If you are reading this, you either want to remind yourself how the power system in the novel works or you are a new reader curious to see if the power system is complicated enough before deciding if you should start reading. Either is fine; keep in mind that this info would gradually be revealed as the story progresses, so be warned: mild spoilers ahead.
● Important Information
Humans were on the brink of annihilation until the system appeared, allowing them to fight back against the corruption.
If a person isn't chosen by the system by the age of 16, they never will be. The unlucky ones are called Forsaken.
Those who are chosen by the system are often described as Chosen (a general term—not to be confused with the Purity Rank, explained later).
Every Chosen is granted the skill [Inspect] upon being chosen by the system. It allows them to gather information about both monsters and humans powers. Because this skill has been used by humanity for as long as they can remember, methods have been developed to counter it—either by altering the information it provides or outright hiding it.
● Ascension Level
Shows how powerful a human is—both mentally and physically. It dictates how much divine power they can use. They are ranked in 6 tiers:
• Marked
• Proven
• Champion
• Sentinel
• Herald
• Paragon
The only way for a person to increase their Ascension Level is to enter a Rift with a Danger Level equal to or higher than their own, and kill the monster that opened it. This allows them to level up to the next tier.
● Purity Rank
Shows how much divine power a human has accumulated. They are ranked in 6 tiers:
• Chosen
• Blessed
• Cleansed
• Radiant
• Exalted
• Divine
A human's Purity Rank increases by killing corrupted monsters and absorbing the corrupted essence, which purifies their soul and increases their Purity. Doing this enough times leads to a ranking up.
● Danger Level
This is the equivalent of the Ascension Level, but for monsters:
• Feral
• Savage
• Reaver
• Apex
• Calamity
• Genocide
● Corruption Rank
This is the equivalent of the Purity Rank, but for monsters:
• Warped
• Twisted
• Tainted
• Profane
• Malignant
• Unholy
● Rifts
They are portals to corrupted worlds. Areas around Rifts become heavily corrupted and are filled with monsters of varying danger tiers. The environment itself is warped and often becomes uninhabitable.
Each Rift has a Danger Level indicating its threat. From it, monsters of the corresponding level can enter the human world.
If enough Chosen perish inside a Rift, it ranks up, allowing the monster (the one that opened the portal in the first place) to enter the human world.
At that point, the only way to close the Rift is to kill the monster roaming the human world.
The monster that created the connection between the two worlds is often regarded as the "boss". It is always one Danger Level higher than the Rift itself.
● Skills
Gained by killing monsters and closing Rifts.
They are ranked according to the Purity/Corruption ranking.
Skills can vary widely—offense, defense, tactics, healing, and many more.
● Inborn Trait
When a person is born—regardless of whether they are chosen by the system—they receive an Inborn Trait: a unique ability granted only to them. Each trait has its own strengths and weaknesses, and its effects can be both beneficial and harmful to the person.
● Items
Earned by killing monsters, both in the regular world and inside Rifts.
Items have ranks corresponding to the Purity/Corruption Ranks.
● Types of Items:
• Weapons – offensive gear
• Armor – defensive gear
• Equippable – provide passive effects
• Mundane – seemingly ordinary objects with special properties
● Remembrances
A fragment of a creature's essence, gained by chance upon killing a being with a soul. It can be used in three ways:
• Purification – Purifying it grants the Chosen Purity Progression, as if they had personally delivered the final blow again.
• Absorption – The Chosen attempts to absorb being's essence. If successful, this grants a skill or item related to the creature. However, there is a chance of failure, which may cause damage, corruption, or instability within the soul.
• Submission Ritual – A dangerous ritual that transports the user's spirit into a soul-realm where they must face the original creature at its peak strength. No terrain advantage, no outside help, and no items are allowed. Victory allows the user to summon and control the creature. Failure results in death; the Chosen's body is taken over by the creature's essence, transforming into the original monster, which then attacks any nearby living beings.