The awakening process is killing 100 goblins.
'If I recall it right, I cleared it in one hour.', Arthur reminisced steeling his resolve for half an hour and eventually utilizing the A-grade item to clear the main quest.
He was too frightened of goblins and never left the safe area for half an hour.
'I was such a scared cat.', Alab shut his eyes in dismay. Still, it was a rather common occurrence for 18-year-olds who had never even killed an animal.
'This time, I need to clear it within 10 seconds.', Arthur was eager to obtain the rewards for the hidden quest.
'For that, the greatest creation in mankind's history, the SS-grade weapon Blood Burst is necessary.'
As someone who grew up in an affluent family, encountering conglomerates with hidden agendas aiming to trick and take advantage of him was a rather daily event for him.
If not for Echo, Arthur would have been conned a multitude of times.
He was never given a chance to grow as an individual...
Or rather...
'I never had a reason to grow'
From constant pampering and having everything he wanted in a snap, Arthur never felt that he should grow up.
It was only two years after when his father and Echo died in the 5th challenge did he found a reason to get stronger.
Greedy awakened were incessant in chase of his life, greedy to steal his SS-grade item, Blood Burst.
'But now... I won't let that happen.', Arthur steeled his resolve.
Looking at Echo, Arthur couldn't help but turn soft at the sight of the old man.
Despite his age of 68, Echo was committed to serving him.
'Even at the cost of his life...'
In 5th challenge, Echo died just to save Arthur...
"Young master?"
Echo once again witnessed the soft side of Arthur. At that moment, he sighed as Arthur seemed to recoup his naivety.
*cough
"Please tell Father that I want the Blood Burst for my awakening", Arthur eluded Echo's gaze
His tone was clear that compromising was not possible.
At his stubbornness, Echo couldn't help but release a soft smile.
"Noted, young master"
'At least, he can stand his ground now.', Echo beamed as he knocked on the glass partition.
'Stubbornness is better than gullible.'
"Back to Young Master's Residence", Echo gestured to the chauffeur.
At the U-turning of the limousine, questions rose in the reporters and civilians alike.
"Ehh?"
"Where are they going?"
"He hasn't awakened yet, right?"
"Did he pee his pants?"
Subsequently, varying posts appeared on social media.
Arthur became the laughingstock in the mouths of Filipino citizens.
Oblivious to this fact, Arthur rested in the limousine as he browsed his Status Window.
A bluish translucent screen filled his sight.
[Name: Arthur Sebastian (Unawakened)
Level: 1
Exp: 0%
< Attributes >
Strength: 5
Dexterity: 7
Constitution: 6
Intelligence: 8
Luck: 8 (max. of 10)
Free attribute points: 0
< Skills >
- Fate Plunderer (SSS)
< Titles >
- 10th Regressor (SSS)
< Inventory >
< Notifications > ]
'It must be because I regressed that I can access my Status Window despite being unawakened.', Arthur pondered.
His attributes which were similar to average humans were the same as before his regression.
His luck attribute which could not be increased even with attribute points was still at 8 which was the highest in the entire planet.
It was also the reason behind his survival till the 10th challenge - his heavenly luck.
But...
Browsing through his skills and titles, Arthur felt his chest throb at seeing their grades.
'This... SSS-grade?!'
Before regression, Alab never had an SSS grade. The other 10 survivors during the Ten Countries Era were all SSS-grade awakened.
He was a mere F-grade awakened.
It was like a goldfish thrown at sharks' territory.
If not for his mastery of Blood Burst and unfathomable luck, Arthur would not have stood alongside these individuals.
However, now in his regression, he had awakened a similar SSS-grade skill.
Alab skimmed through his system notifications to decipher how he obtained this skill.
[Congratulations to the 10 surviving humans!]
[As there are only 10 survivors in Planet #1434, the Tutorial Phase will now come to a wrap]
[The surviving humans will be sent back to the day of their awakening. A corresponding reward will be given befitting their struggles to survive.]
[You will now regress to the day of your awakening.]
[The Creator is in bliss at your survival to the 10th challenge with only a mere F-grade skill.]
[The Creator has bestowed your F-grade skill "Skill Steal" an upgrade.]
[Your F-grade skill "Skill Steal" has evolved into an SSS-grade skill "Fate Plunderer".]
[The Creator yearned for your success]
'Creator?'
Prior to regression, Arthur had never heard of the Creator. The strongest enemy they had encountered was the Archangel "Raphael" who was SSS-grade.
'This Creator. He seemed to be the strongest...', Arthur pondered.
With the power to upgrade an F-grade skill into an SSS-grade, the Creator was an entity they could only dream of defeating.
Tossing these thoughts off at the moment, Arthur scrolled through his skill description.
[Fate Plunderer (SSS)
Description: Blessed by the Creator, you can now plunder the fate of your opponents.
Function 1: Steal one of the skills of your opponents.
Function 2: Lock
Function 3: Lock
Function 4: Lock
Ultimate Function: Lock]
Scanning its details, Arthur beamed from ear to ear.
'With this power, I can even steal the skill of SSS-grade monsters... Even the Archangels'
Envisioning a bright future ahead, Arthur contained his excitement. He knew that with this power comes a high risk.
And as he thought, upon viewing his SSS-grade title, a harsh prospect competition pulled him from his daydream.
[10th Regressor (SSS)
Description: As one of the 10 regressors, you are bestowed with an SSS-grade skill upon awakening. The strength of the awakened skill will vary depending on your clearance time.
Effects:
- Bestowal of SSS-grade skill upon awakening
- Extra Challenge Invitation
< Extra Challenge Invitation >
- You are invited to the Extra Challenge, Returnees' Guild Battle: A Battle to Death, by the end of the 8th challenge. Form your team of 10 members and fight with other returnees for the ultimate reward!
Reward:
- Obtain the SSS-grade skills of the defeated Returnees
- 100 Million Gold
- Information about the 10th Challenge
Warning: Rejecting the invitation would mean denial to regression. You will be deprived of your awakened state and will lose your Status Window.]
'A guild battle...'
Recalling the restriction of the 10th challenge of entry to the 10-member guild, Arthur could untangle that this would be a set-up by a higher being.
'A battle to death.'
*gulp
Knowing that he used to be the weakest among the returnees, Arthur felt that time was ticking.
With only about 10 years before the 8th challenge, he had to establish a guild and get stronger.
Else, he dies.
"Echo, prepare my private plane. We will depart in an hour"
At his sudden words, Echo furrowed his brows.
"Depart? To where, young master", Echo queried as he fixed his eyeglass.
"To Indonesia, there is an item we must secure.", Arthur uttered.