Justin woke with a start, completely ready for what came next.
He had defied all odds, surviving long enough to reach Level 10—no easy feat. And even with the constant stress of his journey, he had done it in just a matter of a couple of weeks.
He wasn’t sure exactly how long had passed since he’d first come to Eyrth, but he was certain it was about that long. It probably took others months, if not years, to gain that much experience.
His heart raced in anticipation, waiting for the familiar rush of energy that came with levelling up.
But as the seconds ticked by, his frown deepened. There was nothing. No surge of power, no notification from the System.
Just uncanny silence.
He sat up, confused. Opening his ethereal interface, he scanned his character information. All his stats were there. His experience bar was overflowing into the next level. Even the “Level-up available!” notification hovered in front of him, taunting him.
“Something’s not right,” he muttered.
Bohemond, standing a short distance away on watch, looked over. “What’s not right?”
“I should be leveling up,” Justin said. “Only I’m not. Did you level up?”
Bohemond nodded. “I did, when Kargan woke me for the second watch.” His expression darkened as he turned toward Justin. “Are you saying you’re getting nothing?”
Justin shook his head. “What does it mean?”
Bohemond stared off into the darkness of the cavern. The ethereal light of the fungus clinging to the walls revealed what appeared to be a forest of mushrooms in the distance, barely visible. Had those been there yesterday?
Before Justin could ask, Bohemond spoke again. “There are two reasons you wouldn’t level up. The first is being cursed somehow—rare, but possible. The second, and more common, is if there’s immediate danger nearby. Danger we need to take care of or get away from.”
At the sound of their voices, Kargan stirred awake. “What’s this about danger?”
“Kargan, can you level up?” Justin asked.
The orc frowned. “Huh. That’s weird. I got nothing.”
Justin scanned the cavern again, now even more alert. The glow from the fungi along the walls cast long, ominous shadows. The air felt thicker than before, almost suffocating. The mushroom trees seemed...closer.
“Are those things moving?” Justin asked, his voice low.
Before Bohemond could reply, a low rustling sound echoed through the chamber. Justin’s hand instinctively reached for his cane as the rustling grew louder. It sounded like wind, but unnaturally muffled.
It was coming from the mushrooms.
“Back up to the elevator,” Justin said, his voice steady but firm.
But before they could move, grotesque, mushroom-like creatures emerged from the darkness, alarmingly close. There must have been an unseen tunnel, just out of sight of their meager fire. cavern’s side. Their squat, humanoid bodies were a sickly white, dotted with yellowish-green spores. Large caps sprouted from their heads, blending perfectly into the dark environment until they moved. Their eyes glowed faintly in the darkness, and their jerky, unsteady movements made Justin’s skin crawl.
Worse still, their mouths were wide and filled with sharp teeth, forked tongues flicking out as they hissed.
Kargan’s Ward of Aegis flared to life just as one creature opened its gaping mouth, releasing a cloud of spores. The ward flickered and held for a moment, but the spores quickly broke it down, collapsing the barrier and flooding the surrounding air with a thick, rancid fog.
Justin gasped at the stench, pulling his shirt over his face. A notification flashed before him.
[Fear Effect resisted by the Top Hat of Mental Clarity!]
Beside him, Kargan and Bohemond weren’t so lucky. The moment they inhaled the spores, their eyes widened in terror. Kargan let out a strangled cry, his tusks trembling as he flailed in panic. Bohemond staggered backward, his face pale, swinging his sword wildly at enemies only he could see.
Justin called out. “Bohemond! Kargan!”
But they were paralyzed with fear. Kargan, in his confusion, even cast his Vital Surge healing spell on one of the advancing mushroom monsters.
Five of the grotesque figures moved in closer. They had short, squat legs but long, sinewy arms that gave them an unsettling, crab-like movement as they jerked toward the group.
Justin gripped his cane tightly, his heart pounding in his chest. He was on his own.
With a deep breath, he stepped forward, meeting the first creature head-on.
His cane whirled through the air with practiced precision. He jabbed the creature in the throat, just beneath its gaping mouth, then spun, sweeping its squat legs out from under it. As it hit the ground, Justin brought the cane down hard, cracking its cap with a sickening crunch. The creature twitched once before going still.
Another lunged at him, its long claws swiping at his chest. Justin pivoted, deflecting the strike with his cane.
[Gentleman’s Rebuff has shielded this attack!]
Thankfully, the creature was Level 12 or under. Justin pressed his advantage, driving the end of the cane into its midsection. He followed up with a sharp elbow to its head, sending it reeling backward.
He moved fluidly, as though dancing. He was beyond grateful for his Level 8 Improved Cane Competency Boon. Without it, the creatures’ numbers and their sporadic attacks might have overwhelmed him. These monsters didn’t seem to have much skill in combat, relying instead on their Fear effect and sheer numbers. They were no match for his speed and precision. He felt far stronger, more limber, and tougher than before, no doubt an effect of his Attribute boosts from the Amulet of Equilibrium.
As Justin took down a third creature, more appeared, advancing from the far side of the cavern. They were too far away to use their spores, but they were closing in fast.
Suddenly, Kargan stirred. His eyes cleared, and he gasped for air. Bohemond, too, snapped out of his torpor as the spores’ effects faded. The Knight instantly charged into the two remaining mushrooms, cleaving them easily with his longsword.
But there were at least twenty more mushroom creatures approaching.
“We can’t let them get close enough to use their spores,” Justin said. “Time to back up to the elevator.”
“Let me try something first,” Kargan replied, raising his Staff of Aegis. His new Ring of Knives glowed faintly, a subdued amber light pulsing from it.
Almost immediately, a cloud of ethereal knives materialized in the air before him, spinning rapidly in a circle about two meters in diameter. The cloud shot forward, the knives whistling through the air as they tore into the advancing mushroom creatures. The creatures shrieked as the knives sliced through them, their bodies disintegrating into spores and dust. The cloud of knives held its position, blocking the path.
Some creatures tried to squeeze through narrow gaps on either side, but Kargan cast the spell again—twice more—summoning new clouds of knives that sealed the path entirely. The once-advancing horde of creatures was shredded to pieces in seconds. Ethereal knives continued to slice through their soft bodies until nothing remained.
The original spell faded, revealing the last few mushroom creatures stumbling over one another in the gap, only to be shredded by the remaining clouds. By the time the final cloud dissipated, the cavern had grown eerily still.
Justin stood panting, his cane still gripped tightly. He glanced at the remains of the mushroom creatures, their spores lingering in the air like a faint mist. The power of Kargan’s spell had obliterated them entirely. The spores, apparently, no longer had an effect now that the monsters were dead.
“Wow,” Justin muttered, still in shock. “That...that was incredible.”
Bohemond’s face was ashen to the display.
Kargan, seemingly just as surprised, nodded slowly. “This ring is only going to get stronger as I level up. The opportunities for crowd control are amazing.”
Justin nodded, his mind still reeling from the intensity of the fight. He was about to speak when a familiar notification entered his mind.
[You have reached Level 10. Your resilience and ingenuity have brought you far. Reflect on your journey and recognize how far you have come.]
Justin stared into the darkness of the cavern, his senses on high alert. For now, the monsters seemed to have retreated, leaving them with a rare moment of calm. The System wouldn’t let him level up unless it was safe, and finally, it seemed they had a moment to breathe.
[As a Level 10 Socialite, you have one Attribute Point to distribute.]
Justin hesitated, his fingers brushing the cool surface of the Amulet of Equilibrium resting against his chest. He was on the cusp of a major decision, and King Alaric’s warning echoed in his mind. Once one of his Attributes exceeded twice the average of all others, the Amulet would be impossible to remove, except by death itself.
This was it. His last chance to decide if he wanted to invest further in his Charisma or spread his points to other Attributes. If he raised his Charisma to 21, the Amulet would demand that his other Attributes catch up before being able to remove it. He’d be forced to invest five more points into them over the next five level-ups just to take the Amulet off. Sure, every six points in Charisma would grant him +1 to his other Attributes, but those milestones would only come every six levels—unless he found more gear to boost his base Attributes.
He had to keep in mind that if he invested in his other Attributes, then it wasn’t like he’d lose his +3 bonus to all the others. The Amulet would remain powerful even if he didn’t go all-in.
His mind spun with the implications. He had two accessory slots. Maybe he’d get more in the future, but for now, that was all he had. Did he want to commit to this path?
He’d been toying with going all-in on Charisma for some time. What he did next would cement that decision permanently.
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
Justin closed his eyes and locked in his point.
[Your Charisma is now 21.]
Justin felt a shift in the Amulet’s weight. It didn’t fuse to his skin, but when he tried to lift it from his neck, it suddenly became unbearably heavy, immovable. He let his hand drop, and as the Amulet settled back against his chest, it returned to its previous, almost weightless state.
He exhaled, the reality of his choice sinking in. At the moment, he wasn’t sure if he’d done the right thing or not.
All he knew was there was no going back.
That was when the System’s voice echoed in his mind again.
[As a Level 10 Socialite, you have at last unlocked your Focus. Your Focus is an important decision, not to be made lightly. It will influence all the skills and boons you are presented from here on out, even when you take on an Advanced Class. Your journey so far has made six potential Focuses available to you. Each comes with a Focus Boon that will further shape your destiny, automatically upgrading to its ultimate form at Level 20. Choose wisely! There is no changing your Focus except under very specific and rare circumstances.]
A chill ran through Justin as he scanned the options presented on his interface. As with the Attribute boost, the weight of this decision pressed down on him. He read through the first option.
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Seducer Focus: Seducers use their charm and allure to captivate and influence others, especially by exploiting the baser instincts shared by all sapient races, whether that’s lust, greed, or envy. They excel in persuasion and manipulation, making them adept at turning social situations to their advantage.
Undeniable Charm (Focus Boon): There’s just something about you that can’t be denied. People may love or hate you for it, but whatever “it” is, it’s undeniable. Upon adopting this boon, the attraction others feel for you noticeably increases, scaling with your Charisma Attribute. But be warned—this may also inspire jealousy in those who long to be you or be with you!
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Justin had to admit the Seducer Focus was intriguing. The ability to manipulate and control social situations with sheer “rizz” certainly had its appeal, but the risk of creating animosity worried him. A double-edged sword, for sure. This was power, but power that was difficult to control. Worse still, it could leave him isolated, surrounded by jealousy and mistrust.
And more importantly, it didn’t fit his personality. He wasn’t interested in playing mind games or being adored by everyone. While it sounded fun in theory, it could easily become a nightmare. With a sigh, he moved on to the next option.
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Gentleman Focus: The Gentleman Focus is a balanced, jack-of-all-trades approach to the Socialite class, embodying grace, poise, and an innate understanding of both combat and high society. Gentlemen are equally comfortable in a fight or a diplomatic ballroom, but at the cost of not excelling at either.
Essence of a Gentleman (Focus Boon): It’s the way of a true gentleman to deflect slights—whether physical, magical, or reputational—with grace and aplomb. This boon grants you a slight chance to deflect physical, magical, and reputational damage against all attacks. The percentage chance is based on your total Attribute Points, divided by 10.
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Now, this was interesting. The Gentleman Focus offered versatility. It would grant access to skills and boons that balanced combat and social situations, which seemed ideal. He wouldn’t be the best fighter or the most charming person, but the flexibility could prove invaluable.
And the Essence of a Gentleman boon? It gave a consistent chance to deflect attacks—whether physical, magical, or even damage to his reputation. From the description, it wasn’t based solely on his base Attributes. The Amulet of Equilibrium that granted him extra Attribute points would only increase the dodge chance.
Doing some quick math, he realized that with all his gear, he’d have 93 total Attribute Points after this level up, giving him a 9.3% chance to dodge physical and magical damage entirely, plus social attacks. Even without the Amulet, the boon would still grant him a respectable 7.8% dodge chance.
And if he kept leveling and upgrading his gear, this boon would scale well into the future. But he also considered the downside: without excelling in any one area, he might struggle against specialists. Still, this Focus fit his style much better than the Seducer.
He filed it away as a strong contender and moved on to the next.
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Noble Focus: The Noble Focus reflects a someone born into wealth or someone who has earned their place in high society. Nobles excel in political maneuvering, leadership, and command, influencing large groups and managing resources effectively.
Commanding Aura (Focus Boon): Your presence inspires those around you. When leading a party of four or more, you gain +2 to all Attributes, while party members receive a +1 boost to all Attributes. When leading a party of eight or more, you gain +4 to all Attributes, and party members gain +2.
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Justin considered the Noble Focus carefully. The bonuses it offered to both him and his party were incredibly powerful. Attribute points were notoriously scarce, and this boon would make him a more effective leader while enhancing his entire party.
If he chose this Focus, he’d step into a leadership role, someone others looked up to. He’d likely get more skills related to commanding, leading, or gaining wealth—skills that could be very useful in large-scale conflicts or even kingdom-building scenarios.
The idea tempted him. After all, he’d always loved reading about “kingdom-building” in his web novel days. But did he really want to be “the leader?” The role seemed more suited for someone like Baron Valdrik or Lord Harrington.
On paper, though, it was probably the strongest Focus presented to him so far.
He moved on.
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Duelist Focus: The Duelist is a master of one-on-one combat, specializing in finesse-based weapons like rapiers and canes. Duelists are elegant fighters who strike with precision and grace, defeating their enemies with style.
Elegant Counter (Focus Boon): After successfully dodging or parrying an enemy attack, you can perform a flawless counterattack that deals double damage and staggers your opponent. Each successful counter grants Momentum, increasing your attack speed by 10% for 10 seconds. Momentum can stack up to two times.
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This one immediately caught his attention. The idea of mastering one-on-one combat appealed to Justin, especially with the chance to specialize in finesse weapons like rapiers besides his cane.
The Elegant Counter boon was powerful. Dealing double damage with a stagger effect sounded perfect for taking down enemies in style. He could already picture himself, cane in hand, gracefully dispatching foes with calculated strikes.
But the drawback was clear—he’d be less effective in group combat and would get no bonuses when fighting multiple enemies, at least with this first boon. And the Focus likely came with little Charisma-based boons and skills. Trading versatility for mastery in one-on-one combat was tempting, but was it the right call?
He glanced at the next Focus, something more socially focused.
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Raconteur Focus: The Raconteur is a master of clever banter, sharp wit, and social finesse. Always ready with a quick retort or amusing story, they can navigate any social situation with ease, charming allies and unsettling opponents with their razor-sharp tongue.
The Perfect Comeback (Focus Boon): Once per social encounter, when insulted, scrutinized, or even directly attacked, you can deliver a flawlessly timed retort that completely shifts the dynamic of the conversation, disarming your opponent or leaving them stunned. The effectiveness of your comeback scales with your Charisma Attribute.
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Justin considered the Raconteur Focus carefully, even if it didn’t seem like the right choice. He’d been in this world long enough to know that a pure social build might not suit him, but the boon’s usefulness was clear. The Perfect Comeback was like a defensive version of Poison Barb; it would proc as soon as he was insulted, once per encounter. While it might seem redundant with Poison Barb already in his Skillset, doubling up on such an ability could be an ideal choice for Socialites focused on dominating social situations. It just wasn’t for him.
The next one seemed even less suited to his build, but looked like it would be a fun playstyle, at least for a sociopathic person.
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Con Artist Focus: The Con Artist is a master of deception, trickery, and manipulation. Unlike the Seducer, who relies on charm, the Con Artist uses clever misdirection, psychological manipulation, and elaborate schemes to swindle, deceive, or persuade others to their advantage. They are experts at creating false realities and capitalizing on the greed or naivety of their targets.
Identify Mark (Focus Boon): A symbol appears above other’s heads, visible only to you, revealing characters’ susceptibility to deception or manipulation, giving you a general sense of how easy or difficult they might be to con. But beware, appearances can be deceiving!
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Justin could safely discard this Focus. It just wasn’t something he was interested in at all. He was curious about how the Identify Mark boon would play out in real life, but not at the cost of taking the Focus.
He moved on to the final Focus.
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Spy Focus: The Spy Focus emphasizes stealth, deception, and intelligence gathering. Spies are masters of infiltration, capable of navigating dangerous situations without being detected and gathering vital information for their allies.
Shadow Step (Focus Boon): When sneaking, your movements become utterly silent, and others’ eyes seem to slip past you.
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Like Raconteur or Con Artist, this Focus didn’t seem to fit Justin’s style, but he made himself consider it. He had to admit, there was something appealing about moving unseen, slipping into places others couldn’t follow. Shadow Step was a powerful boon, which would allow him to become practically invisible when necessary.
But this would mean a more solitary path. It lacked the presence and charisma of the Gentleman or Noble Focuses. Did he really want to live in the shadows?
Justin’s eyes flicked back and forth between the options on his ethereal interface. He hadn’t expected to have so many choices, but Seducer, Raconteur, Con Artist, and Spy could be safely discarded. They didn’t suit him. Not now, not with what lay ahead.
That left Gentleman, Noble, and Duelist. Each one called to different parts of him, each with its own set of strengths.
He paused, his mind whirling as he weighed his options.
The Gentleman Focus offered balance. He wouldn’t be the best at anything, but he wouldn’t be the worst either. The Essence of a Gentleman boon would let him deflect damage—physical, magical, and reputational—with style, and that sounded damn appealing.
Perhaps the Focus’s hybrid approach was not a weakness, but actually a strength. He’d have an answer to any situation, whether it was a fight or a formal negotiation. Plus, with his Amulet of Equilibrium, the boon would scale nicely. His current total Attributes meant he’d already be sitting on nearly a 10% chance to deflect any attack. Not bad. It didn’t sound like much, but a chance like that could make the difference between life and death. The prospect of dodging attacks with sheer grace was appealing. It fit his image. Plus, the bonus could even get bigger when the boon upgraded at Level 20.
Yet, that nagging thought returned: Would it be enough? The jack-of-all-trades approach was practical, but was it the best for what was coming? Did he need something with a bit more power?
Then there was the Noble Focus. This one was different, powerful—but not in the way Justin usually operated. He’d be a leader, a figure others rallied behind. His Commanding Aura would boost not just his own Attributes, but those of his entire party. And the bonuses scaled up significantly in larger groups. In the right circumstances, with enough people following him, he’d be a force to reckon with. And it stood to reason that when the boon upgraded at Level 20, it might provide even more staggering bonuses.
Leadership. Influence. The power to inspire.
But that power came with expectations. It came with responsibility. Justin liked his independence, his freedom to do what he needed without having to worry about others. Leading a party of eight or more meant he’d need to be in the thick of things, constantly looking after his companions. Did he want that? He hadn’t exactly been dreaming of commanding armies or building empires. But might he grow into that role someday?
The idea wasn’t entirely unattractive. Leading others to success, gaining influence over entire regions, having people look to him for guidance...and of course, amassing wealth and resources.
But it also meant being a target. And if he failed? Well, Commanding Aura wouldn’t mean much if the weight of leadership crushed him. Plus, the boon would offer nothing that would help him immediately. He needed to be leading a party of four for that.
Finally, his eyes lingered on Duelist. This Focus spoke directly to his ego. There was something undeniably cool about the Duelist. The Elegant Counter boon felt like it was made for someone who valued finesse, precision, and deadly efficiency. Every dodge or parry would be an opportunity to turn the tables with devastating style.
Double damage on a counterattack? The chance to stagger an opponent? Not to mention the Momentum mechanic, which would increase his attack speed after every successful counter. It was a combat build that rewarded skill, grace under pressure, and elegance in battle. Justin could see himself flourishing in one-on-one duels, cane in hand, dispatching enemies with sharp, precise strikes.
But therein lay the problem. The Duelist was hyper-specialized, built for one-on-one combat. It sounded ideal in theory, but what about when he wasn’t fighting a single opponent? What about when he faced groups? If the battle shifted to something larger, would his finesse and precision be enough to protect him?
The Gentleman was flexible, the Noble was powerful in groups, and the Duelist excelled in direct combat. Each one had its appeal. Each one could shape the way he approached every challenge from here on out.
Justin took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He pictured the coming battles, the challenges ahead—surviving Baron Valdrik, the Vaults he’d run across, and who knew what else. Who did he need to become to survive all of that? Which decisions had allowed him to survive so far? Who did he want to become?
At that moment, the System’s message to him upon reaching Level 10 came back to him.
Remember to reflect on your journey and recognize how far you have come.
The answer, he realized, lay in recognizing what had gotten him this far to begin with. Whatever he chose, he’d keep all the skills and boon he’d unlocked so far. That was important to remember.
The question was, did he want to double down on what was already working? Did he want a new and larger role to grow into? Or more combat effectiveness to shore up his potential weakness on the battlefield?
He’d been agonizing for at least ten minutes, and every second counted.
It was time to choose.