SSS-Rank Talent: Super Upgrade System-Chapter 95: Evil Begats Good!

The last motes of swirling Yin and Yang energy settled into Daniel’s form, the transition to his unique Night Ranger class leaving a profound, humming silence in its wake.

He felt... complete. The raw, explosive power of his assimilated skills now had a framework, a specialized path that felt both natural and terrifyingly potent.

The new skills he had gained, settled into his mind not as learned techniques, but as innate instincts, as natural as breathing.

Ayra and Lia watched him, their expressions a mixture of awe and unconcealed curiosity.

The light show from his class fusion had been brief but intense, a silent storm of merging power that made the very air in the mountain cave feel heavy.

"So... Night Ranger, huh?" Ayra said, breaking the silence.

She had been at alert all through Daniel’s class transition, hoping an unfortunate Awakened would mistakenly wander into the cave.

She had not gotten over the beating she got from Ragnar. Her Ego was more bruised than her back that was stabbed.

Ayra finished inspecting her great-axe and was now leaning against the cave wall, trying to look unimpressed.

"That sounds a bit sneaky. Should we expect you to start lurking in shadows and delivering dramatic monologues now, Vance?"

Daniel just grinned, a flash of predatory confidence in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.

"Only if the monologue is about how I’m going to relieve our enemies of their valuables. Speaking of which..."

He turned to his new teammates, gesturing to the massive pile of shimmering Yin and Yang cards they had acquired from the unfortunate Ragnar.

"Your turn. I’ll stand guard.

The transition can leave you vulnerable for a few minutes. Take as many cards as you think you need. We have more than enough to aim for the best possible classes."

Lia nodded gracefully, her calm grey eyes alight with anticipation.

She carefully selected a balanced stack of Yin and Yang cards for transition.

"Thank you, Daniel. I will endeavor to choose a path that best supports the team’s resilience."

Ayra, on the other hand, practically dove into the pile with a whoop of glee.

"More power? Don’t mind if I do!"

She grabbed a huge stack, far more than Lia, her S-Grade Berserker talent practically screaming for more fuel.

"I’m going to become so strong, the mountains themselves will learn to apologize when they get in my way!"

With his teammates settling into their meditative states to begin their own Class Transitions, Daniel took up his post at the mouth of the cave.

The wind shrieked a low, mournful tune as it swept through the high mountain pass, a constant reminder of the wild, untamed nature of the Taiji Basin.

He let his [Aura Sense+] extend outwards, a silent, vigilant perimeter.

Everything was quiet. For now.

His mind, however, was anything but quiet. It raced with possibilities.

The Night Ranger class was a perfect fusion of his strengths, but he knew the true test of his power lay waiting in the deep, dark waters of Yang Lake.

The Abyssal Maw Leviathan. The thought of it, the suppressed S-Grade creature of immense power, was a siren’s call to his SSS-Rank [Soul Assimilation] talent.

It was a life-and-death battle, a true gamble.

But the potential rewards... the EXP, the attributes, the unique S-Grade essence... it would be a harvest unlike any other.

He was confident, but not arrogant. He needed every advantage he could get.

As he scanned the rocky ground near the cave entrance, his eyes caught a faint glint he hadn’t noticed before, half-hidden under a loose slab of obsidian rock.

It was the dagger dropped by Ragnar, the higher-level Awakened, during their brief, brutal confrontation.

In the chaos of the fight and the subsequent discovery of the massive card stash, he had completely forgotten about it.

Curiosity piqued, Daniel walked over and picked it up.

It was heavier than it looked, crafted from a strange, dark metal that seemed to absorb the dim light.

The blade was sleek, perfectly balanced, and hummed with a faint, predatory energy. It felt... hungry.

He focused his intent, his Nexus Interface providing the details.

[Item: Blade of The Night]

Grade: A

Attack: +3000

Effects:

Critical Hit Chance +5%

Critical Hit Damage +50%

Daniel’s breath hitched. A-Grade! He had been using his C+ Twin Fang daggers, which were respectable, but this... this was in a completely different league.

An attack boost of +3000 was immense, and the critical hit modifiers were a force-multiplier that could turn a solid hit into a lethal one.

For his new Night Ranger class, with its focus on surprise attacks and critical strikes, this weapon was a perfect match.

"Well, hello there, beautiful," he murmured, a slow, appreciative smile spreading across his face.

Ragnar, for all his arrogance and poor life choices, had good taste in cutlery.

The dagger felt powerful in his hand, a significant upgrade that already boosted his confidence for the upcoming Leviathan hunt.

But Daniel Vance didn’t settle for "significant" when "reality-breakingly overpowered" was an option.

He looked at the A-Grade blade, then felt the familiar, eager hum of his Tier 2 [Soul Assimilation] talent.

He still had charges left.

"Let’s see if we can make you even more special," he whispered to the dagger.

He focused his will, pouring one of his precious Assimilation charges into the A-Grade weapon.

The energy transfer was intense, far more so than with lower-grade items.

The Blade of The Night didn’t just shimmer; it seemed to vibrate violently, the dark metal resonating with a deep, powerful hum as if awakening from a long slumber.

The very air around it distorted as his SSS-Rank talent went to work, not just purifying or enhancing, but fundamentally reforging its essence.

"Boom!"

A soft, contained pulse of shadow and light emanated from the dagger, and the wind, for a moment, fell completely silent.

The humming stopped. The dagger in his hand felt different, heavier, yet faster, its dark metal now seeming to hold the depth of a starless night sky.

His Nexus Interface chimed, the notification glowing with a regal, golden light reserved for truly legendary events.

[Soul Assimilation successful on A-Grade Equipment: Blade of The Night!]

[Item Reforged and Amplified by SSS-Grade Talent Synergy!]

[Item Evolved: Blade of The Night (A-Grade) has become BLADE OF THE NIGHT (S-Grade)!]

Daniel’s heart hammered against his ribs. S-Grade! His first S-Grade weapon! He eagerly checked the new stats, his hands trembling slightly with anticipation.

[Weapon: Blade of The Night]

Grade: S

Attack: +8000

Effects:

Critical Hit Chance +20%

Critical Hit Damage +200%

God’s Effect: Fatal Strike Chance +1%

He had to read it twice to fully process the sheer, ludicrous numbers. An attack bonus of +8000 was astronomical.

A flat 20% boost to his critical hit chance was insane, meaning with his natural aptitude, nearly one in three of his precision strikes would land with devastating force.

And that critical damage... a 200% increase on top of his already formidable damage output was enough to make even high-level elites weep.

But it was the last line that truly stole his breath. God’s Effect: Fatal Strike Chance +1%.

A one percent chance to instantly kill any target, regardless of its health or defenses.

It was a low probability, a gambler’s prayer, but against a foe as impossibly tough as the Abyssal Maw Leviathan, a 1% chance was infinitely better than a 0% chance.

It was the ultimate trump card, a gift from the very core of his SSS-Rank talent.

"Holy... moly," Daniel breathed, a wide, slightly manic grin stretching across his face.

He estimated that with this dagger, his new class skills, and the raw power of his fists, his close-combat strength hadn’t just doubled; it had likely increased fivefold.

The wind shrieked past him as he executed a single, experimental slash through the air, the S-Grade blade leaving a thin, black void in its wake that lingered for a split second before dissipating.

He was now, without a doubt, a walking apocalypse.

The Abyssal Maw Leviathan, resting in the dark depths of Yang Lake, had no idea what was coming for it.

Just then, the cave behind him began to glow.

A soft, pure white light emanated from Lia’s direction, while a furious, crackling red light pulsed from Ayra’s.

Their own Class Transitions were reaching their climax.

Daniel turned, his new S-Grade dagger feeling like a perfectly balanced piece of the night sky in his hand, a sense of absolute confidence settling over him.

This was going to be a very productive day.