After today's adventure, Arian was able to slip past the kingdom's security and return to the mansion, entering his room through the window.
Now, Arian lay on his bed, staring at the translucent system screen hovering above him.
"I can't believe it's been three years since that day I learned about Base… the creatures of this world… and finally began to understand my own Base System," he murmured quietly.
____________________________________________
Three Years Earlier...
Arian was only two years old. He walked carefully along the long hallway of the mansion, heading toward the library. Every duke's or nobleman's estate owned one, and this house was no exception. His small footsteps were cautious as he deliberately avoided the maids, knowing that if they caught him, they would immediately drag him back to his room.
During this time, while he was still a baby, Arian learned many things by listening to conversations he overheard.
Like his father's name was Benoth Marak, and his mother's name was Socula Marak. His father was the second duke serving directly under the king of the Kingdom of Guadantam. This world was entirely different from his previous one.
Arian was the youngest twin and also the youngest among his father's children. That meant Ater, his older twin brother, would inherit the title of duke after their father. It seemed this world valued male children much like his previous world once did in ancient times.
Soon, Arian arrived at the entrance of the library.
Unfortunately, his small and weak body made it impossible for him to open the heavy door.
"Arian, there you are…" The voice belonged to Yumi, his older sister, who was five years old at the time.
Arian glanced at the door, then at his tiny hands. With this body, opening it himself was impossible. So he resorted to his last option.
"Big Sister Yumi… Arian wants to read," he said softly, staring up at her with puppy-like eyes. Inside his mind, he cursed bitterly.
'Damn it… I hate this.'
Seeing her little brother beg so adorably, Yumi couldn't bring herself to refuse. She smiled, opened the door, held Arian's hand, and led him inside.
Once inside, Yumi began reading stories aloud. Tales of princes saving princesses, heroic knights, and romantic adventure stories any little girl would love. But Arian wasn't interested in any of that.
His goal was to understand this world.
"Big Sister, I'll be back. I want to check that part of the library," Arian said, glancing at Yumi as if seeking her permission. Without her, he wouldn't even have been able to enter the library with his weak two-year-old body.
Yumi nodded absentmindedly. She had already found a storybook she liked and was completely absorbed in it.
Arian walked toward the bookshelves and began searching. Most of what he found were poems, love songs, and fairy tales. Just as he was about to give up, two books caught his attention.
One was titled The Basic Knowledge of Base.
The other was titled Creatures, Continents, and Their Categories.
He picked up the first book and opened it and began to read. "Base… Base is a complex structure that cannot be explained through one or two books alone…"
Thanks to his [Instant Learning, Comprehension, and Understanding] skill, he finished reading it within minutes.
From what he read, Arian finally understood this world and the concept of Base.
Base is the fundamental structure and unit through which people cultivate power.
Every living organism possesses a Base, but not everyone is gifted with an active one. Base exists in two states: Dormant and Active.
Those with a Dormant Base cannot cultivate power. This state is like a locked mode. Normal plants, trees, animals, and even most humans possess Dormant Bases. Dormant Bases are common among commoners.
Genetics also play a role. If both parents have Dormant Bases, their children are likely to have Dormant Bases as well. If one parent has an Active Base, then some of their children may awaken an Active Base.
Those with an Active Base are further categorized into Base Classes and Grades. However, even Active Bases remain inactive until the age of six. Before awakening, this temporary state is called the Unaligned Base State.
Base Class categories are determined from birth, just like whether one's Base is Active or Dormant. The first Base Class category, and the most common, is the Basic Base, also known as the Fundamental Base, and it consists of five Grades. No matter which Base Class one is born with, everyone must pass through the Basic Base first. Before ascending to their birth Base Class. Almost everybody is birth with the Basic Base Class.
After Base Stirring—the awakening of one's Base—an individual can ascend up through the grades of their Base. If one's birth Base Class is not the Basic Base, then they must first complete the ascension path through the Basic Base Class before ascending in the grades of their own Base Class. Many fail to ascend through the grades of their base class, due to lack of resources or poor genetics, and sometimes permanently stuck.
The second Base Class Category is the Pillar Base. After completing all five grades of the Basic Base, one birth into this Base Class can ascend into the Pillar Base, gaining new strength and benefits.
The third Base Class Category is the Mythic Master Base. Formerly known as the Master Base, it was renamed due to its extreme rarity. Records state that only one individual with this Base appears every five hundred years. Those born with this Base are considered god-like once they reach they've ascended through the Base Class Grade, which Mythic Master Base has only two Grades. After completing the ascension path of all five Grades of the Basic Base, one born with this Base Class category can ascend to it.
Arian himself had been rewarded this Base Class by the system.
Base power is raw and unrefined. Refinement comes through something called Root Base Power Flow.
There are four Root Base Power Flows:
Fire from the guts
Sound from the heartbeat
Water from the cells
Blood from the bone marrow
These energies are raw. Through Flow Stimulation, these powers form Flow Stimulation Powers:
Fire Flow Stimulation
Sound Flow Stimulation
Water Flow Stimulation
Blood Flow Stimulation
Each person can possess up to ten Flow Skills throughout their lifetime, depending on their Base Potential. Ten Base potential means ten skills, nine Base potential means nine, and so on, with five being the minimum.
These Flow Skills originate from Flow Stimulation Powers and are granted through Divine Revelation. This Divine Revelation is like a vision one experiences during cultivation. It occurs two or three times after ascending to another Grade of a Base Class. It reveals the Flow Skill of your Flow Stimulation Power, along with its name, as if it were carved or etched into you. After your Divine Revelation, you can stimulate your Flow Stimulation Power (Fire, Water, Sound, or Blood) and use the Flow Skill granted to you.
Those with a Basic Base can only awaken one Flow Stimulation Power in their lifetime and gain Flow Skills ranging from five to ten.
Pillar Base holders—those who are gifted or genetically fortunate—can awaken two Flow Stimulation Powers. If someone has a Base Potential of nine, then their second Flow Stimulation Power can unlock up to nine Flow Skills during ascension path through the grades.
As for the Mythic Master Base, records are incomplete. Improper ascension may permanently lock the Base or even cause death. Scholars theorize that holders of this Base may stimulate all four Root Base Flows, or at least three.
Arian then moved on to the second book, Creatures, Continents, and Their Categories.
His eyes were opened even further.
Creatures in this world are divided into Titans, Jackals, Arachnids, Hybrids, and Mutants. There are others, but these are the most well-known.
Titans resemble humans but range from two to seven meters tall. Even newborn Titans are around two meters in height. All Titans possess Dormant Bases, meaning they cannot gain power through their Base. This limitation prevents Titans from dominating the world despite their overwhelming physical strength. They can learn and understand like humans, though their reasoning ability is inferior. Titans live on the Titan Continent, located between the Human Continent and the Beast Race Continent.
The Beast Race Continent houses humanoid creatures such as Jackals and Arachnids. Hybrids once existed among them, but over time, evolution allowed these races to gain intelligence. Other similar creatures exist but remain hidden.
Mutants are mutated animals. There is no record that explain how these creatures came to be.
Arian read this with a little frown but proceeded anyways reading.
Hybrids are mindless humanoid creatures formed from Humans or Titans combined with other species.
Both Mutants and Hybrids possess a Corrupted Base Cores—
Corrupted Base Core are irregularly shaped crystals formed due to genetic instability caused by mutation or the combination of two organisms leading to an unstable Base. These cores can appear in various parts of a creature's body.
All creatures such as Jackals, Arachnids, Hybrids, and Mutants possess a Corrupted Base Core—except Titans.
"Hmm… this explains so much," Arian muttered quietly.
"Even if this is only basic knowledge, it helps me understand what the system has been showing me."
Because Yumi was nearby, Arian didn't speak aloud.
"Status."
A soft chime sounded in his head.
*ding!~*
『BASE SYSTEM』
『STATUS
NAME: Arian
RACE: Human
SKILLS:
ACTIVE SKILL: [Identify]
PASSIVE SKILL: [Instant Learning, Comprehension, and Understanding]』
『PHYSICAL STATS
STRENGTH – 2
AGILITY – 2
STAMINA – 1
VITALITY – 3
HEALTH – 15
FREE STAT POINTS – 0』
『BASE CLASS – Mythic Master Base
BASE POTENTIAL – 100%
BASE REGISTER – 100%』
『CURRENT BASE INFO
BASE CLASS – Unaligned State
BASE STATE – Dormant
FLOW SKILLS – 0/10
EVO POINTS – 0/50』
"My physical stats increased even though I didn't do anything… and my health and vitality are the highest," Arian thought.
"Is it because I'm growing...? Well, even my Health Stats has always been high since birth." Arian said to self.
"I now understand somethings now but these Evo Points and Free Stat Points… those are what I don't understand." Arian said softly out loud. And as if triggering a hidden response the was another system notification.
*ding!~*
『DOES THE MASTER WISH TO UNDERSTAND THE USE OF EVO POINTS AND FREE STAT POINTS?』
"Yes," Arian answered instantly.
______________________________________________
Dear Readers,
The world I've built is quite complex, and I don't want to overwhelm you with too much information at once. That's why I've kept this chapter focused on the basics.
With this foundation, you'll find it much easier to follow along in the upcoming chapters. And don't worry—the story is about to get even more exciting!
"Peace!!"