I just stared at the information the Gamer System presented me for a good moment. A mixture of shock and excitement appeared in my eyes. I was getting closer and closer to the limits of my Stats. In the Trailsverse, one's stat would cap out at 9999. Your HP would go all the way to 99,999, and I would assume EP was the same, even though I never got to that point. You can make tanks reach that amount of HP by the time you're Level 250 in Reverie, but it is much harder to make your EP go that high.
And if I happen to equip a Title, that very well could shoot my Stats beyond the limit. I've yet to test it out, but if I do battle with the One of Swords, that may be a good moment to do so.
On top of everything that is present before me, this Gamer System has become much more fluid. I can more accurately determine what my overall damage will inflict now. I've a clearer picture on Vermillion Eyes too. I'm probably going to cast it to peer into the future sometime soon, but the time is not yet ready. I can do it until S1205, and Reverie is still beyond that. Once I want to start reviewing Daybreak's story, I'll do so when the time is ready. I do believe it takes place around S1208. With each year requiring 10,000 EP, I'll need to let the next couple years pass.
Ironically, by the time I'll be able to look into Daybreak's events, it'll be S1202, unless I gain even more EP. That's when Sky begins, and is the same year I will begin my studies at Jenis. I don't think I will have to wait till then though, as I still have more Levels to grind.
It does beg the question what the Gamer System will do once I start reaching those limits. Will the environments around me "Level Up" to match my strength as it's been doing, or will it attempt something different? I'm not sure. Once you reach a certain point where you can't grow anymore, it'll feel like my strength is static. Is this the so-called "wall" Arianrhod reached during her peak?
Either way, I definitely have gone on several "adventures" in these last few years, haven't I? A lot of my Skills have leveled up too. I think I'm pretty much ready to take on the Vermillion Trials, I just need to reach its last requirement. I plan to let it happen around when Sky begins. I'm pretty sure I'm on par with Level 200 or 250 enemies, so I don't see a reason to delay the Vermillion Trials.
This will probably throw the story out of whack, but I'll be ready for it. I'm literally taking Prince Cedric's spot in Cold Steel, and bumping it up by a couple years. What's supposed to take place around S1204-S1205 will happen in S1202, or potentially earlier. Crow should be getting his Divine Knight, the Azure Knight Ordine, soon. That might be a good window to attempt it. I can see myself becoming rivals with Crow more rather than Rean.
How cool would it be to have a mech fight? I'm really looking forward to it!
Apart from this, there's one rather particular event I'm not really looking forward to. I'm thirteen now, and when Sky begins, I'll be debuting in high society. I have to get acquainted with stuck-up nobles who think a family's lineage is everything. Thankfully I have Angelica on my side, as well as those like Princess Alfin, so it will be manageable. Characters like Elise will also become more frequent. She's a true and true noble girl, unlike me, who is a bastard son. It's a shame her love when unrequited, so I might give her a little push or two~
Me personally? I'm more of a fan of Rean x Towa. That's a matchup that just makes sense, unlike Alisa or Emma. That only happened because of plot. But once you add Towa into the mix, the two are both instructors, and teach at the same school. I mean, how could something not develop from that?
I digress. A lot to look forward to, isn't there? For the time being, I was very satisfied with how my Gamer System developed. I know I have that "Stat Preview" Function as well, and now was as good a time as any to use it. Kloe spent some time fitting her Combat Orbment with some ridiculous Quartz. I used the Quartz Stacker here to upgrade most of the Tier I and Tier II Quartz to Tier III, and the Gamer System looks like it can go even beyond what appears in the games. Kloe now has a few Custom Quartz.
These are all within the Generation III to Generation IV models, going up all the way to Sky the 3rd. Like I said, the Quests I've done even given me some Custom Quartz that fall within these parameters. Two of which I'm very much looking forward to. [Domination], and [Nightingleam]. For those who have played Trails, you should know how broken these were in the games. They're what makes bonk builds viable. Power up your first hit like crazy, defeat the entire group of monsters, then move onto the next group.
Normally you wouldn't see these Quartz until Cold Steel and beyond, but the Gamer System adjusted these to let it fall within the limits of the Generation III model.
Knowing all of this, I reviewed my Combat Orbment, and was very pleased by the result. It went as follows.
[Combat Orbment - Naoto von Auslese.]
Type: Generation III - Custom
Slots: Nine
Elements: Fire - Water - Space
Lines: 1
Slot #1 (Fire): Carnelia Gem (Custom)
Slot #2 (-): Topaz Gem+ (Custom)
Slot #3 (-): Blight Gem (Custom)
Slot #4 (-): Absolute Gem (Custom)
Slot #5 (Water): Cerulean Gem (Custom)
Slot #6 (-): Aegis Gem (Custom)
Slot #7 (-): Vermillion Gem (Custom)
Slot #8 (-): Nightingleam (Custom)
Slot #9 (Space): Domination (Custom)
'I sure went all out there, didn't I?', I thought to myself, musing at these Quartz. The Gamer System is definitely giving me a lot of Quartz not seen in the games. It's like it expanded what the Quartz could do, going to new heights, all while keeping it limited to the Generation III model. Since the Gamer System was handing out Custom Quartz left and right, I didn't hold back.
I had one simple reason why I'm going all out here on my Combat Orbment.
This is my life to live. I have the Mira. I have the connections. And I have the grind. Why undercut myself when I can make full use of it? Who cares what gets thrown at me, I need to be ready for anything.
I felt a foreign strength sweep around my body. Similar to Mana, but different at the same time. Kloe gave an apt description. Combat Orbments are essentially an extension of your person. In a way, it's like your soul. But unlike a soul, it can be detached. Turn on or off. You name it.
Thinking that, I used this time to get a review of what each Custom Quartz did. Apart from the first two Quartz I installed which improved my Stats directly, the rest of the Quartz I chose, thinking of how it would benefit me during battle in some way. I don't need to improve my Stats too much since I can reach the stat limit naturally. Most of it would feel wasteful, so I did just enough. The more I reviewed these Quartz before me, the more I felt pleased with this outcome. While I reviewed this information, I also had a look at my Stat Preview to see what it has become as well.
Quartz Effects:
Carnelia Gem (Custom) = +500 STR, +500 ATS.
Topaz Gem+ (Custom) = +1000 DEF +1000 ADF
Blight Gem (Custom) = Inflicts Random Status (25%) per hit on target(s).
Absolute Gem (Custom) = Inflicts Random Stat Down (25%) per hit on target(s).
Aegis Gem (Custom) = RES and ARES DMG -20%.
Cerulean Gem (Custom) = Inflicts 100% Water Efficacy on targets during battle.
Vermillion Gem (Custom) = Inflicts 100% Fire Efficacy on targets during battle.
Nightingleam (Custom) = First Hit of ADMG +100%.
Domination (Custom) = First Hit DMG +100%.
[STAT PREVIEW]
Name: Naoto von Auslese
Level: 75
Occupation: Child of the Progenitor
Title: Friend of the Vermillion Knight
HP: 62000/62000
EP: 69000/69000
STR: 9999 (~) DEF: 8000
ATS: 7600 ADF: 5600
DEX: 550 SPD: 580
DMG: 15,000 ADMG: 7600
RES: 8000 ARES: 5600
Total RES: -50% Total ARES: -50%
Boosting:
Fire Efficacy -300%
Water Efficacy: -200%
DMG: +250% AMDG: +100%
Skill Power (Blood): +100%
Crit Rate: +30%
[Equipment]
Weapon: Glistening Moonlight
Armor: Phoenix Robe
Boots: Vermillion-Clad Boots
Accessory: Tears of the Vermillion
Accessory: Adamantine Guard
[Quartz]
Generation III - Custom (All Slots Filled)
Slot 1: Carnelia Gem Slot 2: Topaz Gem+ Slot 3: Blight Gem
Slot 4: Absolute Gem Slot 5: Cerulean Gem Slot 6: Aegis Gem
Slot 7: Vermillion Gem Slot 8: Nightingleam Slot 9: Domination
[Glistening Moonlight -Lv75] (Revamped)
+75% Craft Skill Power
'Now that's what I'm talking about', I thought to myself, getting a good look at my Stat Preview. This should let me have an easier time seeing the final damage output whenever I attack my enemies. Whoever I fight will have their Efficacies lowered through the roof. And on top of everything, I have a flat 30% Crit Rate thanks to Perception. That means every one in three hits I deal, it will land a Critical Hit. Glistening Moonlight looks like its effect changed too. The Crafts it granted me did not change, but instead of providing more stats, it now adds its bonus effect directly into Craft Skill Power. It doesn't make me lose the Stats I gain, but now changed it to that. I think I like it. If I have a Craft that's A in power, it'd increase to A+, or even S.
I finally get to see what 9999 does to my Stats for the first time too. The cap has been reached thanks to equipping my Title. It doesn't go beyond 9999, but it still factors into my Attack Damage, further increasing it. Not bad. I'm looking forward to testing all of this out in battle. Campanella just so happened to send the perfect target my way~
As I thought that, I saw the girls finish fitting their own Combat Orbments to their taste. Angelica took a moment to glance her eyes back at me.
"Is it just me, or did you get stronger, Naoto? You're giving off quite the aura.", Angelica said, musing at my newfound strength.
"Is it that noticeable?", I asked, interested.
"Indeed. While it is not quite on par with Our Lord's, the strength you possess is not to be underestimated. Your Quartz has strengthened mine by a considerable margin. Guess this shows what a person of Royalty can do.", Ines said, complimenting me.
"Teehee, Master has ways to acquire items that a normal person can't ever hope to match up to. At least you're not stingy in using them unlike other nobles can be.", Ennea said, also completing hers.
"Heh. Well put, Ennea. I don't like how most nobles behave.", I replied, smiling at everyone. "However, there's just one little problem. A certain someone has been snoozing away without a care in the world, not caring about whether or not we're growing stronger with each passing moment."
Having said that, the girls saw me glance back toward the bed. Standing up, I walked toward it. As I inched closer, I saw a smaller figure still resting inside. Seriously, I know cats like to sleep most of the day, but you're a fox, Tama!
I saw Tamamo's ears perk up, seeing me get closer. She began to rub her eyes with her paws, and yawned.
"Can't I sleep some more, Master...?", A foreign voice called out to us, but came from within the bed. Even I paused after I heard that. The voice sounded soft and cute. I felt strangely familiar hearing it. Even the girls raised their eyes hearing this voice.
"Now that isn't something you see every day.", Angelica said.
Perhaps the silvery-white fox didn't realize what had just happened, but I saw Tamamo jump out from the covers. Her ears perked right up, and saw us looking right at her. I could see panic clearly written all over her face.
"Big sister is going to be so angry at me. This was supposed to be a surprise!", Tamamo said, clearly speaking the human tongue, just like Celine.
A surprise huh? I guess it wasn't just us who had gotten stronger over the years.