Darius Supreme

Darius ignored Cesar's last parting words and simply checked the Changelog of the Supreme System to see what changes had been effected this time.

[Important System Announcement! The Supreme System will undergo a major update as a result of the User's increase in stage as per protocol.]

[Downloading'¦ unpacking'¦ updating'¦ 10%'¦ 40%'¦ 80%'¦ 100%.]

[Update completed!]

[Welcome to the Supreme System version 3.0! Please check the Database for the changelog of all updates made to the system.]

[Official Supreme System Changelog:

Version 3.0

Character

- Skills have been completely overhauled. Percentile nature of skills no longer guarantee absolute values, but will depend on a base value.

- Added stat - Willpower

- Increased amount of AP and SP gain per level for Branded Servants.

Inventory

- Total space has increased by 60%.

- Maximum item size limit has increased by 80%.

- Medium-sized spatial items can now be stored within.

- Small sentient lifeforms can now be stored within.

Events

- Event system has been overhauled. Now, all possible Events the User can partake in will be shown on the world map.

- Events have been graded from Amateur difficulty to Grandmaster difficulty. Rewards are adjusted depending on difficulty.

- User can generate Events as long as it is something that is interesting enough to entertain or impress the Goddess.

Database

- Database has been integrated with the Branded Servants even more. Information can be shared between the main and sub-databases with ease.

- Due to the large volume of information within the Database, its volume has increased by 60%

- Now, any information placed with the Database is automatically grafted into your brain.

Map

- Map now displays all Local and World Events despite the location.

- Map now has detailed information about the seas between the continents and can include an underwater option.

- Map can be integrated with satellites to monitor the world in real-time.

Settings

- Passive mode settings added.

- Friendly fire, magic timing, and combat timing settings have been added.

Version 2.1

Character

- Percentile skills related to Health, Mana, and Stamina have been adjusted for balance.

Version 2.0

Character

- Stamina stat will now be displayed. Calculation is Endurance x Level.

- Overall Stage will now be displayed.

- Skills have been recategorized into: Active, Passive, and Abilities.

Inventory

- Total space has increased by 30%.

- Maximum item size limit has increased by 50%.

- Smaller spatial items can now be stored within.

- Semi-sentient lifeforms can now be stored within.

Events

- Total number of active Events has increased from 1 to 5.

- Total number of queued Events has increased from 0 to 10.

Database

- Changelog has been implemented.

- Categories have been expanded and changed.

- Information retrieval can be done passively.

- Types of acceptable information has greatly expanded.

Map

- Minimap display options expanded.

- Cartographical display can be changed to topographical.

- Dynamic 3D view is possible within 1 km of the user.

Settings

- List of changeable options have been expanded following other upgrades.

- Options regarding Branded Servants, Execution of Abilities and Skills have been added.

Version 1.03

Character

- Experience gain mechanic changed.

Version 1.02

Quests

- Added function

Events

- Added function

Version 1.01

Map

-Added function]

Darius did not show any obvious changes to his expression, but the faces of Gunner and Xela warped greatly in anger.

Caesar's vile touch was obvious in some of those changes, especially the first one that greatly reduced their power.

By removing the absolute nature of percentages, he had removed the careful planning and protection they had gone for.

For example, Gunner's Mageward Barrier had reduced all incoming Magic Damage by 100%. At the absolute value, it meant that he would suffer no magic damage regardless of whether the caster was a Journeyman or a True Lord.

All he would feel would be the physical effects of it. So if he was struck by a giant fireball, he would come out totally unscathed from the raw heat and fire, yet the explosive shockwave might still rip him to pieces.

Not to mention that after it blew up, assuming Gunner was in a forest, he would probably burn to death once the trees caught fire and boxed him in.

The same went for his Spirit Barrier skill as well as various other skills Darius and Xela had which negated many issues as they had slowly walked along the path of invincibility.

The current version worked purely on stats. So the 100% from the Mageward Barrier reduced incoming magic damage based on Gunner's Willpower, which was the newly added stats which denoted natural Resistance.

Currently, the various sectors of the Supreme System that dictated damage calculations were;

Endurance - Natural Physical Defense (Skill modifiers work only on this)

Defense - Equipment based Physical Defense

Willpower - Natural Magical Defense (Skill modifiers work only on this)

Resistance - Equipment based Magical Defense

While Gunner and Xela were still fuming, a small smile began to appear on Darius' face. He was not trying to suppress anger or unhappiness with it, but he was actually and genuinely happy.

Although he, Gunner and Xela had skills that could negate magic and the like, why had he abstained from challenging Beelzebub and co directly, rather weakening them until they were ripe for the picking?

An argument could be made that Darius was a cautious fellow, and this held water, but the real reason for his behaviour had stemmed from fear.

The issue with the Supreme System that Gunner and Xela seem to be overlooking was that it was not personalized. In other words, its rules did not only affect them, but anything and everything on Faust that entered its range.

These changes also affected everything else they would encounter in the future.

Gunner and Xela were too used to dealing with easy foes like beasts and humans. They had not realized that Darius had religiously avoided places or things to do with Armadon, Kiel, Unyris, Pan, Houto, and Gravitas.

Why? Because those places had people and creatures with similar skills in the form of bloodlines and special abilities.

Let's take Unyris as an example, that continent housed apex species like Dragons and Phoenixes.

Would a Phoenix not have a passive skill that made it immune to magical damage? Or even fire elemental damage? What if it had a skill that would one-shot any foe regardless of range or their power?

Let's not even bring Dragons into the equation. Looking at Darius' own skills, one could see how dangerous they were.

If it felt outrageous that others could have absolute value skills, one had to remember that the Mageward Barrier that seemed so almighty before the system update had been developed by a group of mage-killing knights on Fallon.

The arguably weakest continent had birthed such a skill, and even though Transmutation was the primary reason it had reached its absurd numbers, it was still amazing if they had been able to raise it to 20% of all magic negated.

So by 'nerfing' Darius and co, Caesar had also 'nerfed' everyone else!

Darius started to think that the Gods of Elysium as well as the Demons and Devils of Armadon suddenly seemed less terrible compared to before.

The Itemancer was unaware if Caesar had even realised that this change that was surely meant to infuriate him, had solved one of the biggest worried he had held.

Once the AI learned of it, it might just crash in frustration and anger.

Darius was intrigued by this new Willpower stat. It only served to highlight Magic Defense and did not increase mana regen or anything else relating to magic. That was still handed by the Intellect stat.

Darius decided to check it out on his own character menus later. He then noted that Caesar had increased the amount of AP and SP earned by Gunner and Xela per level from 3 AP and 1 SP to 5 AP and 3 SP, just like Darius.

He could only see this as Caesar's attempt of goading Gunner and Xela to betray Darius by leveling the playing field. By giving them the same earnings, the AP and SP gap would not be as huge, especially for future Branded Servants who would keep their stats upon being acquired.

Darius was not bothered by this either, for Caesar seemed to be forgetting that those Branded to him were completely loyal. Instead of sowing discord and adding an element of chaos, he had just thrown them a freebie that they would be glad to accept.

As for the rest of the changes, like the increased Inventory, the overhauled Events, and the like, Darius was willing to explore them more later. In fact, as he stood there, he could see a few markers on the mini-map that displayed places he could go to for an event.

They even had various colors to denote how difficult they were and how long they might take, but their objectives were not known to him specifically.

Whatever the case, it was time for Darius to check the most important thing to him about this stage climbing Quests' completion. It was time to see how his Transmutation skill had leveled up and what new benefits it brought him!

After all, Transmutation was the skill that decided how he would go about achieving many things in Faust, and without, he would not have had such an easy time on Faust.