Before completely vanishing, the Imp used its remaining power to imprison Sun within the Dimension. Sun, exhausted from his intense battle and the continuous use of his Auraforge skill, fell to his knees. The strain of the power consumption and the impact of using Cosmic Burst left him on the verge of passing out, but he managed to regain his composure.
Curiosity filled his mind as he pondered the Imp's last action. Suddenly, multiple notifications appeared before him.
[Successfully Defeated: Imp (Enhance)]
[+25,000 EXP]
[x1 Magus Blade (Great Sword)]
[LEVEL UP]... [LEVEL UP]... [LEVEL UP]... [LEVEL UP]... [LEVEL UP]...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After the intense battle, Sun was on the verge of passing out, barely aware of the notifications that appeared before him. Meanwhile, Seraphine was in a more dire situation.
Following the Imp's demise, Seraphine's consciousness returned to her, but it had been damaged. Despite her immense power, even a minor injury affected her weakened state.
A wispy, dark-red essence floated towards Seraphine, causing her body to jolt. Opening her eyes, she felt the repercussions of the damage inflicted by Sun through the Imp. Consumed by wrath and anger, her shout reverberated throughout the area, causing nearby planets to tremble and some to be instantly destroyed.
After a while, Seraphine managed to regain her composure, but she was visibly exhausted and panting heavily.
Lumen, standing by her side, called out to her with concern, addressing her as "My Queen."
"How... How could such an insignificant being inflict damage upon me? There is no skill in this universe that can harm me except for Aurelius! If only I possessed more power, I could create a more suitable avatar," Seraphine exclaimed, seething with rage.
She was well aware of her limited power and the restrictions imposed upon her, preventing her from fully manifesting her true abilities and creating a more formidable form.
But even with the enhancement of the Imp and Seraphine's consciousness within it, she never anticipated that Sun could not only defeat the Imp but also inflict damage on her consciousness.
"He may have received the Inheritance and skills from Aurelius, and he managed to kill the Imp... But it's inconceivable that he could harm my consciousness," Seraphine pondered, her mind racing with possibilities.
"Unless... No, it can't be! Who could have granted him that? Only Aurelius and I possess such abilities within this universe!" Seraphine exclaimed, her voice trembling with a mixture of confusion, anger, and rage.
"This will be your last respite, Sun. Take your time and grow stronger. By the time I break free from this imprisonment, I will regain my full power and obliterate you! You, the Guardian of Humanity!" Seraphine declared with determination.
"I remember your existence. You were called the Solitary Survivor! Despite the annihilation of humanity, you single-handedly defended your planet against the Dimensional Cracks for centuries! But this time, I will ensure your demise along with your species!" Seraphine proclaimed. As she spoke, her eyes glowed intensely with a deep black and red hue, and her aura expanded, emanating an overwhelming pressure. However, she soon closed her eyes and retracted her power, as if nothing had happened. It was a calm before the storm, foretelling the impending chaos.
...
Back in the Dimensional Room, Sun remained on the floor, catching his breath. He was well aware that the intense battle had taken a toll on his body. Fortunately, his HP had increased to 1500, and with a regeneration rate of 160 HP per second, he could recover quickly. Utilizing Auraforge, he had successfully mitigated and nullified much of the damage, deflecting and blocking attacks with precision.
Despite emerging victorious against Seraphine, Sun knew that the conflict was far from over. He understood that someone capable of killing Aurelius, their god and creator, would not be easily defeated.
"It seems that the restrictions placed upon her have significantly weakened her power. That played a crucial role in my victory," Sun contemplated. Realizing that he was still confined within the Dimension, he attempted to return to Earth, now known as Eden. However, he encountered an error message indicating that he was trapped within the Dimension.
...
[Error]
[Human - named: Sun Ethan. Forced confinement within the dimension]
...
"Damn... What do I do now?" Sun exclaimed, feeling lost in the current situation. Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice that brought him some comfort.
[Hello, Young Master! I am System, your guide,] a robotic voice spoke. Sun recognized the voice as the same one he had heard when they first entered the Dimension.
"Wait... How can you talk to me? And why are you calling me 'Young Master'?" Sun asked, his voice filled with surprise.
[I was embedded within the seal of your Inheritance. Aurelius, my creator, thought it would be beneficial to accompany and assist you. As the successor of Aurelius, you are now the 'Young Master',] the System explained.
"Okay... But when you mention the seal, are you referring to the Inheritance? I didn't hear anything from you when the first seal was broken. And what kind of assistance can you provide?" Sun asked, trying to make sense of the situation.
[Moments ago, several notifications appeared before you, but due to exhaustion from the fight, you may not have noticed them. Once I was activated, most of the notifications were forwarded to me. I have now finished syncing with you, and you can check your attributes. As for assistance, at this stage, I can only provide basic information and answer your questions. However, as you unlock more seals, I will be able to offer additional functions and support,] the System replied to Sun.
"Ah, so the System is also a creation of Aurelius. He really intended to pass everything on to me..." Sun mused to himself before asking for a summary of his rewards for defeating Seraphine's Imp.
[Here is a breakdown of the rewards you received:]
25,000 EXP
Magus Blade (Great Sword)
Unlocked 2nd Seal!
[You can find more details about the remaining rewards on your attributes board.]
The System provided Sun with the breakdown of his rewards. Eager to see his current status, Sun then requested to view his attributes. A transparent board appeared before him, displaying the information he sought.
...
Name: Sun Ether
Level: 6 (7,500/10,500 EXP)
Title: Cosmic Traveler
CLASS: (PENDING)
HP: 1500/1500 (160/sec)
MP: 550/550 (50/sec)
Strength: 24
Intelligence: 21
Stamina: 25
Constitution: 25
Agility: 22
--------------
Free Attribute: 80
--------------
Active Skill: Cosmic Burst (F) [25.0%] | Auraforge (F) [15.0%]
Passive Skill: Cosmic Absorption (F) [0.0%] | Soulforge Ascendance (EX) |
========
Skill Name: Authority (???) - Level: 1
Skill Name: Ancient Cosmic Inheritance
1st Seal: (Unlocked: Soulforge Ascendance (EX)
2nd Seal: (Unlocked: Authority (???)
3rd Seal: (LOCKED)
...
"What's up with my level? I should have reached Level 10 with 25,000 EXP, but I'm only at Level 6. However, I did notice that I have 80 attribute points to distribute, which is good news. And what does the 2nd seal mean? I see a question mark next to it," Sun asked the System, seeking clarification.
He had some ideas about the ranking system for skills, but he couldn't recall an "EX" rank from his past experiences. In the future, he managed to achieve an "SSS" rank, which was the highest level of skill ranking.
Despite his confusion, Sun trusted in Aurelius and knew that he would eventually understand everything through his Attributes. Now that he had the System, he could easily seek answers to his questions.
[Regarding your level, Young Master, acquiring the Ancient Cosmic Inheritance comes with a penalty and benefits. You need five times more experience than a normal person to level up, but you gain an additional 10 basic attributes per level, totaling to 15. That's why you currently have 80 attribute points available for allocation.] The System explained and continued.
[As for the skill ranking, the current limit for skill acquisition is set at SS, which is considered "Mythical." These skills possess immense power and significance and can only be possessed by renowned individuals. They can greatly influence battles and display extraordinary prowess. However, there are exceptional cases that can break this limit.]
[But this is not the limit. The (EX) grade represents Extraordinary skills that defy conventional understanding. They are said to originate from divine or cosmic sources, wielding unimaginable power and potentially altering the very nature of the world.]
[In addition, there is the (Infinity) grade, which embodies Eternal-level skills. These skills possess limitless potential and power, existing beyond mortal comprehension. They have the ability to reshape reality itself and defy all known boundaries.]
[Lastly, there is the (Omega) grade, representing Primordial-level skills that trace their origins back to the primordial forces that birthed the universe. Omega-grade skills can transcend time, space, and the laws of nature. They tap into the fundamental forces that shaped existence. This is a basic structure of the skill ranking system.] The System provided this information to Sun, leaving him in a state of shock and disbelief.
Sun pondered over his past self, realizing how limited his perspective had been. He now understood the vastness of his surroundings. However, with his newfound ability to acquire skills beyond the SSS rank by unlocking more seals, Sun was determined to become much stronger in the future.
Curiosity still lingering, he voiced his question to the System about the skill marked with a question mark at his 2nd seal.
"Then why does the skill have a question mark next to it?" Sun asked in confusion, trying to understand the meaning behind it.
[...]
[The information about Authority is restricted...]
"What?" Sun expressed his confusion and rephrased his question. "Can you provide me with the details of the skill, at least?"
[...]
[Permission granted]
...
Skill Name: Authority (???)
Level: 1
Details: The skill known as "Authority" was bestowed upon the user by an enigmatic entity, forcefully replacing another skill that was originally intended to be granted. At first glance, Authority may appear unremarkable and with limited practicality. However, it possesses a distinctive and profound ability to inflict qualitative damage upon "higher beings".
Unlike other abilities, Authority operates in a mysterious and elusive manner, enabling it to bypass any limitations that would harm its owner. This unique trait grants the user the power to harm entities of great power without any inherent restrictions. It is a force that transcends conventional boundaries, allowing the wielder to challenge and confront formidable opponents.
...
"This... Is this the reason why I was able to defeat the Imp? And wasn't the second seal still locked even during the fight?" Sun voiced his thoughts, and The System promptly replied.]
[Defeating the Imp was primarily due to your skill, not the Authority. However, the consciousness imprinted onto the Imp was damaged as a result of your skill. Additionally, the Authority was already applied to you when the first seal was unsealed.]
[Also unsealing an Inheritance is a random process, and the requirements for the second seal are unknown. However, due to the circumstances, the Authority was activated as it detected a higher being on your opponent. You were then granted access to this skill in exchange for defeating the Imp and unlocking the second seal.] The System explained.
[Regarding the third seal requirements, they are randomly generated and currently unknown. As for the 'Level' it represents the level of your Authority. Unfortunately, no further information can be provided at this time...] The System shared, withholding additional details.
"I see... I'm not sure why it mentioned limited practical use, but when it refers to bypassing limitations, could it be referring to crowd control skills or debuffs? In any case, the most important question now is how do I escape from this dimension?" Sun inquired, seeking a solution from The System.
[A skill restriction has been imposed on you by another powerful being. Your current strength and skills are not sufficient to remove this restriction.] The System replied.
"Can you tell me how long the restriction will last?" Sun asked, hoping for an answer from The System.
[The Authority was able to alleviate most of the restriction and reduce the confinement period from 55 years to 5 years.] The System revealed.