Starting as a Mechanical Hunter

”Species Skill?”

Gao Gong’s eyes flashed with a hint of surprise. Although he knew the benefits of this ’Sage’s Inheritance’ wouldn’t be small, unlocking a species skill was somewhat unexpected.

Skills are generally divided into three types: Modification, Profession, and Regular.

Modification skills usually come with bodily modifications and cannot be upgraded.

Profession skills stem from job transitions, generally increasing power with the profession’s level, and rarely can they be upgraded.

Regular skills are ’triggered’ for various reasons, can be upgraded, but cannot advance in tier, reaching ’Master’ is the maximum level.

While these are the three main categories, there’s a smaller type called ’Species Skills,’ also known as ’Bloodline Skills.’

Typically, bloodlines grant talents, and talents cannot be upgraded. Moreover, once the bloodline changes, the talents vanish.

But ’Bloodline Skills’ are different. Firstly, they can revert and ’purify the bloodline,’ increasing attributes. Secondly, they possess the possibility of tier advancement; as long as certain conditions are met, Tier 2 skills can become Tier 3 or even Tier 4.

This is a skill capable of self-evolution!

Without much hesitation, Gao Gong proceeded to upgrade it.

[You have upgraded the Digital Wisdom Pearl to Level 2]

[You have upgraded the Digital Wisdom Pearl to Level 3]

[You have upgraded the Digital Wisdom Pearl to Level 4]

...

[You have upgraded the Digital Wisdom Pearl to Level 9, you invested 2 Specialization Points, this skill has advanced from ’Regular’ to ’Advanced’]

Digital Wisdom Pearl (Tier 2) (Advanced): A crystallization of Original Digital Life, possesses the power of ’Intermediate Wisdom Enlightenment’ (Primary), with a 17% (13%) chance to enlighten Digital Life below 3 generations, an 8% (4.5%) chance to enlighten Digital Life below 5 generations, and a 2.6% (1.41%) chance to enlighten Advanced Digital Life.

Unlike Tier 1, Tier 2 skills require 2 Skill Points to upgrade each level, and 2 Specialization Points to break through.

Gao Gong glanced at the attribute panel. After accumulating so many tasks, let alone anything else, there was a significant amount saved in Skill Points and Specialization Points, particularly with 111 Specialization Points and 359 Skill Points, which is a remarkably high number.

Don’t even mention one skill; it’s enough to upgrade ten skills.

Then there’s nothing much to say—

[You have upgraded the Digital Wisdom Pearl (Advanced) to Level 2]

[You have upgraded the Digital Wisdom Pearl (Advanced) to Level 3]

...

[You have upgraded the Digital Wisdom Pearl (Advanced) to Level 9, you invested 2 Specialization Points, this skill has advanced to ’Elite’]

...

[You have upgraded the Digital Wisdom Pearl (Elite) to Level 9, you invested 2 Specialization Points, this skill has advanced to ’Expert’]

...

[You have upgraded the Digital Wisdom Pearl (Expert) to Level 9, you invested 5 Specialization Points, this skill has advanced to ’Master,’ and the skill has been renamed to ’Ring of Digital Wisdom’]

[You have obtained a Master’s Certificate, Divine Land Prestige +2000]

[Reached Tier 2 limit, would you like to choose ’Tier Promotion Evolution’?]

From the outside, compared to the ’Digital Wisdom Pearl,’ the ’Ring of Digital Wisdom’ no longer merely appears as a ’bead’ but transforms into a ’bracelet,’ continuously rotating around the wrist, giving Gao Gong a feeling as if ten ’Virtual Machines’ are constantly emerging and fading within his consciousness.

Additionally, the skill’s attributes have undergone significant changes.

Ring of Digital Wisdom (Tier 2) (Master):

Skill Effect 1 (Ring of Enlightenment): A crystallization of Original Digital Life, possesses the power of ’Top-level Wisdom Enlightenment,’ with a 46% chance to enlighten Digital Life below 5 generations, a 28% chance to enlighten Digital Life below 10 generations, and an 11.8% chance to enlighten Super Digital Life.

Skill Effect 2 (Ring of Imprisonment): Creates a random digital lock with extremely strong sealing effects on AI, Digital Life, Intelligent Bodies, and Personas, consuming 1000 Information Energy points/second. If not unlocked before energy consumption completes, it will be permanently sealed.

Skill Effect 3 (Ring of Wisdom): Self-liberation is the most important step in the Liberation of Life Numbers, limited to three uses per day, with no target restrictions.

’Liberation of Life Numbers?’ Gao Gong raised an eyebrow, casually used it on himself, and the ’Digital Bracelet’ quickly spun around. From deep within his life, within the ’Genetic Double Helix Structure,’ a DNA fragment’s digital form underwent adjustment, accompanied by an indescribable pleasant sensation.

[Your Blood Volume +200]

It can even permanently enhance statuses for oneself!? Gao Gong was astonished and immediately used the remaining two.

[Your Information Energy +100]

[Your Intelligence +1]

Sss~ This ability is quite impressive, capable of permanently increasing attributes!

Although due to Gao Gong’s chosen route, Information Energy is a hidden attribute not visible on the NPC panel, the increased ’Blood Volume’ and ’Intelligence’ were visible to the naked eye, with Biological Blood Volume rising from ’8227’ to ’8427’ and Intelligence increasing from ’159’ to ’160’.

More importantly, this ’Ring of Wisdom’ can enhance oneself three times a day, accumulating over time, which would be quite a considerable number.

Truly worthy of being a bloodline skill exclusive to the ’Sage,’ it’s indeed quite extraordinary.

However, Gao Gong wasn’t aware that such a level of ’Ring of Wisdom’ could only be accomplished by Luca the Sage, hailed as the first Sage.

Should I upgrade it to the next tier?

[’Tier Promotion Evolution’ requires 10 Specialization Points and fulfilling two prerequisites]

[First, the host’s main profession must reach Tier 2 Level 50]

[Second, the host must complete the ’Informationization’ transformation / host must capture a Tier 3 Information Lifeform and perform information reconstruction]

Informationization transformation means becoming a Level 60 Information Lifeform, and the latter is even more significant, at Level 90 Information Lifeform, which is at the level of cosmic species. Gao Gong could confirm that, apart from the Planet Host and Big Data Conceptual Body, such a formidable existence does not exist on this planet—even if it did, he couldn’t defeat it.

With such self-awareness, Gao Gong dismissed the idea of acquiring a Tier 3 skill. Perhaps during the activation of the Cyber Tide, he could attempt it, but it’s definitely unattainable now.

Scanning the panel once more, Tier 1 skills, except for the Modification Plugin type, were mostly at full level, with no possibility of advancement. As for Tier 2 skills, there were only two: Solidified Energy (Tier 2 - Regular) and Body Surfing (Tier 2 - Advanced). The former involved reorganizing radioactive energy particles into a melee weapon, while the latter was a hacker skill similar to ’Instant Teleportation,’ allowing the body to act as a proxy server for constant traversal.

But honestly, these two skills are somewhat of a liability.

The former doesn’t need much explanation. It’s unlikely anyone would get close enough, and even if they did, there are at least ten more effective means than ’Solidified Energy Weapon.’ A 3000-point damage is still considerable in ranged weapons, but in melee, it’s less useful since he hasn’t transitioned to a ’Jedi Knight,’ with no bonus to energy damage.

The latter is similar, even worse. ’Body Surfing’ seamlessly integrates with ’Virtual Life,’ and if Gao Gong followed the virtual route, this single move could achieve concepts like ’Total Control’ and ’Infinite Instant Teleportation.’

However, following the Carbon-Based + Fusion Route, this skill is destined to be a ’liability.’ The ’Human Body Link’ is limited to those without an Electronic Defense Wall, and there’s the risk of Super Hackers or Cyber Killers tracing back to the main body via the ’Human Body Network.’

Yet, with a bold sweep, Gao Gong upgraded both to full level, embracing a cavalier attitude—no reasoning required.

[You have upgraded ’Solidified Energy’ to Level 2]

[You have upgraded ’Solidified Energy’ to Level 3]

...

[You have upgraded ’Solidified Energy’ to Level 10 max]

[’Solidified Energy’ has been upgraded to Level 10 max, entering skill advancement state, please choose your ’Mastery Skill’—Advanced Energy Sword, Hammer of Bursting, Ring of White Light]

The sword is a ’Jedi Knight’ type weapon focused on advanced energy operation techniques. The hammer is an explosive weapon generating ’Micro Nuclear Fission’ through energy reaction. The ’Ring of White Light’ is from the Shaping System, following a binding route.

[You chose ’Hammer of Bursting,’ you have upgraded the skill to Level 2… Level 3… Level 4... Level 10 max]

[’Hammer of Bursting’ has been upgraded to Level 10 max, entering skill advancement state, please choose your ’Expert Skill’—Energy Material Collector, Small Weather Weapon: Mjolnir]

[You chose ’Small Weather Weapon: Mjolnir,’ you have upgraded the skill to Level 2… Level 3… Level 4... Level 10 max]

[Your Expert-Level skill has advanced to Master-level, gaining the Master-level skill ’Small Weather Weapon: Mjolnir (Elite)’]

[You have obtained a Master’s Certificate]

...

The same operation was replicated in Body Surfing skill, but unfortunately, the advanced skills only upgraded to ’Mastery’ before it turned dark. The reason was none other than the fact that all ’advancements’ of the skill above are related to Virtual Life and Artificial Intelligence.

In other words, as long as Gao Gong didn’t follow the virtual route, this skill’s potential would be at its end.

This Tier 2 ’Mastery’ skill is quite interesting, called ’Virtual Life Cloning Ceremony.’ Simply put, it’s a Summoner-type skill, distinguished by the fact that both the summon and the reference must be Virtual Life.

In simpler terms, the skill’s function is ctrl+c+v.

After reaching skill maximum, Gao Gong started pondering another issue.

That is, regarding his Tier 2 profession, what should he choose.