Solo Leveling: Banishment of the Anomaly

Seeing the otherworldly obelisk towering before him, Jake slowly stood up.

His legs trembled slightly—not from fear, but from the weight of the moment.

He clenched his fists and took a deep breath, steeling himself as his gaze shifted back toward the crystal pillars where the memories of his family lay encased.

With a solemn look, his voice trembled as he spoke, "Ma… Pa… I promise—I'll make sure to return. Please… wait for me."

His words echoed faintly in the vast emptiness as he turned away, forcing himself to leave them behind, at least for now.

With each step toward the obelisk, the presence of the leaf became more pronounced, drawing him closer.

When Jake finally stood before it, he could see the leaf in vivid detail.

It was unlike anything he'd ever seen—a single, impossibly perfect leaf, glowing faintly with a gradient of green and gold that seemed alive.

Its veins pulsed softly, as though carrying some primordial energy, and the edges shimmered like they were etched with starlight.

Despite being suspended in the air with no visible stem or connection to a tree, it exuded an aura of vitality so overwhelming that it felt like it could nurture an entire universe on its own.

As Jake stared at it, he couldn't shake the sensation that something—or someone—was staring back at him.

The thought sent a chill down his spine.

He muttered under his breath, "Is this what they mean when they say, 'If you stare into the abyss, it stares back at you'?"

Summoning every ounce of courage, Jake reached out and touched the obelisk.

The moment his hand made contact, a brilliant cascade of light erupted from the obelisk.

The void within his soul was suddenly illuminated by an intricate network of glowing lines, blue and green, stretching across the endless sky and sea of memories.

It was as though his entire being had been brought to life.

The dark sky mysteriously turned to shades of blue, and the sea shimmered in its glowing cerulean hue, lighting up the entire soul realm.

As the light spread, the crystal pillars that Jake had passed earlier became more vivid, each one glowing with an ethereal brilliance.

Then, a cold, mechanical voice echoed within the space, resonating with authority:

[System interface has been activated.]

[You have discovered the origin of the system: Alphaterium Cell.]

[Proceeding with the enhancement of the host.]

Jake's eyes widened in disbelief as his jaw dropped.

"Woah, is this the system? To think it can now talk," he stammered, his voice barely audible.

He had assumed this would just unlock another ability or feature.

Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine something of this magnitude.

But what shook him most was the mention of the system's origin.

"Origin of the system is an Alphaterium Cell?" Jake repeated, furrowing his brow in confusion.

"What does that even mean?"

"Is it… the thing that sent me here?"

"No… it can't be. There has to be something else behind this."

As if responding to his thoughts, the mechanical voice returned, cold and indifferent:

[Authority and system grade are insufficient. Cannot reveal this level of information.]

Raising his brows, he said, "It can now even understand my speech. Finally, it is no longer as usele- I mean, as nonchalant as before."

[Showing the improvements of the Acolyte-grade System...]

The air around Jake shimmered as translucent panels filled with data appeared before him.

Each line of text radiated an aura of immense significance, and Jake's mind raced as he tried to comprehend the changes being displayed.

_______________________

[Sage Enlightenment System V.2.0]

.

[Increased Stat Acquisition]

- Allows the host to gain two additional stats besides the primary stats of receiving the class 'Sage of Eternal Leaf'. Points from other stats can be redistributed to acquire new basic stats.

.

[Increased Skill Technique Registration]

- Enables the host to register up to three techniques per skill. A skill must reach proficiency level 5 before techniques can be registered. Skill techniques allow automatic casting with enhanced efficiency. Increasing skill level will further amplify their benefits.

.

[Stat Fusion]

- Fuses two stats of the same grade after completing requirements or class-related quests. Stats can only be fused when they reach the threshold of 50 points. The fusion creates a unique stat influenced by battle data, personal preference, and interference from the 'Master Key Holder.'

- Warning: Each unique stat requires 10 stat points to increase a single point.

.

[Increased Stat Cap and Stat Evolution]

- Stat cap increased to 120. Upon reaching specific thresholds, the host must undertake a 'Stat Evolution Quest' assigned by the Master Key Holder.

.

[Skill Fusion]

- Fuses two skills with similar tendencies and characteristics. The resulting skill's grade is determined by the proficiency levels of the original skills. Fusion of opposing tendencies is not possible.

- Skill Fusion Slot: 5

.

[Skill Evolution]

- Skills that reach level 10 may evolve to the next grade. Evolved skills are assigned letter grades based on usage and accumulated system data. Further evolution beyond advanced-grade requires additional conditions.

.

[Mind Link Interface]

- Establishes a seamless connection between the host's thoughts and the system. Allows intuitive access to system features, such as status, inventory, or skill casting, through mental commands.

_______________________

Jake's eyes scanned the list of enhancements, barely registering the full extent of the changes.

His mind raced, overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of what was unfolding.

With wide eyes and a stunned expression, he muttered, "To think a single upgrade led to this. These improvements are insane. How much more could it evolve if it reaches the next grade...?"

Then, something clicked in his mind, and suspicion clouded his thoughts.

"Wait a minute," he said aloud.

"Why did it even evolve? I'm pretty sure I didn't do anything to help it."

"Hey, system, what are the requirements for your upgrade?"

The system's cold, mechanical voice replied instantly:

[The requirement for the system upgrade is the consumption of soul-nurturing treasures.]

"Soul-nurturing treasure?" Jake repeated, furrowing his brow.

"I don't have anything like that… at least, not that I'm aware of." His mind whirled with confusion.

"Even if I did, I wouldn't just use it randomly. I'd experiment with it first."

His voice grew more insistent as he demanded, "Then tell me—where did you get this treasure?"

The obelisk suddenly began to tremble.

The vibrations reverberated through the air, a subtle but unmistakable sign of unease.

Jake instinctively stepped back, his wariness spiking.

"What's with this guy? Hey, answer me."

But no reply came, only silence.

Moments passed before the system finally broke the tension:

[...]

[Level of authority is not enough to gain this level of information.]

Jake's eyes narrowed, his suspicion deepening.

"You've got a lot of secrets, huh? Fine. I'll dig them out later when my authority increases. For now..."

He exhaled, relaxing his shoulders.

"What matters most is that this upgrade also benefits me."

Just as he was beginning to feel at ease, the system interrupted his thoughts with another notification:

[The remaining energy of the Artificial Sagefruit of Nigh-Omniscience is yet to be used. Would you like to absorb it?]

Jake froze.

"Sagefruit… of what?" His voice pitched with disbelief.

"What even is this fruit? I don't remember eating it..."

"Did someone shove it into my mouth while I wasn't paying attention..."

The obelisk trembled again, this time more violently, as though reacting to Jake's accusation.

Jake's eyes widened, his suspicion skyrocketing.

"Oh, now you're shaking. So, something happened without my knowledge!"

He crossed his arms, glaring at the obelisk as if it could see him.

"Alright, spill it. What's the deal with this fruit? Is it even safe?"

The obelisk quaked once more before the system stuttered out a shaky reply:

[I-it is safe. Can't provide further answers.]

Jake sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Fine, fine. I won't push anymore. But if you're saying it's safe, I'm trusting you on this."

He dropped his hand and squared his shoulders.

"Alright, I'll absorb it."

The moment he gave his consent, the cerulean sea beneath the platform began to churn violently.

Waves crashed against invisible barriers as the waters parted.

The platform trembled, and from the depths of the sea, a massive ball of glowing blue energy emerged.

Its surface shimmered like liquid light, encircled by ancient symbols that pulsed rhythmically with power.

The symbols were unfamiliar, utterly foreign and otherworldly to Jake, yet they seemed to hum with a primordial authority and bountiful wisdom that resonated deep within him.

Jake stared in awe as the energy floated toward him, its brilliance further illuminating the vibrant blue soul realm around them.

"This… this is the Sagefruit's remaining energy?" he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

His focus was locked on the swirling orb of power before him, its radiance growing ever brighter as it awaited his acceptance.

And with that, the orb compressed and floated in front of him.

He reached out, his fingers brushing against the glowing surface of the energy orb as his soul took another dramatic turn.