NOVEL NEXT Chapter 85: E Rank
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[Kairo Vale]
[Ability: Muscle Genesis]
>Ability to grow and control muscle.
[Rank: F+]
[Stats:]
*Strength: E-
*Agility: F+
*Stamina: F+
*Vitality: E-
*Intelligence: F
*Mana Capacity: F+
>Class: [Warrior lvl. 1]
[Passive Skills:]
>Predatory Instinct.
(Boosts combat reflexes slightly when fighting over resources.)
[Skills:]
>Hypermuscle Creation.
(You can now consciously grow and harden new muscle fibers to enhance strength temporarily. Growth requires mana input and recovery period.)
(Muscle Charge: 3/6)
>Muscle Lock.
(When activated, temporarily harden muscle like armor.)
>Muscle Surge.
(When activated, grants one explosive override of physical limits. Cooldown: 1 day.)
>Monarch's Roar.
(By consciously manipulating the muscles in your throat, your voice has gained unique properties to bypass mental blocks and stimulate your ally's brain waves, triggering a dopamine surge that'll stabilize them, calm them, and make them susceptible to listening to your commands.)
(Allies under the influence of your roar are approximately 30% stronger.)
[Weapons: Dagger]
…
[System Remark: A half-baked frog who has no idea the size of Mount Tai.]
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'Still this snarky remark?' Kairo's lips twitched.
After two weeks in Nexus Academy, this was how his system status looked now. After two weeks, Adrain was still the only E Rank student among the freshers, showing just how crazy an achievement he got by ranking up so fast.
At the lower ranks, ranking up was easier, but it still didn't mean that it was easy. To rank up still required tons of training and tangible combat experience.
It was only by pushing your physical body to the limits, straining your body and your mana circuits, combined with regular usage of your special ability that Awakened warriors could climb up through the ranks.
Kairo was doing all of this alongside the other freshers for the past two weeks as they started attending lectures, but it was still not an instantaneous journey.
Afterall, being an Awakened was not a get power quick scheme.
To truly grow into your powers and become powerful, you had to sweat, toil, and fight for every inch of muscle that you get and every growth that your special ability has.
Every special ability has a cap, and it is based on the grade of the ability. Professor Voss taught them this during this week.
Awakened with God grade abilities have a high chance of climbing to S Rank, the rank where Awakened get access to Divine-like powers.
When the books say Divine-like, at first it feels like an exaggeration but after seeing Major Pain fight against the Demon Lords, though the shockwaves of their attacks were too powerful for him to see clearly, Kairo was able to catch a glimpse of the true depths of Divine power.
At his current rank, he was pretty sure that to kill him, all Major Pain had to do was sneeze and he would be snuffed off the face of Scrontum.
That was how much more powerful S Rank Awakened were. After seeing them in action, Kairo yearned to attain that level of power too.
With that level of power, not only would he be able to meet his sister again and save her, he would be able to provide the exact kind of life for themselves that his parents couldn't provide.
Besides, Kairo didn't know if he would ever have children but if he did, he would not want his children to experience the same childhood that he experienced.
This was why he trained, this was why he ate and met the daily calorie requirements of his special ability; this was why he yearned for power.
According to Professor Voss, Awakened with God grade abilities have a high chance of making it to S Rank and a mild chance of making it beyond. S Rank was their cap.
As for Awakened with Unique grade abilities, S Rank is their absolute cap, and they only have a mild chance of making it there to fulfill their potential.
Most Awakened with their highest grade special abilities being Unique grade end up being trapped at A Rank for all of their lives.
As for Awakened with Mythic grade abilities, A Rank is their absolute cap, but most remain stuck at B Rank.
For Awakened with Epic grade, B Rank is their absolute cap, and like those with higher grade abilities, most remain stuck at C Rank.
Awakened with Rare grade abilities have C Rank as their absolute cap, with most remaining stuck at D Rank, though the rate was lesser than at the higher ranks.
As for Awakened with Common grade abilities, these were the cannon fodder of any race, and their absolute cap is D Rank.
Most Awakened in existence have common grade abilities. Most die at F Rank, some at E Rank, and even at their peak at D Rank, they are still cannon fodder.
When Professor Voss taught the class, to some of the commoners, it was a demoralizing topic. The only reason why they didn't feel too demoralized was the fact that none of them had Common grade abilities.
Afterall, if they did, they would have never made it into Nexus Academy.
Till today, Kairo still didn't know the grade of his special ability. Call it blind fate but he believed that he could make it to S Rank with it.
He had faith, and faith was the only thing going for him.
'Maybe at the end of this mission, I'll finally make it to the E- Rank threshold'. He thought with exuberant energy as he joined his platoon.
The dawn broke cold over the Blackstone gates as five platoons of freshers stood in formation, with packs strapped, weapons at their sides, and faces pale under the weight of anticipation.
The air buzzed with nervous whispers, boots shuffling against stone until the instructors barked their orders.
"Move out!"
The gates groaned open, and the wilderness swallowed them whole.
They had left the confines of Nexus Academy, and faced the world for the first time as students of Nexus Academy.
The mission started.
The caravan stretched for hundreds of meters, comprising five heavy supply wagons pulled by hulking draft beasts. Instructors rode at intervals, and columns of students trudged alongside with weapons ready.
Kairo walked with Platoon Three. Mira kept pace beside him, her eyes scanning the tree line. They were not far from Nexus Academy yet, but it was not too early to be prepared for trouble.
Behind them, Valek moved like a prince in exile with his back straight, nose tilted slightly upward, sneering at the dirt that clung to his boots. His supporters flanked him, their eyes flicking toward Kairo with venom.
Since his defeat to Kairo, he no longer bothered commoners like before, but he still had the same core. He remained Valek Draker.
The march was grueling.
The sun rose higher, beating down with merciless heat as the dust kicked up by hundreds of boots clung to their sweat-filled skin.
Their backs ached under the weight of rations and gear, and blisters soon began to form on the soft noble feet unused to distance marches.
Their shoes couldn't fully protect their legs.
Kairo though, raised in the slums and hardened by hunger, kept walking. The ache in his legs was nothing new. His stomach growled, but he bit it down, eyes always moving.
Because something felt off.
Maybe it was his paranoia, but he felt that the trees were too quiet.
Kairo noticed it after the first hour. There were no birds, and no small critters darting through the brush. Just the creak of wagons, the shuffle of boots, and the wheeze of sweating students.
It was strange.
He scanned the canopy, the underbrush, and the path ahead. His Predatory Instinct whispered in the back of his skull like a taut string ready to snap.
But every time she caught the flicker of unease on his face, Mira bumped his arm. "Relax, we're still within human territory."
Kairo nodded, but his eyes never stopped moving.
Before noon, the nobles finally began complaining.
"This pace is absurd."
"My boots are ruined, can't we at least have a food break?"
"Why should we march? Why didn't they provide us with tamed beasts like the instructors?"
"Damn, I even have a horse back home! Is the Academy too broke to provide us with horses?!"
Despite their complaints though, the instructors ignored them.
Kairo just kept walking.
Valek, of course, fed their complaints. His cold voice carried down the column. "Let the weak collapse. The Academy needs soldiers, not peasants pretending to be warriors".
This time, he didn't even care, he roasted both nobles and commoners.
Mira muttered under her breath. "One of these days, I'll punch him in the throat."
Kairo smirked faintly. "Get in line."
By sunset, they reached a small clearing near a stream and finally, it was time to make camp for the day.
The Instructors ordered the wagons to cycle and huddle up as fires sparked to life, and tents were pitched. The smell of boiling rations soon filled the air.
Kairo dropped onto a log, massaging his calves. His body felt fine, the exhaustion was normal for him but his hunger was growing unbearable. His muscles had shrunk slightly during the march, skin hanging looser across his arms.
Mira tossed him a flask of water. "Drink before you collapse."
He downed it gratefully, but water wasn't what he needed. Meat was, protein, calories, something to keep his ability from eating him alive.
Across the camp, Valek sneered as his servants, other students in noble attire unpacked delicacies from his personal supply. There was roast meat, wine, and fruits. His followers clustered around, sharing the feast.
Kairo's stomach twisted violently as he watched them. 'F*ckers!'
Mira noticed, her lips tightening. "Don't look at me, look at him".