บท 1: Prologue
*
The world we see can be changed based on the perspective of the viewer. This statement is something that I realized after getting the skill Parallel Memory.
*
The world here is called Edolas which is constantly being invaded by demons and monsters. There is also the presence of mana due to which humans are more strong and live longer. The average life span of a human is around 150 and for the high ranking human, it is 300 years.
I, Zero Elea am just an average human of rank F who is going to enroll in Ace academy which is the N.o 1 high school in the world.
The school is headed by a Rank SS human who is one of the strongest in the human domain. The strength of humans is divided into different ranks; SSS being the strongest and F being the weakest.
The Academy has lots of Rank-A teachers and lots of them have experience of conquering dungeons and fighting monsters.
For the entrance exam of Ace Academy, we had to fight golem of rank F and the number of golems defeated in 1 hour was the points that we get.
I defeated 7 golems using my sword Art LVL 3 Shadow Style with Practitioner proficiency. With this Art, I can coat the sword with mana and slash the sword at high speed.
In this world, there is something called skill which is something that is in perfect stage the moment you acquire it from skill scroll or other means and there is also something called Art which can be acquired by instruction books from which we learn and try to increase our proficiency.
There are 9 levels of Art with level 9 being the highest. However, even if the Art is of LVL 1, if the proficiency is perfect then it can be more powerful than the LVL 9 Art with only beginner proficiency.
The proficiency is also divided into Beginner, Practitioner, Proficient, Expert, Master, and Perfect.
When I reach the proficient level in my Sword Art I can shoot shadow slash to an enemy at distance.
Anyway, I passed the test with one of the lowest points. I was ranked 970 among 1000 students who have passed.
I was going home after the announcement of the result. It was already great for me to get a chance to attend the number 1 school in the world.
While leaving, I could see lots of reporters interviewing the students, especially the rank 1 student. He is a total monster that has destroyed 34 golems within an hour which makes his score the highest point in the history of the Ace Academy entrance exam.
Though other top students were also beast with rank 2 and 3 getting 27 and 25 points respectively. The scores are also higher than other top-ranked students of previous years which was 22 points.
-SIGH!
[ "Looks like my classmate is going to be all monsters." ]
I was dejected thinking about the geniuses that I have to meet in class.
I went to meet my parents who were working in the guild called Shadow Genesis which is just silver grade.
The guild grade is divided into Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver, Bronze, Iron, and grade-less.
The new guild will start as grade-less and Iron grade is given to the guild which has some achievement and for a guild to be graded as Bronze, their requirement was for the guild to have at least 10 rank C members or 1 rank B member and for a Silver grade, there should be at least 10 rank B member or 1 rank A member.
Though my parents' guild doesn't have a rank A member, there was at least 13 rank B guild member.
My Dad is the guild master with a rank being B+ and mom is the Vice guild master with rank B, one sub-rank below Dad.
[ "Good Afternoon, Hela. Is Guildmaster here?" ]
I asked the guild receptionist.
[ "Ah... Yes. Guildmaster is in his office." ]
[ "Thanks" ]
I thanked the receptionist and went to my father's office. I reached the guildmaster's office and knocked on the door.
-KNOCK! -KNOCK!
[ "Come in" ]
I heard my Dad's voice. I opened the door and I could see my Dad sitting on a chair with lots of paper in front of him.
[ "Father. What are you doing?" ]
[ "Just looking at some recruitment list for the guild. Anyway Zero, how was the entrance exam." ]
[ "Well... I passed albeit just barely" ]
[ "Ha Ha that's my boy. Passing is passing even if it is the lowest rank. I believe that with the teaching in number 1 academy, you will get lots of new experience. This calls for celebration." ]
[ "Thanks, Dad. So where's Mom" ]
[ "He He... I knew you would pass so to celebrate we have prepared something special for you." ]
As soon Dad said that the door was pushed open and mom came in with a box in her hand.
[ "Zero. Are you okay?" ]
Mom ran towards me and hugged me tight, and asked me the question right after seeing me. Well, it is obvious why Mom ask me this question as the entrance exam was generally fighting monsters though the types of monsters were different each time.
[ "I am fine, just some scratch. So that box is the gift that was prepared for me." ]
[ "Yes. I and your Mom have gotten you a random skill box though it is of low-rank."]
[ " Huh?" ]
I was baffled, Random Skill Box was very rare even if it was of low rank. Random Skill Box could give you skills from every rank. It means that from this box there is a possibility of getting rank SSS skill.
Though getting high-level skills from low-level Random Skill Box was low but there was a possibility. Even if rank S and above were impossible for me, there was a high chance of getting a rank B skill which was the highest skill that was present in our guild.
This random skill box must have cost millions of Ethan coins which is enough to buy a rank B skill. Though it could also generate and most of the time give rank D and E skills. But because of its possibility to give higher rank skill, the value of this box was quite high.
[ "This..." ]
I couldn't say a word. How could I? With the money used to buy this, we could have purchased a rank-A level-up potion which could increase the chance of Dad becoming rank-A. Instead, they are investing this chance for my future.
[ "Son. Though chances are slim, these boxes may give you the skill of rank A and above. Dad and Mom can't afford them. So we have decided to give you this box. This is the best we can do for you." ]
[ "Dad, how can I accept something so valuable. I think Dad should use this item." ]
[ "Son you are going to attend the Number 1 academy of the World with the student being son and daughter of gold and diamond guild. They must have given them rank A and above skill to them and competition in the academy without at least rank C skill is going to be very tough. Though getting rank A and above might be impossible but it can give you at least rank C or B skill" ]
[ "...."]
[ "Zero. Don't worry about it. Just use it as Mom and Dad have prepared this specifically for you. This thing is worthless compared to your future." ]
Mom assured me to use it.
[ "Thank you, Mom. Thank you, father. I will gratefully use it" ]
I held the box in my hand and pour mana into the box. The box shined and slowly disappeared. The skill got integrated with me. I got a Skill. I wanted to know what skill I got so I checked my status screen.
[ "Status" ]
===Status===
Name: Zero Elea
Rank: F +
Strength: F
Speed: F+
Stamina: E
Mana: F
Luck: B
Charm: C
- - > Skill:
[ Rank SS: Parallel Memory ]
- - > Art:
[ LVL 3: Shadow Style proficiency: Practitioner ]
= = = = = = = =
( Parallel Memory? )
I was stunned. My parents sacrifice so much money for me to become stronger by giving me a random box but what I got from it was Parallel Memory. What the hell.
Even rank C or D Skill was acceptable. However, what I got was parallel memory, a skill that just increases your memory. It was just a useless rank F Skill that could be purchased in the market for a couple of thousand Ethan coins. Its value was not even one-tenth of the value of the Random Skill Box.
[ "So, What Skill did you get?" ]
My parents asked me excitedly. They were staring at me so happily that I was starting to feel guilty.
[ "....." ]
I was silent for a moment before answering.
[ "Parallel Memory" ]
[ "....." ]
[ "....." ]
Silence prevailed in the room. It was like the happy emotion we felt had all vanished from the room.
After a few minutes, my father broke the silence.
[ "Don't worry son. Though you got rank-F skill, Dad will promise you that I will get you a rank-B Skill ." ]
[ "Fath... Father no needs to spend more resources on me. Even if Dad is the guildmaster, other executives of the Guild will not be happy for spending this much resource on me. I will definitely work hard in the academy and become powerful even without Skill." ]
I tried to persuade my Dad into not spending any more Ethan coins on me. It was already hard for my parent to get me Random Skill Box, if they decide to take a rank B Skill from Guild then my parents' position in Guild could be jeopardized.
Even though I didn't get a powerful Skill, I could still get strong from the teaching of Ace academy. I also have the option of making money from working part-time and buying a rank B Skill when I get enough money.
Dad tried to insist that he could still try to get a skill for me but I refuse by saying that Skill is not everything and we should work hard without relying on external things. Though unconvinced, Dad dropped the matter after seeing my resolute face.
We went home together and there was a small family party for my successful enrollment in Ace Academy. We ate and talked happily until it was time for bed.
In bed, I was thinking about what happened in the Guild. Honestly, I was depressed and disappointed. It was my chance to get a good skill and get to the level of other top students but I ruined my chance and got a Skill that only increases your memory.
Though the Skill may sound incredible, the increased memory is only when you use the skill which uses mana. So it was a pretty useless skill even among other rank F Skill.
*Sigh*
Before going to bed I wanted to check my status again. Though I know the Skill will not change but I wanted to make sure whether what I got was really a rank-F Skill.
[ "Status" ]
===Status===
Name: Zero Elea
Rank: F +
Strength: F
Speed: F+
Stamina: E
Mana: F
Luck: B
Charm: C
- - > Skill:
[ Rank SS: Parallel Memory ]
- - > Art:
[ LVL 3: Shadow Style proficiency: Practitioner ]
= = = = = = = =
* Sigh *
I got really shitty luck today. Getting rank-F Skill from Random Skill Box was as rare as getting an A-Rank Skill.
As I continued staring at the status screen, I noticed that the rank of my Parallel Memory is SS.
( What the.... )
I rubbed my eye and looked carefully to confirm whether what I was seeing was correct.
Yes, indeed the rank is SS.
( ..... )
I thought for a moment but I don't remember Skill Parallel Memory being rank-SS. I thought it may be a new Skill but Parallel Memory was already a known skill, just that the rank is not SS.
[ "Parallel Memory" ]
No use thinking about something you don't know, instead I can see what it does by using it. I used the Skill to see what was the effect of rank SS Parallel Memory.
After a few minutes. I waited for something to happen.
...
Nothing happened. Not even my memory was being affected.
[ "Is this Skill flawed? Or Is it that I am not capable of using it?" ]
I thought for a moment before deciding that the first option was ridiculous. There was never an incident of a Skill being flawed but there was a situation where skill cannot be executed by the user.
The reason could be a lack of mana or doesn't have the appropriate tool for execution. How can you use sword skills without a sword. So, maybe my mana capacity does not reach its requirement.
I wanted to know why it was not working but I kept it for tomorrow. I am already tired from the entrance exam. Tomorrow I can discuss it with my parents.
[ "Hehe..." ]
Honestly, I was a little happy since the rank is SS. Even if the Skill increases the memory, the effect will be much better than a rank F Skill. Though I would have preferred if the Skill was for combat.
Rank SS Skill means that you have a chance of becoming one of the strongest humans. Not even platinum guild would have a Rank SS skill.
It was extremely rare and it is only those Rank S and Rank-SS humans that could have one or two Rank-SS Skills.
( Strongest.... )
I slept as I thought about being strongest not knowing that I, Zero Elea would wake up tomorrow as a completely different person.
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