The first time in human history
"Windstride Slash!"
A flash of lightning, and Mike effortlessly took down a zombie monkey.
"Exploration Rate's already at 80%!"
Thanks to the Minotaur Battle General, the first floor's Exploration Rate started at 65%, significantly speeding up Mike's exploration.
"Once the Exploration Rate hits 100%, I can summon the Core of Truth crystal and complete the level!"
Thinking this, Mike looked up towards the sky. The Tower of Truth, each level a world of its own.
How tall was the Tower of Truth? A thousand levels? Ten thousand? No one knew for sure.
Even the supreme beings of the human race hadn't conquered the Tower of Truth in three hundred years. But no matter, the path lies ahead! A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and the climb to a towering mountain starts from the dust!
"Windstride Slash!" Mike slashed again, unstoppable. Tonight, he was the brightest star on the first floor.
...
"Cain, we're about to split up for leveling, there's something I need to tell you."
Two dusty figures emerged from Thunder Valley. Despite the grime, Jessica's striking features were still discernible as she spoke seriously, "It's about the Tower of Truth Exploration Rate."
"Exploration Rate?" Cain blinked, obviously unfamiliar with the term.
"Yes, after you hear this, remember to... cough, cough... tell Mike too." Jessica's expression faltered slightly when she mentioned Mike, but luckily, the dust on her face obscured her discomfort.
"Tell me, I'll jot it down right now!" Cain produced a pen and paper, ready to take notes.
Jessica spent five minutes explaining the significance and function of the Exploration Rate to Cain. Cain tried to summarize, "So, you're saying, the higher it is, the better?"
"Exactly! You're a D-tier talent, and I remember Mike registered as a D-tier too, right?"
"That's right." Cain nodded, confirming it.
After talent awakening, there's an instructor specifically assigned to register and report it. Lower-tier talents aren't exactly secret; they're semi-public knowledge.
Based on past experience, reaching a 30% Exploration Rate with a D-tier talent is already quite challenging. Complete these tasks, and you can push to the next level!
Jessica handed over a list of tasks that required traveling to numerous locations and defeating hundreds of monsters, which overwhelmed Cain. "If 30% is this troublesome, what about 100%?"
As the class underachiever, Cain also harbored the heart of a top student, curious to see what a perfect score looked like.
"I really don't know," Jessica shook her head, speaking frankly. "You know, even though my grandpa is one of the Battle Chiefs, he wouldn't let me in on the really hush-hush stuff. And getting a 100% Exploration Rate is just too tough! Even the legendary Thor might not have reached it!"
"No way! I read online that Thor is like the potential supreme being, right?"
"Rumor has it... well, cough, cough... some secrets are better left unknown. I'm not even sure if it's true." Jessica hesitated, not daring to speak of the rumor that a supreme being had failed to clear the Tower of Truth with a 100% Exploration Rate. Because of this, they were mocked in certain circles for a long time. But rumors are just rumors, without official confirmation, one shouldn't spread them carelessly.
"By the way! My grandpa did say that if someone manages to clear with a 100% Exploration Rate, something incredible would happen!"
"Oh? Like what?"
"He was pretty vague about it... something like..." Jessica recalled the scene, repeating her grandfather's words, "Once someone clears with a 100% Exploration Rate, all dormant beings will awaken, ancient monsters that haven't been seen for years will emerge en masse, heralding a time of great turmoil and contention!"
"Sounds pretty intense. Is it really that mystical?"
Cain was taken aback by Jessica's story. Although he didn't fully believe her, he didn't dare to question the words of a Battle Chief.
"Alright, it's getting late. You better go level up." The two parted ways.
A canary perched on Jessica's shoulder, looking pitiful and harmless. Once Cain was out of sight, Jessica shrugged her shoulder, and the canary transformed into a golden roc!
"Roar—"
Under the roc's assault, monsters fell one after another, utterly powerless to resist. Wherever the golden light touched, nothing grew, only desolation remained!
Jessica's level was rapidly increasing!
"I need to get stronger, fast!" Jessica looked coldly at everything before her, recalling the scenes from Thunder Valley. That mysterious warrior using Windstride Slash had left a profound impression on her!
"Random powerful warriors popping up, all stronger than me, not to mention the legendary Thor!" Jessica gripped her staff tightly, her gaze determined.
Get stronger, stronger, and even stronger! To catch up with her peers, to chase after the legendary Thor, and also... to repay Mike's kindness!
Thinking of Mike, Jessica's usually frosty expression seemed to thaw slightly.
Anyway, getting stronger is the right move! "I have an S-rank talent; I might try for a 70% Exploration Rate, something even my grandpa couldn't achieve!" Jessica's gaze was firm, filled with fighting spirit.
---
"Finally, a 100% Exploration Rate." Mike planted the Force of Nature into the ground and scooped up some water to wash his face, shaking off leaves, feathers, and other debris from his body. "2 hours and 40 minutes, way less than I expected!"
"Alright, time to head to the next level!" Mike pulled out the Force of Nature and summoned the Core of Truth crystal, pressing his palm against it.
At the bottom of the diamond-shaped crystal, a golden liquid appeared, surging upwards, quickly filling the entire crystal.
"Congratulations on completing the first level of the Tower of Truth!"
"Calculating Exploration Rate..."
"Exploration Rate: 100%, clearance rating: SSS!"
"Blessing of Truth activated! Clearance rating automatically +1!"
---
After a brief silence, a pleasant notification sound rang again in Mike's ear. "Congratulations on clearing the first level of the Tower of Truth, final rating: SSSS!"
At the same time, all participants in the Tower of Truth, including the powerhouses in the Core City of Truth, heard the announcement in their ears.
"Congratulations to participant [Thor] for achieving an SSSS-level clearance on the first level!"
"Congratulations to participant [Thor] for achieving an SSSS-level clearance on the first level!"
---
"Thor cleared it?!" There was some initial chatter on public channels.
Soon, someone pointed out the highlight. "Thor got an SSSS-level clearance, not just SSS! Oh my gosh, an extra S!!!"
"Could the Tower of Truth have made a mistake?"
"What's going on, why does he have an extra S?"
"This is something only the supreme being Morpheus can explain!"
At this moment, the whole world was abuzz because of a single announcement. For the first time in human history, an SSSS-level clearance was born!