NOVEL NEXT Chapter 29: The Calm Before The Storm
" Well, that was fun."
If one took a look around the training room, they would be able to see 5 individuals either panting severely or unconscious on the ground.
After Natsu came Gray.
Similarly to the dragon slayer mage, the ice wizard lasted a few seconds before Adam kicked him to sleep.
After that followed Fubuki, who was very fired up for some reason.
Adam's interaction with Hinata annoyed her more than she could admit.
With a 'gentle' neck chop she was incapacitated after a few attempts to propel Adam with her esper powers.
Then came Sakura, who teamed up with Ino after Adam proposed it.
The result was both comical and expected.
Although their coordination was decent, which surprised Adam provided his knowledge from Naruto, it was futile in his eyes.
With a few faints here and there the two kunoichi ended up head-butting each other, which ultimately sent them to the land of dreams.
" You sure you don't wanna go?"
Lucy, Hinata, Momo, and Shikamaru just shook their heads.
They had seen enough.
Louis didn't even respond as he was not a fighter but a healer.
" You sure as hell don't fight like a rookie."
" Never said I was a rookie fighter, Shikamaru. I'm a rookie hunter, different story."
A few minutes later everyone who fought Adam was well and awake. Thankfully, Louis was there to heal everyone back to their feet, which wasn't very hard for the med student as they weren't seriously injured in the first place.
After some venting here and there, in addition to praises for Adam's skills in martial arts, the group was transported back by his Spatial Jump.
They all exchanged phone numbers and finally left their separate ways.
Fubuki remained behind to talk to Adam. Proposing in a very 'tsundere' way that they should hang out soon, to which Adam teasingly agreed.
Now, as he drove back home, the young man side-eyed his system window, which showed him that the Randomizer function had finally been unlocked again.
" That was a nice change of pace, I should do that more often."
Having to 'hide' his identity was very frustrating.
One of the things the being from the void mentioned to Adam was that he wouldn't have to hide anymore from anyone. Yet, it seemed as though this 'anyone' was only limited to Gods.
Not like he was complaining, after all, he got to experience a life unlike any other he had before.
Though he couldn't remember them fully, he knew this was the case.
His previous worlds, although not always 'normal' weren't as open to the supernatural as his current one was.
He never experienced 'power', at least not the fantastical one.
He may not retain much of his memories, but having powers, something retained in one's soul, was a good indication that this was the case.
While thinking all of this, a familiar notification sound made Adam direct his vision to his system as he parked his car in his garage.
[ To counter the host's overthinking a new power has been created!]
[Timeless Thinking (S-Rank) has been awakened!]
[(Description)]
[Y/N]
' Back at it again with the random shit…'
Mentally selecting the 'Yes' option, the description panel showed up.
[Timeless Thinking (S-Rank):]
[The Host's thinking process amplifies to an extreme extent. Under Timeless Thinking, one second in reality is experienced as a minute. This power is semi-passive. It needs willingness from the host to be activated but no energy consumption is required.
Cooldown: 2 minutes.]
" Eh?! Cool down?"
For the first time since he got the system, he obtained an ability with a cool down.
All in all the power was good, but in his opinion, an 'S-Rank' power should've been more useful.
Having time slow down by 60 times was phenomenal, but during a high-level fight that advantage was meager, especially if he had to wait for two whole minutes for the cool-down to happen.
Also, 'timeless' was overselling it…
' So you can get overestimated powers like this one too, uh…'
[!]
' Another one?'
[ Two powers are resonating with each other, a merge is now possible!]
[ Would you like to merge Calm Mind (Rank-B) and Timeless Thinking ( Rank-S) into one new power?]
' W-wait a minute…'
[ Please note that a Power born from the fusion of two other powers may or may not retain similar characteristics. What remains factual is that the Former will always outrank the Latter.]
'…'
Adam remained in his car for a few minutes just looking at the steering wheel.
This new feature was a game changer.
If he put his hands on related powers, a new, more powerful ability would awaken.
It sounded dangerous as he may lose the usefulness of the combined powers, but if he was lucky enough, his strength would skyrocket.
' Merge them.'
His Karma was fucking infinite and his 'luck' stat was broken. If he wasn't lucky, literally no one could be.
[ Calm Mind (Rank-B) and Timeless Thinking ( Rank-S) are being merged! ]
[!]
[ Ultra State ( Rank- SS) has awakened! ]
[ Your mind and body separate at will and you enter a trance-like state. The level at which it can be used depends on the Host's stats and the longer it is used the more the Host's stamina declines. Overuse is not advised.]
' Now … hold the fuck on!'
With Calm Mind now gone, Adam's emotions become more apparent.
...….
" You ready?"
An overly tall man, wearing a weird pair of sunglasses, asked his partner in crime. A long-haired man with serpent-like eyes.
" I am, Master sent 'it' yesterday and Miss Alice forwarded it to me. We have to be quick or we might get caught up in the gate break too."
The usually smiley man, Don Flamingo, wore a frown the entire time.
Orochimaru was right, this was the biggest gate break they had ever attempted to make, it was as dangerous to them as it would be for the Star City citizens.
Something that, if it works, would benefit them greatly.
" I have the scroll in hand, when you give me the signal we'll be out of here."
" Good. This is your last chance, and probably mine to prove our worth to 'him'. His help is already proof that we failed to carry out Miss Alice's mission. We can't mess it up."
In the last few days, they tried to come up with a plan to either capture or kill Adam.
Sadly, for them at least, this proved to be harder than they thought.
Forget tracking him, even scratching him was outside of their capabilities.
He not only outranked them both as a hunter, but his connections were second to none.
A guild master from one of the strongest guilds on the continent.
The backing of the Hunter Association.
If making a move on him by themselves wasn't already hard enough, these connections just made it insanely more difficult.
The tall man nodded seriously, fully knowing that his executive position, and maybe even his life were on the line.
" Do it."
Taking his colleague's words as a queue, Orochimaru pressed hard on the crystal orb he was holding.
The golden sphere broke into pieces before a wave of ethereal energy spread around.
*BOOOOOM! STOMP!! ROAR!!!!*
A cacophony of horror greeted the duo who for a moment saw their death.
The level of killing intent was borderline sickening, especially the furthest one they could feel.
" F-flamingo, now! We gotta leave this place!!"
" S-shit! I can't move!!!'
With inhuman will, the shinobi scientist elongated his index fingernail enough to pierce through Don Flamingo's thigh.
" Aaaagh!!!"
" You're out of it!!! Do it now !!!!"
Regaining control after experiencing the pain in his thigh, he quickly brought out the scroll that was in his pocket, which he opened before tearing it.
A faint glow surrounded them before the two disappeared.
...…
( Somewhere within an unknown dungeon.)
""" Uhm? That's odd. The voice stopped, and now a whisper remains."""
A grotesque voice sounded around a throne room, large enough to accommodate an army of a few thousand men.
""" Well, their orders are ultimate. Voice or whisper, I shall obey."""
*CRACK* X25
Loud cracking was followed by the creature's joint movements, a consequence of sitting on its throne for far too long.
The other beings surrounding him, stopped in their tracks when they felt its presence.
They uniformly kneeled in reverence, an attitude incomprehensible for dungeon monsters.
""" I shall obey."""
They had awakened a beast, the likes of which had never been seen before.
....
" Stats…"
[Status]
[Stats]
Name: Adam Zenith
Age: 21
Level: 50 ( Peak-B-Rank) ——> (SS-Rank based on stats)
Race: Human
Karma: error!
[Stats]
HP: 7,225/7,225
EP: ∞
Strength: 126
Dexterity: 100
Stamina: 100
Intelligence: 100
Luck: Error
Free Stats: 0
[Powers]
[Shop](locked)*!*!*!
[Realm](locked)
[Inventory]
(A/N: I noticed the inventory wasn't on the list before so I'll just include it now.)
Yes, Adam had long since reached the SS-Rank.
As soon as he increased his stats before the rank evaluation test, his overall Rank went from S to SS immediately. A factor he had ignored due to the apparition of the 'shop'.
Now, how the hell did this happen?
In easy terms, each level range had a "max" amount of expected stats, in which their Rank would fall.
From 1 to 10, the combined stats to determine if someone was F-ranked were 50.
This, however, was Adam's system's way of measuring others.
Those who have capabilities equal to a 50 ( or lower) stats Adam, would fall under F-Rank.
Those with an amount of 51 to 100 stats would fall under the E-Rank category.
In a nutshell, the system was quantifying their physical and mental features, with Adam's stats as a template.
The problem lies in that, even though the system based its ranking system on Adam, Adam himself didn't fit the criteria.
At level 1 he already had 66 stats. Meaning that as an unawakened, he was already stronger than F-ranked hunters and the lower spectrum of the E-ranked ones.
Sure, he might've still been weaker without magic or supernatural powers. But based on physical capabilities he was superior by default.
In other words, Adam was reborn with a broken limit.
If a normal human (equal to level 1 based on the systems measurements), was to be expected to have an average total stats of 5, then Adam, with 66, was simply not human.
The system had made a way of measuring others based on him, yet the measuring didn't apply to him.
' This is a fucking mess…'
What Adam had overlooked until recently, is that the "Rank" the system measures differs greatly from the association's achievement-based ranking.
It was an existential rank measuring.
And Adam's existential limit was higher… correction, he did not have a limit in the first place.
If the conditions were there, Adam could now obtain the stats necessary to beat a god, yet remain in "B-Rank" as his system currently classified him.
That's how broken Adaptive Regeneration, along with his limitless potential was.
Looking at the bright side, this meant something extremely convenient.
If there is a "peak" of existence, Adam can surpass it.
' What bugs me the most, is that I can't see my exp. All I know is that leveling up becomes harder and harder every time I gain a level. '
Though inconvenient, it wasn't a major setback.
' Now let's use these babies~.'
" Open Inventory."
[ Inventory:
{Consumibles}
Upgrade Ticket X3
Power Booster Ticket
(EX-Rank) Power Ticket
Elixir of Resurrection ( 9th Order Rank)
{Artifacts}
Ring of Chaos ( EX-Rank)
Shadowmares ( SSS-Rank)
Holy Grail ( EX-Rank)
{Weapons}
Frostmourne ( SSS-Rank) ]
Unlike the powers purchased, everything else he bought that day was stored and locked in his inventory.
Apart from the things he had before, he now had access to an Elixir that could revive the dead without consequences. A 9th Order Ranked Consumable.
The moment Adam saw that ranking he didn't think twice before buying it, after all, this was a rank that surpassed even the EX-Rank, so it had to be special.
This was only further confirmed when he read its description and noticed there were some blurred lines, meaning he did not have the authority to read its other effects.
' Gotta save it as a plan B resource in case shit hits the fan.'
Next came the artifacts, where he got a ring that ignored all defenses and added 'chaos' properties to his attacks passively, but drained large amounts of mana constantly as a result.
' Not like it matters to me…'
Shadowmares, a shadow coat that boosted his shadow powers area of effect tremendously.
The mythical 'Holy Grail', grants eternal youth and cures all ailments/injuries.
And finally, his soon-to-be new weapon.
A sword he could have only dreamed of wielding in his last life.
Frost-(FREAKING!)-mourne!!
The Linch King's weapon from The Wrath of the Linch King's World of Warcraft expansion!
A two-handed sword capable of not only dealing great damage but also draining the life force of its wielder's enemies and their souls.
' I feel like a kid at Christmas!'
If Don Flamingo and Orochimaru only knew how much they had underestimated Adam…
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A/N: Read this if you're confused. ( I would be)
I know the way I explained the ranking is weird, even poor to some of you but it's the best way I could put it.
Right now, Adam has a Total Stat amount of 426, which puts him right in the middle of SS-Rank.
(Luck doesn't count.)
The breakdown goes like this:
F - 50
E - 100
D - 150
C - 200
B - 250
A - 300
S - 350
SS - 400
SSS - 450
EX - 500
Since he has 426 total stats, he falls in between SS and SSS, which makes him an SS-ranked entity.
His Existential Rank, however, is that of a B-ranked being.
Since he levels up based on the experience gained with the system, the stats he gains with Adaptive Regeneration don't affect his existential rank.
If it's not clear then picture this.
If the highest rank one can reach is, let's say, Z rank and one needs 1000 000 total stats ( calculated by the system) to enter it, Adam may already have 2000 000 stats and still be several ranks below the Z rank from fighting stronger foes.
So by the time he reaches that rank, he can squash Z Ranked entities as easily as breathing.
He can in theory grow infinitely as long as there's someone stronger than him who's able to damage him. ( Assuming he doesn't die ofc.)
Don't bother differentiating Existential Rank from "Rank based on stats", these are concepts that shouldn't differ, but for Adam they do.
Also, keep in mind that stats are exclusive for Adam, what the system can do is estimate what Adam's stats would be if he had the same level of strength as another individual.
Let's say Irene Balserion, as an SSS-Ranked individual, overpowers Adam in all stats. The system calculates how much Adam's stats would need to increase to match that of Irene's existential rank.
That's how the system's ranking was thought out.
Also, regarding the benefits having a higher existential ranking brings, Adam can counter them with his ever-growing powers and artifacts he will collect in the future.
If he was just someone with higher stats, he wouldn't last even a second against a higher-ranked entity with fewer stats, but the perks of being higher ranked. ( what perks? That's for later 🤭.)
I hope this helps you to get an idea of what I tried to accomplish with this chapter.
Please feel free to give me ideas as well as constructive criticism. This may not be my job but I do quite enjoy writing when I can as a hobby. If I can improve with your help then that's great for me.
Have a great day.