"Merlin," Yusuf began, voice steady but curious as he brought out the Grimoire he got as a reward from the Hidden test. "The Grimoire I got as a reward for the mission It has tags Legendary and Growth. What do those mean?"
Merlin stroked his silver beard, a glimmer of approval in his eyes as he gazed at the Grimoire. Nearby, other players watched from a distance, casting envious glances at Quantum Sage. His private conversation with Merlin had not gone unnoticed.
"Ah, you've been rewarded well, I see. But such power comes with understanding. You've barely scratched the surface of what lies within that Grimoire. First, let me explain the ranks of items in the Tower of Apotheosis." Merlin raised his cup to take, and as he spoke, a magical projection appeared in the air before them. Seven symbols glowed, each one representing a different tier.
"Common," Merlin began, pointing to the first symbol, a simple gray circle. "The most basic of items, easily found and created. They are of little significance, though in the hands of a skilled player, even a Common weapon can be put to good use."
Yusuf nodded, but the whispers of nearby players caught his attention.
Player 1 (whispering): "What are they talking about? You think it's about that book?"
Player 2 (glancing at the glowing Grimoire): "Definitely. I've never seen something like that. Must be insane reward from this test."
Ignoring the murmurs, Yuauf turned his focus back to Merlin as the mage gestured toward the next symbol, a blue shard of light.
"Rare," Merlin continued, "are items crafted with better materials or found in more dangerous places. These are the bread and butter of adventurers in the Tower of Apotheosis. With skill, a Rare item can outperform even an Epic one if the circumstances align."
Yusuf thought "they still don't hold a candle to this Grimoire, though" he mused.
Merlin nodded in approval. "Indeed. What you have is far beyond that, but we'll get there. Now, the next tier Epic."
The symbol of Epic was a bright purple gemstone, pulsing with an inner light. Merlin waved his hand, and the image rotated before them.
"Epic items are forged through great skill and notable materials. Often, these are found in the hands of heroes and figures with stories written in blood and glory. Their power reflects the legend of their creator or their wielder's strength. However, even Epic items can be crafted if the right conditions are met."
Yuauf's interest piqued. "So, a powerful enough crafter can create Epic weapons?"
"Yes," Merlin affirmed. "It depends on the materials, the reputation of the crafter, and most importantly—the story tied to its creation. The Tower values narrative as much as it does power. If a weapon is forged in a moment of triumph, or defeat, or even betrayal, the story behind it becomes part of its essence, raising its rank."
At this, one of the players nearby, clearly trying to overhear, grumbled.
Player 3 (frustrated): "What the hell are they talking about? Crafting? Rare materials?"
Player 4 (shaking his head): "No clue. But if it involves an NPC, it's gotta be something big."
Yusuf pressed on. "And Legendary? What makes an item Legendary?"
The image changed to a golden crest, swirling with energy.
"Legendary," Merlin said, his voice dropping to a reverent tone, "is the highest tier of crafted items. Not easily made, and far rarer to find. These are the items that are bound to stories of great renown either by the wielder or the crafter. For instance, a Legendary sword might be forged by a blacksmith whose skills have been revered across the ages. Or it might be imbued with power by a figure who shaped history itself."
He paused, eyes narrowing slightly as he regarded Quantum Sage. "Your Grimoire is Legendary because of its connection to its previous owner an archmage who left a profound mark on this world. And now, it is tied to you."
Yusuf felt the weight of those words, his fingers tightening around the Grimoire. "So… it's because of the quest?"
"Partly," Merlin replied. "But it's more than that. The Legend grows with you. Which leads us to the Growth tag."
Before Yusuf could inquire further, another player, eyes narrowed in suspicion, muttered quietly to his companions.
Player 5 (squinting): "He's definitely getting some secret intel. Whatever it is, it's gotta be top-tier. You think it's about his book?"
Player 6: "Bet it's something that'll make him unstoppable."
Yusuf ignored the guessing, focusing solely on Merlin's next words. "And what about the next tiers Mythic, Ancient, and Divine? You said those couldn't be crafted."
Merlin's expression grew more serious as he continued. "Correct. Mythic, Ancient, and Divine are beyond the reach of even the greatest crafters in the Tower. These items are tied to beings of immense power and age."
The symbol of Mythic appeared next, a dark, swirling vortex of energy.
"Mythic items," Merlin explained, "are created from the materials of mythical creatures dragons, phoenixes, leviathans. These creatures are more than just part of this world; they are the embodiment of its mysteries and power. The scales of a dragon, the feathers of a phoenix… When used to create an item, it becomes Mythic."
One of the players, still trying to catch a word, whispered to his friend.
Player 1: "Did he just say 'dragons'? There's no way he's getting materials like that."
Player 2 (grimacing): "Not anytime soon, but it sounds like something big is coming."
Merlin pressed on, conjuring the next symbol, an ancient stone tablet etched with runes.
"Ancient items," Merlin said with a low voice, "are artifacts from the primordial era, shortly after the universe was formed. These are relics used by the earliest beings who shaped existence itself. Their power is beyond mortal comprehension, tied to the raw essence of creation."
Yusuf's eyes widened. "So, these weapons are from the time of creation?"
"Yes," Merlin confirmed. "Only those who understand the deep history of this world will ever have a chance to uncover such items. They are not made they are found, buried in the ruins of ancient civilizations."
"And finally," Merlin said, conjuring the last symbol a brilliant, glowing crown, pulsing with divine light, "we have Divine."
The surrounding players hushed, knowing they were about to hear something truly extraordinary.
"Divine items are crafted by gods for gods," Merlin said solemnly. "These are weapons and tools that mortals were never meant to wield. The power within them is not just immense it is reality-altering. If a mortal were to gain a Divine item, they would ascend to near-godhood."
The weight of Merlin's words hung in the air, and even the jealous players who had been grumbling moments ago now stood in stunned silence.
"But those," Merlin continued, turning his gaze back to Yusuf, "are far beyond your reach for now. What you hold is Legendary, but its Growth tag is what makes it unique."
Yusuf's curiosity flared again. "What does the Growth tag mean?"
"It means that your Grimoire will evolve with you," Merlin explained. "As your strength, knowledge, and legend grow, so too will the power of your Grimoire. It will become a reflection of you, adapting to your abilities and experiences. Its full potential is not yet realized."
Yusuf stared at the book, feeling the hum of energy within it, understanding now that it was more than just a tool it was a companion on his journey, growing with him, reflecting his rise.
Merlin smiled knowingly. "You are at the beginning of your legend, Yusuf. Wield this Grimoire wisely. It may just be the key to unlocking even greater mysteries in the Tower of Apotheosis."
As Merlin turned took another sip from his cup, the surrounding players, still awed by the explanation, murmured among themselves.
Player 4: "No way… His weapon grows with him? That's beyond rare."
Player 5 (clenching his fists): "He's gonna be unstoppable.
Yusuf, however, felt only a mix of anticipation and excitement as he clutched the Grimoire in his hands, ready to embrace whatever challenges lay ahead.
Then suddenly he felt something weird, why was he so excited, even though it was a game he couldn't help but feel excitement coursing through his body.
"Whats wrong with me ", he thought to himself. What Yusuf didn't know or knew but never considered was his ability as a Savant wasn't just about being super intelligent or being able to solve any problems as long as he could focus on it, it was more than that, a Savant is someone who has transcended Human Limitations, their thinking, perspectives, abilities and considerations are beyond the 3rd Dimension, they've stopped being humans and become something more, something better, something perfect but here we have Yusuf, ever since he was born and grew up exhibiting unnatural abilities, he's being in danger countless times with Kidnapping then Assassination attempts on his life, I mean which scientist or organization out there doesn't want to experiment on a child that was able to talk at 6 months, started learning at 1 years and was able to solve complex mathematical problems that will trouble PhD holders at 3years old. so yeah, Yusuf's parents had no choice but to become overprotective of him thereby limiting him, he didn't need to work as his father was a prince of Saudi Arabia, Yusuf was homeschooled, there really wasn't anything to teach someone who can grasp the essence of any book he laids his hands on and assimilate it, but something unexpected happened: Yusuf became bored, nothing sparks his interests, he's read all kinds of book from different disciplines, from Science to Humanities to Commerce, he's been through it all but no fulfilment, Yusuf passed his days in boredom irrespective of what length his parents went to help even his sister going all the way to buying him a Doll hoping something new would spark but it didn't work,Yusuf at the age of 17 overheard his father complaining about his computer being too slow and then Yusuf became curious , well, 2 years later the result was a journal titled 'Standardized Approach to Quantum Mechanics' that was applicable to all the field related to Quantum Mechanics giving humanity a formal leap in their technology and earning him the Title: Quantum Sage. What the rest of the world didn't know was that Yusuf went into coma for 2 months straight after he published that journal through the Saudi Scientific Research Department. That was him using his ability for the first time under unfavorable circumstance, now here he is in a completely different environment with infinite variables coming his way. Yusuf was broken out of his thoughts when the door to the Library opened once more signaling someone else's entry into the library
"Hi, Everyone!, I'm Harle-Queen and it's nice to meet you all let's get along together and have lots of fun!, this..." The voice that belonged to a beautiful lady around the age of 20-22 was heard throughout the library interrupting everyone focused on their book until Merlin raised a finger and tapped the air thereby silencing the rest of what she was about to say, before saying "Silence" the lady opened her mouth trying to say something but obviously nothing came out, everybody was shocked at this with Yusuf who witnessed all of this going wide eyed, he thought, "is that magic?!, I want to learn!" Yusuf is curious now for the second time in his life and the object of his curiosity turns out to be: MAGIC.