Connor's aura surged, but his level did not increase past 20. This was expected as you could not increase your Level past 20 without completing your Rank Quest.
Well, that is until most of the mainstream Players within the game had achieved Rank 1 and the System Update is initiated.
Why would anyone play the game if they couldn't even level up past a certain point? That update won't happen until at least a month or two from now though.
[Sage's Runes are in effect.]
However, what was unexpected was that Connor's EXP percentage had increased to 5100%.
Upon seeing his EXP bar filled to 5100%, Connor gasped in disbelief. He couldn't remain calm because simply knowing the capabilities of this was groundbreaking once again.
'What the hell are the Sage's Runes? I've never heard of them before,' Connor questioned himself, baffled.
No one had ever been able to essentially accumulate EXP no matter what or how they tried.
Countless Players and Powers tried for years to see if EXP accumulation was possible. In the end, they all came back empty handed.
Even so, that EXP given to that item was only for that item. A Player couldn't just go and take it back.
But, what Connor was looking at was in fact EXP accumulation.
Pulling up his player status, Connor quickly scrolled through the System notifications and mentally clicked on the new "Blessings" section in glowing blue lettering.
[Blessing: Sage's Runes
Effect Duration: Permanent. Cannot be removed under any circumstances.
Blessing Description: The Sage's Runes allows the Player to accumulate any amount of EXP gained. The Player can set a percentage they choose for accumulation, enabling strategic leveling in times of peril.
Effect 2- Grants the user the ability to receive the level-up effects such as attribute points even while accumulating EXP.
Effect 3- The runes also provide a passive effect that increases resistance to curses and negative status effects that affect the Player's leveling effiency by 15%.
Effect 4- Unknown. The Player must meet a Guardian to activate the Blessing's fourth effect.]
When he read over the blessing's description, he almost slapped himself.
Connor had wanted to find a way to bypass a significant problem associated with the first Evil God's awakening: the second Evil God would cast a curse on anyone who killed the first awakened, a curse that reduces their EXP gain by 90%.
This was a huge burden the Vice Guild Leader of the Lightheart guild faced for months before finally being able to kill the second Evil God and lifting the EXP effect off of himself. But, at that time, it was already too late and Lionheart had far surpassed him in levels and equipment. The race for Guild Leader was already his.
'So, that's how he was able to suddenly beat me. That trash!!'
Connor is referring to the time he encountered a guy that tried to kill steal when he and his teammates least expected it. Connor fought the guy to a standstill. Or so he thought. The guy then exploded 10 levels and handed Connor's ass to him.
For a long time, Connor thought that maybe the guy had encountered a bug in the game and exploited it.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: Congratulations! You are the first player to kill a monster one rank and 50 levels above yourself. You have earned the third and final title, "Level Leveler III", and a new title, "Rank Slayer".]
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: Congratulations! You have dealt 100% of the damage to a Legendary monster without being in a part and having no rank. You have earned the title "Solo Leveling".]
Connor smiled, feeling the weight of the titles settle on his shoulders.
The EXP gained from Level Leveler allowed him to gain 200% of the EXP from killing monsters or completing quests. While Rank Slayer granted him double attributes while fighting an enemy or monster one Rank above himself.
Connor examined the luxurious vault door as he walked up to it, its surface covered in heavy magic inscriptions and defensive arrays and nexuses. Just looking at them gave him a migraine. He knew this vault contained even more incredible treasures. With the Array Key in hand, he unlocked the vault.
The doors swung open with a resounding boom, revealing a treasure room that made the previous one look modest.
Inside, the room was filled with even more unimaginable wealth: silver, gold, and even luminous gold coins piled high into the ceiling.
Contraptions of all kinds, recipes for consumables, blueprints for buildings and armor, land deeds, asset transferal documents, building orders, and recruitment orders lay scattered.
Connor took a deep breath, stepping into the vault. This was the culmination of his efforts, the reward for his perseverance and skill. This vault's wealth was on par with some of the large guilds he'd seen. Connor approached the pedestal, ready to claim the ultimate prize.
As he opened the chest, a blinding light filled the room, and he felt a surge of power unlike anything he had ever experienced. It's celestial might almost made him faint due to the pressure.
'What kind of item is in there that gives off this much celestial might?'
This phenomenon only occurred when Legendary chests or chests of similar caliber were opened. The things contained within weren't just for show. Even with it being sealed, Connor could tell the items inside were the crux of this entire vault.
Legendary graded items are at the apex of Shattered Realms's items as they had unparalleled abilities and strengths that could change the shape of an entire Sector. Especially early game. No matter what kind of item it was, it always had a celestial might accompanying it.
Though it varied, even the most basic of Legendary items would make the lesser mental strength individual faint; the current Connor is no different. He just has an unnaturally stronger will than most.
[SYSTEM QUEST: EPIC QUEST, GUARDIANS OF THE ETERNAL BLADE I
QUEST DETAILS: After clearing the Whispering Sage's Treasure Trove, Player Nebula has unlocked the prerequisite trial of the Eternal Blade. The Blade of the Eternal is an ancient artifact of immense power, said to be forged by the gods themselves. Legends speak of its ability to cut through the fabric of reality and its use in battles that shaped the very foundation of the world. Over the millennia, the blade was shattered and its pieces scattered, each guarded by a legendary being known as a Guardian. These Guardians have protected the fragments, ensuring that only the worthy may reassemble the blade and harness its ultimate power.
Objective: Discover the identity and location of the Guardians of the Eternal Blade. Each Guardian holds a unique essence that must be collected to complete the blade. This quest is the first in a chain, leading to the ultimate restoration of the Blade of the Eternal.
Time Limit: Untimed
Penalty: Failure to complete this quest will result in the permanent loss of access to all fragments of the Blade of the Eternal and a significant decrease in reputation with all factions related to the ancient legends.]
"F*ck, no way. This Quest was failed last time because the Guardians were too strong. Not even Lionheart could kill a guardian. He barely lasted 10 moves before he incapacitated," Connor resigns, his fate sealed.
He knew this story all too well. Everyone in the entire server knew of Lionheart's loss in acquiring the first piece of the Eternal Blade. However, what confused him was that Lionheart never cleared a treasure trove.
So, unless he somehow stumbled upon the first piece by accident, then it should be impossible without the prerequisite quest to start.
Connor then proceeded to inspect the items he'd gotten from the Legendary chest.
**Legendary Chest: Whispering Sage's Legacy**
Soul Orb of the Whispering Sage (Legendary)
Arcane Master's Robe (Epic)
Eternal Blade (Broken Epic)
Tome of Forgotten Secrets (Social)
Ring of Arcane Vision (Epic)
Pendant of the Sage (Epic)
Boots of Silent Steps (Special)
Gloves of Arcane Mastery (Special)
Cloak of the Whispering Winds (Unique)
Potion of Enlightenment (Legendary)
Connor goes over many of the items' attributes and abilities and is quite satisfied. Once he starts is recruitment, he could put some of these items up for grabs for his new members.
///
As he walked, Connor navigated back through the temple, his mind already planning his next moves. Twenty minutes into the walk, his enhanced senses picked up loud voices talking animatedly in the hall.
From the sound of it, arguing was happening between two distant groups.
When he rounded the corner, Connor saw 20 figures, separated into two groups of ten, standing about and talking heatedly with each other. They hadn't noticed he arrived back at the hall at all.
'Oh, this must be the Ceramic Tigers adventuring team. Who are the other group though?'
Their levels were pretty average at around Level 2. Meanwhile, the leaders of the two groups, a young man and a woman, incessantly argued that the other had ripped them off and stolen the treasure from them. The man was at Level 4, which was quite high considering that it was only the second day. He sported a mage staff that was of Rare grade. The woman was at Level 3 with Common grade Berserker gauntlets.
"How the hell did I steal the treasure from you if we hadn't even entered it yet, you dumb*ss," the female player asked, clearly done as annoyance framed her face.
"You're friends with girl in your guild, right? How do I know that you didn't pay her to clear it and you and your team get a profit," the young man accused the girl.
"You— don't bring Font into this. She won't help me after the last fiasco. And you know that," she rebutted.
The situation unfolded even more as the young man showed no signs of even trying to reconcile. He was there to simply bully the young woman.
Not really wanting to intervene, Connor turned to leave, hoping to avoid any unnecessary confrontation. However, his movement caught the attention of the arguing groups. The young woman's eyes widened as she noticed him.
"Hey, you there! Who are you?" she called out, her voice cutting through the tension.
Connor paused, debating whether to respond or just keep walking. But curiosity and the need to avoid further suspicion made him turn back to face the group.
The young man also took notice, his eyes narrowing. "Were you the one who cleared the treasure trove? We saw the system announcement."
Connor's brow furrowed. "What announcement?"
One of the players from the young woman's group quickly pulled up the system message and showed it to Connor. He read the announcement and realized it was indeed about him.
"Yes, that was me," Connor admitted calmly.
Immediately, the young man's group, known as the Ceramic Tigers, surrounded him, their expressions hostile and demanding.
"You're going to hand over everything you got from that trove. We claimed that treasure trove," the young man declared arrogantly.
Connor remained unfazed. "I don't think so."
"Listen, he might be higher-leveled than you," the young woman warned the young man, trying to diffuse the situation.
But the young man's arrogance knew no bounds. "Attack him! He's just one guy."
The Ceramic Tigers lunged at Connor. With a simple stomp of his boot, Connor unleashed a dome of darkness that disintegrated the enemies, leaving nothing but the Rare staff.
The other group stared in shock and fear at the scene. Connor picked up the staff and walked over to the young woman, handing it to her without a word.
"Here, take this," he said, his tone neutral.
She looked at the staff, still wide-eyed. "Thank you… I shouldn't take this," she responds hesitantly.
"Eh, I don't need this. It's grade is too low for me. Maybe someone in your party can put it to good use."
The young woman was a bit too slow to respond and Connor begins walking off.
"W-wait, accept my friend request."
Immediately after she says that, Connor receives a friend request from a Player named Crimson Sentra.
'Oh, it's her. I'll accept it. Her problem within her guild should be happening pretty soon. I'll wait until then to recruit her,' Connor mentally thinks as he accepts the friend request.
He then continues walking back to the Whispering Forest's entrance before logging off.
***
"LEVEL 20?!," Crimson Sentra yelps out loud, disbelieving.
"Team Leader, what is it? What do you mean Level 20?" A Player by the name of Ice Spree asks Crimson Sentra.
"That guy! He's Level 20." She then sets her interface to public view to allow them to see his name and Level.
The whole group was stunned. Who the f*ck could possibly be Level 20 this early on in the game?
Most of the Top Powers' experts aren't even Level 10, let alone Level 20.
"Could he possibly… No, I'm thinking too much. Luckily I recorded that interaction." Crimson Sentra then turns to Ice Spreeamd hands her the Rare Mage staff.
"You're our only mage on the team. With a Rare grade weapon, our leveling efficiency should increase by 50%. It should have a skill and comes with a 20 point Basic Attributes increase. Let's go, we have to catch up to Font's group. They're already two levels above us."
With their new weapon that they'd gotten for free, Crimson Sentra and her team makes their way back to Kenpachi.