It may be undeliverable that I am able to do all of these tremendous things while balancing and riding on top of a fragile surfboard in the middle of a high-wave ocean duel against the King of a foreign nation. But I, Eryk Solbourne, am about to rank up in the middle of a battle.

No-one on Mystix could ever recommend such a thing. No-one on Team Fanghook could ever look at me the same way for doing such a thing. But I am not on Mystix any longer. I am on Earth, where I am the only person with a system, and I get to break any rules that I wish.

Sometimes, in my heart of hearts, I wonder what it must be like to live in a world where everyone has a system EXCEPT for me. I have become so used to feeling special, like I am something worth everyone paying attention to, especially now that I have learned that I am indeed an extremely special person on Mystix, too. What if I was special in a way that was remarkably unspecial? That would be the best option, to me, or to a certain me at least. Everyone could have interesting, massive powers and systems and skills and lives. Everyone except for me. I could fade into the background with an unremarkable life and no abilities to speak of. I could finally stop my chase towards being the greatest hero the world (or worlds) has (have) ever seen. Or, perhaps, I could use that lack of abilities to my advantage in many great ways, becoming a superb hero even without what everyone else has been given. Either one of these options would have made for an interesting life, even a preferable one in some circumstances. Unfortunately I am stuck in this world, where I am a D-Rank [Adventurer] and secretly an A-Rank [Demigod] as well.

But it is no real matter what hypotheticals may have in store for me. I can only focus on the here and now. And right here, right now, I am dueling King Bodhi, and losing. I have made a mighty wager on this battle, and no amount of one-handed bow strikes will be able to win this if I do not improve.

The A-Rank [Demigod] inside of me, wherever it is, must help me.

I have 122 Destiny Points at my disposal, and I only need 25 to level up.

Therefore... I shall do exactly that!

It has been only a short time since my last level-up, but somehow it feels like it has been months and months. Perhaps my ever-present ghost dreams are the cause in a way.

I am level 19 now.

With one large burst, I decide to expend 25 Destiny Points—

They float around me like swirling twinkling orbs that go silver and pink and back to silver. My entire aura shines as I ride my surfboard across a wave, almost mechanically for how little I am paying attention to it.

Here it is....

LEVEL 20!

YES!

And here is my final stat update for D-Rank...

Strength

38 (+11)

Speed

5 (-1)

Agility

6

Wisdom

6

Defense

14 (+2)

Charm

16 (-4)

Viscosity

7 (+4)

Deftness

17 (+1)

Charisma

6

Manners

31 (+1)

Power

59 (+7)

Sturdiness

0

I am down to 97 Destiny Points, but I am up to 15,000/15,000 Life Points once again. I had almost forgotten about the dangers I could have faced with that; I had stopped paying attention for the most part.

None of this even matters, though. I need none of it because I am already about to do it again.

This time... with a RANK UP!

I reach deep within the HUD of my Destiny Spirit and summon the greatest of willpower.

It is time...

Colors swirl around me in a vibrant rainbow that covers the whole seaside.

A full rainbow engulfs me and changes the hue of my whole body temporarily.

Onlookers gasp and cheer, some of them shouting about how prideful they are, presumably having great pride in my decision to rank up.

King Bodhi is so surprised by all of this that she ceases attacking. She ceases surfing altogether and remains floating atop her board.

Then a flash of brightness, and all of that rainbow is gone.

I am now a Rank C [Adventurer.]

If there was ever a time for triumphant music to play in the background of my life, this moment would be it.

I have been a higher rank than this, apparently, but I do not recall it. Therefore, this is the proudest moment of my life so far. I am one step closer to finally being an S-Rank Hero like I’ve always been reaching for!

Here are my C-Rank Rewards:

1. Two new Destiny Card slots - Total: 9

2. Card Trade - Unlock the ability to trade cards with other heroes ranked C and higher.

3. Card Crafting - Unlock the ability to craft any card you have previously encountered using elementals.

4. 20,000 Life Points pool!

Holy The Goddess! This is all wonderful!

...I’ll have to puzzle through some of it later, but for now I am just astounded utterly at the possibility that the Destiny Deck System has presented me with.

Most importantly, I now have NINE Destiny Card slots in my hand. I have so many new cards to draw!

Empathetic Link: Rank 7. Create a Mental Link with a target sentient being. Cost: 5500 LP.

Drop: Rank 1. Make someone fall over. Cost: 80 LP.

Inventory Slot: Rank 4. Store an item here to retrieve for future use. Current item: Satchel (Size: Extra Large).

Inventory Slot: Rank 4. Store an item here to retrieve for future use. Current item: (Empty)

Inventory Slot: Rank 4. Store an item here to retrieve for future use. Current item: Bow and arrow.

There are four whole empty slots for me to fill when the time is right.

However, I sadly do not have time to draw those four cards, because I am in the middle of a duel.

But with increased stats, increased abilities, and a whole new perspective on life, I’m ready to win this very easily.

King Bodhi gazes upon me with a sense of trepidation. I keep my face serene and determined.

This is where the fun begins.