System Change

Derek went over the new Achievement in front of him a few times—not really knowing what was going on. He understood that he had received an Achievement, but he had never had one that was so… odd. Finally, he decided to go over it one last time just to make sure he wasn’t missing something.

Achievement ‘The Impossible’ Unlocked

???????

Requesting assistance from another system…

Requesting assistance from another system…

What does all of this mean? Derek had gained another Achievement, but it didn’t seem like the ‘Great System’ was able to award him for it. However, instead of just ending in failure, it seemed that the Great System—or maybe Dave—was opting to request help from another system. Derek wondered if it would even work—would the Origin System be the one to help, or would it be some entirely different system? What happens if the request is denied?

“Derek… dear… are you… okay?” Alanah muttered almost silently from in front of him, like she was afraid to interrupt him if there was something important going on.

“I’m fine,” Derek said, shifting his eyes from the odd message in front of him to the siren. “It’s just… the Achievement that I’ve earned is nothing but a bunch of question marks. And it looks like the Great System is trying to…” Derek had to stop talking, as an immeasurable sense of dread overcame him. “Sorry,” he said. “It looks like that’s about as much as I can tell you right now.”“Now I’m even more curious… damn systems and their secrets,” Alanah said. She was obviously a little fed up with all the secrets she had to forceably keep—especially after not being able to explain to those she treasured why exactly she was going to have to leave them. And why wouldn’t she be? She had every right to be.

“Yeah…” Derek muttered back to her. “Let’s see… what can I tell you? Uh… It looks like it’s going to take a minute for the Achievement reward to be given to me.”

“I have never heard of anything like that,” Alanah said. “An Achievement that is given out instantly? That is so very interesting.”

“Yeah… sorry,” Derek said.

“No worries,” Alanah replied. “There isn’t anything you can do about it. It is just something that I’ll have to try to find out on my own—or maybe, if we are able to meet again after I leave, you will be able to tell me then.”

“We’ll certainly see,” Derek said.

“I look forward to it…”

‘Stupid Origin System?’ Derek received from Silvi, who had been silently listening to their conversation.

‘Seems to be,’ he replied. ‘The Achievement is hung, and the Great System—or even Dave—is requesting assistance in rewarding me the Achievement.’

‘Well, tell it to hurry up,’ Silvi said. ‘I have chicken to cook.’

‘If only I could…’

After that, the three of them—along with Alanah’s Deathsworn—stood in silence for some time. Every once in a while, Derek pulled up the notification just to see if it had made any progress.

Requesting assistance from another system…

Requesting assistance from another system…

Requesting assistance from another system…

“Honestly, I don’t know if I’ll ever…” He was about to suggest they start heading toward their next destination when he noticed a change.

“You don’t know if you’ll ever… what?” Alanah asked.

“One second,” Derek said, holding up a hand. “It looks like something is happening with the Achievement.

Requesting assistance from another system…

Requesting assistance from another system…

Connected to other system…

Derek held his breath as he saw other notifications appear. He hurriedly opened the first one. Once again, he was hit by an all too familiar notification.

…

Request for assistance received…

Scanning request…

Information obtained…

…

This… It’s definitely the Origin System again, Derek thought. He figured it would be, but there was always a chance that it could have been some other system—at least according to how Dave had explained everything. When the Great System first tried to request assistance to help Derek upgrade his class, Dave had meant for some other system to help, but the Origin System had interfered. Now, it was either interfering again, or it was actually the one he needed to help him.

Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

Derek waited for a second, then the new notification changed once again.

…

Help requested in granting system (Achievement)…

(Achievement) Scanned…

(Achievement) similar to received Title…

Assistance Granted

…

Inwardly, Derek felt a surge of power wash over him. It felt like a marginal increase of strength throughout his body—not just a single stat, but all. Whatever just happened, it certainly made a difference. He wanted to go to his status sheet and check his stats right at that moment, but he held off as he received more notifications.

…

Title removed…

(Achievement) granted…

Congratulations on all your current accomplishments!

We eagerly away your future achievements!

…

There that line is again, Derek thought. Who is ‘we?’ Are multiple people in charge of the Origin System? Or is like that weird ‘royal’ we? He couldn’t help but wonder, but he soon had to push the thoughts to the back of his mind, as more information from the Great System popped up next.

Achievement ‘The Impossible’ Unlocked

Permanent 10% or 150 Stat Points for Each Stat Received (The Lesser of the Two will be Rewarded)

Oh… Derek looked at the reward. He finally understood why the Great System had to request assistance for it. Dave had told him that the Great System could no longer personally reward him with any rewards that would permanently modify him internally. Scrolls were the exception because the Great System was not rewarding the skill internally, but externally. It was a bit of a loophole, but one that the other system didn’t seem to mind.

But now, he had received an Achievement with a very high internal reward, and it was only possible to receive the reward with help from the other system—the Origin System, in this case.

Derek moved his eyes to the next notification.

The Impossible

Awarded for reaching over 9,000 total distributed stat points before obtaining level 250. Throughout the Universe, this accomplishment is known to be impossible and thus, only a select few have ever earned the right to bear the (Title) Achievement.

You have earned a one-time, permanent stat boost of 10% of your distributed stat points, or 150 points into each stat—whichever is smaller.

Note: This (Title) Achievement has been graciously granted by a stronger system, and thus, will be carried with you throughout your journey.

Derek stared dumbfounded at the Achievement he’d just received. After going over it time and time again, there was really only one thing that he kept thinking over and over. Did I just get an Achievement because my stats are… over 9,000?

In his head, it made sense that such an accomplishment would lead to earning an Achievement. After all, six stats that all have a breakthrough at 1,500 stat points do equal 9,000 points. But to think there was an Achievement out there for being over 9,000—Derek thought the systems had to have been messing with him. Or does it have a different description for other people? At least the Achievement isn’t called ‘Over 9,000,’ Derek thought. I don’t know if I could take my Achievements seriously if that was the case.

“Well?” Alanah finally couldn’t keep herself from asking again.

Derek didn’t know how long he’d been staring in space going of his new Achievement, so he quickly closed the notification and looked at Alanah with a crooked smile. “I got the Achievement,” he said.

“Can you speak about it?” Alanah asked.

“I think I may be able to,” Derek said. The Achievement was one that looked like it could be universally given, and if a system couldn’t deliver it, it could always get assistance from the Origin System… maybe. Or, Dave could just be treating me special for some reason—he already has before. With a mental shrug, Derek locked eyes with Alanah and said, “It’s an Achievement called ‘The Impossible.’

“Is it for having a breakthrough in all available stats?” Alanah questioned.

“I’m afraid it’s not that simple,” Derek said. “It is not just about the stats. Apparently, you have to distribute over 9,000 stat points to get it. I don’t actually think it has anything to do with a breakthrough in all six stats. I feel like I could have put all my stat points into vitality and still earned the Achievement.”

“Huh…” Alanah furrowed her brow. “What about the question marks that stop your stat sheet from allowing any stats to show over 1,500? If they continue to block that, then how would you go over 9,000 and get to 9,001? You would be stuck.”

“Oh…” Derek muttered. What can I say about that? I got rid of those question marks at the same time that I got my mythic class. But I also got them after I evolved, and I don’t think I can speak about the evolution. Is the evolution tied to getting a mythic class? Or can you get one without evolving? Derek thought about it for a minute, then said, “I don’t have those question marks. They were removed after… I got my mythic class.”

“Oh…” Alanah muttered and frowned.

“But,” Derek said, gathering her attention again. “It’s not something that most people should, or can, worry about.”

“What do you mean?”

“Getting that many points was only part of the requirements for the Achievement. The other part is doing it before you reach level 250,” he explained. I now have another goal for Thomas and Brandi, though. I’ll have to pump them so full of Void Beast meals that they’ll dread the sight of them. But how do I push them to evolve?

Honestly, Derek thought that it wouldn’t be too hard for Brandi to get to the point of evolution. Whether it was from earning a mythic class or his affinity with his element reaching a certain level, Derek was sure that with the young smith’s hard work and dedication to her craft, she would reach those points and evolve. The only question was whether she could do it before she reached level 250. She was taking close to the same route as Derek, after all. She already had a legendary class. It was only a matter of time before she turned it to mythic.

Thomas, on the other hand, was a different story. He would have to work his ass off to get to that point, and Derek didn’t know if the boy would be able to. How do you even increase your affinity with the ‘soul’ element? Does he just need to meditate for a few hundred years? Will that do it? Or maybe it has something to do with willpower? Derek would need to talk with the boy about it, and they would have to experiment at some point.

“I see,” Alanah said. “Having that as an additional requirement would make such a feat nigh impossible.”

Derek couldn’t help himself from grinning at the woman’s words.

“What?” she asked.

“That’s the name of the Achievement,” Derek answered. “The Impossible.”

“Very suiting.”

“Isn’t it?” he chuckled.

“Do you mind sharing your reward for earning it?” Alanah finally asked.

“Not at all, if it will let me,” Derek replied. “Basically, when you unlock the Achievement, you earn 900 extra stat points. It says it rewards the lesser of 150 points for each stat or 10 percent of total distributed stats, but that basically means that it rewards 900 stat points.” Which for me is… Derek did some quick math in his head. Almost 26 levels since I get 35 stat points per level right now.

“I see,” Alanah said. “That is quite the reward. It would take years or even decades of consuming Void Beast meals to earn that much, and that is if you space them far enough apart that your body doesn’t build up a tolerance.”

“Yeah,” Derek said. “I’m not complaining.”

“I believe that it is impossible…” Alanah grinned when she said the word. “… that you are not the strongest person in this system or that other system you mentioned.” Once again, she thought of something else and her brow furrowed. “If you don’t have those question marks anymore, does that mean that your level cap isn’t level 250 like the rest of us?”

“Actually…” Derek said. “I… have no idea.”