Blessing of Truth

The advantages of the Stormweaver class were crystal clear under the Eye of Truth's guidance. 

Once the orb was in his possession, blue lightning flickered and danced at Mike's fingertips, quickly spreading a tingling sensation throughout his body.

"Job change successful!"

Meanwhile, on Twitter Trends and Top Stories, six out of the top ten were about Thor! 

Whether it was the Tower of Truth, the online world, or real life, Thor was the most mentioned word.

After the job change, a new attribute panel appeared before Mike:

ID: Thor

Talent: Eye of Truth (SSS-level)

Level: 10

Class: Stormweaver (Lightning)

HP: 3600/3600

MP: 1800/1800

Strength: 126 (+100)

Intelligence: 145

Spirit: 135

Agility: 124

Constitution: 131 (+100)

Luck: 11

Equipment: Novice Staff

Skills: Lightning Arrow, Blessing of Lightning, Charge Up, Thunderclap Strike

Status: Lightning Affinity, Lightning Specialization

Due to the job change, Mike's attributes had slightly increased, each by about 20 to 30 points. What baffled Mike the most was that, as a mage, his Strength and Constitution were higher than his Intelligence and Spirit! 

What kind of mage was this? A melee invincible mage swinging a big red stick at anyone who came close? 

Mike had to accept the reality.

After becoming a Stormweaver (Lightning), Mike gained a new skill [Thunderclap Strike] and a new status [Lightning Specialization].

"[Thunderclap Strike (Lv1)]: Summons a Thunderclap Strike from the sky, hitting the enemy and dealing (200+2*Intelligence) Lightning damage. When the enemy's health is below 30%, it deals true damage instead. 

Each hit with Thunderclap Strike permanently increases the base Lightning damage of this skill by 5 points. Enemies hit by Thunderclap Strike are 100% slowed and randomly receive a negative buff.

Mana cost: 200 points

Cooldown: 2s

Mike's Intelligence attribute is 145, so 200+145*2=490.

With the 100% bonus from Lightning Specialization, a single Thunderclap Strike can deal 980 Lightning damage!

"No wonder it's an SSS-level hidden class!"

After reading the description of Thunderclap Strike, Mike was curious for a moment. This skill not only had high damage and a short cooldown but also had significant growth potential. Each hit on an enemy permanently increased the damage by 5 points!

Mike looked around, unable to find a target to test his new power, and he was incredibly curious, almost wishing he could strike himself with a Thunderclap Strike!

"Cool it, cool it!" Mike muttered to himself, trying to contain his excitement. 

The effects of [Thunderclap Strike] and [Lightning Specialization] perfectly matched the SSS-level class template—genuine quality!

This also meant that Mike's growth rate and potential had just leveled up!

"What other goodies do I have?" Mike wondered, tucking away the attribute panel and shifting his focus to the other rewards.

Besides the attribute boosts and the class change, he had also been awarded a [Trade Secret Realm Pass] and a [Blessing of Truth].

The Trade Secret Realm Pass was a golden card, about the size of a regular credit card, unadorned with any patterns or markings. It simply read, "[This pass grants entry to the Trade Secret Realm]."

"Trade Secret Realm Pass?" Mike racked his brain for any related information. 

"According to the lore, it's one of the Tower of Truth's special neutral zones, accessible with either a [temporary pass] or a [permanent pass]. Once inside, everyone's appearance and aura are concealed, represented only by a random identifier."

Looking again at the golden card, Mike's eyes gleamed with excitement. This was a hot ticket item! Even a temporary Trade Secret Realm Pass could fetch a million bucks on the open market!

The pass in Mike's hand was a permanent, unlimited-use card—its value was off the charts! Even major powers, with Battle Lords at their helm, might not possess such a high-level pass!

Pocketing the golden card carefully, Mike planned a future visit to the Trade Secret Realm Pass. 

Having cleared the novice instance and leveled up to 10, it was time to upgrade his gear. Plus, he needed to gather some materials and items for his upcoming explorations.

Mike then turned his attention to the last reward: "Blessing of Truth?"

"[Blessed by the Tower of Truth, the chosen one will have their rating increased by one grade every time they clear an instance or ascend a level in the Tower of Truth.]"

"Cool!" The significance of this blessing exceeded Mike's expectations. 

Without a doubt, all the rewards he had received so far paled in comparison to the [Blessing of Truth]!

A permanent grade boost! What does that even mean?

If Mike could nail a perfect run, that's an SSS rating. With the [Blessing of Truth], that would bump him up to SSSS—a rating that even surpasses the Tower of Truth's own limits!

With this blessing, Mike's growth rate would blow everyone else out of the water!

"No wonder this is the reward for acing the hidden level with an SSS rating!" Mike thought to himself. "The three supreme beings who rose to prominence among humans only cleared the novice instance at SSS level. None of them triggered the hidden level!"

"That means, the [Blessing of Truth] is mine alone!" In other words, Mike's growth rate, potential, and even his limits could potentially surpass those of the seasoned supreme beings!

Of course, this was all theoretical for now!

Mike was well aware that if he revealed his true identity now, a demon god from the Abyssal Plane could snuff him out in a heartbeat! 

A dead genius is worth less than a living rat!

Surviving, realizing his potential, and becoming a new supreme being—that was Mike's top priority!

Putting away the description of the Blessing of Truth, Mike calmed his emotions. "My first foray into the Tower of Truth was just the novice instance. The other areas of the Tower are off-limits for now."

Mike stared at the golden pass in his palm, deep in thought. "Should I check out the Trade Secret Realm Pass today?"

"Is there a risk of blowing my cover?" he wondered.

"According to the textbook, there shouldn't be. Besides, if I want to get stronger, I need resources, and the Trade Secret Realm Pass is a must-visit!"

Mike made up his mind. Better sooner than later!

He pressed his thumb on the pass, and a golden glow filled his vision, enveloping him completely.

A long string of numbers and letters flashed in his mind—his identifier in the Trade Secret Realm Pass.

The next moment, the golden light faded, and Mike found himself tucked away in a corner of a bustling market.

The street wasn't exactly spacious, packed with people shoulder to shoulder. Stalls lined both sides, displaying all sorts of glittering treasures, while vendors shouted their wares, creating a lively atmosphere.

"Secret news! Secret news! The Defense Headquarters has issued Order Number Twenty-Six, calling all Battle Lords to report immediately!"

"Today's newsletter, get an inside look at Thor's journey to power!"

"Recruiting Battle Chiefs level warriors, must have at least an A-level talent. We're forming a loyal followers' league for Thor!"

Mike was baffled. What's with all the Thor talk? Nine out of ten conversations in the Trade Secret Realm Pass seemed to revolve around him.

Before he could gather his thoughts, an enthusiastic voice rang out. "Bro, new face, huh? You new here?"

Mike turned to see a green-skinned goblin standing beside him, striking up a conversation.

Mike nodded and asked curiously, "How did you know I'm new?"

"I've never seen your identifier before, and I know everyone who frequents the Trade Secret Realm Pass! Plus, you haven't morphed your appearance; that's typical newbie behavior."

Morphed appearance?

Mike turned and caught his reflection in a mirror, seeing himself as a gray cloud with occasional flashes of lightning.

"Here in the Trade Secret Realm Pass, everyone's identity is kept secret. Your voice, appearance, fingerprints, even your soul's energy are all masked!" the goblin explained enthusiastically.

"Just picture a form in your mind, and your appearance will change accordingly."

Following the goblin's advice, Mike concentrated, and the cloud quickly swirled and condensed into a humanoid shape made of clouds.

"Forgot to introduce myself—I'm a trade broker at [Mystic Market], just call me Foreskin," the goblin said, handing Mike a business card with his Trade Secret Realm Pass identifier.

"Anything you need to buy or sell, you can come to us at [Mystic Market]. Newcomers get a 2% discount!"

Mystic Market.

Mike mentally noted the name and nodded at the goblin. "Thanks, I'm just looking around."

"No problem, you can message by identifier in the Trade Secret Realm Pass if you have any questions," Foreskin said, his service attitude impeccable. "But remember, some information comes with a price!"