After my little conflict with Caleb, I began to take notes of this world systems and rules. In this world, which is Earth-B7, is being structured by the Grand Pillars.
If one is Tier-1 through Tier-3, such ones are the bedrock of the world and the dirt beneath its boots. These are the E and D-rank citizens, often called the Bronze ranks. To the elites, such ones are little more than a statistic or a laborer. They have enough mana to keep the lights on, but not enough to change the wind. In a fight, a Tier-3 is a soldier; a Tier-1 is a casualty.
Stepping into Tier-4, 5, and 6 is where one stop being a face in the crowd and start being a force of nature. These are the C and B-ranks, known as the Silver and Gold tiers. This is the backbone of the military and the elite guard. At Tier-6, an elite warrior or student can level a building with a single concentrated strike and command the respect of every bronze-rank for miles.
Tier-7 is the threshold of the extraordinary. This is the A-rank, the Platinum tier. Those who reach this level are no longer just strong, they are strategic assets. A Platinum-rank individual doesn't just fight; they dominate the battlefield, their presence alone can cause the weak-willed to tremble.
However when one hits Tier-8, such one is entering the realm of the S-rank, the Emerald tier. These are the Sovereigns of the Society. To a Tier-8, physics is more of a suggestion than a rule. They move with a grace that defies the eyes and strike with the weight of a falling star. They are also known as legends.
There is also the god-tiers which is the the Diamond Elites Tier-9. These are the SS and SSS-ranks, the Diamond-rank Legendary Elites. To face a Diamond-rank is to face a god. They are beings who can shatter a mountain range with a whisper or rewrite the laws of a city with a thought.
Above that exist the demi-humans or demi-gods they are considered the pinnacle of the world system and can be able to stand their own against cosmic level threats or entities.
My parents are known to be among them, though I haven't yet learned of their whereabouts. All I know is that I will discover their location once I have grown stronger. Curious about my progress, I asked to see my current level.
"System? What's my level stuff?"
[It's called stats]
Oops it made me sound like I was some kind of illiterate.
[SYSTEM: GOD-TEIR LEARNING SAGE]
NAME: OLIVER VEYRON
TIER: 0
RANK: E-
LEVEL: 10
STRENGTH: 25
SPEED: 550
SKILL: ZERO-POINT MARTIAL ARTS {LOCKED}
ABILITY: HEAVEN'S JUDGMENT THUNDER
MANA: HEART OF NEBULA
UNIQUE SKILL: MONSTER COLD VEINS| ABSURDITY OUTLIER
ULTIMATE SKILLS: {LOCKED}
"Hmm. Seems my skills are really satisfying." I said as I rubbed my chin and scoured through the other skills until the realization hit me.
"Huh? Tier-0? What... what does that mean? Why am I Tier-0?"
I observed my skill tree in my mind, my heart sinking.
"And hey... I'm also ranked E? That's pretty lame, Sage. You've made me a tier-less, bottom-of-the-barrel existence."
I shook my head in disbelief.
"..."
Silence.
The System Sage refused to provide any more replies, but I didn't care. My growth trait was truly absurd. No one would ever understand how an E-rank like me was getting stronger at this rate.
But wait... what?
Why were my ultimate skills locked? Why were my newly learned skills also grayed out?
"System Sage? What's going on?"
[Host needs to reach a certain level before this skills can activate. Right now, I upgraded your skills so that you can defend yourself in times of trouble]
"Alright,but I don't understand, how does the skill in my mana attribute works?"
[Good question. The Heart of Nebula is standard mana circulation like a river flowing through your body. The heart of the Nebula turns your internal mana core into a miniature, swirling galaxy. So, instead of a single stream of energy, you have billions of tiny stars of mana rotating inside your body. This gives you an infinite mana pool which makes you never get tired, and never has to wait for mana to recharge.]
"Whoa, truly absurd. I think my current abilities are already enough to keep me going for now."
I stood up and stretched my body.
"Next stop, to enroll into the Vanguard Academy".
****
The Vanguard academy is the most prestigious training grounds in the city, a place where ranked and high tier elites learn everything about combat and magic spells to participate in impossible raid missions. The Vanguard academy is a place that accepts people with good ranks but I came to enroll anyway.
I walked through the gates of the Vanguard academy, and tried to walk past the guards at the gate, both teir five warriors with hulking frames and glowing spears, crossed their weapons to block my path.
"State your tier, boy," the left one growled.
"Only Tier-4 and above are permitted for the entrance examinations."
I didn't say a word. I simply pulled back my ID card that displayed the E-rank tier.
The guards burst into laughter.
"An E-ranker? You've got guts, kid. Or you're brain-dead. The Unranked aren't even allowed to own property, let alone attend the Academy. Get lost before we use you for target practice."
[You are being mocked by Low-Tier pebbles.]
[ABSURDITY MULTIPLIER: 150.0x]
[NEW SKILL DETECTED: GUARD'S SPEAR MASTERY]
[LEARNING... 100% COMPLETE.]
"I'm not here to ask permission," I said, my voice echoing with a strange, metallic resonance.
The guard on the right lost his patience. He lunged, his spear tip glowing with a Tier-5 fire enchantment. To everyone else, it was a blur of lethal heat. To me, it was moving through molasses.
I stepped inside his guard, my hand moving so fast it created a sonic pop. I grabbed the shaft of his spear, and with a single twist, the reinforced alloy snapped like a dry twig.
"What—?!"
I drove my palm into his chest. I didn't use a punch, I used the heaven's judgment thunder I had acquired from Caleb.
A shockwave of white lightning blasted the guard back fifty feet, through the reinforced stone pillars of the gate.
The other guard froze, his spear trembling. He looked at my wrist again.
"...A tier-1... but... that power... it's tier six at least! Who are you?!"
"The name is Oliver Veyron," I said, stepping over the debris.
The guard froze when he heard the last name 'Veyron'.
He immediately knew that I was the child of the missing demi-gods. I ignored his figure and entered the Great Hall, where hundreds of high-tier students were waiting for their testing.
The room was filled with the children of the wealthy--kids who had been fed mana-crystals since birth. Among them, I saw a familiar face.
She was standing near the center, surrounded by a protective circle of Tier-six bodyguards. Her hair was ebony black and blue stripes around it, and her aura was a calm, chilling frost. My cheeks turned red when I sighted her because I knew that was Suki my girlfriend in my past life she was still as beautiful as ever but she didn't look like the girl I knew. In this world, she is Suki Von Valerius, the heiress to the most powerful high-ranking family in the Northern Spire. She was a Diamond Tier prodigy.
As I walked forward, trying to approach her, every gaze fell upon me as if I were some stray dog that didn't belong. Then, without warning, a voice boomed from the balcony. A man in gold-trimmed robes--the Headmaster stepped forward. His boots hit the stone with a heavy finality as he leveled a gaze at me that would have crushed a normal person's spirit.
"How did you get past my guards?"
I looked up, meeting his eyes without flinching.
"Your guards were inefficient. I've decided to enroll. Since I'm just a Tier-1, I'll just have to take the top spot for myself."
The hall erupted in jeers. Suki looked at me, her brow furrowed. There was a confusion in her eyes wondering why I as an E-rank was oozing with confidence but it was buried under her cold, noble training.
"You want to take the top spot?" the Headmaster laughed, a cruel sound.
"Fine. We have a traditional test for those who think they are above the law. Beat our Testing Automaton which is a Tier-2 combat machine, and I'll let you stay. Fail, and you'll be executed on the spot for trespassing."
A massive, mechanical beast made of obsidian and glowing blue cores dropped from the ceiling, its eyes locking onto me.
[ANALYZING AUTOMATON...]
[CONSTRUCTION: DIVINE OBSIDIAN]
[WEAKNESS FOUND: MANA-CORE OVERLOAD]
I cracked my neck, feeling the multiplier climbing as the students laughed at the homeless boy about to be crushed.
"Let's show them what an E-rank like me can do". I whispered to the system.