"Getting skills so you can have many classes to choose from is good," Rachel said. "But I think your teacher is right. The skills you have don't matter when it comes to getting classifications. You won't believe the shitty classification I get despite having so many skills in the archaic range." She sighed. "Just do it. I believe the Rewind will cover all your losses."

She stared at him for a long moment before she sighed again. "Are you going to do it or not?"

"Fine," he said. "What do I need to do?"

"Level up each of your mana taming skills to level 10," she said.

Gaus did as he was told.

Mana armament has reached level 10.

You can now focus the armament on a specific area.

The cost has raised to 10 MP.

*

Advanced levitation has reached level 10.

The cost has been reduced to 7.5 MP per second.

*

Space levitation has reached level 10.

The cost has been reduced to 2.5 MP per meter.

*

Weightless levitation has reached level 10.

The cost has been reduced to 2.5 MP per kg.

*

Mana levitation has reached level 10.

The cost has been reduced to 2.5 MP per second.

"It's done," he said.

"Get ready then." She took his hands in hers. "It might hurt a little."

That was the biggest understatement of the week. For a second, he felt as if he'd stepped on hot coal and at the same time someone was slicing his skin. It was worse. He tried to yank his hands away but it was too late.

Congratulations, you've reached all the requirements for mana taming.

Your mana is tamed.

Based on the nature of your mana, the system will select the most appropriate skill for your classification.

This may take a while...

His vision slowly returned and he saw another window.

The system has selected Rewind as the most appropriate skill for your classification.

Initiating...

Initiating done.

Congratulations, you have received the classification: Loop Master.

Welcome to the next level. You have now tamed your mana and received your classification.

As a Loop Master, you are entitled to three things: Loop knowledge, loop power, and a guild.

Loop knowledge is a measure of your understanding of the loop. How does the loop work? How does it come into being? How can it be stopped? How many people are in it? What's the purpose behind it? And so on. This is a passive attribute and will upgrade on its own whenever your knowledge of the loop increases.

Loop power is a measure of your authority within the loop. How strong are you? How many loopers do you command? How strong are your followers? This is a passive attribute and will upgrade on its own whenever your power within the loop increases.

The guild is a society. A formal group of loopers dedicated to one cause. This is an active attribute and will not upgrade on its own. You need to improve your guild and add more followers. You don't have a base yet and you have zero followers. Assign base? Y/N? Add followers? Y/N?

Assessing for loop knowledge, and loop power...

Please wait.

"Did it work?" Rachel asked

"It..." He hesitated. It was more of a tease than anything.

"What?" She asked.

"It... it..."

"What the hell is it?"

"It works! I got a classification called Loop Master."

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"Loop Master? What is the parent skill?" She asked.

"Rewind," he said.

"Of course," she said. "Can you add other people into the loop?"

"I don't know yet," he said. "The system is still assessing my loop knowledge and loop power."

The window appeared.

Assessment is done.

Loop knowledge is 101.5%

Loop power is 103%

Guild is 0%

Loop Master has reached level 1/100 (loop knowledge 101.5%, loop power 103%, guild 0%)

+1 slot (assign? Y/N?)

-2% experience per level for Rewind

NB: each slot can be used to add another person into the loop. You can set each slot as either permanent, condition, or temporary.

Permanent loopers will remember everything from every save. You don't have to renew their contract.

Condition loopers will only remember twenty-four-hour saves. They will not remember small saves in between. Their contract depends on a condition. They'll be removed from the loop if they don't fulfill the condition.

Temporary loopers are set to expire on a schedule. The contract needs to be renewed afterward.

"Did it work," she asked. "Can you add people into the loop?"

"Yes, it worked," he said. "I can add people into the loop."

"How does the classification affect the experience requirement for the parent skill?" She asked.

"-2% experience per level. I don't get it though."

"It's simple," she said. "Your classification is based on Rewind, so every time you level it up, it will, in turn, reduce the experience required to level up Rewind. That's why you need a classification. Without it, you can't level up beyond the fourth specialization."

Gaus had been wondering about that. The experience requirement got crazy as you went up the ladder. From levels 1 to 10, you only needed hundreds of experience to level up. From levels 11 to 20, you needed tens of thousands of experience. From levels 21 to 30, you needed hundreds of thousands. And it went up to millions after the third specialization. At level 50, it would be practically impossible to level up. But it would be possible now with the classification reducing the experience at every turn.

"So I need to improve my classification which in turn will reduce the experience I need to level up Rewind. It's a controlled mechanism."

She nodded.

Okay. This was undoubtedly the most fruitful day ever. He could now invite others into the loop. He couldn't wait to get started.

Nadin

Meanwhile, somewhere in the First World, Tyren and Nadin argued with a guard.

"How the hell did you even get here?" The guard snapped.

"It's just a force field, my friend," Nadin said. "You can argue with us all day or you can go inside and tell your superiors that they have some important guests."

"Tell them a temporary looper from an unaffiliated guild is here to see them," Tyren said.

"Dammit!" The guard said through his teeth. "Stay here and don't move a damn muscle."

He went into the hall only to come back a couple of minutes later and led them inside.

It was a small hall. Dark and unnaturally silent. It was as if no sound from the outside could get inside. There was a round table at the center. Several old men and women sat around it.

Tyren and Nadin stood in front of the crowd.

"It's an honor to stand in front of so many Loop Masters," Tyren said with a slight bow of his head. "I'm Tyren Onis, I came from the loopers academy."

"What brings you to the Council of Loop Masters?" One of the men asked. "Does your master want to submit to the Council?"

"I... don't think so," Tyren said. "Well, you can ask him personally. I'm here for something else."

The old men shared amused looks before they turned to him again.

"Are you betraying your master?" The man asked.

"No, I'm not," Tyren said. "I'm still in the loop because of him and I'm willing to fulfill any quest he bestowed upon me."

"So why are you here?" The man asked again and this time with a frown.

"I found someone the Council wants," Tyren said. "She goes by the name Minorita Salesal."

"You found Minorita?" Another man asked. He sounded genuinely surprised.

"I did." Tyren nodded. "I have someone watching her right now as we speak, in case she moves."

"So let's say you are saying the truth. What do you want in return?" The man asked.

"She took something that belongs to me," Tyren said. "A boy. Fair with dark-brown eyes. He goes by the name Gaus. I want him back."

"Fine, give us the address," the man said. "If your information is correct, we'll get her and you'll have the boy. Although, the Council would like to know who this boy is."

Gaus

It was a new loop. Everything had gone back to normal except maybe his new ability to add people into the loop.

"I'm happy to see you too," Rachel said. "Are you happy with your classification?"

"It's the best I could hope for. Thank you. I owe you."

"Then," Rachel said. "How much will you owe me if I give you one more thing?"

Gaus blinked in confusion. "One more thing?"

"Yes, let me show you."

She teleported them away. When they reappeared, they were in the middle of a forest. Standing at the base of the largest mountain he'd ever seen. The upper half of the mountain was buried in the clouds. Rachel led them into a cave at the base of the mountain.

You've entered a dungeon.

"You told me the academy is also a dungeon, right?" Rachel said. "Well, I figured you can use this as your base as well. It's not much but it can be used as a shelter for you and your people. Let me transfer the ownership to you."

She took his hands and drew a rune on his left palm. Then she recited: "I, Minorita Salesal of the Old World, have transferred the ownership of this dungeon to you."

The rune burned and disappeared into his palm.

You have received the ownership of a dungeon.

Loop Master has detected a suitable base for your guild. Do you want to make this dungeon a base for your guild? Y/N?

He pressed yes.

Congratulations, you have assigned a base for your guild.

Guild has received a 132% improvement.

Loop Master has reached lvl 2/100 (guild 32%, loop knowledge 1.5%, loop power 3%)

-2% experience per level for Rewind

+2 slots (assign? Y/N?)

Warning: you have founded an unaffiliated guild.

-24 reputation

Your reputation has fallen to -26 (rebel rookie). Unfortunately, the government can no longer turn a blind eye to your illegal activities.

+3,000 ayrids for your head.

NB: bounty will remain until you improve your reputation with the government.

"You've got to be kidding me." Gaus cursed internally. "I have a bounty!"

Rachel laughed.

"How much?" She asked.

"3,000a."

"Ah, that's not much," she said. "Nobody will chase you for 3,000a. Mine was 500,000a ten years ago."