The Inner Workings of Grades.

' ' for thoughts or for other uses

" " to talk

[ ] and ▷for the system

◇◇◇

"Did you hear? That new person from the kitchen staff at the inn does shady things at night..."

"Right! Apparently he goes into the forest and does strange rituals there!" Two ladies? No grannies were discussing what had been a hot topic for the past month.

The amnesic demon. He appeared one day with no memories of the world or the language used here, his strength was severely above a normal person and he sometimes spoke and cursed in a strange dialect.

He arrived only knowing his name and age. His smile was of such evil that most children cried upon glimpsing at it. Hence he was considered a Demon that needed to be isolated.

Well That's what it was at first.

"Ahh Mr. Adam~ he must be praying for our well being, such a hard-working and respectable young man..."

"Really! If only my daughter was half as good at making food as he was!"

His brown eyes was a proof that he was in fact, not a demon. And while they still had suspicions at first, they all dissuaded upon seeing his determination.

And upon tasting his cooking. After two week or so of training in the kitchen, a talent described by the innkeeper as "generational" was recognised in him and since then. He was promoted from the bar to the kitchen.

"Unfortunately he says he doesn't plan on being a chief. And now we can only eat his cooking once per week!"

"Oh! I am weeping, why must another young soul throw themselves at the merciless claws of battle..."

The two women continued their dramatic session of gossip for a long time after this.

The young man in question was busy training himself to the bone.

◇◇◇

In a certain forest, a big rock was moving up and down as if alive. That would attract the attention of passerbies that passed by the woods, if they didn't hear the clearly focused voice of the man making this phenomena happen.

"Ten... Eleven... Twelve—!" The rock tumbled off Adam's back as he rolled to the side, finally taking some rest. Finished with his morning workout, the fog from waking up had been lifted.

"Huff- I guess That's another level..." Talking to himself he looked at the golden letters floating on the slightly transparent panel that popped up.

[Level up! You are now Level 17!]

'Finally got to my own age huh.' It was a given, after a month of training his status had gotten quite an upgrade.

//////////<Status Opened>//////////

▷True Name: [Adam ■ ■ ■ ■]

▷Player Name: Little_1mp

▷Titles: [Newcomer]

▷Race: [Half-Demon]

▷Job: Jobless

▷Level: 1—> 17

▷Active Skills: [Booster Horns: N/A]

▷Passive Skills: [Pandora's Gift: S], [Craftsmanship: E—> D], [CQC: F—> D], [Mana Disturbance: F], [Language: F—> C], [Cooking: D]

[Craftsmanship: D

▷B: ???

▷C: Can replace unimportant materials

▷D: Proficiency with tools is normal

▷E: Understand inventions with average speed

▷F: Make normal inventions]

[CQC: D

▷B: ???

▷C: Can accurately pinpoint all enemies within range.

▷D: Can prepare the stance with average speed

▷E: When in range able to locate opportunities

▷F: When in range attack with normal proficiency]

[Language: C

▷A: ???

▷B: Can make difficult cryptic languages.

▷C: Your words hold more value than others.

▷D: Nonverbal communication is acutely understood.

▷E: Understand without troubles the meaning behind someone's words

▷F: Learn languages at brilliant speed]

[Cooking: D

▷B: ???

▷C: Can remove poison from most ingredients

▷D: The appearance of food is easy on the eyes.

▷E: Can bring out a good texture out of most things

▷F: Can bring out a good tastes out of most things]

///////////<Status Closed>///////////

There was a lot to unpack here. Adam had now completly understood how ranks worked. He knew now that effects changed in-between grades, at least for passive skills, receiving an upgrade with each grade

Now he had fully understood how.

Even in grades, there were qualitative changes, from F to E it was the beginner stage. F wa third-rate or mediocre and E was second-rate of passable.

From D to B was the professional stage. D was first-rate or average, C was expert or rare and B was the Peak.

He understood that from the qualitative changes in his [Craftsmanship] and [CQC] upon their advancement to D grade.

For the [CQC], his range was originally five meters upon reaching E grade, but had jumped to thirty meters upon his next advancement. Along with this his ability to see weak points was now supernatural compared to his last abilities, from his understanding.

[Craftsmanship] was something that had ranked up without him knowing, has he built himself a cozy home in the woods it had reached D grade quickly.

He would sometimes borrow equipment from the people in the village for expanding it. While having never used some of those he quickly figured out how to. Upon reaching the D grade. He could now use them with inhuman expertise!

At least in his mind.

He reconned that he had only reached what was considered 'average' for professionals. Not because of CQC or Craftsmanship as he had no one that could build constructive criticism on his skills. but because of the other one.

[Cooking]

From his time at the inn, he sometimes worked behind the kitchen, one day gaining that skill, the innkeeper lady, Myuah saw a certain ability to cook in him and worked him to the bone.

He thought himself an expert at cooking upon reaching D grade, yet again. But it was a passing noble that exclaimed something that made all of his fantasies dissapear. For the better of course.

Adam could still remember it.

◇◇◇

"This is—!" Adam inwardly snorted at the noble's reaction, another person conquered through his cooking.

"It tastes just like back home!?!"

'Huh?' With a stupid expression, Adam pondered what this scummy noble had just said.

"He seems to be a low-ranked noble... If he wasn't the mayor would have invited him in." That means that "back home" they could have a personal chef.

'But his skills would be around average—!' This! Adam's eyes widened. So it wasn't actually possible to be better than everyone in just a month???

But he had worked so hard this whole month... Seems like D grade was just average...

'Jokes aside I'm relieved, it proves that there is much room to grow'

Sure D grade wasn't "supernatural" as he first believed but it being around professional level made much more sense. And still showed room for growth.

'I was only an ant that couldn't recognise Mt. Tai, forgive me young master...' he offered silent praises to the noble for the enlightenment he had given.

◇◇◇

"This does bring the question of what is the A to SSS grade?" But after voicing his thoughts, Adam discarded them. That was something he didn't want to ponder on for now.

His priority was to rank up his [CQC] skill and possibly get other combat related skills. With his future occupation, it was a given to do that if he wanted to survive the upcoming years.

'So back to training.' He had already finished his exercises with the rock. Progressive overload was not so progressive with him as he could normally put on five to six kilos more each day.

So it was the moment to get on the next part, combat training. Stepping back exactly thirty meters away from a sturdy looking tree, Adam took his stance with a certain fluidity

With his back bent like an animal about to pounce upon his prey two arms crossed over his face and legs spread with a wide gap, he prepared.

Upon getting in position he became more acutely aware of his surrounding, the leaves slowly falling to the ground, the chirping sounds made by passing birds and the stillness of the tree. He took his time to focus even more.

Through an instant that in Adam's perspective stretched into seconds. He instantly closed the distance towards the tree with a dash, delivering a knee strike with his left leg, immediately, he followed with a chop towards an imaginary jugular.

He then proceeded with kicks, elbow strikes, shoulder strikes and so on, until he finally felt his perception returning to normal.

As the world that until a moment had slowed to crawl through his eyes, resumed it's march, the tree in front of him shattered in tens of pieces, flying backward at great speed.

"I need to do better..." Of course what Adam had done now was worthy of praise. But he had time to concentrate to the utmost, against a stationary, mindless target. His execution time might be great.

But who knew if others would let him prepare? Better yet what would he do if they could react in the slowed world he had access to? Nothing was the response, because he lacked pratical fighting experience as of now.

"But one thing I'm sure of is my strength" Because while his skills were at the level of professionals. His strength was clearly abnormal. Wasn't his feat of shattering a tree enough of a statement?

It wasn't a feat possible for normal humans, at least not in the time it took him to do so. That all came back to the third attribute of his race, superior physical strength.

It didn't seem like much at first, but with each level his strength gained a non negligible boost, the rock he was doing push-up with on his back was around three hundred kilos.

While his skin had some shrapnels on it, it didn't hurt as badly as things like getting flung across the multiverse to another world.

It was negligible. His fists were of course bloody due to the force at wich he hit the tree and the shrapnels. "I should talk to Myusa to see if I could join their training..."

The world of course, wouldn't let our protagonist stoop so low as to ask others for help. Hence a situation arised just after Adam finished rinsing himself in his DYI shower.

"I'm telling you it's true! I know he'd like to join us, I've seen his routine, he's just as crazy with this as you!"

"Myusa, you better be telling the truth, if the person in that house can't last a week, I'll make sure you train for their week too."

"That person you're talking about is it that same man I saved that time? He looked so weak back then... How can you be so sure?"

Multiple voices approached his house, a playful and lazy guy, a gullible man and an violent harsh girl? Maybe two?

The footsteps didn't match the sound of just four person at least.

Adam prepared some of what he had been offered from the inn and bought with his part-timer salary. Some tea and cookies he had baked before.

"Do we knock? I'm not sure if he will hear us maybe he's still recovering from what happened back then..."

"Toorisun of course not! You know people like him get over such things as memory loss quite easily!"

"For once I agree with Myusa, memory loss becomes a problem mainly due to expectation put on you by your social circle, in this case, he had no one that knew him before that."

A gentle voice chimed in their conversation, that was when a knock resounded before they could discuss either if they should knock or continue discuss his apparent "memory loss"

Probably the leader then.

"Come in!" Adam exclaimed with a loud voice, it was time to receive some guests.

"I will." The harsh voice from before was the apparent leader of this little band, hence when she opened the door, they all flooded in.

"Good morning Adam~ missed me?" The doujin-like lazy boy called Myusa was the first to adress Adam.

"I hope the adjustments to this new life is easy on you— wait why are you so buffed?!?" Just after that was the A-Grade pushover Toorisun, seems like he was worried about Adam's wellbeing.

"Toorisun! Myusa! It's been a while hasn't it?" Smiling with his trademark merchant expression.

"Ugyahh!! Get this thing off your face!" Myusa backed off while insulting his benevolence.

People just couldn't handle Adam's pure smile after all.

"Enough of this." The same voice he identified as the leader spoke. Finally focusing on the two unknown persons that had entered the room with his acquaintances. Adam's put his analytic mind to work.

Teal colored hair falling just behind her shoulders, her freckles appeared like footprints left by dancing fairies on her pale face, a muscular body that hide her abnormal strength—

Adam gaze gained a serious tone to it, looking at her exposed belly he counted to see if he was right. And indeed.

'S-Six— Six packu!' Such muscles! Even Adam couldn't gain one, somehow the world's logic didn't register his core training to give him abs.

'Sure it's also a question of alimentation and I've pretty much stuffed myself everyday since I'm bulking but—'

Amidst his internal rambling his brown eyes finally met with her orange's one. 'White pupils...'

How would she even see through those? Not that it mattered to him, that was probably another difference in biology.

He extended his hand towards her, first impressions always matters, with his killer smile he tried to initiate a dialogue.

"I'm Adam, from the way they act around you, you must be Marsha right?"

Keyword being "tried"

"Tsk." A sneer of contempt rose from her mouth, she backhanded his invitation for a handshake before turning to Myusa.

"Myusa. We have about two months until the Apprenticeship Exam and you waste my time like this? Why did I even need to personally come see who would join us? He'll probably leave after a week just like the rest."

Wich each remarks it seemed like a weight was added on the blonde's back as he retreated behind the fourth person who until now hadn't said anything.

She was a kind-looking person, with red hair reaching her back, she looked at Marsha with both a nervous and reprimanding look.

"You know he wouldn't do this if he didn't recognise the abilities of that person, he may look lazy, stupid and weak but Myusa wouldn't call for you if this person was like the others"

By the others they probably meant the people Myusa had mentioned to be "not fit to be apprentices" It would make sense that they gave up after seeing the difference in abilities in that month.

And if they joined just a little earlier then it meant that they hadn't trained seriously before that time. But Adam was at the moment entirely focused on something Marsha had said to Myusa.

'Two months...?'

Did that even make sense?