Chapter 204: A Brand-New System! Side Professions Unlocked!
After a moment of hesitation, Sterl decided that while equipment, skills, and consumables were things he could claim to need or not need, he ultimately didn\'t find them lacking.
They were necessary because, objectively, better equipment, skills, and more abundant consumables could enhance his combat power.
But Sterl\'s rapid development speed meant that his daily point allocation system couldn\'t keep up. Theoretically, good equipment, skills, and consumables could be gradually maxed out through point allocation.
So, he wasn\'t truly lacking in those areas.
Decisively, Sterl began to focus on the special items.
Even if it meant sacrificing some immediate combat strength, he had to consider the future!
A pile of rare treasures appeared before his eyes—
[Flower of All-Seeing Wisdom]
[Category: Special]
[Description: It is said that this flower can be born in the ruins where three or more elemental worlds collide.]
[Effect: Increases all attributes by 0.5 points per level after consumption.]
...
[Living Furnace]
[Category: Special]
[Effect: You can place all your equipment into the furnace for a single reforging, adding several attributes and potentially a new skill.]
...
[Imperishable]
[Category: Talisman]
[Effect: After death, you can choose to resurrect at any time within 7 days. The talisman will shatter upon use. If you die in the real world, the talisman will activate upon logging in and then shatter.]
...
[Spark Engine]
[Category: Special]
[Effect: You can integrate this item into any building or machinery, bringing it to life as a sentient being with a maximum power level of legendary, depending on the materials used.]
...
"Holy crap! This one\'s amazing!"
"Wait, this one\'s also great! I want them all!" Sterl browsed through these treasures, and his only conclusion was that he wanted everything!
Each item\'s effects were incredibly powerful.
Extra enhancements for all equipment, additional attributes per level, resurrection protection, creating a legendary-level servant...
Unfortunately, Sterl could only choose two.
After a few minutes of deliberation—during which the atmosphere in the glowing space of the trial\'s conclusion was incredibly tense, with everyone quietly watching the legendary figure of The Legend of the White Robe.
They felt like they were awaiting a divine judgment.
Yet, they didn\'t know that this powerful figure was merely struggling with indecisiveness.
Sterl finally made his last selection: two items.
One was the [Flower of All-Seeing Wisdom]. He realized his core combat strength relied on various percentage-based attribute boosts that allowed him to challenge everything at a higher level.
In [Transcendence], any enhancement could be illusory, but base attributes were the most real!
Moreover, after absorbing the Netherworld Water and gaining an additional eighty levels, the [Flower of All-Seeing Wisdom] would provide enormous benefits.
"Can\'t increase points?" Sterl muttered as he opened his inventory to check the specific attributes of the newly acquired item and discovered that the [Flower of All-Seeing Wisdom] couldn\'t be further enhanced.
The other item he had acquired was the [Sub-Profession Activation Slot], a straightforward and powerful tool that allowed the player to add a sub-profession slot.
Sterl decided right away to select this item.
Sub-professions were quite common in various MMORPGs, but Sterl had never heard of such a feature in [Transcendence]. He had assumed it didn\'t exist in the game.
Unexpectedly, it was only obtainable from the extreme trial reward pool, indicating that sub-professions were extremely rare in [Transcendence].
Acquiring one through other means would undoubtedly be very difficult.
Even geniuses with S-level talents and S-level professions might not have the opportunity to unlock a sub-profession.
As for small factions like the human race on Earth, they probably hadn\'t even heard of the term.
Sterl chose to use the [Sub-Profession Activation Slot] from his inventory, and immediately an additional blank page appeared on his panel.
"So, I still don\'t know how to obtain a sub-profession?"
He felt a bit frustrated because he really hadn\'t heard any information about sub-professions...
With the rewards sorted out, Sterl finally turned his attention to the other players present. At this moment, the pair of sisters were still clinging to him with an ingratiating and expectant demeanor.
"Should I start a guild?" Sterl hesitated for a few seconds but then thought...
Why not!
Although being a guild leader would be a bit high-profile, considering that someone like Willis could create a guild, Sterl figured it wouldn\'t be an issue for him to do the same, even while maintaining his low-profile principle.
Moreover, Teresa had previously allowed Sterl to see the benefits of having allies. He realized that going solo could never compare to having a faction working for him. Simply exchanging his unused resources for useful items was already a significant gain.
Additionally, a guild provided various beneficial buffs that could enhance combat power.
As far as Sterl knew, these buffs were generally percentage-based increases, and even small gains were tangible improvements.
"Alright, let\'s create a guild!"
He made up his mind instantly.
However, Sterl couldn\'t use his current identity as The Legend of the White Robe. He needed to keep a low profile and stay under the radar in the Hall of Valor.
For instance, he could create a new character, claiming to be a close confidant of The Legend of the White Robe, to serve as the guild leader. He would also promote a few trusted individuals within the guild to handle matters for him.
Sterl looked at the two pairs of sisters and suddenly had a bright idea.
As he had always thought, the deputy star slots were not very valuable, and he could replace them by eliminating the current deputies and appointing new ones.
Sterl thought that these two beauties who had proactively approached him were the perfect candidates for loyal deputies.
Furthermore, by refining the deputy stars, he could safely let these sisters know that The Legend of the White Robe was actually the guild leader. This way, he could have them execute his commands precisely whenever he needed to utilize the guild.
So, Sterl straightforwardly said, "Thank you all for your interest."
"However, I am already part of a friends\' guild."
"If you are interested, I have a close brother who can create a new guild."
"You can join that guild and adventure together in the Hall of Valor."
Sterl knew that after saying this, many people might turn away, as having The Legend of the White Robe as the guild leader and having his subordinate as the guild leader were two very different concepts.
But there would definitely be those who still wanted to latch onto this opportunity.
These geniuses might not understand the specific situation in the Hall of Valor, but they knew the terror of the Devourer of All Things! A guild created by someone who could dominate such a boss would never lack members, no matter how strict the conditions were.
Responses came pouring in immediately.
"Thank you for the opportunity, Master!"
"I\'m willing to join, I want to join!"
"No problem. Whatever the Master needs, just let your brother command us!"
...
Everyone appeared extremely enthusiastic.
After all, joining a guild wasn\'t a mandatory commitment; they could leave anytime they wanted in the future.
So, while some were disappointed they couldn\'t directly interact with The Legend of the White Robe, they still spoke pleasantries.
Even a few players with obvious SS talents or professions, who had lost interest in the guild, made some supportive comments from the sidelines.
At this point, Sterl casually patted the sisters beside him and said, "Go collect these people\'s contact information."
"Share your contact codes with me, and I will send you a private message."
Contact codes were unique strings of special symbols assigned to each player. Once you had someone\'s contact code, you could send them messages and even use the [Transcendence] feature to remotely transfer items.
However, the cost of transferring items was exorbitantly high, so almost no one could afford it.
The sisters\' originally charming faces were now slightly contorted with joy. "Understood! Master, we will make sure everything is handled properly!"
They knew that while others might be uncertain, they had definitely latched onto a powerful benefactor.
However, a few players with SS talents and professions frowned slightly. These were individuals who had joined the "Extreme Trials" through legitimate means. They also knew that the sisters had entered through the same legitimate channels. The sisters\' professions and talents complemented each other, giving them formidable combat strength, and they usually carried themselves with an air of arrogance.
In the Hall of Valor, those waiting in line for the Extreme Trials had formed a small circle. Now, watching the sisters fawn and seemingly prepare to offer themselves, they felt a sense of absurdity!
While they could understand the power of The Legend of the White Robe, which merited such devotion from the sisters, the speed of their change in attitude was shocking. Was their previous aloofness all just an act?
In a corner unseen by these players, a trace of sadness and helplessness flickered in the sisters\' eyes, despite their enthusiastic and excited exterior.
Meanwhile, Sterl noticed the fluctuating emotions among the sisters and some of the players, but he couldn\'t care less. In the face of absolute strength, all conspiracies and tricks were meaningless. Besides, he planned to use the deputy star to control his trusted followers, so any minor scheming was not a concern.
He waved his hand at the crowd, "Rest assured, as long as you work for me, you will be well rewarded."
He then chose to leave the settlement space and officially joined the Hall of Valor.
After a few seconds of flickering vision, he found himself standing in a plaza. Nearby were several familiar faces, the same novices who had participated in the trials with him. They must have passed the standard trials.
Upon leaving the trial space, Sterl noticed that some of the communication functions on his panel had been restored. He received numerous private messages.
Briefly scanning through these messages, he saw that most were from players who admired, envied, or even resented him. After all, emerging victorious from the Extreme Trials was a testament to one\'s strength.
Sterl didn\'t hurry to reply to these messages. Instead, he began to plan his next steps. He needed to find a suitable secondary profession and quickly establish the guild. For him, time was a resource that had to be maximized.
Taking a deep breath, Sterl decided to contact the sisters first, instructing them to start collecting member information and preparing for the formation of the new guild. At the same time, he would secretly search for clues about a secondary profession to enhance his own strength.
"All efforts are for survival and becoming stronger in this brutal world," Sterl silently reminded himself.