Alex, still immersed in the joy of upgrading his blade, didn't notice Quinn's astonishment. After a moment, Quinn hesitated before asking, "Did this sword really upgrade to R-class quality?"
Alex paused, a bit confused by the question, and replied, "Yeah, didn't you say there was a high chance it could upgrade?"
Quinn coughed awkwardly and explained, "Well, R-class gems do have a decent chance of upgrading N-class gear, but it's pretty rare for an N-class item to jump straight to R-class in one go."
Hearing this, Alex realized there were different tiers within the N-class, from N+1 to N+9. Typically, an N-class gem would only raise a weapon by one tier, and while an R-class gem might push it up by two or more, directly upgrading an N-class weapon to R-class was exceedingly uncommon.
This revelation made John and the others shake their heads in amazement. They finally understood: Alex was ridiculously lucky! His luck seemed almost unreal.
After dinner, the group returned to the classroom to rest. The monsters had been around for nearly a full day now, and previously functional communication devices were beginning to fail. Although the power hadn't gone out yet, many websites were no longer accessible.
The group chatted quietly in the classroom, discussing their plans for tomorrow and what life might look like in the days ahead. There was a mix of emotions.
"How many people do you think died today?" someone murmured.
"Honestly, I kind of like things the way they are now," another chimed in. "Of course, it'd be better if those who died could come back. But playing this game without worrying about exams or daily stresses—it's not so bad."
"Sure, but exams don't kill you!" someone countered.
"Hey, if I awakened an SR-class power, I'd feel invincible!" a boy joked.
"Alex, our lucky star! Can you help me awaken next time?" another laughed.
The guys were lighthearted and carefree, but the girls were much more somber. Among the 21 girls in the class, only Tanya, Claire, and Sarah had participated in combat. The rest were beginning to worry about what the future held.
Some of the girls stole glances at Alex, who stood out even more in the moonlight, his figure almost glowing faintly. Given his incredible performance today, many couldn't help but feel a strange mixture of admiration and longing for his protection. His luck was so overwhelming that it made others feel helpless, stirring feelings they didn't quite understand.
Unlike the tense atmosphere earlier in the day, the soothing glow of the hidden crystal now covered the school, blocking the monsters' detection and muffling the noises from outside. The calm and quiet night allowed the exhausted students to drift into a peaceful sleep.
The next morning, Alex was awakened by the faint sound of furniture moving. He lifted his head from the desk and saw Tanya standing up. She seemed surprised to see him awake, though she had tried to be as quiet as possible. She shrugged apologetically before continuing out of the classroom.
Now fully awake, Alex decided to get up as well. After freshening up in the restroom, he found Tanya again in the corridor, already washed and ready for the day.
She looked him over, scanning him shamelessly, causing Alex to shift uncomfortably. "What are you staring at?" he muttered.
Tanya smirked, "Just marveling at your ridiculous luck. How come I never noticed it before?"
There was a tinge of jealousy in her voice, understandable given the sheer difference in their luck. Alex chuckled awkwardly, unable to explain why his fortune had suddenly skyrocketed.
After sharing a quick laugh, Tanya turned and headed back to the classroom, leaving Alex to check his stats. He was pleased to see that his mental stat had upgraded to E-class, and his bloodline level had also risen to F+.
Excited by this progress, he pulled out an F-class energy potion to continue upgrading his attributes. But then he noticed the ten E-class energy potions in his inventory and wondered if using an E-class potion would lead to even greater attribute improvements.
Unable to resist the thought, Alex decided to consult Quinn before trying anything. He made his way toward the courtyard, where the morning air was calm and quiet. Scattered across the grounds, students slept in small groups on makeshift beds of grass and dirt. Although the school wasn't a full-fledged shelter, it provided much-needed safety.
Quinn was resting in a corner of the courtyard, his large frame easy to spot. As Alex approached, Quinn stood up, smiling warmly. "Alex, how can I help you?"
Alex wasted no time, getting straight to the point. "I was wondering, does an E-class energy potion speed up attribute enhancement?"
Quinn nodded thoughtfully, understanding Alex's situation. "If your five main attributes are at F-class, you can start using E-class potions. Here's how it works: Going from F- to F-class takes a day, but upgrading from F to E-class takes two days. From E to D-class takes three days. When you're at F-class, only F-class potions work. But once all your attributes reach F-class, you can start using E-class potions. The same goes for higher levels—once everything reaches E-class, you can use D-class potions."
After hearing Quinn's explanation, Alex used an E-class energy potion to raise his perception stat from F to E-class.
Just as Alex was about to leave, Quinn stopped him. "Even though the hidden crystal protects the base from being detected by Bellos, monsters wandering close to the perimeter might still find it. Could you and your group help clear out the monsters near the base?"
Alex paused, realizing this was a formal quest. Checking his mission log, he saw that three new quests had appeared.