From the name itself, system updates referred to improvements that happened to the system, such as making certain features of the system more efficient, or adding more features that would help the user of that system do other tasks more efficiently.

Of course, the author of the book Valyr was reading quickly clarified that the term ‘system updates’ did not catch on at first amongst the humans, instead referring the phenomenon under multiple terms related to the word blessing, awakening, ascension, and so on. Though the author of the book later went on to mention that even though that was the case in the past, the humans still recorded the differences between each system update, which Valyr was surprisingly able to read through this book.

‘I wonder how long the author of this book took to compile all of this information?’ Gaining newfound respect towards the author who had penned the book he was reading, Valyr began to go through the various updates that had occurred to the system he and the others had.

According to what the book had written, the first version of the system was incredibly simple, only having the most basic features Valyr thought were essential to any RPG. The ability to look at one’s stats and level, the ability to level up through XP, and the ability to gain stats and allocate them. These were the only features the humans from the Age of Darkness had access to before they could begin their uprising.

Then, ten years after they began to fight against the five ruling races, the system the humans had underwent an update, now giving them the ability to gain classes at certain levels, which basically allowed them to focus their strengths into various areas. However, due to this update, all of the humans had their levels reset to one, which destroyed a great portion of the progress the humans had made so far in their escape from the clutches of the five races.

Then again, gaining access to a class allowed them to retrieve their progress at far greater speeds, with a considerable portion of people gaining access to a level of strength that could not be achieved during the first version of the system. Because of that, these people were the leaders of their respective field, gradually allowing the human race to stand up against the five ruling races.

As Valyr continued to read more and more through the changes that happened to the system, a slight frown gradually crept up onto his face, only for a full-on frown to replace it not long after. To him, the improvements to the system were not the problem. Gaining access to equipment, subclasses, quests, and so on, these were things he thought of as normal in any RPG, or any MMORPG for that matter.

However, the time it took for those changes to occur was what irked him.

Gradually, the time it took between each system update increased, with one update taking over 50 years before it was implemented through the system. For a brief moment, Valyr wondered why that was the case, seeing that the changes it brought to the system were considerable at best.

Fortunately, it did not take long for him to notice that this specific update… happened during the peak of the Age of Uprising.

‘Hmm…’ Though Valyr wondered whether the system had a mind of its own and only pushed out updates during certain times, he knew that there was not much point thinking about it, considering that his level of access to information was just a bit below surface-level at best. Nevertheless, he kept the question in mind, feeling like he would be able to get an answer to it at some point.

With that, he continued looking through the book’s pages, taking note that the updates now began to take less time after that specific update. Eventually, he found the piece of information he was looking for.

“By the time the Age of Uprising was over, the human race had been able to push three of the ruling races back in order to carve their own mark in the world, forcing the dragons to near extinction, sealing the devils in the Underworld, and moving the werebeasts underground,” muttered Valyr as he read through one of the pages. Then, just as he had moved onto the next sentence, his expression turned solemn.

“It was only at the exact moment the Age of Innovation had begun did the system undergo another update, allowing all of the humans to become more connected than they originally were.”

“The ability to appoint quests to other people, as well as the ability to communicate with other people through the system.” Reading this sentence on the book, Valyr’s focus swiftly narrowed down on any version of this passage being mentioned in the later pages of the book. Though he did notice that the book mentioned it a few more times at that, it was only after he reached the end of the book did he come to a slightly startling conclusion.

‘No one has access to the forum.’ These words lingered in Valyr’s mind as he looked through the book once more, wondering if he had missed a page or two talking about it. However, even after looking through it a couple more times, no mention of the forum had been made, with the same case happening for the World Net he also had access to.

‘Surely someone would make a mention of it in the other books.’ Standing up from his seat, Valyr headed to the bookshelf where he got the book he was reading, only to grab a few of them back with him as he quickly sat back down. Looking through them, all of them mentioned more or less the same thing as the first book he had grabbed.

However, only one book made a mention of the forum… as a suggestion.

“It would be nice if the ability to communicate was expanded upon even further by the system…” muttered Valyr as his eyes were focused on one passage from that book. “Perhaps the system would allow us to access a hub that everyone could put messages on, allowing everyone from all over the world to interact with one another through this hub…”

Thud.𝗈𝑣𝒍xt.𝚌𝑜𝑀

Closing the book before placing it to the side, Valyr stared off into nothingness for a while, allowing the thoughts in his mind to wander about as he processed and organized the information he had just read through. By the time a few minutes had passed, the thoughts in his mind had turned tranquil, with only a question directed himself being the only thing inside there.

With a mocking chuckle, Valyr looked at the books that were scattered on the table he was using, only to tell himself soon after, “I guess I’m an anomaly.”