’m right, the value of attribute points is far greater than I ever imagined!” A smile crept across Lorraine’s face.

Organizing his thoughts, he stood and stretched, determination flashing in his eyes.

“Let’s start training!”

Lorraine felt energized. Proving his theory meant more than just physical improvement; it meant understanding the true essence of his system.

The difference between the two outcomes was monumental.

“First, I need tools for my revised training plan,” Lorraine muttered, weaving through the forest, scanning for resources.

Before long, he found what he needed: a hunter candidate carrying a blade.

Lorraine’s eyes narrowed as he charged forward.

“Who’s there?” The candidate, clutching his knife, spun around.

Before he could react, Lorraine appeared beside him, landing a single palm strike that sent the candidate flying, coughing up blood.

Lorraine frowned, glancing at the downed candidate. Though he’d fought beasts before, this was his first encounter with a human.

He had held back, avoiding vital areas. If the candidate died, it wouldn’t be his fault—Hunter Exams were life-or-death.

After retrieving the candidate’s number tag, Lorraine focused on the knife. He needed it to cut wood.

Unlike his previous running-based training, Lorraine intended to focus on strength. Strength gains were more measurable, making them perfect for testing his theory.

However, his superhuman strength meant traditional training methods were insufficient.

He planned to use the forest’s abundant resource—wood—for weighted training with logs.

“Let’s see if this works!” Lorraine took a deep breath, vanishing into the forest to find a suitable training spot.