After the day of the confrontation, things stayed almost the same, but not quite.
Walking to school, the newly formed group engaged in conversation.
"It's not fair at all! You make me want to give up." Toro commented half-joking after a lesson feeling like he could do nothing about this overpowered classmate of his.
"Don't mind him. He's mad cause that Liatine girl won't look at him, but it makes sense, she's the third-best in class and in the junior trainee rankings of our generation." Elara rolled her eyes as she spoke.
"It's ok. It is my fault he has no chances now. You can challenge me if you want, dear knight, and once you hand my head to her on a silver platter. I am sure she will be head over heels for you." Kriantis smiled as he suggested a solution.
"Really?! You think so, boss?!… Alright! I will train super hard to beat you!" Toro got all fired up at the idea.
"Hey! Don't give him such bad ideas! He'll take them seriously!" Elara frowned at him, a look of disapproval that would make almost anyone feel bad for their actions.
"Hehehe, fine, I'm just trying to motivate him a little, no foul, no harm. If he wins, I will go along with it. I'm a man of my word." The golden-eyed boy answered with a look of guilt.
"Tch! I know you! You're scheming something!… Not that I pay special attention to you specifically or anything, it's just I'm observing in general and notice this kind of thing… I mean! Just don't do something too crazy!" Elara started walking faster to school, leaving the boys behind and hiding her face somewhat.
"She totally digs you." Toro said in a flat tone, used to this happening by then.
"If that's the case, we can look at it years later, right now, growing and building the foundation of our strength is the top priority. Elara included." Kriantis responded with a neutral smile.
"You're scary sometimes, you know that? Like, are you an automaton or something? I don't know?" Toro raised an eyebrow.
"Me? Not really, If I was it would be probably easier to grow in a few ways, and defend myself from unforeseeable dangers. One who aims for the top needs to be as ready as possible, and if I could just modify myself and get upgrades, I feel things would be a lot simpler." Kriantis responded with a calm smile.
"This is exactly what I mean, it borders on creepy. Mr. Golden Automaton, you should get the human upgrade, it would help you blend in. Hahahaha!" Toro laughed it off just as they reached and entered school.
"It's hard to do that surrounded by kids, I need to keep a certain distance. A few more years to go, and you can be your true self, hand in there a focus on the grind, Kriantis, you can do it!" He said to himself, before going in alongside his knight.
From then on, things went in that fashion for quite a long while.
Kriantis navigated these dynamics with calculated precision. He offered helpful insights, shared knowledge freely.
"Toro, never forget the kindness of all deities is Vireya. I have her blessing, and that's why I'm so exceptional, it's not just my talent, you should pray to her every night. She's even help you with you find love." He said to his knight with the expression a holy saint of purity, pure shamelessness.
"Ohhhh! Really?! I see! Every night! I will pray to her! Thank you, Boss! You're actually quite nice sometimes." Toro nodded frantically.
"Of course, only the best for my knight." Kriantis smiled as he lay through his teeth as easily as he could breathe.
Then later, posed the same to others, including Elara.
"I never could have had such a fateful encounter as meeting you if I were not a follower of Vireya, the cycles of reincarnation have brought us together now. Thank you for being here with me. It makes the days better. All because of Vireya!" Kriantis smiled as he told half-truths and began praying right then in front of her.
(… I never heard of a Goddess with that name, so she must be a minor Deity.) She concluded in her mind.
"… So you really think we met due to fate?" Elara asked a small blush on her cheeks as she played with her hair.
"I do. I believe we have a great future ahead of us, so long as we stick together." He smiled as the first fully true sentence came out of his mouth in this conversation.
(I need to pray to this Goddess! If she gives him a revelation, we can stick by each other!… As friends of course, I'm just keeping an eye on him so he doesn't abuse Toro.) Elara nodded to herself.
"I'll think about it… It's a big commitment to dedicate my prayer to an unknown celestial." Elara responded.
Things didn't stop there, and he continued to spread the word of his benevolent goddess Vireya.
He also began explaining his goal, first to his family, then to instructors and peers when questioned about his refusal to specialize. "I will not be just a Hunter, or a Gatherer, or a Nurturer. The tribe needs all roles to survive. True strength lies in understanding and mastering all paths. I will become a Master of Roles."
(With my Omni-Layer class, and Omni-Ruler job, it would be ludicrous for me not to become who I was always supposed to be, the jack of all trades, master of all.
(All I need to do is figure out a way to become immortal in time, and I will be able to do it. Specialization is for those with limited time, and considering Vireya said immortals are real, then I, with my high talent won't stay limited like in my past life, no this time I will let my hunger out, and live my life as the greedy sinful bastard I truly am.) Kriantis found himself unable to live any other way; it was not just his goal, but his very nature.
The concept was met with skepticism by elders steeped in tradition, but his undeniable results in all areas made it difficult to dismiss him outright. He became an anomaly within the rigid structure of the village.
His system diligently tracked his efforts:
[Proficiency in Basic Combat reached required level! Passive Skill Acquired: Battle Instincts (Basic)]
[Proficiency in Herb Identification reached required level! Passive Skill Acquired: Herbalism (Basic)]
[Proficiency in Movement reached required level! Subclass Acquired: Runner! +5 Agility, +3 Stamina]
The notifications faded, but the sense of accomplishment lingered. Battle Instincts, Herbalism, Runner. Each one was a small step, a testament to his relentless observation and quiet efforts over the past few years since his internal world had truly awakened.
While his peers were often content with the standard lessons, Kriantis devoured every piece of information, every practical exercise, his adult mind in a child's body making connections and achieving proficiencies at a rate that was, even to him, somewhat startling.
(Good, everything counts for the growth.) He thought, his golden eyes glinting with a focus far beyond his apparent age.
The dynamic with Toro, his self-proclaimed knight, had solidified. After Kriantis's "revelation" about the "goddess Vireya" and the suggestion that Toro's devotion could win Liatine's heart, Toro had become an even more fervent follower, if a comically earnest one.
"Boss, I prayed to Lady Vireya for three hours last night! I even offered her my best jerky!" Toro had declared one morning, his brown hair disheveled but his eyes shining with hope. "Do you think Liatine will notice my devotion soon?"
Kriantis had managed a serene, encouraging smile. "Of course, Toro. Such devotion will surely be rewarded. Perhaps focus some of that energy on your spear practice today, yes? A strong knight is an impressive knight." He had guided, channeling Toro's great energy into productive training, all while subtly reinforcing the notion of Vireya's benevolence. It was surprisingly easy; Toro's simple faith was a powerful tool.
Elara, true to her cautious nature, hadn't immediately declared herself a devotee. Yet, Kriantis noticed her observing him more intently, her green-haired head often tilted in thought after he shared some "insight" supposedly gleaned from Vireya's teachings, usually tailored to appeal to a gatherer's logic or a young girl's nascent romanticism. His words about their fated meeting, though a calculated half-truth, had clearly resonated.
His public declaration of intending to become a "Master of Roles" – to learn the ways of the Hunter, Gatherer, and Nurturer – had caused a stir. The Safrion tribe, steeped in tradition and specialization, found the idea unorthodox.
Elders grumbled about a lack of focus, but Kriantis's instructors, faced with his consistently high performance across all disciplines, could only scratch their heads and reluctantly allow him access to the varied teachings.
Not only that, but Commander Rore even vouched for him, stating they should allow him to do as he pleases in this regard, so they did.
He learned basic sword forms alongside hunter trainees, advanced herbalism with gatherer apprentices, and rudimentary first aid and poultice creation with the nurturer acolytes. Each new piece of knowledge, each practiced movement, fed into his rapidly expanding skillset, the System dutifully logging his progress.
[Proficiency in Basic Scythe Arts reached required level! Passive Skill Acquired: Scythe Mastery (Basic - Rank I)]
[Proficiency in Stealthy Movement reached required level! Passive Skill Acquired: Silent Step (Basic - Rank I)]
[Proficiency in Wound Dressing reached required level! Active Skill Acquired: Bind Wounds (Basic - Rank I)]
(Good. The broader the base, the higher the peak.) Kriantis nodded, satisfied with his gains.
Then there was Borin Popio. Their deal for the Particular Core necessitated interaction. True to his word, Kriantis began to "train" the commander's son. Borin, with his black eyes signifying 'God' tier talent – just a step below Kriantis's own suppressed Golden Venerable – was arrogant but not entirely foolish. He was driven by a fierce desire to surpass his peers and, perhaps more importantly, to meet the unspoken expectations of his father, Commander Rore.
The training sessions were a delicate dance. Kriantis couldn't reveal the true depth of his understanding or the aid of his System. Instead, he focused on fundamentals Borin might have overlooked in his haste for power, on exploiting openings in standard tribal techniques, and on mental conditioning.
"Your swings are powerful, Borin," Kriantis would say, his voice neutral as they sparred with blunted wooden swords in a secluded clearing. Kriantis, despite being physically smaller and a few years younger, moved with an unnerving precision that often left Borin striking air. "But your stance is too committed after the third strike. A faster opponent, or one who anticipates, would find an opening here… or here." He'd tap Borin lightly on exposed points.
Borin would scowl, his red hair damp with sweat. "Easy for you to say, golden-eyes! You just dance around!"
(As expected, he has what it takes to be much better than this. Just needs guidance to focus on will help him get there. It would be a bonus if he wasn't annoying, but you can't win them all.) Kriantis continued to observe to see what would come of this.
"I'm not strong enough to meet your force head-on, Borin. So, I have to find other ways. Perhaps you could too? What if your opponent expects overwhelming force? What if you offered them something else first?"
Kriantis introduced Borin to feints, to varied tempos in attack, to exploiting psychological weaknesses. He didn't give Borin a "regimen" of endless drills as much as a series of puzzles and challenges.
Slowly, grudgingly, Borin started to see improvements in his sparring against other trainees, not just in raw power, but in adaptability. The arrogance remained, but a sliver of confused respect began to creep into his gaze when he looked at Kriantis.
(He will be of use. Regardless of whether he joins me or not, I just need to keep focusing on myself first and helping him where I can.) Kriantis mused, already calculating future uses for the Commander's son.
This period, from roughly age ten to eleven, was one of intense, almost silent, growth for Kriantis. He excelled in all his formal tribal lessons, continued his secret mana circulation and pushing the boundaries of Mana Bonding, while also training physically with weights as Eima had once witnessed, and subtly expanded his small network of influence through Toro, Elara, and even Borin. His Vireya "cult" was now a small circle of peers who found him unusually wise and often associated their minor good fortunes or insights with the "blessings" he spoke of.
Finally, through a combination of his broad training and the constant mental exertion of learning and adapting, Kriantis felt a familiar chime from the System.
[User has reached Level 5!]
[Entity Rank I+ cap reached!]
[Warning: Further Level progression is sealed. Limit Break required to advance beyond current Human Tier capabilities.]
(Level 5. The cap for ER:I, ok so this is what the system was telling me about… This world truly feels like a game in a lot of ways, and I'm going to win.) He smiled at the floating screen in front of him.
After that, later on, he went on a small trip outside of the village with his friends.
Deep within the less-traveled part of the Outer Zone of the Blood Forest, a place he'd scouted with Toro and Elara under the guise of a "resilience exercise," Kriantis found a small, hidden alcove shielded by thick, blood-red ferns. He had told his parents he was out for advanced foraging practice with Elara's mother's permission – a carefully constructed half-truth.
Toro stood guard, a mix of nervousness and excitement on his face, while Elara, a little further off, ostensibly gathered rare mosses but kept glancing towards the alcove. Kriantis had merely told them he was attempting a difficult "meditation technique to enhance his potential," something he attributed to Vireya's guidance.
He sat, cross-legged, the small, red, pulsating Particular Core – Borin's payment – resting in his palm. It was an ER:I core, just what he needed.
(System, guide the absorption process for optimal integration with my personal Particular Core foundation and energy circuits.) Kriantis asked for a assistance, refusing to risk any mistakes at a time like this.
[Acknowledged. Commencing guided absorption of ER:I Particular Core. Please maintain meditative focus.]
Kriantis closed his eyes. Following the System's subtle mental cues, he directed his will, his very essence, towards the core in his hand. It felt warm, then hot, a concentrated knot of raw potential. He imagined his own nascent Particular Core – something the System had indicated was there, a blank slate connected to his unique nature – as an empty vessel.
The external P-Core seemed to dissolve, not physically, but its essence flowed like a stream of liquid light up his arm, through his anachronistically well-defined energy pathways, and into that conceptual space within him. It wasn't a violent rush, but a steady, insistent infusion. He felt a distinct click deep within his soul, a subtle expansion, a strengthening of something fundamental. His "energy circuits," the pathways for mana and other vital energies, seemed to hum with new clarity and capacity.
[ER:I Particular Core successfully absorbed! Your personal Particular Core foundation has been nourished and its pathways slightly expanded. Mana and other energy conductivity minimally increased.]
[Level Cap for Human Tier (ER:I+) has been broken! You may now continue leveling and progress towards the Superhuman Tier (ER:H).]
Kriantis opened his eyes. He felt… clearer. Stronger in a way that wasn't just about stats. The world seemed a fraction sharper.
(So, this is a limit break. Not just unlocking levels, but a fundamental enhancement of the core. Good.) He nodded to himself and went out to meet the others.
The next year was a blur of even more intense, focused effort. Having broken the Lv 5 barrier, Kriantis found that experience points, while still requiring effort, flowed more readily. He trained with Karos whenever his father was home and not too exhausted, absorbing the man's practical combat experience. He sparred with Toro and Elara, pushing all of them. He learned advanced gathering and poison lore from Elara's family. He subtly guided Borin, ensuring the boy's progress was at its best.
His stats, previously low, began to climb steadily.
Finally, at the age of twelve, during a particularly intense session of practicing his "Master of Roles" regimen – cycling through combat forms, alchemical ingredient analysis, and mana manipulation exercises – the notification he'd been working towards arrived.
[User has reached Level 12!]
[Minimum Level for ER:H- (Superhuman Tier) achieved!]
[Class "Omni-Layer" Requirement: "Demonstrate Adaptive Versatility Tier 1" - Fulfilled!]
[Job "Omni-Ruler" Requirement: "Establish Foundational Influence (1+ Follower)" - Fulfilled!]
[All prerequisites for Evolution met!]
[Commencing Evolution… Standby…]
The world around Kriantis seemed to fade. The familiar, impersonal yet awe-inspiring presence of the Supreme Voice filled his consciousness, overriding even his own System's interface for a moment.
Yet another facet of this world, talking to everyone individually at the moment they made considerable advancements, those who did not have a system, like Kriantis, were subjected to the Supreme voice.
{Entity Kriantis Virelan Oxalith. You have reached the threshold of a new stage of being. Your journey, your choices, your inherent nature have shaped the paths now open to you. Contemplate these options for your evolution into the Superhuman Tier:}
Three luminous, ethereal scrolls of information unfurled in his mind's eye, each detailing a potential path:
1- Path of the Adaptive Scion (Human - Balanced Enhancement): This path offers a harmonious enhancement of your existing human framework, significantly boosting all physical and mental attributes. It emphasizes rapid adaptation to new skills and environments, and a strengthened core vitality. Grants Awakening: [Enhanced Metabolism & Recovery]
2- Path of the Nascent Polymath (Human - Mental Supremacy): This path focuses on exponentially increasing your mental acuity, learning capacity, and sensory processing. It enhances your Neutral and Elemental affinities, granting finer control and deeper understanding of foundational energies. Grants Awakening: [Cognitive Acceleration & Expanded Mana Pathways]
3- Path of the Primal Vessel (Human - Essence Conduit): This path awakens a deeper connection to your core Essence and the Particular Core foundation recently nourished. It prioritizes the growth of your potential to manifest unique abilities later and enhances your resilience against conceptual or soul-based interference. Grants Awakening: [Nascent Essence Resonance & Fortified Soul-Frame]
Kriantis analyzed them swiftly. (Adaptive Scion is a solid all-rounder. Nascent Polymath would boost my magical and intellectual growth immensely. Primal Vessel… It seems to have more to it, and is directly related to the P-core something crucial for growth in this world, I'll go for this one.)
{I choose the Path of the Primal Vessel.} Kriantis conveyed his decision to the Supreme Voice.
{Choice Acknowledged. Evolution: Primal Vessel (Human - Essence Conduit) commencing.}
A wave of energy, far more profound and transformative than the P-Core absorption, washed through Kriantis. It wasn't painful, but incredibly intense, like every fiber of his being – physical, spiritual, and mental – was being unraveled and rewoven into a new, more potent pattern. He felt his connection to the faint stirrings of his personal Particular Core sharpen, a sense of deeper, more fundamental potential awakening within him. His body felt stronger, his mind clearer, his soul more… substantial.
The process lasted perhaps a minute, perhaps an eternity. When it subsided, Kriantis felt fundamentally different.
[Evolution Complete! Entity Rank advanced to H- (Superhuman Tier)!]
[First Standard Awakening: Nascent Essence Resonance acquired!]
[Nascent Essence Resonance: You possess a heightened passive sensitivity to the Essence of beings, objects, and phenomena. This may grant intuitive insights, easier identification of unique properties, and a slight boost to skills or abilities that interact with fundamental natures. Enhances the growth rate and potential of your personal Particular Core.]
[Passive Trait Acquired: Fortified Soul-Frame!]
[Fortified Soul-Frame: Your soul possesses increased resilience against spiritual damage, mental intrusion, and entropic decay. Provides a base increase to spiritual defense parameters.]
[All core attributes have significantly increased to reflect your new Entity Rank and evolution!]
[Energy Circuits refined and expanded. Mana Pool capacity increased.]
Kriantis took a deep, steadying breath, his small chest expanding. He was still a twelve-year-old boy physically, but the power thrumming within him was a world away from what it had been just moments before. He quickly checked his internal status through his System. His Level was 12, ER was H-.
[Status Window]
[Name: Kriantis Virelan Oxalith
Species: Humanoid | Sub-Species: Primal Vessel Human(Essence Conduit)
Age: 12 years old
Sex: Male
Physique: Primal Vessel Safrion Body(Human- Essence Conduit)
Bloodline: Primak Vessel Oxalith Lineage(Human- Essence Conduit)
Affinity: Neutral, Elemental,
Alignment: NE(Neutral Evil)
Talent: Golden Venerable(Suppressed(Original-Rainbow))
SR: Mortal(ER: H-)
Class: Omni-Layer
Sub-classes: Runner, Listener, Walker, Breather
Job: Omni-Ruler
Titles: None
ER: H-
Phase: 1
Tier:0
Ascension:0
Lv: 12- Exp: 0/100%
Attributes:
Hp: 725/725
Sta: 790/790
Mana: 825/825
Stats:
Strength: 50
Dexterity: 60
Vitality: 75
Endurance: 75
Stamina: 65
Agility: 70
Energy(Mana): 60
Sense: 65
Willpower: 85
Spirit: 80
Charisma: 20
Luck: 2
Stat points: 36
Particularity/s: None
Unique ability/s: Harem Ascension System
Innate ability/s(Racial skills): Adaptability, Nascent Essence Resonance, Fortified Soul-Frame
Active skills: Bind Wounds
Passive skills: Language Comprehension(Rank I/Basic), Battle instincts(Rank I/Basic), Herbalism(Rank I/Basic), Silent Step(Rank I/Basic), Mana Flow Control(Rank I/Basic)
Resistances: Acid Tolerance, Bleeding Tolerance, Sickness Tolerance, Mental Tolerance, Spiritual Tolerance
Mana Stage: Stage 2-Mana Bonding
Magic: None
Unique Magic: None
Extras: Omni-??? ??? ???; Blessing Of The Reincarnation Deity, Vireya; Breeder Factor]
(Good. This is the true beginning.) A slow, predatory smile – entirely out of place on a child's face – touched Kriantis's lips. (Now, to cultivate this power.)
The next two years, leading up to Kriantis turning fourteen, were a period of intense, focused development, now supercharged by his new ER and Awakening.
He, Toro, and Elara became an unofficial but highly effective trio. Kriantis, with his Nascent Essence Resonance, often identified hidden properties in plants Elara gathered or weaknesses in beasts Toro hunted, subtly guiding their success.
Toro, fueled by Kriantis's guidance and his own growing strength (now also ER:H- after his own limit break, perhaps facilitated by Kriantis sharing knowledge about P-Core locations or uses), became a formidable young warrior.
Elara, her green hair often tied back practically, developed an almost supernatural knack for finding rare resources, her connection with Kriantis deepening into a complex mix of admiration, rivalry, and unspoken affection. Following the path of growth and reaching the ER: H- as well.
Kriantis himself pushed towards Stage 3: Manacule Manipulation, and by his fourteenth year, he achieved it. His control over mana became remarkably fine.
Borin Popio, under Kriantis's continued "tutelage," also progressed, reaching ER:H-. Their relationship remained one of tense utility. Borin knew Kriantis was far beyond him in intellect, but his pride and his father's expectations drove him to keep pace as best he could, always seeking an edge, always suspicious yet reliant.
The family dynamic saw subtle shifts. Karos, after another grueling season and a near-fatal encounter with a lesser beast while still trying to find information on Big Red, finally achieved Level 30. The pressure on him to provide for his growing family (especially with Kriantis's prodigious appetite for resources and knowledge) and to solve the Big Red problem weighed heavily. Merlia remained the steadfast core of the family. Pamela, now eleven or twelve, was indeed being pushed hard by Karos. Kriantis, in a quiet moment, had shown her how to subtly manifest a tiny spark of light, appealing to her Platinum (Elemental) hair's potential, giving her a secret focus that wasn't about combat, something Karos wouldn't understand. It was a small act, but it gave Pamela a flicker of her own agency.
The "cult" of Vireya, as Kriantis internally called it, now had a few loyal "adherents" in Toro and Elara, who genuinely believed the "wisdom" Kriantis shared from his "goddess" helped them. Borin sometimes offered grudging prayers if he thought it might give him an edge.
Kriantis had even managed to get his hands on some old, discarded parchment and, using berry juice and charcoal, had painstakingly drawn a "holy symbol" for Vireya – a stylized lotus blooming from a chaotic spiral – which he "revealed" to his inner circle.
As Kriantis approached his fourteenth year, the atmosphere in Bloody Haven Village grew tense. His H-rank power was becoming harder to fully conceal amongst his peers, though most adults still saw him as a very talented, if odd, child. He was a known prodigy in all three tribal disciplines.
Then, the announcement came, delivered by Commander Rore himself in the central clearing, his voice echoing over the assembled trainees and their families: The Trainee Passage Trial would commence in one month. It would be arduous, testing all their learned skills – survival, combat, knowledge, teamwork. Success would determine their formal roles within the tribe and open pathways to advanced training and status. Failure could mean relegation to menial tasks, or worse in the dangerous Blood Forest.
Kriantis stood with Toro and Elara, his golden eyes fixed on the Commander. The rivalrous glares of Eima, Morio, Liatine, and Borin felt like pinpricks on his skin.
(Finally.) A cold, eager smile touched his lips, unseen by those around him. (A proper stage.)
The end of his early childhood was here.