..
{3rd POV}
The Gods have always been deeply fascinated by the lower world, not because of compassion or responsibility, but because of the sheer entertainment it provides.
Time and again, they witness events that defy all logic and expectations.
Things they once believed firmly impossible happen right before their eyes.
How can a child without a falna manage to defeat monsters ten times stronger than himself?
How can someone blessed only by the power of a spirit fight against one of the calamities that border the domain of the Gods themselves?
This is because mortal souls are not crafted by the Gods.
They are created by the world itself.
Each soul is a separate realm with its own potential, mysteries, and possibilities that even the divine cannot fully comprehend.
To the Gods, peering into this unknown is one of the greatest sources of excitement. Every unexpected achievement from mortals fuels their curiosity further.
And now, Goddess Aurora, an Intermediate-ranked deity, one of the many virgin goddesses serving under the protection and guidance of Artemis, was witnessing something even she could barely believe.
She had just seen something that possibly not even the primordials or the god-kings had ever witnessed.
A mortal had exceeded the limits of the falna—limits created and fixed by the Gods themselves.
The falna system was designed through the combined effort and divine craftsmanship of multiple High-class deities.
Despite its prestigious origin, it does not simply shower power upon mortals.
Instead, it allows them to draw out their inner potential and grow beyond it through effort, pain, experience, and resolve.
However, actually surpassing those limits was a task harder than reaching an average Level 5, a feat that only a rare few could even dare to attempt.
And yet, Aurora had just watched her own child accomplish this extremely rare breakthrough.
At first, she was ecstatic beyond reason.
Her excitement was so intense that she could barely contain herself.
However, that joy quickly transformed into overwhelming fear once she realized what this achievement meant.
She knew Ember far too well. If he had broken this limit, then he was absolutely going to push himself further.
And if he pushed further, he would undoubtedly attempt something reckless again.
"Goddess, I guess I will need to fight a monster far above my level to raise myself even further," Ember declared calmly, as if stating something completely obvious.
Aurora was horrified.
"No! I have always encouraged you, Ember, always supported you—but not this time! I can't stand the thought of losing you! I refuse to watch you destroy yourself again! Ember, I will never allow something like that to happen!" she shouted, her voice trembling.
Logically speaking, as a Goddess, she should have told him to push on.
Curiosity is the greatest drive of the divine, and many gods would have eagerly supported their child just to see how far they could rise, how brightly they could shine.
If it had been any other of her children, she might have accepted it with some hesitation.
But Ember was different.
She held something deeper for him, a feeling she could not openly name and could not bring herself to admit, not even to him.
"Yes, Goddess, I know it sounds foolish. But please… hear out the entire plan first," Ember insisted, trying to reason with her.
Still, Aurora refused to budge at first.
It took a long time, far more persuasion than he expected, and only after listening to the complete plan did she finally agree.
Even then, she felt bitter and uneasy.
"You will get hurt," she said quietly, almost sounding defeated.
Ember replied with a calmness that came from experience, "Goddess, we both know that being an adventurer without getting hurt is impossible. No one can walk this path without blood and pain."
"I know…" she muttered unwillingly.
Ember could clearly see how much she cared about him, and although he had suspicions about the true nature of her feelings, he kept them to himself.
She was still a Goddess after all, and some matters could not be confronted so easily.
He chose instead to let time unravel the truth at its own pace.
Ember's plan itself was surprisingly simple.
He would locate a Level 2 monster and then intentionally allow it to strengthen and evolve.
Once its power increased to a terrifying degree, he would face it alone in front of the rest of the familia and defeat it purely through his own strength.
It was dangerous, reckless, and yet, for Ember, it was the clearest path forward.
His relationship with the Aurora Familia had grown slightly strained ever since the last incident, when the Goddess had openly lashed out at the others on his behalf.
The members understood her concern, but the tension still lingered.
However, his personal friendship with Jason and Edward remained strong and unwavering.
In fact, he suspected that for what he planned, only Edward's presence would truly be necessary.
After all, a single Level 2 monster could accomplish far more than an entire group of Level 1 adventurers working together.
Aurora understood this logic, even if she disliked it.
She had lived for countless millennia and fully recognized that Ember was not someone who could be confined or protected forever.
Birds that never leave the cage never learn to fly, and without taking risks, Ember would never grow beyond his current limits.
Even knowing this, the image of him bleeding out or collapsing on the battlefield terrified her.
She could not shake the fear that one day she might lose him forever.
Unknown to Ember, she had already made a personal decision in her heart, one that she had not spoken aloud until now.
"Ember, do you remember our promise?" Aurora suddenly asked in a serious tone.
Ember nodded without hesitation.
"The promise we made after that ordeal two years ago, right? I swore to you, Goddess, that I wouldn't die. I remember every word."
Aurora leaned forward and pointed directly at him.
"Good. Because now there is an addition. If you break that promise and die, then I swear I will personally deliver divine judgment upon you for breaking your word, even if I have to return to the Heavens to do it!" she declared.
Ember inhaled sharply at the intensity of her statement and then let out a slow sigh.
"Now I'm troubled. The thought of what you might do is scarier than the monsters themselves. But fine… I'll make sure I don't break that promise."
Aurora gave a triumphant grin, clearly pleased.
"Exactly. So you had better keep your word!"
After that conversation, Ember began his preparations.
He spent days actively hunting for powerful monsters and engaged several Level 2 creatures in combat.
Although he successfully defeated multiple opponents of that level, his parameters still did not increase.
Even so, his observations and fights allowed him to arrive at a solid conclusion about what he truly needed.
Ember's POV
I sat down and began analyzing everything I had learned from the recent encounters.
I needed to pinpoint the type of monster that would give me the highest chance of pushing past my next limit.
After going through each possibility, I eventually reached a conclusion.
The Minotaur.
A brutal, bull-like beast known for raw destructive power, capable of tearing through anything unfortunate enough to stand in its path.
If I could kill a Minotaur under the right circumstances, then my parameters—especially strength and agility—would have the highest chance of surpassing their current limits.
Strength had never been my strongest field, but even at base values I was still stronger than the vast majority of races inhabiting this world.
Meanwhile, speed and agility had always been my natural advantage.
As an elf, I was lighter, faster, and more flexible than most other species. S
peed was my home territory.
However, knowing which monster to face was the easy part.
Actually finding one was a different matter entirely.
Level 2 monsters rarely appeared in the forests unless a large beast horde was mobilized.
Under normal circumstances, encountering a Level 2 by random chance was extremely unlikely.
Their rarity was exactly why defeating one could have such a massive impact on my development.
But rarity or not, I had already set my mind on it.
I needed a Minotaur… and I would find one.
One way or another.
I hoped that I would be able to find a suitable target quickly, but of course reality had other plans.
Things never go smoothly for me, do they?
It took nearly five long months of searching before I finally located a group of Minotaurs.
Once I found them, I began testing myself step by step.
First, I split them apart from the main group and took on a lone Minotaur entirely by myself.
To my surprise, I defeated it far more easily than expected.
That gave me the confidence to raise the danger level, so I challenged two at the same time and managed to kill both after a tough fight.
Finally, I pushed even further and fought three of them simultaneously, slaying all three alone with significant effort.
After that last battle, I confirmed that my plan was not beyond reach.
If I could kill three solo, then facing a single enhanced Minotaur should be possible, even if it was stronger than the others.
This brought me to the last Minotaur of the group, the one I intended to use for my experiment.
I was not someone like Ottar, who could personally beat martial techniques into a monster until it grew stronger.
Instead, I relied on something more practical: feeding it magic stones.
I watched from a safe distance as the Minotaur devoured one stone after another, gradually transforming as the power accumulated inside its body.
Its skin darkened in color over time, and the change became so pronounced that it began resembling Asterius.
I even gave it several Level 2 magic stones, and finally, I fed it a portion of the only Level 3 stone I possessed. Slowly, its strength and presence grew more dangerous, exactly how I needed it to be.
Which brings us to the moment here in front of the enhanced Minotaur.
"Tet, you must understand that what you are doing is extremely risky," Sir Edward said with a solemn voice.
After a brief pause, he continued, "I am only here because I want to keep you alive. I have personally slain a group of five Minotaurs by myself, but I am afraid that this one might act too quickly for me to intervene in time."
His expression carried a mix of concern and disbelief, as if he was staring at a complete madman.
I let out a sigh, already knowing that he was right to worry.
"Sir Edward, I've hit a wall. If I want to break this limit, then this is something I have to do. There's no other option."
My determination left no room for negotiation, and he understood that refusing me was impossible.
With his final warning spoken, I sprinted toward the area where the modified Minotaur was located.
Sir Edward followed close behind, ready to support me even if he doubted the wisdom of my plan.
Soon, we arrived at our destination.
The Minotaur stood waiting, and its roar thundered across the clearing.
"MOOOARRRRR!" it bellowed as its furious red eyes locked onto mine.
The instant our gazes met, I felt a sharp chill run down my spine.
My enhanced senses screamed at me, warning me of the danger.
Although it was not as overwhelming as the monstrous beetle I had faced before, getting into close combat with this creature was definitely life-threatening.
"What in the world is that Minotaur?!" Sir Edward shouted as he immediately shifted into a defensive stance.
His reaction made it clear that he felt the sheer, crushing pressure radiating from the beast.
It was the overwhelming aura of a true apex predator, the kind of presence that signaled a creature capable of wiping out everything in front of it. I couldn't help but grin as I stared at the hulking creature.
This monstrosity was my creation—strengthened step by step under my own supervision. I had wanted a greater challenge, and here it was.
The Minotaur suddenly launched itself toward me with explosive speed, far faster than the ones I had fought before.
Here it comes, I thought as my attention sharpened to the extreme.
I twisted my body to the side, narrowly slipping past its massive frame as it charged by.
As it rushed past, I swung my sword with all the strength and precision I could muster, slicing through its thick hide and leaving a wound nearly an inch deep on its torso.
It wasn't massive damage, but it was proof that even this evolved monster could be hurt.
The Minotaur couldn't stop its momentum and crashed headfirst into a large tree, the force of impact cracking the trunk in a single blow.
The tree split, creaked, and then toppled to the ground.
The beast let out a furious, ear-rattling roar that made my eardrums throb and nearly froze my senses for a moment.
Instead of coming straight back at me, it pivoted and charged wildly through the forest, its massive body smashing through multiple trees as if they were thin branches instead of solid trunks.
Then it came at me again.
I steadied myself, observing its posture and listening to the heavy thud of its footsteps against the ground.
As it lunged, I ducked and twisted downward, dodging the powerful swing of its thick arm by mere inches.
I countered instantly, slashing upwards and cutting into its arm.
The wound wasn't deep enough to disable the limb, but it was another clear sign that my attacks were getting through.
The Minotaur slid to a halt several steps away, and I quickly regained my footing.
For a moment, the two of us simply stared at each other, locked in a silent exchange of pure killing intent.
Then, without warning, the Minotaur turned, wrapped both massive hands around the trunk of another tree, and began pulling with terrifying strength.
My eyes narrowed as the ground trembled beneath its feet.
With a raw, bestial roar, the Minotaur wrenched the entire tree out of the earth—roots and all—and hoisted it into the air like a massive wooden club.
"MOARRRRRR!!!!" it bellowed, and before I had a chance to fully process the insanity of the situation, it swung the entire uprooted tree at me like a makeshift weapon.
'You've got to be kidding me,' I thought as I immediately jumped aside.
The attack slammed through the space I had been standing a heartbeat earlier, and the stolen tree hit several others behind me.
The raw force of the strike sent the damaged trees flying or snapping apart, even though they were massive and deeply rooted.
The sheer destructive power on display was something only a monster far beyond ordinary Level 2 standards could produce.
Even though I had prepared for this scenario, witnessing the overwhelming strength firsthand sent a chill through my body.
Fear mixed with thrill, and my heart pounded harder.
This was exactly the danger I sought—proof that this Minotaur was the wall I needed to break through.
"Come here, you fricking bull!" I shouted with a wild laugh, taunting the beast as the thrill of the fight heated my blood.
The Minotaur roared back and charged, its massive hooves tearing up the ground.
At the very last moment, instead of following through with the predictable tackle, it abruptly halted right in front of me and swung a fist the size of a boulder toward my torso.
There was barely a fraction of a second to react.
I brought my sword up and slashed downward with everything I had.
The impact was brutal.
"Ghhhkk—!" I gritted my teeth as a violent shockwave ran through my arm.
My entire hand trembled from the force of the blow, and even through the sword I could feel the staggering strength behind the punch.
The earth beneath my feet cracked from the pressure, and small fractures formed in my arm despite blocking with full power.
It wasn't just an ordinary hit—this was the kind of raw might that could flatten buildings.
Before I could catch my breath, it swung its fist again.
This time, I threw myself to the side, narrowly slipping past its blow.
I retaliated immediately, slashing at the beast and managing to slice deep into its forearm.
A violent burst of blood sprayed across me and the ground.
The Minotaur roared in agony, the sound sharp enough to make my eardrums scream.
With no pause, it twisted its gigantic body and rammed me using its sheer mass and momentum.
I tried to brace, but the speed caught me off guard.
I was sent flying backward with the force of a thrown boulder and slammed spine-first into a tree.
"Gahhh!" A mouthful of blood exploded from my lips as the air was knocked out of my lungs.
My ribs and back throbbed intensely, and for a moment the world spun.
Before I could regain my footing, the Minotaur was already preparing its next strike. I
t came barreling toward me, fury evident in its movements.
I instantly understood that if it hit me while I was still recovering, I would be finished—either immobilized permanently or straight-up killed.
A part of me almost regretted creating something this absurdly strong, but another part of me just screamed in frustrated determination.
'This fucking bull!'
With that thought, I forced my body to twist and flipped out of the way just as the Minotaur smashed into the tree behind me, pulverizing it in a single hit.
I rolled across the ground, ignoring the pain, and saw the Minotaur's exposed back.
Seizing the opening, I gripped my sword and lunged forward with all the strength I could muster.
Splurrt.
My blade sank deep into its torso, blood erupting from the wound in a massive gush.
Not wanting the weapon to get stuck, I immediately twisted the blade and tried to carve sideways.
The Minotaur reacted at the last possible second and spun around with furious speed, managing to avoid a lethal finishing strike.
Even so, my sword still ripped through its shoulder joint, severing its entire left arm and tearing a huge portion of flesh and muscle from its chest.
Blood poured out in sickening amounts as the Minotaur staggered.
The beast swung its body instinctively and the impact sent me flying several meters away.
I skidded across the ground, dirt and rocks tearing into my skin.
Despite the violent landing, I somehow managed to keep my grip on the sword, refusing to let it go under any circumstance.
I pushed myself back onto my feet.
Blood ran down the side of my face and dripped from my chin.
Multiple cuts and bruises covered my arms, torso, and legs.
My bones ached some definetly have fractured, and my senses were getting fuzzy, like my brain was wrapped in cotton.
The Minotaur glared at me with murder in its eyes, its single arm trembling but still full of killing intent. It lowered its body, preparing for another violent charge.
Should I call Edward? The thought flickered in my mind, but I couldn't sense him anywhere nearby. Whether he was too far or choosing not to intervene yet, I didn't know.
The Minotaur roared again, louder and more enraged than before.
I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth with the back of my hand and tasted iron on my tongue.
Then, despite the pain everywhere in my body, a grin slowly formed on my lips.
'This pathetic and worthless bull… how dare it lay its filthy hands on me? Me, a High-Elf?' The thought erupted in my mind without warning, almost like an instinct carved into my very blood.
It wasn't something logical or carefully formed; it was a subconscious surge of racial pride and fury, a primal reaction to being injured and humiliated by something as crude and ugly as a Minotaur.
The idea that a creature like this had managed to push me into such a state only poured more fuel on my anger, intensifying the fire burning inside me.
The Minotaur roared and charged toward me again, its footsteps shaking the ground.
As it rushed in, something in my body snapped and released.
I felt a surge of power tearing through me, as though all the limiting chains I had been shackled by suddenly broke apart.
Strength, speed, instinct—everything spiked far beyond what I had been capable of moments before.
Without thinking, without hesitation, I swung my sword with every ounce of strength now coursing through my veins.
Swoosh.
The air itself seemed to split.
The Minotaur abruptly stopped moving in front of me, frozen in place, and for a moment, everything felt strangely silent.
Behind the creature, a barely visible arc of compressed air continued flying forward, and far off in the distance, a thick tree trunk was cut cleanly, leaving behind a deep, smooth slash mark.
It was the kind of wound that could only be created by overwhelming force and perfect sharpness.
A second later, the Minotaur's massive body began to slide apart, split cleanly from the right side of its torso down to the left.
Its upper and lower halves separated, and its massive figure collapsed before disintegrating into black particles.
All that remained was the magic stone left behind, proof of its existence and my victory.
"Huff… huff…" My knees nearly buckled as the power rushed out of me just as suddenly as it had come.
My legs trembled violently, and my sword almost slipped from my hand.
I could feel every bone, muscle, and nerve screaming in exhaustion.
The surge of power had left my body feeling hollow, empty, and drained to the core.
I was barely standing.
"T-Tithonus, are you alright!?" Sir Edward's voice suddenly came from beside me.
He had appeared so quickly that I hadn't even sensed him approaching.
His expression showed clear worry mixed with shock, as he looked at my exhausted state and the remains of the battlefield.
I managed a weak nod to reassure him, though even the act of nodding took effort.
The moment I confirmed I was alive, my vision darkened, and my consciousness faded completely, as if someone had turned off the lights inside my mind.
…
{3rd POV}
Limit Off—an extremely rare and feared combat state in which an adventurer forcefully unlocks more power than their Falna is capable of regulating in normal circumstances.
It temporarily floods the user's body with a massive amount of energy and physical strength, allowing them to push beyond the ceiling of their abilities for a short and dangerously taxing duration.
The process grants explosive improvement in combat capability, but it places enormous strain on the user's body and mind, often leaving them unable to move afterwards.
This phenomenon is so rare that nearly ninety-five percent of adventurers will live and die without ever entering the state a single time in their entire careers.
It is more often spoken of like a myth or an exaggerated story told by old veterans.
Ember, driven to the edge of death and consumed by overwhelming emotions, experienced this breakthrough at the last possible moment.
His innate heritage as a High-Elf, combined with the boiling frustration and desperation of the battle, triggered the rare response.
In that instant, his raw combat capability surged past its normal limits, momentarily elevating him to the level of a true Level 2 adventurer, something that normally would take years of training and development.
Yet, such power always came at a price—and his collapse immediately after the battle made that reality clear.
However, the immense strain from the final attack caused Ember to lose consciousness instantly, and Sir Edward hurriedly moved forward to catch him before he collapsed fully to the ground.
With the unconscious elf in his arms, Edward slowly looked around at the battlefield.
The sight was devastating: shattered trees, torn earth, and the lingering traces of the monstrous power that the mutated Minotaur had unleashed.
His eyes eventually settled on the Minotaur's remaining magic stone lying on the ground, the only physical evidence that such a creature had existed.
"What in the world was that monstrosity…?" he muttered under his breath, unable to hide the fear in his voice.
His expression showed he was deeply shaken.
He then looked down at Ember, completely exhausted and unconscious, and whispered, "How did he manage to fight that thing and actually kill it?"
The disbelief in his tone was unmistakable.
He knew Ember was skilled and determined, but this exceeded anything he had expected from a Level 1 adventurer, even one who consistently pushed himself beyond normal limits.
In Ember's mind, he had believed that if something went wrong, Edward would step in and handle the situation.
But in reality, when the mutated Minotaur revealed its overwhelming strength, even Edward felt shaken to the core.
Despite being stronger and far more experienced than Ember, the sheer presence and destructive power of the creature told him clearly that even one mistake would cost him his life.
There would be no retries, no time to get back up—a single failed movement and he would be smashed into the ground like an insect.
In fact, Edward had seriously considered abandoning the battlefield entirely.
The idea of retreating crossed his mind several times, especially when he realized that even he might not come out alive from a direct confrontation.
However, the consequences of doing so were too severe.
He imagined the wrath of his goddess if he left a comrade to die in the Dungeon.
More than that, despite the terror he felt, he simply could not bring himself to abandon Ember.
Edward was not planning to heroically fight the monster—his real intention was to search for the right moment to strike just enough to distract the Minotaur, then grab Ember, and run away while hoping to escape with their lives.
In his heart, he had no intention of engaging that creature in a prolonged fight.
Yet, against every expectation he had, Ember killed that abomination before his eyes.
With nothing but his sword and his own body when he excelled at Magic, he defeated a creature that Edward felt even he could not properly face.
Without realizing it, a single word slipped out of Edward's mouth as he looked at Ember lying unconscious before him.
"A… hero," he muttered softly.
Because in his understanding, only a true hero could defeat such a monster while still being only a Level 1 adventurer.
And that hero was the young Elf he was now carrying.
Edward let out a long, steady breath and forced himself to calm down.
He immediately began tending to Ember's injuries, taking out a high-grade potion and administering it carefully.
Even though Ember was unconscious, his body reflexively swallowed the liquid, and the healing effects spread rapidly throughout his system.
Cuts sealed, internal injuries stabilized, and the dangerous bleeding slowed almost instantly.
Edward finally sighed in relief, grateful that he had acted fast enough.
With the visible urgency of someone who knew that lingering would only cause more trouble, he lifted Ember onto his back and began the trip back toward the village.
As he walked, the images of the battle kept replaying in his mind—the monster's unstoppable force, the sound of its attack pulverizing the terrain, and Ember cleaving it apart in a single final strike.
Those moments would not leave his thoughts easily.
...
{Ember POV}
When I slowly opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was the familiar ceiling of the room I was staying in, and before I could even sit up properly, I was immediately pulled into a tight hug.
It was Aurora, and she was clinging to me with visible worry in her expression.
I weakly raised my hand and said, "Goddess, I'm fine," trying to reassure her.
She only let out a small "hum" in response.
For once, she didn't lecture me or scold me for recklessness, and I was genuinely grateful that she spared me the usual stern reprimand.
As my thoughts cleared, the memories from the battle with the mutated Minotaur returned—the terrifying strength, the desperate clash, and then Edward rushing in at the end.
'He must have been preparing to step in,' I thought, certain that he had been ready to intervene if I failed.
Turning my head, my eyes landed on the third person in the room.
"Edward?" I said, surprised to see him sitting nearby.
He nodded politely with a small, composed smile.
"I came to check on your condition. Now that I see you're well, I will take my leave," he said calmly and stood, but I quickly spoke up.
"I thank you for your help," I told him sincerely.
He shifted slightly and replied, looking somewhat uncomfortable, "I didn't help you during the battle."
I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Well, I did finish the Minotaur myself, but you were getting ready to jump in near the end, right?" I said with a grin.
Edward confirmed with a simple, "Yes," though his expression looked a little complicated, as if he wasn't quite sure how he felt about the entire situation.
After that, he turned toward Aurora and said, "Goddess, I will take my leave now."
She gave a nod in acknowledgment, and he exited quietly.
After he was gone, Aurora finally released me from the hug and stepped back.
"You killed a Minotaur! A mutated one at that! Congratulations!" she said excitedly, pride visible on her face.
I couldn't stop myself from grinning in response.
"Yep, and in close combat too. I'm really looking forward to seeing the changes in my status after that."
She immediately frowned.
"But right now, you rest. I'll bring you soup, and after you recover a little more, we'll check your status together. Understood?" she said.
I nodded obediently, choosing not to argue.
As excited as I was, I knew she was right—pushing myself immediately after something like that would be stupid, and I owed her at least the respect of listening without complaint.
3rd POV
"A hero, huh…" Edward muttered to himself as he walked back, recalling the way Ember had fought.
The word resurfaced in his mind again and again.
In stories he had heard throughout his life, a hero was someone who achieved what others believed impossible—someone who brought hope in moments where despair should have consumed everything, someone who impressed even the Gods through their deeds.
Edward never imagined he would personally witness someone like that, much less from within his own familia.
He took a deep breath, remembering how helpless he had felt.
He hadn't told Aurora the full truth about the Minotaur.
He only reported that it was significantly stronger than a normal one, not daring to go into too much detail.
Edward had no idea that Ember had been feeding that creature multiple Level 2 magic stones and even a Magic Stone from a Level 3 monster, forcefully evolving it far beyond normal limits.
Aurora herself had no clue that Ember had pulled such a reckless stunt just to break through his limits.
Edward, now in his early forties, understood he likely wouldn't live to see the height of Ember's future achievements.
He knew his own adventuring years were numbered.
But even so, he took a certain pride in the fact that he had been there during Ember's first true turning point.
He had witnessed with his own eyes the moment Ember stepped beyond the boundaries of ordinary adventurers and began his journey toward becoming someone who could defy common sense and expectations.
And despite the shock, fear, and overwhelming power displayed, one thing remained certain: Edward had watched the rise of a future legend from the very beginning.
...
"Hmm, let's take a look!" Aurora said with visible excitement as she once again updated Ember's status.
The moment the numbers appeared, her eyes widened, and after a second of stunned silence she burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"Hahaha!" Her reaction was not exaggerated—she was genuinely struck by just how absurd the result was.
She immediately grabbed a sheet of paper, copied his updated parameters onto it with hurried hands, and passed the sheet to Ember.
Ember looked over it and also burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! This is exactly what I've been aiming for!" he said with pure satisfaction, unable to hide the pride in his voice.
[Level 1
Strength: S999 ---> SS1011
Endurance: SS1003 ---> SS1023
Dexterity: SS1001 ---> SS1009
Agility: S999 ---> SS1005
Magic: SS1009 ---> SS1009
Skills:
Decipher: Helps the user Decipher the truth, theorems, and workings of the world through logic, prediction, and guess.
Limit Breaker: Enables the user to permanently surpass the normal upper limits of ability parameters and break through boundaries set by the Falna system.
Double Croissance: The user's rate of Falna growth and acquisition of abilities is doubled under all circumstances.
Orc Slayer: Grants twenty percent buff in all parameters against pig-like monsters.
Eagle's Eye: Enhances visual perception, allowing improved accuracy and range.
Magic:
Cremation (Chant): "O'Flames of Legends! Burn brighter than thy enemy! Turn them into cinders! Let their Ashes wash in your blue flames! Cremation!"
2) N/A
3) N/A]
All of his primary parameters had successfully passed the standard limit imposed by the Falna system, but that was not the only thing worth celebrating.
Ember had also unlocked two new skills—both of which were extremely rare and unbelievably powerful.
The first one, Limit Breaker, functioned in a way similar to Bell Cranel's Liaris Freese, allowing the user to permanently exceed the cap set by the divine system.
However, unlike Bell, who had awakened the skill unknowingly and never fully understood how to utilize it to maximum effect, Ember was aware of what he possessed and was capable of intentionally making use of it to its fullest.
The second skill, Double Croissance, was a raw growth multiplier.
While Bell's growth rate was seven to nine times faster due to his unique skill, Ember's multiplication of two times might appear inferior on the surface, yet the true effectiveness depended on the user and circumstances.
Ember could clearly sense that this skill would change everything for him.
It ensured that every battle, every struggle, every step forward would yield double the improvement without exception.
He could tell without a doubt that these newly acquired abilities were complete game changers—abilities that could determine the direction of his entire future.
In terms of potential and long-term efficiency, he felt he had gained something that could surpass even the three so-called "cheaters" that existed in this world.
Just like that, Ember had unofficially taken the position of the fourth—yet the very first—cheater of this world, someone who could break the system, defy the rules, and push beyond walls that were supposed to be unbreakable.
The road toward becoming overwhelmingly strong was now completely within his field of vision, no longer just theoretical, but realistically achievable.
To be continued...
(A/N: There is a important notice I want to give in advance, a week later for about two to three weeks I will go on a vacation to my village and countryside, during that period don't expect chapters at all. I will notify it from when it starts on my discord, if any chap I write during that period(Which i would like one chap of any fic daily or in two days) I will upload it on Patreon.
I have three re zero fanfics on Ao3 and one here, and started a fourth one on the request of a friend who has been begging me for months.
So that makes four of my re zero fanfics.
Now because i will be going on vacation so I decided to give u guys this chap earlier since you will be dehydrated for like a month at worse.
Also you can join my discord and see the lates announcement of Rl craft if you are interested, also please read the server rules. I don't want anyone to step over any boundaries.
Xb47VnFUpQ (Here is infinite invitation code)
taaCsGPcu (Here is the temporary invitation code, should expire in two weeks)
Also I hope you liked the chapter!
PS: Don't curse me later on if you don't get a slot on Patreon and ask me for more slots. Because if I try to make people remember their financial responsibilities and then limit my slots(For my benefits) it makes look like I am deliberately hurting your chances to get chapters, and then people bug me for slots.)