Colt gave a small laugh and pressed a hand against his wounds. Blood slowly seeped through his fingers, but it was what it was. He felt he couldn’t get up and walk—even if he could bring himself to crawl. It was a long ways from the kitchen. In this state, he couldn’t make it. In the grand scheme of things, maybe he’d pushed a little too hard. Gone a little too far. This was the price of that.
But those moments, dancing on the edge of death, almost killing a boss?
It was worth tipping over.
His dad had told him a few times when he was young that life was best lived on the edge. It hadn’t made much sense to him back when he was nine. Until yesterday, he hadn’t even fully understood what that meant. There were too many troubles and things to worry about in the future to ‘live life on the edge’ since it would probably end with you in a gutter somewhere without a roof over your head.
But the last twenty-four hours? He’d seen the edge.
And because of that, he felt more free than ever before. Every choice, every consequence, it was his and his alone.
Fine. Bring on the classes. Might as well have a last laugh and see what this new reality would offer him before he died.
———
You have Four Class Options!
These options are presented based on a careful analysis of your past, potential, and recent activities since integration. Different classes offer different bonuses to stats on level-up and depend on different Core skills. Leveling and advancing classes depends on the leveling of core skills in said class. If you wish to progress or evolve in a class, be sure to focus on the core skills in a timely fashion. Progressing a class will result in the addition of further core Skills, additional Stat Points, and other class-specific rewards and insights. Lower rarity classes are often easier to advance, as they have less of a requirement on core skill leveling to proceed forward.
Note: You have obtained levels since integration has begun. Upon class selection, additional stat points will be awarded retroactively. As you’ve accumulated quite a few levels already, be sure to be seated when confirming your final selection!
———
Endurance.
Whatever he picked needed to offer more endurance. Colt was well aware of that requirement; anything else was death. Fate, it seemed, hadn’t left him stranded here to die.
With that in mind, he let the next notification hit.
———
Below are the class options, along with starting core skills. If you do not currently have a core skill, you will be given it when choosing a particular class.
—
Class: Cook [Common]
Additional Stats Per Level: +1 Dexterity
Core Skills: Knives/Daggers Proficiency, Cooking
Description: This class is based on preparing food to feed others. Most skills in this class are utility-based in nature, with a focus on non-combat. That said, kitchen knife skills can help in a pinch. You have been offered this class due to your significant background in the culinary industry.
—
Class: Rogue [Uncommon]
Additional Stats Per Level: +1 Dexterity, +1 Unassigned Stat Point
Core Skills: Knives/Daggers Proficiency, Stealth, Hide Status
Description: This is a combat class specifically tailored for sneaking around and stabbing things with knives. Most skills in this class are geared toward combat and stealth and can be a great asset in disguising oneself and getting in quick and efficient attacks. You’ve earned this class due to your accumulated progress with various skills and through efficient one-person operations.
—
Class: Duelist [Uncommon]
Additional Stats Per Level: +1 Strength, +1 Dexterity
Core Skills: Knives/Daggers Proficiency, Swords Proficiency, Speed Spike
Description: A combat class tailored for versatility between swords and daggers. While not as sneaky as a rogue, they make use of both weapons for different ranges and often bounce between the ability to strike hard and strong and strike deadly at a specific target. One thing is common to all duelists: they must stay on their toes to avoid the brunt of damage. You’ve earned this class through skill progression in knives/daggers and swords.
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Class: Edict Carver [Rare]
Additional Stats Per Level: +1 Dexterity, +1 Soul, +1 Unassigned Stat Point
Core Skills: Knives/Daggers Proficiency, Meditation, Identify, Phantom’s Step
Description: A class devoted to enforcing Edicts through precise and efficient strikes, using their understanding of the laws of reality to cut and advance control over the threads that tie us all together. This skill focuses on small weapons, quick movement, and the development of Edicts alongside the development of the class. You’ve earned this class through the quick understanding and mastery of the Edict Cut before even having a class. Be warned, though, as this class is devoted to Edicts, which means that your progress and your fate are tied to your ability to understand the world around you, and moving forward is not always linear; if you become stunted in your ability to understand, you will stall with this class.
———
Colt threw away the option of being a cook—the other three were more of a choice. It was interesting to note that ‘Cook’ was a non-combat class, meaning that not everyone’s classes were equal. It didn’t escape his notice that the rarer a class was, the more additional stats it offered per level—Edict Carver, as the only rare one, gave three additional stat points.
That said, the warning in the class about edict progress was concerning.
He barely understood Cut or how it tied into everything else. The levels, the statistics, and the skills clicked with the part of him that understood video games.
It was easy to see how the skills and statistics of both Rogue and Duelist could lead to a linear and straightforward path through this dungeon. They would provide power and strength, and he felt confident he could get a lot out of them. Duelist, though, lacked any additional endurance points. Which was a problem, given he was damn near bled out. So, that was automatically ruled out.
He should pick Rogue.
It made more sense to pick Rogue.
Rogue had everything he needed, and it made sense. It would get him to the end and offer everything he needed.
But rare. Like a kid in a candy store, his eyes kept trickling back to the word rare. He didn’t fully grasp what all of the class meant—but if it was rare, then it was special. He had two uncommon skills and had yet to see a single rare one. This was a rare class.
“Damn,” Colt shook his head, “Yeah, let’s keep riding along the edge then, right? So what if it means I have to figure out another part of this system? Life has never been easy.”
He selected Edict Carver.
———
Congratulations, you have selected Edict Carver.
Please relax as your Class is branded on your soul.
———
Colt rolled his eyes. Relax. Yeah, right.
And then… His heart quickened, his head jerked back, smashing against the steel fencing behind him, and his body began to convulse as messages flashed in front of his eyes.
———
Skill Gained: Meditation [Uncommon] {Core}
*Meditation* (Basic) - Level 1
This skill allows the user to dive deep within themselves and enter a state of relaxation and cultivation. Insight into the nature of being, their state of mind, and their emotions can be readily explored. Advanced levels of this skill allow for outside understanding as well as access to vivid inner worlds.
Note: Core Skills will be designated by stars next to their skill name in the Status Sheet.
Skill Gained: Phantom’s Step [Rare] {Core}
*Phantom’s Step* (Basic) - Level 1
This skill allows the user to phase into a spirit for a step, which can increase to more than a couple of steps as the skill progresses, taking them out of physical reality. Be careful, as returning to reality while in the middle of an object will have unintended consequences.
———
The skills flashed through him—the knowledge of diving deep into himself and the far more complex process of phasing out of physical being—in almost incomprehensible skill. Were it not for the System literally explaining to him how to do it, using a touch of magic, he would have thought it impossible, but the shaking only increased.
His core.
His soul, the little place not too far from his heart that he’d just begun to feel, swelled, his heart pounded, and the blood rushed through his ears, his whole body screaming that he was about to die.
———
You have gained 20 points of Soul!
You have gained 20 points of Dexterity!
You have 20 Stat Points to spend!
———
Then the pain stopped, and with it came calm coolness. His back felt oddly cold, considering the rest of his blood had rushed and warmed from the tension and danger of the last minute.
No, wait, that was just blood going down the back of his head from where he’d slammed it against the steel and the blood running down his back.
“Wow,” Colt said, rubbing at his eyes as he took in the life around him. Never, and he repeated to himself, ever, again, did he want to go through a class assignment.
He closed his eyes and then made his choice with the additional 20 stat points.
10 went directly to Endurance. Those were easy; he needed to recover to get back to the kitchen and see everyone else. The other ten were more difficult—in the end, he split them. Five to dexterity, given it was a major focus of his class, and it took the stat to a nice even 50. It was pleasant to look at and a core component to using knives, which he supposed he would focus on, making it an easy pick.
The other five… He decided to sink into willpower, hoping it would help when he encountered Jack again and further reduce that fear skill of his.
Because he would encounter him again.
Next time, there would be no more Jack.
After he spent the points, his body convulsed; for a second or two, he swore he had lost consciousness, but then when he came back, he felt better than ever—a new man.
With a grunt of effort, Colt got back to his feet. The ten points into endurance made all the difference; he felt more solid, and the knife wound to his gut now felt like a minor injury, somehow. The muscles deeper beneath stitched together, and the bleeding slowed.
Colt slowly left the octagon, taking one last long look at the path of devastation he’d inflicted on the kobolds.
It was time to return to the others.