Article 8: Threat Levels
Since the dawn of humanoid civilization, competition has been one of the primary factors in any sentient race's success as a species. Whether it's been competing against other tribes, vicious predators, or just the forces of nature, the ones to survive have been the ones who are just plain better at something than someone else. With this primary motivational factor in mind, it should be unsurprising that sentient beings across the galaxy have long desired a way to gauge the overall prowess of themselves and other beings, and Threat Level is one such way of doing so that takes physical, mental, social, and magical factors into account.
Dating back to pre-Golden Alliance Mythic sages, powerful aura-readers have been able to notice that even with the variance in colors in someone's aura, there also seems to be a variance in aura intensity that correlates to a person's strength. Over the years, this was refined into various concepts similar to Threat Level, but the most definite version is that which seems to be discovered by all inspired like myself. We understand Threat Level to be a combination of one's familiarity with their form as well as any previous forms that they may have had that contributes to a mastery and retention of natural abilities(Race level), learned abilities in any of a number of trained fields in limitless combinations(Facet level), and physical, mental, social, and magical benefits or disabilities that occur through genetic happenstance, accident, or honing of natural abilities(Advantages and Disadvantages). Thanks to the MSF High game book that each inspired carries with them, we have been able to gauge average threat levels for both the school's students and staff as well as civilians, which can be applied to the outer galaxy just as easily.
Most humanoid children of age 5 or higher have a Threat Level of 1. While not totally helpless, they lack any formal training or the sort of rigorous exercise needed to elevate them past what comes naturally. A few child prodigies, however, have shown themselves able to gain higher levels before they hit puberty, but this is rare.
Somewhere between puberty and adulthood, most sentient beings gain their second Threat Level. Most schooled children will have it in one facet or another, whether they realize it or not, as this is where most magically-gifted people start to develop their powers. Uneducated races, more often than not, will have gained a second race level due to the hardships they've likely suffered through and learned from. If you see someone with genuine "street smarts", they quite possibly have more race levels than facet levels. Mecha and other races that begin life "fully adult" will still usually only start at a Threat Level around 2, as regardless of how much data they start with, they still need to forge neural reactions and discover themselves before they can be very efficient at anything other than menial tasks.
Most mature adults in the galaxy have a Threat Level ranging from 2 to 5, generally with two or three race levels and any remainder in facets for those with a 4 or 5 Threat Level. This makes up the overwhelming majority of sentient species, and you can assume that the average person you meet on the street will be somewhere in this range.
Approximately 2% of the galaxy's population will have a Threat Level from 6 to 10. Someone with this Threat Level is considered highly skilled, and will often have some degree of fame for their ability, at least when it comes to their particular field. Popular celebrities, war heroes, and famous scientists will usually have their ranges in this, though many with their threat level this high go unnoticed for one reason or another.
Less than one tenth a percent of the galaxy have a Threat Level from 11 to 20. Someone with this sort of ability will almost certainly be known within at least their major geographical area. Most lesser Elementals will have a power in this range. It's also practically a given that someone in this Threat Level range will at some point in their life do something useful or heroic enough that it will land their name in their planet's history books.
Around 1 in 100,000 people will have a Threat Level from 21 to 40. Most are experts in a single field that have performed a number of great deeds. The average Elemental will usually have a Threat Level within this range, as will most Legion princesses or new Queens.
One in about 100,000,000 people will possess a Threat Level ranging between 41 and 60. They are considered the top of their field on their home planet and will often be known for more than just their primary focus. Mages at this level are known for creating new spells on the fly, while warriors are of the type that can mow through enemy armies without a scratch. Most greater Elementals and Legion Queens are near the top of this level range, while even the lower tiers of it consist of what would be considered legendary heroes and villains.
Between Threat Levels 61 and 100, a planet is considered either extremely lucky or unlucky to have anyone there of that power. These are legendary heroes and despots known through the galaxy, most of whom play major roles in shaping galactic history. Fewer still are the number who have had an even higher level, though it's not outside the realm of possibility.
All of this is thrown out the window for those attending MSF High, however. While students tend to arrive at a level more appropriate for the average denizen of the galaxy, they quickly gain power through a combination of various legendary instructors, the right magical environment, and the fact that entrants into the school are taken from those with incredible potential to begin with. Most students enter into their second year with a Threat Level between 25 and 30. By year three, they've typically reached anywhere from 40 to 50. The bulk of students(with exceptions, of course) begin their Senior year at a threat level between 60 and 75, and often graduate with their Threat Levels in the 90s or higher. Teachers and school staff are more difficult to gauge as Inspired can only determine so much given their own Threat Levels, but somewhere between 300 and 500 seems to be their norm. The only ones in Mahou City(And possibly the Galaxy) that can outmatch them appear to be Sakura and Kasumi. While Sakura's self-imposed shut-off from the rest of the school makes her Threat Level impossible to guess, Kasumi's is estimated at over three thousand. Yet even knowing this, she has said that it's possible for anyone, anywhere in the galaxy to someday become more magically powerful than her. That's both an inspirational and terrifying thought.
