Heaven's Greatest Professor

"Why did no one tell me this?"

"You did not know about this?" Nina asked incredulously, finding the whole thing preposterous, as it was common knowledge among the rankers.

"I thought you knew," Jason said, looking a little guilty, though it wasn't really his fault. "Besides, you said your strength was in the low 90s. It would have taken weeks of hunting to get there."

Of course, Warden's constitution was different from others. Unlike those who cultivated attributes from the beginning, he was regaining his strength. The depth in him was far higher than anyone else, and he gained attributes at a faster speed than others.

For example, a common ranker would stop gaining anything in a day after reaching 4/5 points in iron rank, not to mention their speed at receiving the essence would be slower. Warden hadn't experienced such a block, considering he had gained over 20 points in a day. Of course, his celestial origin might also play a role, so he didn't say anything to make them feel dejected.

"I am more interested in what kind of boon you got," Nina said. "With such a cathartic experience, I am sure it should be something significant."

"What options did you get?" Jason asked. "You don't have to say if you want to keep it a secret, although I can help you understand what each of the options might give you. Not that you can redo the whole thing again. Still, I think you will like more explanations on it."

Warden nodded. "Well, I had three options. I think they were Might, Heaviness, and Invulnerability."

"Nice," Jason said. "I had Might and Heaviness in my options as well, with an addition of Iron."

"What did you choose? Wait, let me guess, is it Might?"

Jason nodded with a smile. "The heaviness would basically make me a heavy warrior, which I am reluctant to become. As for the Iron, it would have given me some tough defensive ability with less offensive scope. But I found Might to be just right for me. It gave 20% efficiency in strength and Dexterity, with the ability to go a notch higher in my physical capabilities while expanding energy."

"My options are different, but they're good ones," Nina said, feeling left out. "I got Acrobatic, Resilient, and Keen. Resilient was my obvious choice. It gave me all sorts of resistance, tolerance, and immunity to most things. Like most iron-grade common poison won't work on me, simply I'm quite tolerant of all elemental attacks."

"That sounds good," Jason added as he nodded.

"Yeah, but I do think I missed out on some, and only Gods and the Great system know when I will receive my second boon in physique."

"Well, for me, I don't have a boon in physique, as I'm not a physical ranker," the healer said glumly.

After a little inquiry, Warden found that everyone received three boons when their main attribute reached 100, 500, and 1000 points mark. There were also criteria for rank: Iron, Gold, and Transcendent, respectively. Also, a person could get more boons, like in mind and spirit as well, at the same criteria.

"So I have to go through a similar experience when I reach 100 marks in mind and spirit as well," Warden said with a groan, though he couldn't help but feel a bit of anticipation growing.

"Well, it depends," Jason said. "Although I have not gone through any other than in my physique, I heard in spirit was the most difficult. But that too depends on the type of gift you received."

"I have received the gift of spirit," the healer, Zim, chimed in. "It wasn't that bad. With my boon, I can live 2,3 times longer than your usual Iron Ranker with the option of upgrading it again at the 500 mark."

"Good luck reaching there," Jason said. "With your augment lifespan, you'll have a better chance than most."

"That is the exact thought I had when I decided on my boon," Zim nodded.

"Which reminds me, you haven't mentioned what you've got," Nina said, her eyes beaming. "It had to be something really good, considering you look kind of different now."

"Different how?" Warden asked. Even though he could detect some differences, he wanted to hear what others found in him now.

"You look solid," Jason said. "You are more toned, and your face is more... symmetrical."

"More handsome," Nina said with a smirk. "And your eye colour has changed permanently to purple now."

Warden blinked. He knew his eyes turned to a purplish hue when he used void energy, but while his eyes were initially grey, like his hair, it looked like the boon had altered them too.

"It does not look bad," Nina smiled coyly, with some indication. "A little ferocious, inhuman, and mysterious."

"Well, it's not just my eyes," Warden said with a laugh, deciding not to think about it. "I am basically invulnerable to poison or tainted things now and also received a 50% efficiency in strength and Dexterity."

He didn't mention the total invulnerability. It would only work for six seconds, best to keep it under wraps. He could have told Jason, but he didn't know the other two that well.

"Neat," Jason said, gasping. Although he was ready for it, he looked winded.

"Just neat?" Nina snorted. "I don't think I've heard anyone receiving such benefits in their first boon."

"Well, I did," Jason said. "And you probably do too. Did you forget Selas Moon and his Immortal Physique? Or Agnes' and whatever the hell type of boon she had…"

"But they are not common ranker and…" she swallowed and stopped herself from continuing, studying Warden again from head to toe.

Warden did not look like a common ranker either, other than his easy-going personality.

"Well, Other than that, my body is also restructured slightly or altered to better channel my energy," Warden added. "I think I am a lot stronger than before."

Now, Warden could not help but contemplate what was his limit. Every time he pushed himself harder, he came out even stronger than before, paying only pain as a price. It couldn't be all this smooth sailing, could it?