Today is the day. I'm finally going to get my Classes. It's been horrible having to wait till I was 16 to get my System Access. Unfortunately ever since The Fall, that's been how things work. That was 200 years ago. I guess it used to be anyone could learn anything before that, so even today there is a lot of resentment.

But that happened long before I was born, these days there are people from all over the universe who live on earth. Beast Men, Elves, Dwarves, Anthros, cultivation clans, Orcs, Goblins, Trolls. Basically every fantasy race ever seen in a movie or book is alive and well today. On earth. Even Dragons.

Anthros have it the worst being the newest race to arrive. They only started showing up 30 years ago. The man did the Beast Men hate them on sight.

Apparently sometime in the past, they were one people. Much like high elves and dark elves. Then there was a split and the Beast Men evolved to look less animal-like while the Anthros evolved to be more beast like.

Sadly most Anthros are slaves now, they have a few free communities and even a couple towns here in the North American Republic. But even here we have some enslaved. Apparently once an Anthro is enslaved by a system contract its incredibly expensive to free one, so most people don't bother.

As I walked toward town hall I began to wish my parents could be here. They had died 4 years ago leaving me, my two youngest brothers and my little sister alone. They were adventurers. Successful ones too, and they had been smart enough to save up and buy a home for us all.

They had even managed to put aside enough for us kids to go to school. After they died their belongings had been given to us. The only thing I'd kept was my father's ring. I'd let the other 3 picks one item each and we had sold the rest to the guild.

Looking at the ring as I walked I couldn't help but smile in memory. I'd pestered father for weeks about it when he came back with it. He'd never told me where it came from though. It was gold and silver wire spirals wrapped up in a bluish metal and on top was a tiny dragon curled up as if asleep. Little ruby eyes staring towards the tip of the finger.

Shaking off the memories I hurried toward the town hall a little faster. Today was going to be a great day.

The streets started getting crowded the closer I got to Town Hall. Today was a big day not just for me but also for everyone over 16 who hadn't gotten a class yet.

Every year on January 1st there was a huge festival. We call it System Day. On that day everyone celebrates the new Chosen.

Every town has a Selection Hall. You walk through the door on one end and out the other. No one knows what happens inside, except people come out changed. You gain system access and class abilities.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

The best thing about it is your class can be anything. There are basic classes like Carpenters and Smithing. And everyone gets a trade class of some kind. Then there are Advanced Classes like Architect and Weapon Smith. Those are uncommon though. Of course, there are legendary classes also like Alchemist or Arcatek, but those are so rare you might as well use a Genie Lamp to wish for one. And good luck with that. Those things cost more than the gross national product of our entire republic in 10 years.

The flip side is everyone also gets a combat class of some kind, those range from your basic soldiers to rangers, uncommon classes like Medic are also possible. Then you have ultra legendary classes like Dragon Knight and Warlord. Again you might as well wish on a Genie.

Honestly, I'll be happy with any combination that lets me be an Adventurer. While the money our parents left us was a lot, feeding four kids until they can reach System Day and begin helping out hasn't been cheap. Never mind if one of us gets an advanced class or something and we end up having to go to college.

Finally, I reach the front of the crowd, there are 13 kids standing near the door to the hall. So I walk over and join them.

"Hey Jeremy," I say.

Jeremy is my best friend. Has been since we were six and I beat the crap out of Kody Jackson for picking on him and taking his mechanical horse. He's shorter than me at 5' 5". We joke about him not hitting his growth spurt yet, his dad is massive at 6'6". He's also nerdy as hell. He looks over at me and shakes his head making his brown bowl cut hair wiggle. He also has green eyes behind a serious set of coke bottle glasses. He's been waiting for this day because once he gains his system access his physical defects like his nearsightedness will get corrected by the change.

Shaking his head Jeremy fist bumps me.

"Dude you almost missed it, you know they don't let latecomers in. You woulda had to wait a whole 'another year." Jeremy says.

"Yah I know but I had to deal with that ass hat Jacob. He was picking on Molly again. He even messed up her new dress with mud pies." I said.

Molly is my kid sister. Unlike the rest of us red-haired boys somehow she ended up blonde. She also has the clearest blue eyes you have ever seen. Shes basically an angel. Just without wings. Shes only 6 and Jacob is the bully in her class. He's freaking 10 but he's been held back a lot because he's dumber than a box of rocks.

I stood there chatting with Jeremy until the Mayor came over and cleared his throat.

"Ok kids it's time, line up and we will open the door one at a time. We have record keepers on the other side. Once you exit give them your classes and class descriptions as well as any specialized skills you might gain. That way we can keep our records up to date and help you kids begin your new life. If one of you gets extra lucky you might even get a rare class and be sent to the College Arcanum in Omaha. Good luck to you."

We waited, then one at a time at 15-minute intervals they sent us through the door. I fist bumped Jeremy again before he entered and wished him luck.

Then it was my turn.

As I walked towards the doors I felt a nervous flutter in my belly. Forcing it down I entered the dark hallway and the doors shut behind me.

System starting.....

ERROR!! ERROR!! ERROR!!

FOREIGN CONTAMINATION DETECTED...

BEGINNING REPAIR PROCEDURE.....

FOREIGN SOUL DETECTED.....

PURGE FAILED...

PROCEEDING TO PROTOCOL 2 AND INITIATING SOUL MERGE.

MERGE SUCCESSFUL.

CLASS SELECTION PROCEEDING.

PRE-EXISTING SKILLS ACCESSIBLE...

MERGING SKILLS LIST.

CHOOSING CLASSES.

RELEASING SUBJECT 7382382382I45000201