Author Note: Calling it System feels kind of meh , so It will be named Archive form now on.
...
After calming down slightly and ensuring his face was an unreadable mask of neutrality, Victor mentally clicked the golden [SSS ( Unique ) ] text. A detailed description expanded over his attributes panel, explaining the nature of his talent.
[ Infinite Enhancement: Rank SSS (Unique) ]
Type: Active
Cost: Enhancement Points
Effect: Allows the player to permanently enhance any target, object or entity, excluding themselves.
Note: Each enhancement level applies random, high-tier special effects. Pushing an item past it's established limits has a progressive chance to unlock Legendary or even Heaven-Defying properties. The higher the refinement, the more reality-breaking the result.
Victor frowned. It was incredibly vague. The exact definition of a "Heaven-Defying property" was a complete black box, and the prompt didn't offer any numerical breakdowns or probabilities.
Victor frowned as the description was incredibly vague , he was completely in the dark about what the archive meant by Heaven Defying properties, was it going to be something rule breaking? Or just a flowery way to say that he would get powerful perks.
The description didn't tell him how many times he would have to enhance something to trigger these heaven defying properties, and from the looks of it he would have to explore it on his own.
But one thing was clear to him, for enhancing, he needed enhancement points and he didn't how to earn it or how much he currently has , so he just decided to ask the archive about it.
Archive
He thought, phrasing the question precisely in his mind. Display current Enhancement Point balance and methods of acquisition.
A distinct, chime-like sound echoed in his head, followed by a text prompt that only he could see.
[ System Notification: Enhancement Points (EP) ]
Current Balance: 0 EP
Note: To facilitate your initial exploration, the system has granted you one Free Enhancement Charge. This charge can be applied to any object, bypassing all EP costs. Use it wisely.
EP Acquisition Methods:
1. Gaining Levels.
2. Killing Elite or Boss monsters (Minor EP for common mobs).
3. Completing System Missions.
4. Additional methods unlock with Level/Talent progression.
Victor closed the prompt gazing at his zero EP points , but it didn't matter for now as luckily he had a free enhancement opportunity and hopefully it would help him in the early stages so he can comfortably farm EP to enhance stuff further....
.....
Victor walked over to sit on an empty stone bench as he opened the chat wanting to see what talents the other 'Players' got , since they were either going to be his comrades or competition.
Either way it would be good to know their baseline since he could act accordingly.
Know your enemy he thought. Or at least know how far ahead of the curve you really are
He tapped on the global chat of [ Zone 616 ] as the chat was scrolling by at a rapid pace , and the overall theme was one of ego and despair.
There were those who were boasting and there were those who seemed to have given up.
Big_Donny: Hahaha, I'm going to take off! D-Rank [Defense Hardening] awakened! I'm basically a tank now. Who's looking for a front-liner?
Sad_Trombone: Must be nice. I got an F-Rank 'Improved Sense of Smell.' I'm literally a human bloodhound. This is just garbage.
Jax: A D-Rank? Don't make me laugh. I just pulled a B-Rank: [Burning Blood Ki]. It's a combat multiplier. Looks like I'm the one carrying this zone. Follow my lead if you want to live.
Lily_Pads: B-Rank?! Jax, you're a literal god. I only got an E-Rank 'Swift Foot.' I'm so dead... can someone protect me?
Simp_Lord69: Don't worry, Lily! I've got an E-
Rank too. Check your DMs, I sent a pic of my stats. I'll keep you safe!
Cynic_King: Are you guys for real? We're in a death game and you're already simping? I'm out. Good luck dying.
User_9928: Is everyone here a pro? I got F-Rank.
User_0012: F-Rank here too.
Gamer_Gal: F-Rank squad, checking in. Fml...
...
The screen blurred as a barrage of messages flooded the chat, but Victor was able to get the gist of it. He was surprised to find that the vast majority of players in Zone 616 were F-Rank, with E and D-Ranks making up the next largest portion of the population.
Anything above D was incredibly rare. Those like Jax, who had pulled a B-Rank, were already being treated like royalty. They clearly believed it too, strutting through the chat like they were the chosen protagonists of this new world.
Victor scanned the scrolling text one last time. He didn't see a single mention of an A-Rank, much less an S-Rank. And there was definitely nothing about an SSS-Rank.
As far as the Archive was concerned, he was likely the only holder of that rank in the entire realm and that made Victor feel excited as this life had just turned out to be more exciting than he could have imagined...