NOVEL NEXT Chapter 21: Shopping Before Promotion
(1 hour before Adam's meeting with Irene Belserion.)
"Status."
After leaving Rumi at her place and promising her to meet her later, Adam arrived at his penthouse and summoned his system's interface.
When he slayed " Stheno", as he decided to name the snake boss, a bunch of notifications came off.
Now that he was by himself and most things were taken care of, he proceeded to check them out.
[Status]
[Stats]
Name: Adam Zenith
Age: 21
Level: 47 ( Upper B-Rank) ——> (S-Rank based solely on stats)
Race: Human
Karma: error!
[Stats]
HP: 6,625/6,625
EP: 13,300/13,300
Strength: 65 (+50) —> 115
Dexterity: 55 (+20)—> 75
Stamina: 55 (+45) —> 100
Intelligence: 81
Luck: Error
Free Stats: 40 !!!
[Powers]
[Shop](locked)*!*!*!
[Realm](locked)
Taking a quick glance at his status window Adam nodded, satisfied.
He didn't wait much before placing 25 free stats on his dexterity, to bring it up to 100, and the remaining 15 on his intelligence stat, bringing it up to 96.
' If I had leveled up just once more all of my stats would be in the three digits.'
Instead of pondering too much on this, the young man went over his status screen once more.
That's when he noted a change on the information regarding his level.
" So even the system recognizes that my level and Rank don't align."
The stats he currently possessed far surpassed the level he currently has. Meaning that he was a B-Rank by technicality, but an S-Rank when it came to stats.
This was good in the long run.
If, by any chance, there is a limit to the amount of levels one can get, this meant that he could surpass this limit by means of stats.
In other words, his Adaptive Regeneration was broken, way more broken than he thought.
"Let me take a look at the notifications now."
After assessing his stats, he finally went to check his "rewards."
'Wait, is the shop section blinking ?'
[ The host has slayed a monster three ranks above himself! An unprecedented achievement has been made! ]
[ Due to this, the shop will be opened for the next 24 hours! Please note that the shop will be locked again after 10 purchases are done or when the time limit reaches its end.]
[ 2 upgrade tickets were added to the host's inventory!]
On his first week since "regaining" his memories and after the randomized power system being on temporal lockdown, Adam received two new rewards while hunting.
An inventory, in which he could store any item , and where his rewards were automatically saved, in addition to a ticket he obtained after killing Anansi's former self.
'So the shop will be opened temporarily. Depending on what they sell this could be extremely useful.'
While thinking this at the back of his mind, he commanded his inventory to be displayed by the system.
" Open inventory."
[ Inventory:
Upgrade Ticket X3 (Locked until the cool down ends)
Power Booster Ticket ( Locked until the cool down ends)
(EX-Rank) Power Ticket ( Locked until the cool down ends) ]
The EX-Rank Power Ticket and Power booster he got from his first dungeon were still locked.
Since Adam did not use the EX-Rank Power Ticket as soon as he got it, the latter was immediately locked alongside the Power booster he obtained after killing Ragnar.
" Show me the description of the power booster ticket and the upgrade ticket."
He needed to know. What's the difference between these two?
They sounded pretty similar if one did not look into their description.
[Upgrade Ticket:
A Ticket created by the Randomizer System which allows the upgrade in Rank of any power the host possesses.]
[Power Booster Ticket:
A Ticket created by the Randomizer System which increases the proficiency and lowers the drawbacks of any power the host possesses. ]
" So they are similar in a way."
While the Upgrade Ticket increases the rank of a power of Adam's choosing, the Power Boost Ticket modified it to be better, and corrected any flaw/weakness it may have.
" What to do…"
He wondered if it could be this easy.
What if the same power couldn't be upgraded more than once.
What if an upgraded power couldn't be "boosted"?
Answering these questions was of great importance.
"Well, I'll figure it out eventually."
For now, he couldn't do anything but wait for the cool down to be over.
" Open the shop."
Now, what really intrigued the young man was the shop.
Since the very beginning, this shop has been locked, so whatever it's contents are it was a mystery for him.
The "Realm" option was another mystery Adam was itching to uncover but there was little he could do about it at the moment.
As soon as he called out his order, a translucent holographic screen with golden edges and silver text covered his vision.
[{[SHOP]}]
{Artifacts}
{Weapons}
{Consumibles}
{Powers}
{???}
{???}
"…"
As soon as he looked at the fourth category within the system's shop, one single thought dominated his mind.
'There is a bug.'
There had to be a bug.
That, or whoever created this nonsensical system made it so that there were loop holes for Adam to exploit.
" Open the powers category."
It just didn't make sense.
Why would they place a cool down period as soon as a certain amount of randomized powers were given to him, yet whenever the shop opens, he would have access to powers and other items?
Either the shop would only open in very special occasions, or something was being overlooked.
" I'm thinking too much into it. Let's see what we have here."
As soon as the screen refreshed, a list of names were displayed in front of Adam's eyes.
"This shit is crazy…"
Millions, billions, an absurdly amount of options laid bare for Adam to pick.
"This is too overwhelming."
He could choose 10 powers of his liking if he wished to do so.
And not just any power.
The amount of SSS and EX ranked powers were sickening.
Sure, there were a majority of useless and low ranked powers, like " Luminance" which allowed the user to become a human flashlight.
But that was of little importance to him.
Looking at the top of the screen, he noticed a toolbox icon. When he mentally pressed on it, a sort of research filter appeared.
This helped the red-hair to save some of his time, as he set the research options to only display powers from the EX Rank and above.
" Some are locked uh."
It seemed as though EX Rank was not the ultimate tier of power in this world, something that he expected, for there were a bunch of interrogation marks in the list, which suggested he was far from reaching the authority necessary to even read their name.
" Ok let's see."
After changing the filtering slightly to avoid the nameless powers from covering space in his vision, the list of hundreds of thousand EX Rank powers showed up.
" Soul Strike, Gluttony, Ultimate Metamorphosis, Unparalleled Illusion Creation…"
The more he went through the list, the less he started to care about the questions that clouded his mind 24/7.
" Infinite Energy?"
When he read that, he immediately asked the system to show its description.
[ Infinite Energy (EX-Rank):
The name is self explanatory. What do you need a description for?]
Adam took a deep sigh, his Calm Mind skill proving to be as effective as it always has been.
" It's a bugged system, Adam. It means no harm."
Like a mantra, he repeated this sentence over and over until the bulging vein in his forehead receded.
After calming down he was about to press on the power when he finally realized something.
"How am I paying for this?"
From the start, there was no price next to the powers' names.
Hesitantly, he commanded for "Infinite Energy" to be selected, only then did he sigh in relief.
" Yep… There is a bug."
[{[ Infinite Energy ( EX-Rank)- 250 000 000 Karma points]}]
[ Would you like to purchase this item?]
[Y/N]
He had countless Karma.
In other words, he was rich.
Well, richer, but in a different type of currency this time around.
He pressed on yes without a second thought, and as soon as he did so he felt as though his reserves of energy, which he could usually estimate without looking at the system, became bottomless.
He wasn't sure how "infinite" his EP had actually become, since there were little to no explanations provided.
But he could feel it.
No matter what he did, his EP wouldn't run out.
" I just wanted to increase it, but this works."
He sounded unimpressed, but the pleasure-filled smile that crept into his face said otherwise.
" Nine more to go~."
…..
After a few minutes of going through the list, Adam stopped after buying four more powers.
Opting to stop at that number, for now, in order to also check the other sections of the shop that remained unchecked.
He might need something from there.
[Primordial Shadow Control (EX- Rank):
The shadows obey you.]
" What a shitty description! Then again, I wasn't expecting anything better."
The main reason why he selected this power in specific was due to his already high affinity with shadows, his authority.
If he could combine his necromancy abilities with whatever this shadow control implied, the chances were limitless.
It was mostly a gamble since, once again, the system was behaving like a bitch with its descriptions.
But it was a gamble he was willing to take nonetheless.
[ Divine Weapon Maker ( EX-Rank):
Make corporeal constructs resembling weapons from the host's imagination. As long as energy is provided, the construct shall remain intact.]
"At least this one has a proper description."
Although it lacked a specific breakdown on the EP that was required to maintain these constructs, Adam was satisfied with at least receiving something this time around.
That and, well, he had "infinite" EP now. So who cares about the cost?
[ Elemental Affinity ( EX- Rank):
Fire, Wind, Water/ice, Earth and lightning magic affinities are available for the host to use.
P.S. Understanding of Magic is required.]
"I'm not knowledgeable about magic but I know of a certain dragon lady that may help me change that~."
This was essentially a passive ability that gave Adam extremely high affinity to all magical elements, which would allow for Adam to have a much easier time when he learnt how to use magic.
That's right, he never once had used magic before.
Adam's powers were not magical in any way actually.
Magic required the studying of magical theory and of course an affinity, which would either be obtained from awakening or from the individual's genetic ancestry.
Adam's father was a mage, but as it was clear by now, he did not inherit his magical talents.
Magic and Supernatural Powers were quite different.
While they both required energy to be spent and were indistinguishable in the eyes of normal people, they both had advantages and disadvantages that made it hard to decide which one was more convenient to have.
For instances, Magical Spells took time to be casted, specially if the spells were atrociously powerful.
This of course depended heavily on the mage, since a very proficient one could accomplish far better results than mediocre ones.
But overall, a casting time was necessary.
For the sake of comparison, Supernatural Powers like Adam's were practically instantaneous.
If he wished to teleport, he would do so as soon as his mental command ended.
If he wanted to cast a fireball with his pyromancy, he just needed to think about it and *BOOM!*.
As for mages, they would have to think of a specific formula, calculate the trajectory, intensity, and even the right amount of energy they needed to use , along with a bunch of other things Adam had zero clue about.
Supernatural Powers 1 - 0 Magic
But, there was one characteristic that placed mages in a higher realm when in comparison to normal power users.
Versatility.
Even if a mage had one single affinity, it didn't matter, since they would always have more arsenal/repertory than any power user.
Attack, defense, speed, healing. There were thousands of spells for each affinity, and they could virtually aid the mage in every aspect.
On the other hand, power users relied on the specificity of their supernatural ability.
If a man with a "Fire Ball" power were to fight with a fire mage, the former would get obliterated, provided that the mage knew their spells well enough.
Even Adam with his pyromancy powers had a limited ability to control fire.
Sure, he could coat his body with it and even shot it in any way or shape he wished. But what about healing? What about enhancement related effects ?
He wouldn't suffer much from this since well, he had a multitude of abilities at his disposal to cover his flaws.
But this was not the case for the average…
Scratch that.
This was not the case for any other "power type" awakener.
Supernatural Powers 1 - 1 Magic
" So a draw it is ~."
In conclusion, it was not the type of awakener what made the awakener superior, but how much effort they placed in improving their naturally given talents.
Now, what if someone could do both proficiently?
That's what he was aiming to find out.
" Last but not least."
[ Ultimate Concealment ( EX- Rank):
If you wish so, no one can find you.
No one. ]
He wasn't too proud of it, but it was necessary.
Someone out there wanted him killed, and he knew that too well.
Not to mention that by now, they should know that he didn't perish a week ago.
Ragnar was an obstacle that was meant to kill him, which is why he needed to get an alias, and hide his face with a mask.
Stheno's increase in power, along with her sudden appearance in the middle of the dungeon, something that was highly impossible provided that bosses can't move pass certain boundaries within a dungeon, was also very suspicious.
This last deduction was especially worrying. Since that would imply that they already know RED and Adam are the same person.
" They found me again."
It was an easy conclusion to reach.
" And I have shown them too much."
His enemy could tamper with dungeons. That alone was alarming.
But now, the scope of probabilities once again had increased. For them to make the connection that RED was Adam meant that this might not be one individual, but an organization led by some freaky bastards.
He needed to get stronger.
He needed to grind more levels.
There was no merit in having so many abilities if he wasn't strong enough to use them effectively.
" I need to reach EX-Rank at the very least, and maybe go beyond that. Whoever is behind this, is surely way pass the SSS- Rank realm. "
With this in mind, Adam exited the power section of the shop and proceeded with checking the other available goods he could purchase.
"As long as it makes me stronger."
....
Walking by the hallway that lead to the Hunter Association president's office, a beautiful young woman could be seen.
Her crimson red hair, loosely held in a simple yet charming ponytail, swayed in tone with her every step.
As she reached the counter a few meters away from the door that would lead to the office, the young lady smiled politely.
" Hi Brandish. How are you doing today?"
The green haired woman behind the counter reciprocated the young woman's smile with one of her on, just that hers leaned more on the professional side.
" I'm doing good lady Erza. How may I help you?"
Erza, looked quite displeased with the way Brandish responded.
" Why are you always so stiff? We are almost the same age you know?"
" Whatever you mean, lady Erza."
"…"
She would usually insist to be talked to more informally if it was any other person, but this was a very common occurrence when dealing with her mom's secretary, so she was kind of used to it by now.
"*Sigh* You are impossible…"
" Thank you."
" That wasn't a compliment."
Shaking her head out of exasperation, the "lady" gave up trying to get through the serious secretary.
" Is mom busy?"
Brandish nodded with a hint of worry.
" Five minutes before your arrival she informed me that she would be out for a while. Some "special" hunter seems to have requested for a rank evaluation exam."
Erza opened her eyes widely at this information.
" What? Who is the hunter? Some SS-Rank big shot?"
Brandish shooks her head while typing something in her computer.
By now, Erza was standing on her side of the counter, sitting on her desk as she looked at the monitor screen where a list of names was being displayed.
" RED is his code name, an F-Rank. His personal information is blocked."
Erza quizzically examined the profile picture, which showed a masked man with a hood.
She couldn't point it out exactly, but she had an odd feeling of familiarity when looking at this individual.
' Wait, F-Rank? Why would mom oversee an F-Rank's promotion exam? She only deals with SS-Ranks who want to be promoted to SSS-Rank. Which is extremely odd. Not to mention she never passes them. Who exactly is this guy?
She needed to see this with her own eyes.
" She told you the room she's using for the examination?"
Brandish nodded with her eyes closed.
" Top floor, room 3."
The top floor was exclusively used for high rankers from the association. It was a training section of the building that spanned for dozens of miles, which only had a small number of rooms.
Massive rooms.
There were space spells put in place which allowed for its expansion, along with high tier protection spells that could easily sustain the attack of a full fledged SSS-Rank boss monster.
At least that's what the association estimated.
" Thank you for the information Brandish, you're a sweetheart."
Brandish looked away with squinted eyes as her serious facade fell. A silly smile appeared on her face and a rosy undertone manifested in her cheeks.
" I'm glad I could help, lady Erza."
"…"
She did not receive another word from her boss's daughter, which made her open her eyes and look around.
" She's gone?"
Then it finally hit her.
" Wait, did I just give her classified information."
{Flashback:
"Brandish, I'll be gone to carry out an evaluation for promotion on room 3. Don't tell anyone where I am, just make something up if they ask to see me."(Irene) }
" Shit."
Brandish's job was on the line.
.....
I didn't use the app I usually work with to autocorrect any mistake I might've done, so feel free to do so if you see any typo.
Like always suggestions are appreciated and I hope you have a lovely day.