The Ranking System Is Perfectly ACCURATE!

The Threat Level grading system for Utility Users – which went from Level 6 to 0 – was a simplistic ranking system created after the First Myriad War.

This tragic event, regarded by the majority as the most senseless conflict humanity ever endured, resulted in three continents out of the original nine sinking to the seas – something that became one of the earlier hints that the war wasn't worth it.

When it finally ended, following the emergence of a Speaker who made a rather nasty prediction, a ranking system for the strength of all Utility Users to come was created.

Unlike general Fint manipulation, Utilities came in countless, varied assortments, redefining what strength even was. Thus, the official ranking system was decided by the only metric that could, for at least 60% of the time, judge a Utility User's prowess accurately despite being vague in several ways: How much of a continent, including ordinary human and man-made elements, a Utility User could theoretically overcome on their own.

To put it into perspective, a Level 6 User, the weakest on the ranking scale, was expected – with the combination of their level of Fint manipulation and Utility – to be able to overcome a large, well-defended town on their own. Some of the haggard generals of the First Myriad War preferred to use the phrase 'destroy the whole bloody thing'.

A Level 5 User was expected to be able to handle a city, and a Level 4 User was expected to be able to casually overwhelm two cities of 'average size', and the resources they packed. Dein, Jayne, and Julls had been at this Threat Level.

Level 3 Utility Users were expected to be able to crush a small country. Rhos, mainly because of his advanced Fint manipulation, had been seen fit to carry such a rank. Still, he fell short – currently – of holding the Level 2 Threat Level, which meant one was supposed to be able to dominate a large, advanced country with the greatest of mundane resources for resistance.

Level 1 was reserved for individuals who could casually handle double the requirements set for those at Threat Level 2, and as for the highest known distinction, Level 0, well…

A Utility User had to be able to subdue an entire continent on their own.

Naturally, several brands of anomalies existed in the world, making it hard to accurately gauge the capacity of their strength, notably Silver Spark Users. Their brand of abilities was even more bizarre than what Blue Spark Users like Julls were capable of.

But even worse than Silver Spark Users, were mutants.

In another world, they would be designated by the term 'disabled', but in this one, if a human or beast with a proclivity towards Fint happened to have a deformity, they were considered… problems.

Mutants usually had 'capacities' outside the norm to make up for whatever they lacked, after all. The most common cases usually produced a human or beast with more than one Utility, but rarer forms were even more treacherous.

Of course, mutants with powers like this were uncommon, which was why, at the mention of having to fight one with a Silver Spark User, the three Ryduun siblings couldn't help but think for a bit. Even Ess wasn't sure he could 100% guarantee that they could do what Ratchet hoped.

He didn't fear for his safety, of course. Now that the capabilities of the enemy were made a little clearer, several ways as to how he and his siblings could fail to meet Ratchet's demands were revealed. It wasn't all about losing in a physical confrontation.

"We'll figure something out," Ess said.

Ratchet looked at him skeptically.

"Sure, I have full confidence in you lot," he said with a tone livid with sarcasm, but scoffed when Twist scowled. "I'll reiterate. Green Lolli is taking this matter as seriously as the Dark House is taking Red Biscuit's destruction. It's 'cause of these guys. There's only five of them, and they've managed to rattle even the Bureau." Ratchet sipped his drink. "The NBD's got their resources spread thin. That's the only reason I was bold enough to invite you lot to such a public place."

Twist narrowed his eyes.

"I wondered about that. Why did you have us meet here instead of somewhere more discreet?" he asked.

"All the places here that are discreet are packed with people who would recognize your faces instantly. The public's eyes aren't all that keen. No one's expecting wanted criminals to be having a meetup in Camry Square of all places. Besides, with the other Heathens looking for you, I figured meeting here would deter a lot of unneeded violence. Unlike you, the rest of your kind still prefer to be, ah, discreet," Ratchet gave Ess a deep look, hoping it would inspire guilt within him.

It didn't.

"Alright then," Ess said. "Let's get going. I'd rather get this over with sooner rather than later. How are we going to help anyway? Isn't that bank or whatever going to be crawling with Bureau Agents?"

Ratchet gave a mean burp.

"Don't worry about that," he said confidently.

***

 Bloomburg Austerity Bank, 07:21 pm.

In front of a massive, ivory vault with a glossy sheen and mechanical noises ticking from within it, a rather tall, thin girl, a redhead in an oversized red romper, long white socks, and bulbous trainers sat cross-legged, typing frantically at her six laptops.

She swept away her long bangs from her purple eyes with a blow of air from her mouth every ten seconds, her face forever tinted blue from the lights coming from the screens.

Hints of frustration showed as drops of sweat trickled from her temples, and they finally manifested as a groan when she heard someone open the door to her far right.

"I'm. Still. Working on it!" she immediately yelled before another question about her progress – about the twentieth since she started her work yesterday – was cast.

"I figured. But you're already down to half your full capacity, aren't you, Felissia?" a rough voice that might have belonged to a man who was born with the bottle on his lips sounded from behind the girl.

Felissia scowled, spared the man who addressed her a glare, and returned to abusing her laptops' keyboards even more harshly than before.

"One hour. I'll be done by then, alright, Half?" she hissed. "Now why don't you go check on Walnut or – even better – finally introduce yourself to the hostages? I know you are itching to make one of your perfect, wordy introductions. I advise you to not let Crucci stress your audience to death before then."

The man, Half, tilted his head and stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Not a bad idea. That might just be what I need to split the time," he said and Felissia rolled her eyes miserably.

Half quickly left the rather broad, bland room and marched down a long corridor with many doors that featured security pads, all no doubt hiding vaults like the one he wanted Felissia to break into.

Upon reaching the end of the corridor, which spotted a flight of stairs leading downward to a floor below, Half found one of his partners, a short, thin man with a large, bald head, staring at the blank wall.

"Anything, Walnut?" he asked.

The bald man turned, revealing a set of large, lumpy, bloodshot eyeballs. Hints of poison green flickered from their irises, but it was easy to miss this detail given the distracting intensity of his stare which sent a shiver running down even Half's spine.

"Nothing new. I see a few new formidable Bureau Agents among the old, but they aren't going to be able to do anything about your Restrictions. Unless you want to rattle them up like before, I think we still have a bit more time," Walnut, named as such because of the shape of his eyes, said with a glance at the wall.

Half nodded.

"Well. If that's the case, I guess I could spare a speech and a half to my lively audience downstairs," he said, raising his fedora and slicking back his hair.

Walnut, quite like Felissia, rolled his eyes in cringe.