"Can't believe this is actually happening!"
Sterl's hands were slightly trembling as the book he was holding, "A Detailed Guide to Common Wild Beasts of the Divine Mountain Empire," rolled off and hit the floor with a thud.
The sound of the book hitting the floor reverberated through the room. Without hesitation, Sterl focused his mind and selected the plus icon next to "Physical Talent" on his status panel.
"Upgradation!" he silently roared in his heart. The next second, Sterl felt a jolt through his body followed by a warm flow circulating within him.
In no time, Sterl felt as if messages were flowing into his mind from the universe.
[Physical Talent has evolved: Attribute Amplification (C→B)]
[Current Evolution Count: 0/1. Remaining Time: 23:59:59]
He excitedly pulled up his attribute panel, and sure enough, it had changed.
[Player: Sterl]
...
[Physical Talent Ability: Attribute Amplification (Grade B)] + (Unavailable)
[Mental Talent Ability: …] + (Unavailable)
"My talent really did level up!"
"And it jumped from C to B level!"
Sterl thought he would be overjoyed, but the immense surprise made his mind go blank.
A B-grade Attribute Amplification meant a higher effect, activating it would now permanently increase all attributes by 8 points, with an additional 40% boost!
"Amazing!" Sterl couldn't help but feel exhilarated. To know that B-grade talents were rare within the entire base, with an average of only one "player" awakening such a talent every couple of years.
In the base, even the top leader only possessed a B-grade talent. The other higher-ups had a mix of B and C grades.
With his inexplicably awakened cheat, Sterl could now reach the pinnacle of the small world he had lived in for eighteen years after transmigrating!
What excited him even more was the hint his cheat gave him—
Wait another 24 hours, and he could evolve again!
"In the next few days, besides awakening talents like me, everyone else who turns eighteen has to take the skill test to see if they can become a 'player'..."
"Right before Linna and Rayna return, I'll max out my physical talent!" Sterl muttered to himself.
Then, he lay on his bed and fell asleep.
The anticipation for today's evolution had made Sterl too excited to sleep. Now knowing the cheat could be used continuously, his mind relaxed, and he quickly fell into a deep sleep.
...
For the next several days, Sterl kept a low profile. Aside from stepping out a couple of times to buy some groceries, he stayed at home.
Meanwhile, in the base, tens of thousands of boys and girls who had not awakened their talents were undergoing intensive training to acquire proficient-level skills.
Before the training ended, the base would tally all individuals who had proficient-level skills and grant them the second batch of player qualifications.
This was the only chance for those youths without innate talents.
Countless vendors and merchants gathered around the training facilities to serve these young people, leaving the streets much emptier than usual.
Sterl didn't care about any of that. He just hid in his bedroom's closet on time every day and then—
"Upgradation!" he would command in his heart.
Sterl's first evolution happened at 3:24 PM. So, in order not to waste the charging time of evolution, he chose to activate his cheat at the same time for several days in a row.
And his talent abilities kept improving!
[Physical Talent has evolved: Attribute Amplification (B→A)]
An A-grade Attribute Amplification meant all attributes permanently increased by 15 points, with an additional 50% boost!
To say the least, Sterl could turn into a superhero once he activated his skills. Ordinary low-level players couldn't compete against him.
And his potential directly surpassed the limits of his base.
What surprised Sterl even more was...
The evolution continued over the next few days!
[Physical Talent has evolved: Attribute Amplification (A→S)]. Talent effect enhanced to permanently increase all attributes by 20 points, with an additional 60% boost.
[Physical Talent has evolved: Attribute Amplification (S→SS)]. Talent effect enhanced to permanently increase all attributes by 30 points, with an additional 80% boost.
[Physical Talent has evolved: Attribute Amplification (SS→SSS)]
[Attribute Amplification upgraded to perfection, transformed into the talent: Descent of the Heavenly God (SSS)]
"Is this the peak?"
Sterl was dazed. When he evolved from SS to SSS grade, he felt as if his entire body was forged in a furnace from the inside out. At that moment, Sterl was drenched in sweat and extremely weak.
But the outcome was exhilarating.
On one hand, the plus icon behind his physical talent disappeared, and the messages flooding his mind confirmed that his talent had reached its zenith and undergone a transformation.
On the other hand, when he couldn't help but check his new talent, he was utterly shocked!
[Descent of the Heavenly God (SSS): Upon activation, all attributes permanently increase by fifty points, with an additional 100% boost.
Upon activation, reduces all damage by 30%, increases damage output efficiency by 30%.
After obtaining this talent, the player can choose to resurrect on-site within 0-7 hours of death (Cooldown Time: 7 days)]
[Introduction: A top-tier talent evolved from a body with infinite possibilities granted by [Transcendence], unparalleled and unique in the world!]
"Holy Shit! Fifty points of attributes!!"
Despite guessing that an SSS-grade talent would be extremely powerful, Sterl had not anticipated it being this potent!
You see, in [Transcendence], it wasn't easy for players to enhance their attributes.
Before level 20, each level up would add one point to all attributes and grant one free attribute point.
As for after level 20, Sterl wasn't too sure, but he roughly knew that depending on the quality of the profession chosen during job change, the fixed increase in attribute points per level varied. But it was definitely stronger than just a one-point increase in all attributes, and each level would at least grant two free attribute points.
But Sterl was still a level 0 player. If he activated his talent, even those high-level players who had changed jobs wouldn't have higher attributes than him until after level 30!
To be on par with others at level 30 while still at level 0...
Isn't that absurd?
And, the additional 100% attribute boost from Descent of the Heavenly God, although not very useful now since all his attributes were just one point, would become a terrifyingly powerful boost as he leveled up!
How could an opponent of the same level fight against someone whose attributes were doubled?
Not to mention same level, even enemies several levels higher than Sterl couldn't compete!
Sterl was truly dumbfounded.
Frankly, he had heard that the highest talent grade was S, which was already the cream of the crop among all human forces on Earth.
SSS grade... There wasn't even such a legend.
Now that Sterl had experienced it firsthand, he realized just how fierce it was!
"And there's also a damage reduction and resurrection effect?" He continued to scan his new talent, unable to help but marvel again.
That's way too awesome!
As for the value of the damage reduction effect, Sterl wasn't sure. He was just an ordinary person in the base, never having encountered such high-end attribute terms.
But since it's an SSS-grade talent, its value goes without saying.It's invincible!
As for the last resurrection effect, that's like a bug-like existence.
[Transcendence], the game, was extremely realistic. Once a character died, it meant true death in the game, resulting in account deletion, preventing further login.
But he can get an extra life every seven days.
This is truly invaluable!
This means Sterl doesn't have to face difficulties and challenges like other players, tiptoeing around.
Just go for it because he can resurrect once anyway!
Then his development speed would definitely far exceed his peers!
"Just maxing out a physical talent is this fierce, if I max out my mental talent in a few days, wouldn't that be even more invincible??" Sterl thought, his breathing growing heavier.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
But at that moment, suddenly, the "door" was knocked on fiercely.
No, to be precise, it was the closet door where Sterl was hiding.
The closet door was yanked open, and then a fair and pretty face appeared right in front of Sterl.
Along with his face, there were also two balls of flesh sticking tightly together, wearing low cut home clothes and revealing large snowy chests.
Sterl and the person in front of him instantly became glued together.
Sterton's expression changed as he was clearly impacted by the latter's two huge breasts.
"Linna? You guys finished the assessment?"
"How did it go? Did you get the player qualification?" Sterl asked with concern.
The girl in front of him was a pretty blonde, smiling brightly at him, and one of Sterl's housemates.
"She was the one he had decided to live off as a last resort if he couldn't awaken his talents."