-[2]- Level 2

“Excuse me,” Alex said, his voice toned down to just a whisper as he approached the reception desk in the Akasha Temple’s library. “Can you tell me where to find books on Wizard class?”

The balding man with thick glasses glanced up from the scroll in his hands, his brows furrowing in contemplation as he gave Alex a once-over.

“Books for beginners are on the tenth rack, way up there.”

Alex’s gaze followed the man’s finger to the far corner of the hall. There, tucked away at the very end, stood a rack much smaller than the others. It looked practically deserted as if no one had gone there in decades.

“Thank you.” He said, turning around and walking in the shown direction.

Perhaps due to the early hour, the library was almost deserted. Only a handful of people occupied the vast space, each one seemingly absorbed in the books they held, oblivious to Alex's presence. The quiet rustle of turning pages and the faint creak of old wooden shelves were the only sounds that disturbed the stillness.

Alex didn’t find this scene out of the norm. The Akasha Temple was perched on a mountain, requiring a grueling climb of no less than a hundred steps to reach its entrance. Moreover, the mountain itself was several miles from Morse Town. Who in their right mind would make the arduous trek all the way up here just to read a few books? Most folks couldn’t be bothered, especially when other libraries were far more accessible.

The thick layer of dust stubbornly clinging to everything on the 10th rack didn’t faze Alex in the slightest. He’d seen worse in his own room before his mom forced him to clean it. Compared to that, this was nothing more than a mild inconvenience.

Without hesitation, he reached for the nearest book, brushing off a thin cloud of dust as he pulled it from the shelf.

Ten Things to Know About Water Elemental Spells.

Useless. Alex put it back from where he picked it up and chose another.

Know Your Spells.

Interesting. Could be helpful.

He placed the book down on the table behind him and continued to browse the shelf. After sifting through a few more dusty titles, he managed to screen out two more books that seemed to cover exactly what he needed. With a satisfied nod, Alex carried the small pile back to the table and settled in, ready to dive into the knowledge hidden within these neglected volumes.

-~X~-

Half an hour ticked by in the blink of an eye. Alex closed the book titled A, B, C of Wizard Class with a soft thud. His fingers lingered on the worn cover for a moment as he processed the contents.

Knowledge is the path to understanding the Truth. Class Exp +10

Alex’s lips curled up into a smile as illusory characters blinked in his field of vision.

Once someone successfully obtained the Akashic Record’s blessing, their consciousness would forever be tethered to the vast sea of knowledge it contained. This mystical connection allowed them to perceive their own quantified attributes—strength, agility, intelligence, and more. Under the right conditions, they could even edit and refine these traits, shaping their growth in ways people without blessing could only dream of.

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The Record acted like a personalized interface.

His eyes fell upon the book he just finished.

It had been a productive read. Because Alex had never, even in his wildest dreams, ever expected to receive the [Wizard] class, his research on the said Class was sorely lacking. He had no idea how to proceed or even what to do to level up.

And besides, as a man without much capital, it was even more crucial for Alex to fully understand his own [Class]. Every advantage mattered when resources were scarce.

He couldn’t afford to squander opportunities or make mistakes in his development. Knowing the ins and outs of his abilities, skills, and potential growth paths was not just important—it was a matter of survival.

For someone like him, each decision carried weight, and the wrong choice could cost him everything.

There were a few points Alex understood from the book.

First, he needed to figure out what kind of Wizard he wanted to be. There were two paths a Wizard could take—a battle-type or research-focused.

Alex didn’t even need to think about which path he wanted to take. He wasn’t the type to coop himself up in a cramped room, nose-deep in ancient tomes and thick spellbooks.

He craved action, movement, and the thrill of combat. The thought of throwing himself into dungeons and facing off against those nasty monsters filled him with excitement. That was the path he envisioned for himself.

And it was also the quickest way to gather riches.

Second, he had to decide what kind of wizardry role he wanted to take on the battlefield. Would he be the type to stand at the frontlines, unleashing a barrage of destructive spells, raining fire, lightning, and chaos on his enemies? Or would he take a more strategic approach, staying at the rear and supporting his comrades with buffs and debuffs—strengthening allies and weakening foes from a distance?

Both paths led to a promising future but required vastly different skillsets, strategies, and, most importantly, mentalities.

Alex didn’t think he had the sharp mind needed to analyze an entire battlefield in real-time and make split-second decisions to provide tactical support. That required a level of foresight and precision he wasn’t sure he possessed. Besides, support-type spells weren’t cheap either.

Third, he must choose his spells with his Talent in mind. Just learning all the strongest-looking spells wouldn’t do, he must also consider synergy.

Alex committed everything to his memory. He’d refer to these points when selecting a spell later.

The second book was titled Know Your Spells. It talked about many beginner spells, their usages, their strength, and their weaknesses.

Alex skipped to the chapter dedicated to Magic Hand—the spell he got after obtaining the [Class].

Magic Hand

A spell that comes under the ‘Conjuration’ category. Manifest a spectral limb, a hand, made from pure and raw magic elements to aid you. The hand is invisible to the naked eye and more dexterous than a fleshy hand.

After reading the introduction, Alex had a rough idea about the spell. Then he gave the entire chapter a thorough read.

When he was done, the Akashic Records notified him of corresponding experience gains.

Every class had its unique method of leveling up beyond just slaying monsters. A [Swordsman], for instance, needed to train diligently with their weapon, swinging their sword hundreds, if not thousands, of times to gain experience points.

Wizards, on the other hand, followed a vastly different path. They could gain experience points by reading and comprehending knowledge. Their strength grew not only in battle but through deep intellectual understanding.

-~X~-

While Alex was absorbed in the books, a couple of hours had slipped by unnoticed.

Floating fonts unique to Akashic Records blinked into his field of vision, pulling him out of the trance he had fallen into.

Knowledge is the path to understanding the Truth. Class Exp +25

Congratulations! Your level has gone up by 1.

Magic +2; Focus +1

You have obtained 2 potential points.

“Wha-”

Alex didn’t know how to respond. The suddenness of it all had caught him completely off guard, leaving him no time to prepare. Somehow, while reading books, he gained a level.

Was leveling up supposed to be this easy for the Wizards?