My SSS-Rank Innate skill: Infinite Adaptation core

A loud voice shattered the moment.

”WAIT, YOU LITTLE BASTARD!”

Both Nova and the bald man turned toward the source of the noise. A boy, no older than ten, was running through the street with a panicked expression, clutching a loaf of bread tightly in his hands as if it were his lifeline. Behind him, a muscular middle-aged man chased with a furious, almost murderous look on his face.

”YOU LITTLE THIEF BASTARD!” he shouted.

The boy stumbled and fell to the ground, and within seconds, the man caught up to him. Grabbing the boy by the collar, he lifted him slightly off the ground. ”Now, you little runt... nowhere to run now, huh?” he said with a cruel grin.

The boy trembled, his voice shaking as he pleaded, ”P-please, sir... forgive me. I was really hungry... and my little sister hasn’t eaten anything in two days...”

Nova stood there, watching the scene unfold, and something inside him tightened. He remembered that feeling the hunger, the emptiness, the desperation. He had lived through it himself.

In the orphanage, there were days he went without food, and even after being adopted, the misery never truly left him. Hunger forced people into choices they never wanted to make. It stripped away dignity and crushed pride.

And yet, those who had more than enough still refused to spare even a piece of bread.

Then they dare to call themselves human.

Nova stepped forward just as the man raised his hand to strike the boy. With a single motion, he caught the man’s wrist and stopped him.

”How much did he steal?” Nova asked calmly.

The man glared at him, clearly annoyed. ”Why do you care? Get lost, brat!” he snapped, jerking his hand free.

Nova didn’t react. Instead, he took out two copper coins and held them out. ”This should cover what he stole.”

For commoners, two copper coins were enough for a simple meal, and the boy had only taken a piece of bread. The man stared at the coins for a moment before snorting.

”Hmph. He stole from me, I should demand double.”

Nova didn’t argue. Without hesitation, he took out two more coins and handed them over. ”Here. Now let him go.”

The man grabbed the coins greedily before shoving the boy aside. ”You got lucky today, runt,” he muttered before turning and walking away.

Nova bent down and looked at the boy, who was still trembling in fear. It was clear that what he had said about starving was true.

”Are you okay, kid?” Nova asked gently.

”T-Thank you, sir... f-for helping me...” the boy stuttered, tears streaming down his face as he looked at Nova .

Nova took out twenty copper coins and handed them to him. ”This should cover your food for a few days.”

Then he asked, ”What’s your name?”

”It’s Jack, sir,” the boy replied softly.

Nova nodded.

”Listen, Jack. I know you stole because you had no choice. But people won’t care about your situation before taking action . Next time, try to find some kind of work anything that can earn you even a single coin. That way, you’ll be able to survive without putting yourself in danger.”

The boy looked at him, still overwhelmed, and nodded.

”Okay...”

Nova stood up and added one last thing.

”And keep those coins safe. Don’t show them to anyone... or you already know what might happen.” Without waiting for a reply, Nova turned and walked away. He understood this world well enough.

It wasn’t kind , and it wasn’t fair.

There were too many people suffering far more than anyone could help. Unless one had enough power, trying to save everyone was nothing more than a naive thought.

So instead he chose to do what he could even if it didn’t solve everything , it could still give someone a small chance , a little hope to keep fighting.

The bald old man watched the entire scene silently. The only thought that crossed his mind was that the boy in front of him was too kind for his own good. Still, he chose not to comment on Nova’s actions.

After a moment, Nova walked back toward him and asked, ”Brother, do you happen to know where I can find a adventurer guild here?”

The old man nodded slightly. ”Go straight down this road. After about ten minutes, you’ll reach the city square. From there, take a left you’ll find it. It’s the biggest and most famous guild around here.”

Nova gave a small nod. ”Thanks, brother.”

With that, he followed the directions and began walking toward the guild.

As Nova walked through the streets, his mind drifted toward what he knew about guilds. From what his father had told him, guilds in this world were classified into ranks, ranging from E to S. Their rank depended on the number of missions they had completed and the dungeons they had cleared, with higher-ranked dungeons contributing more to their overall standing.

Each guild also required a capable leader. The guild leader had to be strong enough to manage and command its members. For example, even an F-rank guild would require at least a C-rank individual or someone stronger with enough level to lead effectively.

Frostholme, being a prominent city, housed three main guilds.’ The Virex Guild’ , which was ranked F, ’the Iron Fang Guild’, a C-rank guild, and lastly, the most famous one ’Frosthall Hunters guild ’ , B-rank . It was directly affiliated with the Frost family and held the highest influence in the region.

From the directions the carriage owner had given him, Nova had already guessed where he was heading.

Frosthall Hunters.

Nova reached the city square, and it was even livelier than the streets he had passed through. At the center of plaza stood a beautiful fountain, its water sparkling under the sunlight as people sat around it, talking and relaxing. Street vendors lined the area, selling goods and snacks, while couples walked together, enjoying their time.

It felt vibrant, alive. Nova shifted his gaze to the right and there it was.

A massive, majestic building stood tall among the others, its presence dominating the area. A large board hung above the entrance, with bold letters carved into it.

”Frosthall Hunters.”

Without hesitation, Nova walked toward it. He wasn’t worried about being rejected. From what he knew, even D-rankers can join this guild and he was already a C-ranker . That alone gave him confidence.

As he stepped inside, a vast hall opened before him. The atmosphere was completely different filled with strong, intimidating figures. Muscular warriors stood with weapons strapped to their backs, included both men and women, their presence calm yet powerful.

Desks were arranged neatly in a circular formation around the hall, and behind them sat well-dressed men and women receptionists. Most of them were attractive, clearly chosen to create a welcoming environment.

It was obvious they knew how to draw people in. As Nova entered, a few gazes shifted toward him, briefly observing his appearance before returning to their conversations.

Nova walked forward and approached an empty desk. Sitting behind it was a beautiful brown haired woman who appeared to be in her late twenties. She had a mature charm, her presence confident and slightly alluring.

”Hello, hansome sir, I’m Rose,” she said, her voice smooth with a hint of playful tone. ”How may I help you?”

Nova remained calm, though a small thought crossed his mind, Being handsome really does have its benefits.

”I want to join the guild,” he replied casually.

”Of course,” Rose said with a pleasant smile. ”You’ll need to go through a small process before you can officially join.”

Nova nodded. ”Alright.”

”Wonderful,” she said, lightly clapping her hands. ”Please place your hand on the white stone in front of you. It will test your rank and affinity ”.

Nova followed her instructions. As he placed his hand on the stone, it began to glow faintly. Rose noted down the results and then handed him a paper.

”Sign here,” she said.

After Nova signed the paper, Rose handed him a copper card with a smile. ”Handsome sir, this is your guild ID. It’s copper-ranked. Once you complete a certain number of missions assigned by the guild, you’ll be promoted to silver or higher rank.”

Nova nodded. He already knew that he had to start from the bottom before growing stronger.

”I understand,” he said calmly. Then he asked, ”Where can I find missions? I want to enter a dungeon.”

Rose smiled politely. ”Certainly, sir. You can find all available missions on the mission board over there.” She gestured toward a large board inside the hall. ”However, I would advise you to choose E-rank dungeons. Even though your rank is C, your level is still 1. You must have awakened recently.”

Nova nodded again. ”Thanks for your consideration.” With that, he turned and walked toward the mission board to look for suitable tasks.

He already had a general idea, but to confirm it, he asked the system in his mind.

[Host, rank classifies potential. While it determines your threshold, what matters most is your level. For example, a Level 20 individual of D rank can defeat a Level 10 individual of C rank.]

[So if the host encounters someone with a higher level, even if their potential rank is lower, the host may still be at a disadvantage.]

Nova understood immediately. That was why the system had told him to focus on leveling up first and the best place to do that was inside dungeons, Hunting beasts.

As Nova stood in front of the mission board, scanning through the available tasks, his attention suddenly shifted. His gaze drifted to a figure standing nearby.

It was a woman, but what truly caught his attention were the fox ears resting atop her white haired head, along with a fluffy tail gently swaying behind her.

She wore tight leather shorts paired with a black shirt, layered with light leather armor. The outfit hugged her hourglass figure, she had big breasts and thick thighs, in addition to her wide hips, yet she had an aura of agility and strength.

Her presence stood out naturally.

Her face beautiful was an understatement. She was enchanting. There was a mature allure to her, yet at the same time, a soft innocence lingered on her pale, smooth features, creating a contrast that made her even more captivating.

Nova , being a cultured man of Earth, had only ever seen them in fantasy anime and games. Yet here it was in flesh. Standing right in front of him. One of his favorite parts about fantasy worlds.

A beast-folk, a wolf-kin.

Thanks for reading.....