Leon stared at the tutorial tab in the system menu, his breath steady. It sat there at the bottom, separate from the rest, as if waiting for him to notice. His fingers curled slightly against the wooden frame of his chair.
Why was this here?
The system could track his stats, his skills, his progress—but now it was offering guidance? Normally, adventurers learned through experience, through trial and error, through battle. Yet here he was, looking at something entirely different.
Something designed to teach him.
He focused, and the menu responded instantly.
[Tutorial Initiated]
[Welcome, User. You have accessed the system tutorial.]
[This system has been designed to assist in combat efficiency, resource management, progression tracking, and growth acceleration.]
[System Creator: Unknown]
Leon frowned slightly. The message was clear, structured, but one detail stood out. The creator remained unnamed. Someone had built this system. Someone had designed it to function this way. But why was their identity hidden?
And more importantly, who had given it to him?
The thought lingered in the back of his mind, but he pushed forward. The text continued.
[Core Functions]
[The system is divided into several main categories that track and enhance your capabilities.]
[1. Status: Displays personal attributes, including physical strength, speed, vitality, and abilities. These values reflect your current proficiency and can be improved through training, battle, and external enhancements.]
[2. Skills: Categorizes learned techniques, including passive abilities and active combat techniques. Skills level up through usage and refinement. Upgrades require skill points, which can be earned through battle, quests, and system achievements.]
[3. Equipment: Records all worn or held gear, including weapons, armor, and accessories. Items can be enhanced using crystal cores and other materials.]
[4. Crystal Cores: Tracks all collected cores. Cores can be embedded into equipment to improve attributes or grant special abilities.]
[5. Inventory: Stores collected items, allowing for weightless transportation and organization of supplies.]
[6. Gold: Tracks financial resources, necessary for trading, upgrading equipment, and purchasing essentials.]
[7. Quest Log: Records tasks assigned by the system or external sources. Completion rewards may include gold, skill points, stat boosts, or items.]
Leon adjusted his posture, eyes narrowing slightly as more details appeared. The structure was clear—each section had a defined purpose. His stats reflected his current physical capabilities, his skills could be improved, his equipment tracked, and his money managed.
But the crystal core section interested him the most.
Normally, cores were something adventurers collected and sold. Only blacksmiths, forgers, and specialized craftsmen understood how to refine them. Embedding a core into a weapon required precision and skill—a wrong step could waste its energy, turning it into a worthless shard.
Yet here the system had a dedicated section tracking them in detail.
Could it also guide him in using them directly?
Leon had never considered becoming a forger. Fighters fought. Smiths crafted. That was the way things worked. But if the system was built for efficiency, resource management, and growth acceleration, then could it teach him more than just how to wield a sword?
The idea sat in his mind, growing heavier with each passing moment.
He returned his focus to the tutorial.
[Stat Growth]
[Your strength, speed, and vitality can be improved through physical training, combat experience, and stat-enhancing items.]
[Strength: Increases attack power and allows wielding heavier weapons.]
[Speed: Improves movement speed and reaction time.]
[Vitality: Raises endurance, improving resistance against damage.]
The descriptions were simple, but the implications weren't. In his past life, he had trained relentlessly, refining his technique through battle after battle. Improvement came gradually, with time.
But this system measured growth. Tracked every stat. Defined every increase.
No more uncertainty. No more vague estimates.
Leon could see exactly how much he was improving.
Then, another section appeared.
[Experience and Rank Progression]
[Your adventurer rank determines your status within combat guilds and the general hierarchy of fighters. Rank progression requires combat achievements, reputation within the system, and core enhancements.]
[F-rank: Weakest tier, suitable for beginners.]
[E-rank: Basic proficiency, capable of handling lower-level creatures.]
[D-rank: Combat-ready, trained but still replaceable.]
[C-rank: Above average, respected within guild missions.]
[B-rank: Strong fighters, capable of handling high-level threats.]
[A-rank: Elite combatants, often leading major expeditions.]
[S-rank: Exceptionally powerful, known for legendary feats.]
[SS-rank: Mythical level, wielders of world-changing abilities.]
[SSS-rank: Nearly unattainable, spoken of only in history.]
Leon exhaled slowly, his fingers tracing the edges of the wooden table beside him.
D-rank. That's all he had ever been. Combat-ready but never remarkable. He had spent years fighting in the lower ranks, scraping for recognition, constantly pushing himself forward without ever breaking past the ceiling that separated strong from elite.
And now he was starting at D-rank again, but with a system that had never existed before.
Could this be the difference?
His gaze returned to the tutorial.
[Skill Points and Unlocking Abilities]
[Skill points are earned through combat victories, special achievements, and completing system-assigned quests.]
[Skill upgrades require designated amounts of points, unlocking new functions or improving efficiency.]
Leon scanned the menu carefully, committing the details to memory.
Then, at the very bottom, a final message appeared.
[Final Note: System integration is unique. No other adventurer has access to these mechanics.]
[Adapt. Learn. Improve.]
Leon exhaled slowly, closing the menu in his mind. This system wasn't just a tool—it was designed for him alone. And that meant he had a chance to rise above everyone else. He stood, glancing toward his sword resting against the wall. No matter how strong the system made him, he still had to move forward.
Tomorrow, he would begin testing its limits, and maybe—just maybe—later, he would find out if it could make him a forger too.