C1 The Sign-in Was Opened at the Grandmaster Level.!
In 2220, a tempest of epic proportions engulfed the entire Earth, bringing to life the fantastical elements of myth and legend!
Imagine a world where humans could soar through the skies, shatter landscapes with a single sword strike, and summon infernos with a mere gesture. This became our reality in the wake of the storm.
Such individuals rendered conventional weapons like aircraft and artillery almost trivial. These extraordinary beings, capable of defying the laws of nature, were aptly named Ability Users.
The storm itself earned the moniker of the Spiritual Storm, and it reshaped the geopolitical landscape, with the might of a nation's Ability Users reflecting its overall strength.
Three ancient and formidable nations emerged to dominate the globe: Hua Xia, North Europe, and the rapidly ascendant Wiceimwen.
Wiceimwen's meteoric rise to power, despite its brief history, is a testament to its unique advantages. Hua Xia and North Europe, with their millennia of establishment, naturally harbored beings beyond the ordinary.
Post-storm, Ability Users proliferated like mushrooms after the rain, prompting a global consensus on a ranking system: E, D, C, B, A, S, and Grandmaster. Those at the Grandmaster Level were the elite, their might rivaling that of pre-storm nuclear arsenals.
The supremacy of Hua Xia, North Europe, and Wiceimwen hinged on the presence of these Grandmaster powerhouses.
The emergence of more Ability Users has since become a source of human pride, with their societal status soaring to great heights.
...
Three months post-storm, in the Jiangnan region of Hua Xia, lies the small city of Hancheng. Compact yet complete, Hancheng lacks the grandeur of larger cities but buzzes with life nonetheless.
In an old street of Hancheng stands a modest, somewhat rundown house, its thirty square meters housing a young man wrapped in a thin blanket. The spartan interior holds little more than a stretcher bed and an assortment of instant noodle containers. An old kettle, just about serviceable for boiling water, and a neighboring bathroom complete the humble abode.
The youth, pale and with fingers tightly clenched, holds a black stone emitting a dim glow, casting an eerie light in the dim room. His name is Yang Chen, an orphan who has made a life in Hancheng through scavenging. The black stone, found in a trash bin and kept for its beauty, had never before stirred.
Today, however, a sharp object inexplicably cuts his finger, and his blood drips onto the stone. The stone reacts, drawing blood from the wound with a potent force, draining Yang Chen to a ghostly pallor before sensing his weakening state and ceasing its pull.
Then, an icy voice echoes in his mind: "Myriad World Sign-in System... Activated!"
A virtual page materializes before Yang Chen's inner eye:
Character: Yang Chen (Common People)
Constitution: None!
Title: None!
Level: Common People!
Limits: Sign-in (One remaining sign-in opportunity)
Shopping Mall: Unlocked!
It takes Yang Chen considerable effort to focus on the page. His life, sustained by refuse, hasn't been kind, and despite the constitution boost from the Spiritual Storm, malnutrition has taken its toll.
"What... What is this...?" he mutters, bewildered by the sudden apparition.
After some time, his confusion gives way to contemplation, interrupted only when the system prompts him once more.
"Host has one sign-in opportunity. Would you like to use it?"
Yang Chen musters a wry smile. "Is this a little extra in my otherwise harsh life? Well, let's use it."
He doesn't fully grasp the situation, but if it's manifested within him, it can't be all bad, right? Besides, he has nothing left to lose... except his life. And even that's just a life of hardship.
With that, Yang Chen isn't overly concerned. "Initiating sign-in..."
Before Yang Chen's eyes, a massive wheel materialized, spinning suddenly with a needle standing erect.
As time ticked by, the wheel's momentum waned, coming to a gradual halt. On the side where the needle pointed, a few bold characters came into view.
"Constitution Enhancement!"
Yang Chen's pupils dilated slightly. He wasn't sure what it entailed, but he vividly recalled from the previous page that his constitution was merely that of a common person.
Could this enhancement elevate him beyond the realm of the ordinary? Could it possibly transform him into... an Ability User?
His mind raced with excitement, his breaths growing heavy as he fixated on the words, anticipating what would come next.
As expected, as soon as the wheel stopped, the system's voice announced,
"Constitution Enhancement initiated... Sign-in now entering cooldown, cooldown duration: half a month!"
Ding!
A crisp tone sounded, followed by Yang Chen feeling an invisible force wrapping around his body.
His flesh and blood seemed to stir to life, cells dividing and expanding, bones crackling with growth.
In his dantian, a small vortex emerged, drawing in gentle streams of energy that warmed him to the core.
This soothing energy flowed from his dantian through his meridians, infusing his entire being.
With each passing moment, his body swelled with more energy, revitalizing him, filling him with a vibrant vitality.
A wave of sheer comfort washed over Yang Chen's heart.
"Exhilarating!"
His brows unfurled, his face beaming with unbridled joy.
In that instant, Yang Chen felt as though he were immersed in a warm bath, his physical and spiritual essence bathed in profound relaxation.
The energy began to wane, growing finer, and Yang Chen sensed the transformation nearing its completion.
Ding!
Another chime snapped Yang Chen back to the present.
"Transformation complete!"
His eyes snapped open, a brilliant light flaring from within.
A formidable surge of energy erupted from Yang Chen's once unassuming frame, as if piercing through his modest abode and rocketing into the heavens!
Staring at his hands in astonishment, he struggled to grasp the sheer power his body was now capable of unleashing.
The page reappeared before Yang Chen.
Character: Yang Chen (Grandmaster)
Constitution: Common Rank
Title: None!
Level: Common People!
Limits: Sign-in (Cooldown: 15 days)
Shopping Mall: Not yet available!
Yang Chen noted two significant changes: beside his name now stood the title 'Grandmaster,' and his constitution had been upgraded to Common Rank.
"Grandmaster, huh..."
He could scarcely believe it. On Earth, a Grandmaster was an elite, the pinnacle of power. Only a nation with a Grandmaster could claim the status of a supreme sovereign power.
And yet, with a single sign-in, he had ascended to Grandmaster status?
It felt like a fantasy.
Meanwhile, in the distant Imperial Capital, a young man tenderly polished a blade resting on his thigh, his gaze as affectionate as one reserved for a beloved.
Suddenly, his brow quirked, his eyes shifting southward, lips barely parting.
"The presence of a Grandmaster... from the south... Could Uncle Lau have succeeded?"
A smile slowly played across his lips, his eyes twinkling with barely contained mirth.
"If Uncle Lau has indeed succeeded, then at last, I can relinquish this burden."
Rising smoothly, he sheathed the blade at his waist and strode purposefully toward the door.
