*** Thirty-five days after arriving in Luminosa ***

"Again!" Lia commanded, her practice sword blurring through the air.

I managed to deflect her first strike but missed the follow-up completely. The wooden blade caught me in the ribs, and even through the training armor, I felt something crack. Before I could recover, she swept my legs out from under me, sending me sprawling into the dust.

"Your Air Mana control is... decent," she said, offering me a hand up, "but you're still telegraphing your movements way too much."

We were alone in the training yard—most trainees only participated in scheduled training sessions under Sir Roland's command, but apparently for Lia, that wasn't enough. Almost every day at dawn, she was here, practicing.I'd started joining her, partly to avoid Princess Saella's morning "etiquette lessons," but mostly because these quiet hours had become the highlight of my days in this world.

"Why do you push yourself so hard?" I asked as we took a break, watching the magical flowers shift from dawn-purple to morning-gold. "You're already the strongest initiate."

She was quiet for a long moment, absently running her fingers along her practice sword. "You know how the nobility works here," she finally said. "The only guaranteed way for a commoner to earn a title is to reach Tier 4 as a cultivator. It's supposed to be impossible—most noble-born children, with all their resources and training, barely reach Tier 2. Cultivation is all about talent—if you have only one Element, forget about Tier 3 unless you somehow manage to gain a second one, either by using a priceless treasure or walking on the edge between life and death."

"You're different," I said. "You have two Elements, one of them Grand, right? The Archmage mentioned this should be enough to reach Tier 4. You have what most nobles lack—talent."

"Yeah, right. And yet, even among those with a Grand Element, nine in ten never reach Tier 4."

"But you will," I said with conviction.

"I have to." Her voice hardened. "My hometown, Rivermark, sits right on the border of the Demon Lands. The nobles who are supposed to protect it... they don't care. They host parties in their fortified manors while demon raids devastate the outlying farms. My father died defending our neighbors when I was eight. Mother followed a year later, trying to heal those wounded in another raid. Both of them were Tier 1 cultivators, and it made no difference."

She stood, pacing restlessly. "The Demon Slaying Corps is supposed to protect the borders, but they only respond to noble requests. So I'll become one. I'll earn my title, and then I'll make sure no other child has to watch their parents die while nobles feast behind stone walls."

Lia's words hung heavy in the air, the weight of her conviction palpable. I opened my mouth to respond, to offer some reassurance or encouragement, when a familiar voice cut through the early morning stillness.

"So this is where our future Hero hides instead of attending to what really matters—my lessons."

Princess Saella glided into the training yard, her ornate dress trailing behind her like a whisper of silk. Despite the early hour, she looked immaculate as always, not a single golden hair out of place.

I scrambled to my feet, bowing hastily. "Your Highness, I was just—"

"Wasting time with the rabble, I see," Saella finished, her rose-petal lips curving into a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Rolling in the dirt with some lowly commoner isn't the way for a Hero to gain the power the kingdom needs. You already receive enough training with Roland."

Lia stiffened beside me, her knuckles white on the hilt of her practice blade. I could practically feel the anger radiating off her, but she kept her eyes down, knowing better than to challenge the princess directly.

"Apologies, Your Highness," I said carefully, trying to keep my tone even. "I simply thought some extra training—"

"You thought?" Saella laughed, the sound like shattering crystal. "Oh, my dear Hero, that's not your role. You're here to follow orders, not make decisions." She reached out, tracing a perfectly manicured finger along my jaw. "Now, come along. You still have so much to learn from me. And be grateful that I decided to give you personal lessons; that's a great honor."

I hesitated, glancing at Lia. I hated leaving her like this, hated the way Saella dismissed her so casually. But what choice did I have? Refusing the princess openly would only make things worse for both of us.

"Until next time," I murmured to Lia, hoping she could read the apology in my eyes. Then, with a sinking heart, I allowed Saella to lead me away.

The "etiquette lessons," as Saella called them, were little more than thinly veiled torture sessions. Whenever I failed to meet her exacting standards—a fumbled dance step, a misspoken phrase, even a slightly wrinkled cuff—she was quick to "correct" me.

Sometimes it was with her Sound Element magic—focused bursts of concentrated noise that left my head ringing and my vision swimming. Other times, she opted for a more hands-on approach, striking me across the face with enough force to split my lip or blacken my eye. She held back, of course; I was "delicate," after all. And she would ensure that her personal healer tended to my wounds.

"You must learn your place," she would say afterward, dabbing delicately at her knuckles as I struggled to rise. "A Hero must be perfect in all things. Anything less is unacceptable."

I endured it all in silence, burying my anger and humiliation deep inside. In the end, I was just a helpless teenager at their complete mercy.

But this wouldn’t be the case forever... oh no, it wouldn’t.

*** Current time ***

"Well... that was strange," I muttered, shaking my head as everyone around us seemed to snap back to reality, like puppets whose strings had suddenly been cut. Going back to normal after that show, though, was another matter. Not everyone recovered as quickly as I did.

For several minutes, we sat in silence. I found myself pondering what the puck that had been while my companions tried to regain their composure. Unlike me, they had been thoroughly mesmerized by the disturbing cartoon—their faces still showed traces of manic glee, slowly fading into confusion and discomfort.

The waiter finally approached our table, carrying our food with slightly trembling hands. "Sorry for the delay," he said, his earlier confidence somewhat diminished. "I completely forgot it was time for Chuckles Time. As an apology..." he trailed off, looking uncertain. "Well, I don’t know what we can do, considering we've already offered you free food, Mr. Apex Curious Creature."

The smell of the food helped break the lingering tension, but I couldn't shake the feeling that we’d just witnessed something far more significant than a simple cartoon show. Mr. Chuckles, it seemed, was determined to make sure everyone in his domain stayed "happy"—whether they wanted to or not.

The realization hit me hard: even Barry, a being of level 1000, was completely terrified of Mr. Chuckles. And my quest required me not only to meet him in person but also to survive the encounter. Now it seemed this particular objective would be more dangerous than any other. But there was time for everything, and right now it was time for food.

"Don't worry about the delay," I told the waiter. "With such an... interesting show, I can't blame you for enjoying yourself too much."

The food he brought resembled what I had eaten at McTrump's just yesterday—or rather, before the Tutorial. But with the first bite, I instantly noticed a significant difference. The food was enhanced, and while it didn't have the dense Aether concentration of Luminosa's cuisine, there was something special about it. In fact, it seemed to contain not just Aether, but a specific Mana pattern designed to enhance its taste.

"So you have a magical chef here?" I asked the waiter.

"Of course. Why would someone even work as a chef if they don't have a cooking-related Archetype?"

"Interesting. So the System isn't purely designed around combat?"

"Ha! Everyone can have an Archetype that fits their goals," the waiter shrugged before moving to serve other clients.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

"So how did you unlock your Archetypes?" I asked my companions. "I unlocked a fair share after completing the side quest."

"Oh, so you didn't even read your System messages?" Alisa gave me a surprised look. "Everyone gets an assessment at the beginning and receives both their Archetypes and bonus System Points for their life accomplishments."

"Right, I remember this from the Tutorial difficulty description. But my System was installing the whole time, so it isn't exactly consistent. Plus, it gave me messages while I was busy with other stuff."

"Okay System, show me my assessment message," I commanded. The System proved quite convenient, responding readily to interface requests. I must have missed this particular message while fighting in the arena.

I had expected to see a long list of bonuses and achievements from my time in Luminosa. But, of course, that wouldn't be the case. The System seemed to have no idea what had transpired in that other world. Instead, it focused on my life on Earth, which wasn't particularly exciting.

[Life Assessment: Clinton Wyatt]

[A Life of No Particular Significance... Just Kidding! Or are we?]

You spent your life as a completely normal kid growing up in a single-parent family while taking care of your little sister. You didn't do a particularly good job with that (seriously, hiding her smartphone? That's your idea of discipline?), though apparently, she seemed to love you anyway. Stockholm syndrome much? Your dedication to being an annoying but protective big brother is almost admirable. Almost.

[Archetype Unlocked: "Big Bro" (Uncommon)]

Trait: Sis Loves Me - Your sister's presence enhances your abilities by up to 15%. Works only for biological sisters. What, you thought adoption papers could fool us? Doesn't stack. So someone with a hundred sisters won't suddenly become a god. But a secondary effect—being able to track your sister's location precisely—will work on all of them.

Innate Ability: Protective Surge - Channel your big brother energy into a berserker rage, temporarily gaining a boost to your Might, Grace, and Tenacity when your sister is in danger. The greater the danger to her, the greater the boost.

Cost: Very High

Cooldown: Long

Scaling: Might, Spirit

You were a talkative guy, though no one really liked your jokes or you. After all, you weren't particularly attractive or cute even as a kid, and your jokes weren't exactly funny (especially when they hurt other people's feelings. Remember that time with the math teacher? Yikes!). But hey, at least you developed thick skin and an encyclopedic knowledge of useless facts. That has to count for something, right?

[Archetype Unlocked: "The Nerd" (Common)]

Trait: Knowledge Seeker - Gain a 15% bonus to learning speed for theoretical subjects, -5% to social interactions. Don't worry, being socially awkward is part of the charm!

Innate Ability: Neural Mail - Create a temporary mental connection to transfer knowledge directly into an ally's mind. Warning: May cause headaches and a sudden urge to quote Star Wars.

Cost: Low

Cooldown: Short

Scaling: Mind

Your grades were average, and your social life was plain. Your grades could have been higher if you put more effort into studying instead of gaming. But still, you were rather good at what you loved - you even beat another kid in games so thoroughly that he eventually agreed to call you "Boss" (We're looking at you, Jimmy!). Seriously, who makes someone call them "Boss" over a game? You, apparently.

[Archetype Unlocked: "Gamer" (Common)]

Trait: Game Sense - Convert gaming experience into combat proficiency, increasing reaction speed by 20% and strategic thinking by 15% during battle. Those countless hours weren't wasted after all!

Innate Ability: Virtual Interface - Create a temporary HUD overlay showing levels, weak points, and predicted attack patterns of your targets. Note: No, you can't use it to quick-save in real life.

Cost: Low

Cooldown: Moderate

Scaling: Mind, Grace

And then, just before you could graduate from high school, you disappeared. No note, no trace, nothing. Your father became obsessed with finding you, and your sister never gave up hope. We'd make a touching TV movie about it, but you'd probably complain about the casting.

[Archetype Unlocked: "Dropout" (Common)]

Trait: Street Smart - Convert missed academic opportunities into practical wisdom, gaining a 15% boost to improvisation skills, -10% to academic pursuits. Who needs calculus when you can count cards?

Innate Ability: Street Smart

Momentarily deconstruct complex scenarios into simplified survival patterns, revealing hidden paths and quick solutions. Reality becomes a playground of strategic possibilities.

Cost: Low

Cooldown: Short

Scaling: Mind

But there wasn't a trace of your disappearance... Almost as if you vanished into thin air. Either you're really good at hiding, or something very strange happened. Our money's on the latter.

[Archetype Unlocked: "Find Me If You Can" (???)]

Trait: ??? (Error: Trait information corrupted or blocked.)

Innate Ability: There and Back Again - Creates a connection with whatever force took you out of your home world.

Cost: ???

Cooldown: ???

Scaling: ???

After 10 years, you suddenly returned as if nothing happened. Not only that, but you demonstrated some unbelievable feats! First, you showed your naked body right on the street. While it wasn't exactly Times Square, such a shameless display has earned you our attention... and probably several indecency complaints.

[Archetype Unlocked: "Exhibitionist" (Uncommon)]

Trait: Natural Defense - Gain armor equal to 5% of your Tenacity when naked. The less you wear, the tougher you get. Just don't get caught by the police.

Innate Ability: Invisible Armor - Create an invisible protective layer covering exposed skin. Finally, a practical reason to go commando!

Cost: Moderate

Cooldown: Short

Scaling: Tenacity, Spirit

Then you demonstrated some impressive abilities, showing that bullets are merely an inconvenience. We're not sure what's more concerning - your bullet immunity or how casually you proved it.

[Archetype Unlocked: "Bulletproof" (Rare)]

Trait: Impact Resistance - Reduce damage from kinetic weapons by 40% when not wearing armor. Yes, you're basically a walking tank. No, this doesn't mean you should volunteer for shooting practice.

Innate Ability: Kinetic Absorption - Your body dynamically redistributes physical impact, converting incoming kinetic energy into temporary resilience. Muscles tense, bones harden, and trauma dissipates through an instinctive biological dampening response. No fancy magic, just pure physical endurance.

Cost: High

Cooldown: Very Short

Scaling: Tenacity

You saved a couple from gangsters - quite the heroic display! Though your methods were... questionable at best. Still, points for style!

[Archetype Unlocked: "Vigilante" (Uncommon)]

Trait: Street Justice - Gain a 25% damage bonus against criminals and wrongdoers. The System judges intent, so don't try to rules-lawyer this one.

Innate Ability: Intimidating Presence - Project an aura that induces primal fear in those with a guilty conscience. Like a walking, talking lie detector, but scarier.

Cost: Moderate

Cooldown: Moderate

Scaling: Might, Spirit

And then you robbed the robbers of their memories and belongings. How ironic! We appreciate the poetic justice, even if your methods were... ethically dubious.

[Archetype Unlocked: "Robber" (Common)]

Trait: Urban Opportunist - Gain enhanced awareness of vulnerable targets and situational advantages. +15% to detecting unguarded valuable opportunities in high-risk environments.

Innate Ability: Value Perception - Temporarily see valuable items and potential marks highlighted through walls. Like a thief's thermal vision, but shinier.

Cost: Very Low

Cooldown: Moderate

Scaling: Mind

You also demonstrated that your gaming abilities reached new heights - even by our standards, your reaction time and strategic thinking are impressive. Did you know that you accidentally beat one of the world's champions at Cosmos Craft 2? He thought you were a bot or cheater.

[Archetype Unlocked: "Apex Gamer" (Rare)]

Trait: Supreme Gamer - Convert gaming experience into combat proficiency, increasing your Grace by 25% and strategic thinking by 35% during battle. Increases EXP gain by 10%. Your thousands of hours in games finally pay off!

Innate Ability: Hyper-Tactical Interface - Project an advanced AR overlay that transforms reality into a live tactical simulation, revealing enemy weak points, probabilities of attack patterns, and strategic vulnerabilities with godlike precision. Your vision becomes the ultimate gameplay cheat sheet. Yes, you can use this to win at poker.

Cost: High

Cooldown: Short

Scaling: Mind, Grace

You also showed that whether in basketball or street workouts, you're not half bad at either. Though showing off with impossible shots and one-handed muscle-ups might be a bit much. Ever heard of subtlety?

[Archetype Unlocked: "Superior Athlete" (Rare)]

Trait: Peak Performance - Gain a 30% bonus to athletic activities when not using supernatural enhancements. Yes, this means you're actually BETTER without magic. Physics is crying in the corner.

Innate Ability: Physical Overclock - Temporarily push your body beyond human limitations, ignoring muscle fatigue and structural limits. Your joints will hate you later.

Cost: High

Cooldown: Long

Scaling: Might, Tenacity

Well, after that, you just reunited with your sister and her boyfriend, who is also your bro. Nothing deserving an archetype here—sorry to disappoint you. Though we considered "Sister Complex" for a moment... just kidding! (Maybe.)

Your evaluation is complete. Sure, you did some impressive things after your return, but it wasn't long enough to earn you anything truly discernible. Most people have no idea about your existence. You're not famous and haven't done anything that would greatly influence the world.

Compared to truly important people, your achievements here on Earth are not that impressive. If you're curious, even the highest number isn't as astronomical as you might think—especially compared to financial success. The current record holder has 12 million achievement points—a billionaire who pioneered AI and space travel, considered by many to be the most influential person on Earth.

Who are you compared to him and others who advanced your civilization (which has already been destroyed)? So you should be satisfied with your final assessment.

An average person only unlocks a few Common and Uncommon Archetypes and earns 1,000 Temporary System Points. As for you...

Bonus Temporary System Points Awarded: 72,432 (These can only be used in the Booster Shop, and all unused points will disappear. That's pretty much a top 0.5% result, mostly thanks to your shenanigans after you returned.)

"How many Temporary Points did you guys earn?" I asked, shaking my head at the corny System and its "evaluations."

I expected to hear the answer from Sergio or Alisa, but the one to respond was actually the Black disco-ball man.

"Five hundred, Boss!" he said while chewing on chicken legs. Okay, that wasn't something I expected.