The swirl of teleportation energy faded, leaving Drake standing on a large, rune-etched stone platform in Oakhaven City. The immediate sensory input was almost overwhelming after the quiet isolation of the Verdant Threshold. The air buzzed with the chatter of hundreds of players, the calls of street vendors, and the distant clang of hammers. Stone and timber buildings rose several stories high, adorned with the city's oak tree crest, while the paved streets teemed with adventurers showcasing diverse and advanced gear.
"Okay, definitely not the tutorial anymore. Place is huge. Need to get oriented."
After stepping off the platform, Drake located The Weary Traveler Inn and set his recall point. He then found the city bank, storing his excess gold and rare Alvari materials.
His exploration eventually led him to Oakhaven's bustling crafting district. Forges blazed, alchemical apparatus bubbled, and looms clacked rhythmically. Players were intently focused on their work, striking metal, mixing liquids, weaving fabrics. Intrigued, Drake approached a central kiosk manned by an NPC named Master Artisan Flynn.
"Interested in the Life Professions, are ya, adventurer?" Flynn asked jovially. "Good way to make coin, or gear yerself up if ya got the knack. Smithing, Alchemy, Enchanting... plenty to choose from, though some roads are tougher than others, like that tricky Enchanting."
"How does crafting work here?" Drake inquired, activating his voice interface. "Just follow a recipe?"
Flynn chuckled. "Recipe's just the start, lad. Legacy of Alvari demands skill! It ain't just clickin' a button." He gestured. "Every profession has its process, requires focus, precise execution. Timing, control... we call it Craft Completion Rate, CCR. Just like that SCR you use swingin' yer sword."
Drake listened intently as Flynn
Flynn's Explanation: "Aye, CCR. Fail badly – below 60% execution – and yer materials are likely wasted, craft failed. Hit the minimum 60%, ya get a basic item, maybe 50% of its potential quality. Get better, say 70-80% CCR, the quality improves, stats get better within its tier. Push past 90% execution? Now yer talkin' real quality, maybe even improves the item's rarity beyond what the recipe normally makes! And if ya manage a Perfect 100% CCR... well, that's Masterwork territory. Best possible stats, highest chance for a rarity upgrade."
Drake's mind instantly connected the dots. Execution requirement... scaling quality based on CCR percentage... chance for rarity upgrades... It sounded exactly like the SCR system. He quickly reviewed the description of his [Eidetic Execution] talent mentally. He focused on the [Peak Performance Replication] component: "Passively executes the action by replicating the user's personal best historical performance, matching the highest SCR or CCR ever achieved for that specific action."
CCR. It was right there. A slow, wide grin spread across Drake's face.
"It works on crafting too! Holy..." The implications were staggering. Other players would constantly battle the CCR system, wasting materials on failures, producing mostly average-quality gear, needing exceptional luck or skill for high-end results. But him? If he could achieve a high CCR once for any given recipe... [Eidetic Execution] would lock it in permanently.
"Guaranteed 90% quality results? Guaranteed 100% Masterwork quality results, every single time, after I achieve it just once? Minimal material waste... Maximum chance for rarity upgrades... I could craft Epic or even Legendary versions from Rare recipes if I hit 100% CCR... This is... game-breaking for professions."
The potential was enormous. He could outfit himself in perfectly rolled gear, craft top-tier consumables without failure, and potentially dominate niche markets by selling guaranteed high-quality goods. The "tough road" of Enchanting Flynn mentioned suddenly seemed like a golden path paved with potential profit and power, tailor-made for his unique talent.
"Something amusing, adventurer?" Flynn asked, noticing his expression.
"Just... realizing the potential," Drake replied, his mind already racing. "Thank you for the explanation, Master Flynn."
He turned away, his priorities shifting subtly. Leveling and the Hilt quest remained primary. But investigating Life Professions, understanding the CCR mini-games for each, and eventually exploiting his talent within one – likely the notoriously difficult Enchanting – became a major new secondary objective. The road to perfection wasn't just paved with combat SCR, but potentially with Craft Completion Rate too.