All in Charisma (A LitRPG/Isekai Adventure)

Justin woke with a start, fully prepared for what came next.

He had defied all odds, surviving long enough to reach Level 10—no easy feat. Even with the constant stress of his journey, he had achieved this in just a couple of weeks. It had to be a record, considering it took Eldrin several years to reach Level 10 as a Ranger.

His heart raced in anticipation, waiting for the familiar rush of energy that accompanied leveling up.

But as the seconds ticked by, his frown deepened. There was nothing. No surge of power, no notification from the System.

Just an unsettling silence.

He sat up, confused. Opening his interface, he scanned his character information. All his stats were there. His experience bar overflowed into the next level. Even the "Level-up available!" notification hovered in front of him, seemingly taunting him.

"Something's not right," he muttered.

Bohemond, standing a short distance away on watch, looked over. "What's not right?"

"I should be leveling up," Justin said. "But I'm not. Did you level up?"

Bohemond nodded. "I did, when Kargan woke me for the second watch." His expression darkened as he turned to Justin. "Are you saying you're getting nothing?"

Justin shook his head. "What does it mean?"

Bohemond stared into the darkness of the cavern. The light from the fungus clinging to the walls revealed what appeared to be a forest of mushrooms in the distance. Had those been there yesterday?

Before Justin could ask, Bohemond spoke again. "There are two reasons you wouldn't level up. The first is being cursed somehow—rare, but possible. The second, and much more common, is if there's immediate danger nearby. Danger we need to address or escape from."

At the sound of their voices, Kargan stirred awake. "What's this about danger?"

"Kargan, can you level up?" Justin asked.

The orc frowned. "Huh. That's weird. I've got nothing."

Justin scanned the cavern again, now even more alert. The glow from the fungi along the walls cast long, ominous shadows. The air felt thicker than before, almost suffocating. The mushroom trees seemed... closer.

"Are those things moving?" Justin asked, his voice low.

Before Bohemond could reply, a low rustling sound echoed through the chamber. Justin's hand instinctively reached for his cane as the rustling grew louder. It sounded like the wind, but muffled.

It was coming from the mushrooms.

"Back up to the elevator," Justin said, his voice steady but firm.

Before they could move, grotesque, mushroom-like creatures emerged from the darkness, alarmingly close. There must have been an unseen tunnel, hidden from the light of their meager fire. The squat, humanoid bodies were a sickly white, dotted with yellowish-green spores. Large caps sprouted from their heads, blending into the dark environment until they moved. Their eyes glowed in the shadows, and their jerky, unsteady movements made Justin's skin crawl.

Worse still, their mouths were wide, filled with sharp teeth, and forked tongues flicked out as they hissed.

Kargan's Blood Aegis flared to life as one creature opened its gaping mouth, releasing a cloud of spores. The aegis flickered and held for a moment, but the spores quickly broke it down, collapsing the barrier and flooding the air with a thick, rancid fog.

Justin gasped at the stench, pulling his shirt over his face. A notification flashed before him.

[Fear Effect resisted by the Top Hat of Mental Clarity!]

Beside him, Kargan and Bohemond weren't so lucky. The moment they inhaled the spores, their eyes widened in terror. Kargan let out a strangled cry, his tusks trembling as he flailed in panic. Bohemond staggered backward, his face pale, swinging his sword at enemies only he could see.

"Bohemond! Kargan!"

But they were paralyzed with fear. In his confusion, Kargan even cast his Vital Surge healing spell on one of the advancing mushroom monsters.

Five of the grotesque figures moved in closer. They had short, squat legs and long, sinewy arms, causing them to walk almost like crabs as they shambled toward the group.

Justin gripped his cane, his heart pounding in his chest. He was on his own.

There was nothing to do but face this. The others were counting on him.

His cane whirled through the air as he jabbed the creature in the throat, just beneath its gaping mouth, then spun, sweeping its squat legs out from under it. As it hit the ground, Justin brought the cane down hard, cracking its cap with a sickening crunch. The creature twitched once before going still.

Another lunged at him, its long claws swiping at his chest. Justin pivoted, deflecting the strike with his cane.

[Gentleman's Rebuff has shielded this attack!]

Justin pressed his advantage, driving the end of the cane into the creature's midsection. He followed up with a sharp elbow to its head, sending it reeling backward.

He moved as though dancing, grateful for his Improved Cane Competency Boon. Without it, the creatures' numbers and their sporadic attacks might have overwhelmed him. These monsters lacked combat skill, relying instead on their Fear effect and sheer numbers. They were no match for his speed and precision. He felt significantly stronger, more agile, and tougher than before, no doubt a result of the attribute boosts from the Amulet of Equilibrium.

As Justin took down a third creature, more appeared, advancing from the far side of the cavern. They were too far away to use their spores but were closing in quickly.

Suddenly, Kargan's eyes cleared as he gasped for air, and Bohemond also snapped out of his torpor. The Knight charged at the two remaining mushroom creatures, cleaving them with his longsword.

But at least twenty more mushroom creatures were approaching.

"We can't let them get close enough to use their spores," Justin said. "Time to back up to the elevator."

"Let me try something first," Kargan replied, raising his Staff of Blood Aegis. His new Ring of Knives glowed crimson.

Almost immediately, a cloud of ethereal knives materialized in the air before him, spinning in a circle about two meters in diameter. The cloud shot forward, the knives whistling as they tore into the advancing mushroom creatures. The creatures shrieked as the knives sliced through them, their bodies disintegrating into spores and dust. The cloud of knives held its position, blocking the path.

Some creatures attempted to squeeze through narrow gaps on either side, but Kargan cast the spell again—twice more—summoning new clouds of knives that sealed the path. The once-advancing horde of creatures was shredded to pieces in seconds. Ethereal knives continued to slice through their soft bodies until nothing remained.

The original spell faded, revealing the last few mushroom creatures stumbling over one another in the gap, only to be ripped apart by the remaining clouds. By the time the final cloud dissipated, the cavern had grown still.

Justin watched the remnants of the mushrooms, their spores lingering in the air. The spores no longer had an effect now that the monsters were dead.

"Wow," Justin muttered, still in shock. "That was crazy."

Bohemond's face was ashen from the display.

Kargan nodded. "This ring is only going to get stronger as I level up. The opportunities for crowd control are amazing."

Justin nodded, his mind still reeling from the intensity of the fight. He was about to speak when a familiar voice entered his mind.

[You have reached Level 10. Your resilience and ingenuity have brought you to new heights. Reflect on your journey and recognize how far you have come.]

Justin stared into the darkness of the cavern, his senses on high alert. For now, the monsters seemed to have retreated, leaving them with a rare moment of calm. The Voice wouldn't let him level up unless it was safe, and finally, it seemed they had a moment to breathe.

[As a Level 10 Socialite, you have one attribute point to distribute.]

Justin hesitated, his fingers brushing the cool surface of the Amulet of Equilibrium resting against his chest. He was on the cusp of a major decision, and King Alaric's warning echoed in his mind. Once one of his attributes exceeded twice the average of all others, the amulet would be impossible to remove, except by death itself.

This was it. His last chance to decide whether to invest further in his Charisma or spread his points across other attributes. If he raised his Charisma to 21, the Amulet would require that his other attributes catch up before he could remove it.

He'd be forced to invest five more points into them over the next five levels just to take off the amulet. Sure, every six points in Charisma would grant him +1 to his other attributes, but those milestones would only come every six levels unless he found more gear to boost his base attributes.

Because that was the catch: the Amulet's enchantment only applied to base attributes, not the total from all his gear.

He had to keep in mind that if he invested in his other attributes, he wouldn't lose his +3 bonus to all the others. The Amulet would remain powerful even if he didn't go all in.

He had been toying with the idea of going all-in on Charisma for some time. What he did next would cement that decision pretty much permanently.

"Time to do it. At least for the plot."

Justin closed his eyes and focused on his point.

[Your Charisma is now 21.]

He felt a shift in the Amulet's weight. It didn't fuse to his skin, but when he tried to lift it from his neck, it became unbearably heavy. He let his hand drop, and as the Amulet settled back against his chest, it returned to its previous, almost weightless state.

He exhaled, the reality of his choice sinking in. At that moment, he wasn't sure if he had made the right decision.

All he knew was that there was no going back.

That was when the System's voice echoed in his mind again.

[As a Level 10 Socialite, you have unlocked your Class Focus. Your Focus is an important decision, not to be made lightly. It will influence all the skills and boons you are presented with from here on out, even when you adopt your Advanced Class. Your journey so far has made six potential Focuses available to you. Each comes with a Focus Boon that will further shape your destiny, automatically upgrading to its mastered form at Level 20. Choose wisely! There is no changing your Focus except under very specific and rare circumstances.]

Stolen novel; please report.

A chill ran through Justin as he scanned the options on his interface. Like the attribute boost, the weight of this decision pressed down on him. He read through the first option.

Seducer Focus

Description: Seducers use their charm and allure to captivate and influence others, particularly by exploiting the baser instincts shared by all sapient races, whether those are lust, greed, or envy. They excel in persuasion and manipulation, making them adept at turning social situations to their advantage.

Focus Perk: Doubled experience from inflicting the Charm effect.

Undeniable Charm (Focus Boon): There's something about you that can't be denied. People may love or hate you for it, but whatever "it" is, it's undeniable. Upon adopting this boon, the attraction others feel for you increases, scaling with your Charisma attribute. But be warned—this may also inspire jealousy in those who long to be like you or to be with you.

Justin considered this first option. He had to admit the Seducer Focus was intriguing. The ability to manipulate and control social situations with sheer charisma had its appeal, but the risk of creating animosity worried him. A double-edged sword, for sure.

This was power, but one that was difficult to control. Worse still, it could leave him isolated, surrounded by jealousy and mistrust.

More importantly, it didn't fit his personality. He wasn't interested in playing mind games or being adored by others; that sounded somewhat creepy, to be honest. Unless he didn't mind getting his hands dirty, this could easily become a nightmare.

With a sigh, he moved on to the next option.

Gentleman Focus

Description: The Gentleman Focus is a balanced, jack-of-all-trades approach to the Socialite class, embodying grace, poise, and a deep understanding of both combat and high society. Gentlemen are comfortable in a fight or in a diplomatic ballroom, but they do not excel in either.

Focus Perk: Gain experience from combat as well as influence-based actions. Double experience for dodging any attack that could seriously harm you or damage your reputation.

Essence of a Gentleman (Focus Boon): A true gentleman deflects slights—whether physical, magical, or reputational—with grace and aplomb. Gain a slight chance to deflect physical, magical, and reputational damage from all attacks. The percentage chance is based on your total attribute points divided by 10.

Now, this was interesting. The Gentleman Focus offered versatility, granting access to skills and boons that balanced combat and social situations, which seemed ideal. He wouldn't be the best fighter or the most charming person, but the flexibility could prove invaluable.

Additionally, the Focus Perk was significant. Gaining experience from both combat and social interactions would allow him to level up much faster. This was an important consideration since the experience requirements increased with each level. Double experience for dodging a significant attack was the icing on the cake.

And the Essence of a Gentleman boon? It provided a consistent chance to deflect attacks—whether physical, magical, or even damage to his reputation. According to the description, it wasn't based on his base attributes. The Amulet of Equilibrium, which granted extra attribute points, would only enhance the dodge chance.

Doing some quick calculations, he realized that with all his gear, he'd have 93 total Attribute Points after this level-up, giving him a 9.3% chance to dodge physical and magical damage entirely, plus social attacks. Even without the Amulet, the boon would still grant him a respectable 7.8% dodge chance.

And if he continued leveling up and upgrading his gear, this boon would scale well into the future. However, he also considered the downside: without excelling in any one area, he might struggle against specialists.

Still, this Focus suited his style much better than the Seducer.

He filed it away as a strong contender and moved on to the next.

Noble Focus

Description: The Noble Focus reflects someone born into wealth or someone who has earned their place in high society. Nobles excel in political maneuvering, leadership, and command, influencing large groups and managing resources effectively.

Focus Perk: You have a much higher likelihood of being accepted by people of similar or higher social class, even without pedigree. You gain double experience for orders that are obeyed and that expand your influence.

Aura of Command (Focus Boon): Your presence inspires those around you. When leading a party of four or more, you gain +2 to all attributes, while party members receive a +1 boost to all attributes. When leading a party of eight or more, you gain +4 to all attributes, and party members gain +2. When leading a party of sixteen or more, you gain +8 to all attributes, and party members gain +4.

Justin considered the Noble Focus carefully. The bonuses it offered to both him and his party were incredibly powerful. Attribute points were scarce, and this boon would make him a more effective leader while enhancing his entire party.

The Focus Perk was appealing as well. If he envisioned himself navigating high society regularly, this was likely the Focus to choose. The lack of combat experience might not be a significant issue if he planned to order people around.

If he selected this Focus, he'd step into a leadership role. He'd likely gain more skills and boons related to commanding, leading, or acquiring wealth—abilities that could be very useful in large-scale conflicts or even kingdom-building scenarios.

The idea tempted him. After all, he'd always loved reading about "kingdom-building" during his web novel days. But did he want to be "the leader"? The role seemed more suited for someone like Baron Valdrik or Lord Harrington.

On paper, however, it could be the strongest Focus presented to him so far, even if the particular circumstances it served seemed remote at the moment.

He moved on.

Duelist Focus

Description: The Duelist is a master of one-on-one combat, specializing in finesse-based weapons such as rapiers and canes. Duelists are elegant fighters who strike with precision and grace, defeating their enemies in style.

Focus Perk: Gain experience from combat and influence-based actions. You receive double experience for defeating hostiles without assistance from other characters, along with Improved Rapier Competency for free.

Elegant Counter (Focus Boon): After dodging or parrying an enemy attack, perform a flawless counterattack that deals double damage and staggers your opponent. Each successful counter grants Momentum, increasing your combat speed by 10% for 10 seconds. Momentum can stack up to two times.

This concept immediately captured Justin's attention. The idea of mastering one-on-one combat appealed to him, especially with the opportunity to specialize in rapiers.

The Elegant Counter boon was equally impressive. Dealing double damage with a staggering effect seemed perfect for stylishly taking down enemies. He could already envision himself, cane or rapier in hand, dispatching foes with calculated strikes.

The Focus Perk, similar to the Gentleman Perk, offered experience from combat, which was crucial. However, the Duelist went a step further by providing a free rapier boon along with double experience for soloing an enemy.

If he ever wanted to venture out on his own, this Focus would facilitate that.

However, the drawback was evident. The Focus appeared to specialize in one-on-one combat, making him less effective in group situations. He would receive no bonuses when fighting multiple enemies, at least with this first boon.

Additionally, the Focus likely offered few charisma-based boons and skills. Trading versatility for mastery in one-on-one combat was tempting, but was it the right choice?

He glanced at the next Focus, which seemed to emphasize social skills.

Raconteur Focus

Description: The Raconteur is a master of clever banter, sharp wit, and social finesse. Always prepared with a quick retort or entertaining story, they can navigate any social situation with ease, charming allies and unsettling opponents with their razor-sharp tongue, all in service to their larger goals and ambitions.

Focus Perk: Double experience for influence-based actions.

The Perfect Comeback (Focus Boon): When insulted, scrutinized, or directly attacked, your Poison Barb skill immediately goes off cooldown.

Justin considered the Raconteur Focus, even though it didn't seem like the right choice. He had been in this world long enough to know that a purely social build might not suit him, but the boon's usefulness was undeniable.

The Perfect Comeback would enable him to use Poison Barb much more freely, reducing his reliance on achieving a stun to reset the cooldown. This ability could help him dominate social situations and provide a strong form of crowd control, as it also applied to attacks.

As for the Focus Perk, he couldn't be entirely sure. However, an influence-based action appeared to encompass any social action that moved his goals forward, providing a strong bonus for a pure social build.

It just wasn't for him.

The next option seemed even less suited to his build, but it looked like it could be a fun playstyle for someone more sociopathic.

Con Artist Focus

Description: The Con Artist is a master of deception, trickery, and manipulation. They employ clever misdirection, psychological manipulation, and elaborate schemes to swindle, deceive, or persuade others to their advantage. Experts at creating false realities, they capitalize on the greed or naivety of their targets.

Focus Perk: Double experience for successfully swindling a mark.

Identify Mark (Focus Boon): A symbol appears above others' heads, visible only to you, revealing their susceptibility to deception or manipulation, providing a general sense of how easy or difficult they might be to con.

Justin could easily discard this Focus; it did not interest him at all. He was curious about how the Identify Mark boon would play out in real life, but not enough to sacrifice taking the Focus.

He moved on to the final Focus.

Sleuth Focus

Focus Perk: Double experience for investigative-based actions.

Description: The Sleuth Focus is designed for those who prefer whispers over war cries. Experts in subtlety, manipulation, and observation, Sleuths thrive in the shadows of society. Whether infiltrating locked estates, eavesdropping in courtly halls, or unraveling secrets best left buried, they collect leverage as others collect loot. Few can match their ability to uncover the truth—and weaponize it.

Deductive Instinct (Focus Boon): Greatly increases your capacity to identify clues, inconsistencies, or suspicious characters in conversations.

Like Raconteur or Con Artist, Justin didn't feel that Sleuth was the right choice for him. There had definitely been satisfaction in cracking the case of the poisoner, but Justin didn't want to focus solely on that. However, he forced himself to consider it. It stood to reason that Deductive Instinct would be useful not only for solving mysteries but also for gathering valuable information in general. And information was power.

Still, it felt somewhat lackluster compared to some of the other options.

Justin's eyes flicked back and forth between the options on his interface. He hadn't expected to have so many choices, but he quickly discarded Seducer, Raconteur, Con Artist, and after another moment's consideration, Sleuth. They simply didn't suit him—not now, not with what lay ahead.

That left Gentleman, Noble, and Duelist. Each one called to different parts of him, each with its own set of strengths.

He paused, his mind racing as he weighed his options.

The Gentleman Focus offered balance. He wouldn't be the best at anything, but he wouldn't be the worst either. The Essence of a Gentleman boon would allow him to deflect damage—physical, magical, and reputational—with style, and that sounded incredibly appealing.

As he contemplated it, the Focus's hybrid approach revealed itself as a strength rather than a weakness. He'd have a solution for any situation, whether it involved a fight or a negotiation. Plus, with his Amulet of Equilibrium, the Focus Boon would scale well. His current attributes meant he'd already have nearly a 10% chance to deflect any attack. Not bad.

It might not sound like much, but a chance like that could mean the difference between life and death. The idea of dodging attacks with sheer grace was enticing—it fit his image. Furthermore, the bonus could grow even larger when the boon upgraded at Level 20.

Yet, that nagging thought returned: Would it be enough? The jack-of-all-trades approach was practical, but was it the best choice for what was coming? Did he need something with more power?

Then there was the Noble Focus. This option was different—powerful, but not in the way Justin usually operated. He'd become a leader, a figure others rallied behind. His Aura of Command would enhance not only his own attributes but also those of his entire party. And the bonuses would scale up significantly in larger groups.

In the right circumstances, with enough followers, he could become a force to be reckoned with. It stood to reason that when the boon upgraded at Level 20, it might provide even more impressive bonuses.

Leadership. Influence. The power to inspire.

However, that power came with expectations and responsibilities. Justin valued his independence and the freedom to act without worrying about others. Leading a party of eight or more would require him to be in the thick of things, constantly looking after his companions.

Did he want that? He hadn't dreamed of commanding armies or building empires. But might he someday grow into that role?

The idea wasn't unattractive. Leading others to success, gaining influence over entire regions, having people look to him for guidance...and of course, amassing wealth and resources.

But it also meant becoming a target. And if he failed? Aura of Command wouldn't mean much if the weight of leadership crushed him. Moreover, the boon would offer nothing beneficial immediately; he needed to be leading a party of four for that.

Finally, his eyes lingered on the Duelist Focus. This option appealed to his ego. There was something undeniably cool about the Duelist. The Elegant Counter boon felt tailored for someone who valued finesse, precision, and deadly efficiency. Every dodge or parry would be an opportunity to turn the tables with style.

Double damage on a counterattack? The chance to stagger an opponent? Not to mention the Momentum mechanic, which would increase his attack speed after every successful counter. Justin could envision himself thriving in one-on-one duels, dispatching enemies with sharp, precise strikes.

But therein lay the problem. The Duelist was hyper-specialized, designed for one-on-one combat. It sounded ideal in theory, but what would happen when he faced multiple opponents? If the battle shifted to something larger, would his finesse and precision be enough to protect him?

He had spent most of his time on Eyrth as a member of a party. The Duelist seemed more like a solo operator; it was who he used to be, not who he was becoming.

The Gentleman was flexible, the Noble was powerful in groups, and the Duelist excelled in direct combat. Each had its appeal and could shape the way he approached every challenge moving forward.

Justin took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He envisioned the upcoming battles and challenges—surviving Baron Valdrik, navigating the Vaults, and facing the unknown. Who did he need to become to survive all that? Which decisions had allowed him to endure so far? Who did he want to become?

At that moment, the System's message upon reaching Level 10 echoed in his mind.

Remember to reflect on your journey and recognize how far you have come.

The answer lay in acknowledging what had brought him this far. No matter what he chose, he would retain all the skills and boons he had unlocked. That was important to remember.

The question was whether he wanted to double down on what was already working, pursue a new and larger role to grow into, or enhance his combat effectiveness to shore up potential weaknesses on the battlefield.

He had been agonizing for at least ten minutes, and every second counted.

It was time to choose.