Chapter 12
"We have ten Reaver ranks, and to burst your bubbles, no, you aren't going to get any cool power," Tom said, snapping Zen out of his thoughts in an instant.
"Wait, what?!" Zen shouted in utter shock.
"What? You thought you would immediately get into the clan and then become OP?" Tom asked with a loud laugh as he lifted his sword and pointed it at Zen.
"To get this," he said, and the sword immediately lit up, bright with flames licking the blade, "you need to become strong. And I don't mean just any kind of strong. You need to be solidly strong, though." The Reaver waved his sword in the air, causing the flames to dissipate instantly.
"I don't understand what you mean. Kindly go straight to the point," Zen said, narrowing his eyes at the Reaver.
"For your earlier question, we have ten Reaver ranks. They are: F rank, which is the weakest and lowest rank a Reaver can receive. If you get this rank, just know you are trash and will have no regard or respect in the clan." Tom began, and Zen suddenly grew intrigued, his heart thumping a bit louder in his chest.
"Wait a moment! Can't the rank be changed later on in the future? I mean, I'm not hoping to get an F rank, but if someone does get it, can't they upgrade the rank? Like a rank-up or something?" Zen asked, a hopeful glint flashing in his eyes.
"Yes. It's possible to rank up and go from F to any other rank above you. But it will not get you your essence," Tom replied, and Zen raised his eyebrows again.
"Essence?"
"Yes. Essence veil, which is this," Tom answered as he lifted his pinky finger. A small flame flickered to life at the tip before vanishing again. "That is what we call an Essence veil."
'Hmm. Interesting. This world sure is different,' Zen thought, nodding along as Tom continued.
"As I was saying, we have ten ranks, and they are: F rank, E rank, D rank, C rank, B rank; which is my category, A rank, AA rank, S rank, SS rank, and finally, SSS rank. Honestly, I've never heard of anyone who got the SSS rank before, so that rank is technically godlike, though." Tom chuckled.
"Even your Clan Masters?" Zen asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.
"Never heard of any Clan Master with the SSS rank before. So the rank is pretty much untouchable," Tom said with a shrug.
"So how can I awaken my own veil? And why did you say that if one ranks up from a low rank, they can't awaken any essence?" Zen asked, his voice trembling slightly as his heart thudded louder.
"To awaken your Essence veil, you need to go through the normal baptism; what we also call the assessment. If you manage to clear your assessment with a strong score, your body will undergo changes you can't even fathom.
It's like an evolution of some kind. Once you go through that evolution, you'll awaken your Essence. Depending on how strong your essence is, your rank will be based on it," Tom explained, but Zen stared back with a blank expression.
"I don't understand," Zen said flatly, and Tom couldn't help but sigh in exhaustion.
"Think of it like this: You're in a particular class. You write an exam; let's say your final exam or something. You study, write a good answer, and get assigned a score. That score will, in turn, determine whether you pass the exam or not. It's the same concept here, just far more intense... and painful."
Similarly, if you pass the Clan's assessment with a solid score, it's as if the world is watching. Your body would undergo a transformation, experiencing physical and internal changes.
For instance, if a Reaver receives his essence let's say, the water essence and can only conjure a small ball of water, he would be granted the C rank." Tom paused briefly, studying Zen's expression to confirm he was following. After letting out a sigh, he continued.
"Now, if you awaken your veil and are able to manipulate it as well as I can, like coating your weapons with it or channeling it through your body, you would be granted either a B or A rank, depending on your strength, contributions, and overall performance."
Tom's voice took on a heavier tone, hinting at a bitter truth as he went on, "But here's the twist. If you go through your assessment and end up with an F, E, or D rank, you'll never awaken your essence.
No matter how many accomplishments you rack up afterward or how high you climb in the ranks to reach a C, the chance to awaken essence veil will be forever out of your grasp."
He let that information hang in the air before continuing, "However, if you're lucky enough to be assigned the C rank right from the start, you're guaranteed to get an essence. What type of essence, though? No one can tell until it manifests." Tom shrugged with a resigned chuckle, going silent to allow the overwhelming details to sink into Zen's mind.
'Crap! Crap, crap! I swear, it's like this game was programmed to screw me over!' Zen screamed inwardly. 'What kind of garbage rule and rigged system is this?! With these trash stats of mine, I'm a hundred percent sure I won't awaken an essence. I'd be lucky if I even get a D rank.'
He gritted his teeth as despair tightened his chest.
'Shit! Is it even worth it to go to the Clan now? Knowing I can't awaken an essence, is there any point? Damn it! What am I even thinking? If I don't go, I'll die in this cursed game before I even understand what killed me.'
Zen clenched his hands tightly, head lowered and shoulders tense with frustration.
'At least in a Clan, I might have a better shot at surviving with help from the higher-ranked members. I can't die. Not here. Not in this nightmare of a game! Sure, I don't have anyone waiting for me back in reality, but that doesn't mean I want to rot in this beast-infested world!'
He forced himself to breathe deeply, shaking the dread off little by little.
'I swear, whatever rank I get assigned, I'll give everything I've got. With or without an Essence Veil, I'll train harder than anyone, claw my way up through the Clan ranks, and become the strongest Reaver this world has ever seen. Then, I'll challenge that damned Game Lord.'
Zen's inner voice roared with rising determination.
'Watch out, Game Lord! Zen the Destroyer is coming, and I will make sure to erase you!'
{Not if you get deleted from the game first, though. Lol!}
A mocking system message flashed in front of Zen, making his eye twitch as he grit his teeth even harder.
'I will kill you!'
"We're here," Tom announced, breaking through Zen's whirlwind of thoughts.
"Huh?" Zen blinked as he raised his gaze, his breath catching at the sight before him.
A towering building stood like a fortress of power and legacy, vast and radiating with magical energy.
"Welcome to the Silverfall Clan," Tom said with a grin, flaring his hands in a theatrical gesture as if unveiling a grand monument.