*Note: The novel's Universe is set on a different dimensional plane than ours. In other words, a different reality, with different natural laws. Laws which are more or less a given, like gravity, will of course exist. However, creatures on this plane of existence will grow in different ways and at different paces than what we know. This is explained below, with the Level and Tier systems.

Level and Tier systems:

- Level system -

Starting Level: 1

All living things/sentient beings are born/created being at Level 1.

Creatures of this plane gain experience through what they do and go through over the course of their lifetime. Literally accumulating experience in order to grow.

For example, experience is not directly gained through killing monsters or other creatures, but through the polishing and improvement of your own abilities during the battle, or from the insight gained afterwards.

If one were to kill one thousand rabbits, and is already a master at it after the first 200, they will learn/gain nothing from killing more, thus logically not contributing to their experience anymore. What a creature does to gain its experience, allows it to grow over time (in Levels). All entities have attributes, which grow at different rates according to the lifestyle they live and from what they gain experience from.

If one were to be a builder or otherwise frequently lift heavy in life, the majority of the stats they gain per Level Up would be largely an increase in Strength. If one were to be an acrobat, or live a very agile lifestyle, like a monkey, Agility would be the majority of their gains with every Level Up. Likewise, Scholars and Mages would gain mostly Intellect with every Level Up.

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The Tier System

Max Tier: 8

Starting Tier: 0

Intelligent humanoids are born are Level 1, Tier 0 by default. Animals and other creatures are all born at Level 1, but not necessarily at Tier 0.

All entities have an innate standing when it comes to their life force, or place in the 'food chain', so to speak.

A timid rabbit is a classic example of a lower life-form. A robust, resilient and fierce Dragon would be considered as a much higher life-form, and would naturally look down upon anything and everything beneath it, with a natural impulse to rule.

If two animals with different Tiers were to confront each-other, the animal with the lower Tier would feel a natural and instinctual suppression, and/or fear towards its opponent, usually having a debilitating effect.

A common dog facing a mythical Direwolf many times larger and more powerful than itself, would naturally cower and submit. If a human were to stare down an enraged elephant charging in their direction, some would feel overwhelmed and would be unable to move or think properly. This is such a natural suppression due to the difference in Life Standing.

Needless to say, even if a creature were to stand up to the psychological effects of the suppression, their combat power would be reduced due to the hindrance of their physical functions. Animals are more sensitive to it than humans, which is why animals tend to be better at survival in the wild, by avoiding things stronger than themselves.

If an entity were to increase its Tier, it would undergo a qualitative change. It's life-force would become more prominent and if said entity broke past Tier 0 to enter Tier 1, it would then possess an Aura, suppressing creatures of a lower Tier in an area around it. Any entity above Tier 0 possesses an Aura.

Animals and other creatures tend to have little to no problems ascending Tiers, for where they reach naturally will depend not too much on their experiences, but more so on their bloodline and species. Some animals are meant to naturally be at the bottom of the food chain, and some are destined to be apex predators. An animal/creature just needs to live its life naturally under normal circumstances and grow up, to rise through Levels and Tiers to reach its fully grown state. With every increase in Tier, a creature would have all its current attributes doubled, a rise in its standing as a life-form, and have sharpened senses along with quicker reactions. Put into reality, a creature that has just ascended a Tier could easily wipe the floor with 5 to 6 of itself pre-ascension. An animal's suppressive aura is always present around it and is unable to be retracted, thus making birds take flight and small creatures flee. It also causes other creatures, humanoids included, to instinctively feel danger, or that 'something doesn't feel right'.

Animals kept in lifelong captivity would naturally also reach their maximum potential during adulthood. However, their practical combat experience would be lacking, and their natural instincts dulled. Thus in actual fact making their combat power pathetic compared to their wild-born comrades.

For humans and other intelligent humanoids, it is different. To ascend through Tiers and Levels, they must put in effort, with how much they put in directly influencing how high they reach. However, innate potential is an absolute limiting factor of how high one reaches. A person's innate potential can change, according to their mindset, determination, and general state of being, and body. A depressed cripple can never ascend, whereas a determined, unharmed and flawless youth with a bright and positive mind, coupled with the ideal circumstances and limitless resources can rise quickly and far, with theoretically no limit. But reality is not that kind.

Ascending Tiers as an intelligent humanoid grants a significant overall attribute boost, as well as improvements in perception, reflexes, reaction speed, intelligence and memory, and finally life-force. The boost in life-force brings increases in endurance, regeneration and your standing as a life-form, as well as the strength and size of your suppressive aura towards all creatures of a lower Tier than you. Needless to say, a lengthening of one's life-span is also included.

Intelligent humanoids can learn to retract and extend their Aura at will, keeping it contained in cities so as to not harass every civilian they walk by, and extending it either towards someone or in an area around them to intimidate one or many foes. How heavily an Aura affects another creature, depends on the difference in Tiers.

An entity's Aura will be completely ineffective against entities of a higher Tier or Level. It will affect entities of the same Tier as long as your Level is higher, but to a very small extent. The suppression effects of Aura increase exponentially with every difference in Tier.

If they are 1 Tier below you, you can suppress around 30% of their attributes, lowering the combat power of such enemies around you significantly. Choosing to focus the entirety of your Aura on one target, will slow them down even further, heavily, both in body and mind. This will basically make them slow-motion. This requires nearly all your effort, and is very taxing to perform. Movement whilst performing the single-target suppression is difficult.

If they are 2 Tiers below you, you can suppress around 50% of their attributes, severely decreasing the combat power of such enemies around you. Choosing to focus the entirety of your Aura on a single target will render them immobile. This requires a decent amount of effort, but one can still defend themselves, against further external attacks. This will generate mild fatigue.

If they are 3 Tiers below you, you can suppress as high as 80% of their attributes, nearly crippling their combat power. Releasing your Aura without restraint in an area occupied by creatures 3 Tiers lower than you will cause instant mass panic, fear and can even drive creatures more than 3 Tiers lower insane. Focusing all your Aura on one victim can suppress them to death. Their very organs and life will be suppressed so strongly that everything in their body stops. This requires very little effort and can be done repeatedly, limited by either the owner's mercy or mental fortitude. Beings with higher Intellect can use their Aura much more in a battle than those of average or lower Intellect.

*Note*: Animals grow in both Levels and Tiers naturally as they grow, as mentioned earlier. Intelligent humanoids are stuck at the peak level of their Tier cannot advance in Level until they make a breakthrough to the next one. Such a breakthrough can only be triggered when at the peak Level of that Tier, by:

Certain life-and-death situations, major revelations, the consumption/absorption of certain rare relics/treasures, or gaining insight from those of a higher Tier. This can be achieved through inheritance or acquisition of items containing traces of their aura and its characteristics, or finding their spirit and pleading for enlightenment. (If it exists and is wandering around somewhere) Usually, one would then have to perform one or many tasks of varying difficulties for such a spirit in order to get what they want.

- Tier System + {Attribute increase upon reaching said Tier} -

50% gain; Assuming all attributes are 1000, upon ascension gain 500 to all.

100% gain; gain your current attributes, 1000 + 1000

200% gain; gain twice your current attributes, 1000 + 2000

300% gain; gain thrice your current attributes, 1000 + 3000

**Mortal Realm**

Tier 0 – Mortal (Is one's natural state at birth, with the exception of some creatures.) {-}

Tier 1 – Awakened (Has achieved the first breakthrough as a life-form.) {50%}

Tier 2 – Lord (Enough power to rule over a small area, e.g. a Town, Village) {50%}

Tier 3 – Overlord (Enough power to rule over a county/state) {50%}

Tier 4 – Titan (Enough power to rule over a considerable section of a country or specific area within, e.g. a volcano, specific mountain range, desert, tundra, etc.) {100%}

Tier 5 – Demigod (Enough power to have absolute dominion over an entire country. E.g The rulers of countries) {200%}

***Immortal Realm***

Tier 6 - 8: Gods of varying ranks in their hierarchy.

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Level and corresponding Tier List (Max Tier: 8, Max Level: 250)

**Mortal Realm**

Tier 0: 1 – 19

Tier 1: 20 – 49

Tier 2: 50 – 74

Tier 3: 75 - 99

Tier 4: 100 - 119

Tier 5: 120 – 150

***Immortal Realm***

Tier 6: 151 – 169 (???)

Tier 7: 170 – 249 (???)

Tier 8: 250 (???)