Chapter 570 - Black Wizard

Although the cost of five Magic Crystals had turned the test officer’s complexion a sickly shade of green, the lost Magic Crystals were of little importance compared to the final results of the evaluation.

“Is the test apparatus broken?” The test officer hurriedly began checking the test apparatus.

SSS-rank rating... This was a rating never before seen in the history of White River City. Not even in the entire Star-Moon Kingdom had there ever been someone with an SSS-rank.

Isn’t the apparatus exaggerating the result a little too much?! Shi Feng was similarly skeptical.

Based on what he remembered of his past life, even a decade after God’s Domain’s launch, there had never been an NPC who had received an SSS-rank. The maximum rating known to players was S-rank, and one could count such occurrences with their fingers.

After an A-rank NPC officially became a guard, there was a possibility for them to become a Dark-Gold guard. However, the probability of this happening was so low that it was negligible.

Only NPCs with S-rank ratings had a decent chance of becoming a Dark-Gold guard.

Back when the first S-rank rating NPC appeared, the news had shaken God’s Domain, and many apex characters had fought fiercely to obtain said NPC.

There was a 100% probability to nurture a Dark-Gold guard into a Tier 5 class. If one were willing to pay the price, there was even a possibility to nurture said NPC into a Tier 6 God-ranked guard.

Back then, Tier 5 players were as rare as a phoenix’s feather, not to mention Tier 6 God-ranked players.

If a Tier 5 player emerged in a Guild, it would not be strange to see the Guild to celebrate for three days and three nights, not to mention obtaining a Tier 5 Personal Guard. A Tier 5 NPC was much stronger than a normal Tier 5 player.

First of all, there was the difference in Attributes. In the absence of any equipment, the Base Attributes of an NPC were significantly higher than a player’s. The second reason was equipment.

In God’s Domain, the equipment guards wore and that of players was different. Top-tier equipment for guards could be purchased from an NPC Shop, which included Epic Equipment and Set Equipment. If one were lucky, they could even purchase a piece of Fragmented Legendary Equipment. In other words, one could purchase top-tier equipment for a guard as long as one could afford it.

As for players?

Players had to expend a ton of effort just to obtain Dark-Gold Equipment, not to mention Epic or Fragmented Legendary Equipment.

Hence, as long as a Personal Guard became a Tier 5 class, their strength could immediately reach the peak of Tier 5. On the other hand, players had to obtain weapons, equipment, and other items that were suited to their Tier 5 classes, one piece at a time, slowly and gradually increase their strength.

If the public knew of Anna’s SSS-rank, it would cause a sensation to sweep throughout the entire God’s Domain.

“It seems that I have truly hit the jackpot this time,” Shi Feng said as he looked at Anna, who currently wore a blank expression, laughing.

He only knew about the ratings reaching a maximum of S-rank. He had never heard anything about an SSS-rank. Such NPCs might have appeared in the past, but if the player involved did not reveal the information, who would know about it?

Moreover, a majority of the powerful guards in the past had not been ordinary NPCs. Instead, these guards were directly recruited from NPCs who already possessed a class or high-tiered NPCs.

After all, NPCs capable of reaching a high Tier were extraordinary in their own right; they would have vast Growth Potential, naturally. However, the higher tiered an NPC was, the more difficult it would be to recruit them. It would require a lot more time and effort.

Although Shi Feng did not know how high Anna’s Growth Potential could reach, with an SSS-rank rating, at the very minimum, she should be a Fine-Gold guard.

After some time passed, the test officer was finally certain that nothing was wrong with the test apparatus, and he could not help but turn to look at Anna in shock. There were also hints of reverence in the test officer’s gaze.

“Miss Anna, you are the first person in our White River City’s history to obtain an SSS-rank. According to the rules of the Adventurer’s Association, you are now an Honorary Elder of the association. We will prepare a suitable Epic Set Equipment as well as a Tier 1 Class Emblem for you. We will also dispatch a special instructor from the association to guide you. Please wait here for a moment.” At this moment, the test officer addressed Anna with immense respect. He displayed even more humility in front of Shi Feng.

To NPCs, Shi Feng was merely a Grand Noble. However, as someone with an SSS-rank, Anna was destined to become a peerless powerhouse in the future, the overlord of an area. She even possessed the status of an Honorary Elder in the Adventurer’s Association. No matter how one looked at it, Anna’s status far surpassed Shi Feng’s.

“Lord Viscount, as the referrer, the Adventurer’s Association will also gift you a special reward. Please wait here for a moment as well.” After saying so, the test officer rushed out of the testing room to contact the upper echelons of the Adventurer’s Association.

Shi Feng then went to the VIP reception room next to the testing room.

Time passed little by little.

Players continued to enter and leave the testing room, one after another. Yet, despite very few players leaving with a smile, the stream of players arriving to recommend the NPC of their choice was endless.

“It would be great if I could obtain a test apparatus for myself.” Shi Feng watched the line of players enviously.

Compared to the money the Adventurer’s Association earned from conducting tests, the Candlelight Trading Firm only earned spare change.

However, the precondition to earn money via tests was to set up an Adventurer’s Association of his own.

Meanwhile, each city could only have one Adventurer’s Association. If players wished to construct an Adventurer’s Association of their own, they first needed to establish a town or city.

“After completing this quest, it should be about time to prepare.” Shi Feng began to consider establishing his own city.

If a large Guild wished to earn enough money to become self-sustaining, it needed its own territory.

A Guild Residence was not enough; the Guild would need a town.

This was also why, in the past, so many Guilds had fought each other to the bitter end. The profits a player-established city offered far exceeded anyone’s imagination.

Compared to the money one could earn from constructing their own city, the money one could earn from setting up a trading firm was nothing.

Only, it was extremely difficult for players to construct their own cities. Even if players succeeded, its defense was another big problem.

Although Shi Feng could not yet construct his own city, he could prepare to do so. That way, by the time his Guild possessed sufficient strength, he could establish a small city of his own swiftly.

Meanwhile, the biggest problem one would face when constructing a city was the various resources required. The manpower and material resources required could instantly bankrupt a first-rate Guild. This would be the case even for the current Zero Wing. Among the most important resources required were the forging designs for various buildings, magic array matrices, and so on.

Without these key items, even if Shi Feng managed to gather the required wood, stones, and other raw materials, he could only stare at them.

If he wanted to obtain these forging designs and magic array matrices, he would have to raid the dark forces and large-scale Team Dungeons throughout the continent of God’s Domain.

Just as Shi Feng pondered about how he should go about procuring those forging designs, the heavy wooden doors of the reception room parted, and three NPCs walked in.

Of the three NPCs, one was the test officer, one was a black-clothed old man wearing a black felt hat, and the other was a proud and pretty lady dressed in luxurious robes.

The old man in black was a Level 200 Tier 4 Black Wizard with practically the same strength as White River City’s Magistrate, Weissman. He was also one of the NPCs protecting White River City.

Meanwhile, the lady was a Level 180 Illusionist, a Tier 3 class of a Summoner.