Martha had exactly 5790 stat points, that meant that she could easily increase her stats to reach the SS-Rank boundary! (A/N: I haven't mentioned the boundaries in the story at all, so here they are now: G-Rank = 25 All Stats, F-Rank = 140 All Stats, E-Rank = 260 All Stats, D-Rank = 380 All Stats, C-Rank = 505 All Stats, B-Rank = 630 All Stats, A-Class = 850 All Stats, S-Class = 1250 All Stats, SS-Class = 2095 All Stats. More will be revealed later.)
"Martha, do you see your stat points?" Sen asked, his excitement palpable.
Martha nodded, her curiosity piqued, "Yes, Sen, I see them. I was thinking about using them, even if it seems a bit like cheating. But hey, any advantage is good, right?"
Sen couldn't agree more, "Exactly! Allocate 643 Stat Points into each stat, and you'll cross the threshold to become an SS-Rank Hunter!"
Martha's eyes widened in disbelief, "W-WHAT? SS-RANK? There are hardly any SS-Rank hunters in this universe, and you're saying I can achieve that just by using my stat points? What's the threshold, though?"
Sen understood her concern, "You'll need each stat to reach 2095 to reach SS-Rank. But remember, make sure your physique stat is higher than your strength stat."
Martha brushed off his reassurance, "No worries, I've got that covered. Now that I know how many stat points to use, I'm going for it! System, allocate the stat points as Sen specified."
{Understood! +191 STR, +220 PHY, +198 AGI, +173 DEX, +311 INT, +342 WIS, +66 VIT, +195 END, +199 STA. 3895 Stat Points Remaining.}
{Martha Direndal's rank has increased from S-Rank to SS-Rank, Title updated: Sage -> Maestro}
The newfound strength and determination in Martha's eyes made Sen proud. Their camaraderie grew stronger as they embraced their shared journey ahead. Together, they were ready to face any challenge that crossed their path, making their mark on the world and leaving a legacy for generations to come.
As the stat points were allocated, Martha felt an overwhelming surge of power. Her body felt lighter and more agile, her mind sharper than ever before. "This is incredible! With this power, I can achieve things I once only dreamed of! Taking on a cataclysm-level beast would be child's play at this point."
{Whilst that is certainly true, do not get too overconfident. There are SSS-Rank and even SSS+ Rank existences out there. Of course, it would probably be better to refer to them as cosmic entities, or as you would probably refer to them, gods!}
Martha went pale with shock, "I thought that SSS-Rank was just a theoretical level of power! You're telling me that there are multiple beings that far outclass the strongest hunters ever? I have read about the existence of gods in ancient texts, mostly in other dimensions. To think that they were more than just myths and legends in the folklore of the Universe!"
{Of course! There is an entire Omniverse out there, each one containing countless Multiverses.}
Sen had already heard about the Omniverse from the System, but Martha hadn't. Surprisingly, she seemed to overcome her shock much faster than he thought she would. Then he remembered what she'd told him about her weird experiences as a hunter, "Going off of that knowledge, based on the information you provided me with about Canisoris, that must mean that the Celestial Alphas must at least be high-level SSS-Rank entities."
{You would be correct; they are indeed near the peak of SSS-Rank. In fact, one of them has already passed the SSS+ Rank boundary! Martha, that "walking mountain" you saw was at least a low-level SS-Rank Beast, so it was an excellent decision not to investigate further. That would have been one of the Guardian Mastiffs, the 4th highest-ranking beings in the canine hierarchy!}
Martha's face paled as she processed the information, "So even after reaching SS-Rank, I'm still considered weaker than the 4th highest-rank beast in the Canisoris realm? This is a truly humbling revelation, thank you, System."
{Of course, I am always here to serve the best interests of the host and his party members!}
(A/N: I know that Sen hasn't been the main focus in this chapter, but Martha has now gained knowledge about the system, so she will be in the spotlight for at least the first half of this chapter. The first half is almost over at this point.)
Sen couldn't help but feel that his reaction to his wife's promotion to SS-Rank had been a little lacklustre, "Ah, Martha, congratulations on reaching SS-Rank! You really are an amazing young woman!"
Martha blushed upon hearing Sen's compliment, "Thank you, Sen! That really means a lot to me!"
She walked over to Sen and embraced him. Sen had not been prepared for this reaction, but he was more than happy with the result, and he reciprocated her embrace with one of his own. Their bond grew even stronger in that moment, as they shared in the joy of Martha's achievement and the prospect of facing new challenges together.
(A/N: What? I know some of you will be thinking that Sen is a "simp" from now on, but this is a normal reaction, especially since Sen is still quite young, and hasn't matured too much as a character yet. I did say that he wouldn't be oblivious to the advances of the opposite sex, I also emphasised that there would be no lemon scenes.)
"You know, it's the first time we've embraced like this since before you lost your memory. I've missed this feeling, you know," Martha whispered with a hint of nostalgia in her voice.
It was Sen's turn to blush (A/N: What? Men can blush too ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ), "I never realised that this would be something I'd look forward to, thanks for the hug Martha."
Martha smiled at him, "Of course, hugs are the best! Perfect for calming your nerves, and a hug between husband and wife just means so much more."
Sen was the first to break away from the embrace, "This has been a wonderful experience, but I think we should go to bed now. After all, we don't want to be too exhausted to attend the morning guild meeting!"
Martha agreed with this statement, "Alright, let's do that. Goodnight Sen!"
"Goodnight Martha! I'll probably get up a little earlier to do my morning workout."
Martha nodded, "I'll join you then, a morning workout does sound amazing!"
As the two of them starting getting ready for bed, Sen turned away while Martha was changing, "There's no need to be so shy Sen! You can look all you want, you know, we're married, remember?"
Sen knew that she was teasing him, he was very tempted to turn around, he'd never seen a woman undress before, but he still felt too nervous and shy to do it at this point in time.
In his previous world, Sen had been a virgin all his life, and despite the experiences he had encountered after being transported to this new world, his confidence in such matters remained low. "Not yet, Martha. There's still a part of me that feels it's wrong to rush into things, even though I know it's a normal aspect of a relationship. I'd love to cuddle with you though, and surprisingly, despite my memory loss, I can feel a deep connection with you. It's a strange sensation."
Martha sympathetically nodded, understanding his feelings. "Take all the time you need, Sen. I'm glad you enjoy the idea of cuddling with me; it's something special we can share."
Despite her reassurance, Sen still felt a tinge of shame. "I apologize for being like this. I can grasp why I must have fallen in love with you. Besides your stunning beauty, you were one of the first people to treat me as an equal, a normal person rather than an insignificant nobody. That much I remember, and I believe the System has aided in unlocking some fragments of my lost memories."
Martha agreed to an extent, offering her perspective on the matter. "The System may have played a part, but you've also grown as a person. I'm devastated by your memory loss, but you seem more mature now. Before all this happened, you were a lovely man, but you also had a certain innocence and naivety, not in a negative way, just a charming aspect of your personality. I hope that doesn't come across as offensive."
Sen quickly reassured her, dispelling any concern. "Not at all. Experiencing such drastic changes and going through traumatic events would have an impact on anyone. On another note, unrelated to this, did you know we have a hidden dungeon in our garden? It's located within that World Tree seedling you have. I named it Yggdrasil's Boughs."
Martha was astonished. "A dungeon in the garden? Did you actually explore it?"
Sheepishly, Sen scratched the back of his head. "Guilty as charged. I successfully raided it, though. It turned out to be a G-Rank dungeon. I found an amazing sword inside, but swordsmanship isn't my forte. I thought of giving it to you, the Sword Empress!"
Martha's emotions played across her face like a swift dance, transitioning from worry to sheer amazement. "That's insane! Sen, you're truly incredible! To think you've already raided a dungeon all on your own! Show me that sword in the morning; I've thoroughly enjoyed our conversation. But right now, I'm dead-tired. Let's get some rest. See you in the morning, my love!"
With that, she leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. Sen managed to contain his emotions this time, "Goodnight, Martha. See you in the morning."
Exhaustion soon overtook them, and they fell asleep almost instantly. Unaware of what lay ahead, a new adventure was about to confront them much sooner than they could have anticipated. It would be Sen's first major challenge, a test that would also serve as a significant bonding experience between him and Titanella!
That's another chapter done! I apologize for the slight delay, but I made sure to put in the effort to bring you this installment. If you enjoyed it, I'd greatly appreciate your support through a review/rating or even a power stone. But remember, these are entirely optional, and your readership means the world to me regardless.
Until next time, thank you for joining me on this adventure, and peace out!