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The Class Roulette Chronicles
Chapter 3: Voidstalker

Chapter 3: Voidstalker

The word Voidstalker glimmered on the roulette wheel, making Elara's pulse quicken with anticipation. That name alone evoked a shiver of exhilaration through her body, bringing to mind visions of enigmatic, shadowy might. A feeling of satisfaction and achievement welled up inside her, despite having no clue what the role involved.

*Ding!* A notification appeared, accompanied by the familiar blue screen.

Congratulations!

You have fulfilled the requirements: [???] for attaining the class Voidstalker.

Voidstalkers are masters of the void, able to manipulate and harness its energy to their advantage. They excel in stealth, mobility, and burst damage, making them formidable opponents on the battlefield.

Do you wish to change your class to Voidstalker?

She hesitated, her brow furrowing as she considered the offer. She had no idea if this class would help her escape the room or not. For all she knew, it could leave her trapped here. But either way, she would have to wait another 30 days to spin the roulette wheel again. She needed to make progress, to find a way out of this strange place.

"Yes," she said aloud, her voice echoing in the empty chamber.

*Ding!* Another notification appeared, this time accompanied by a shower of glittering lights that rained down around Elara.

Congratulations!

You have successfully changed your class to Voidstalker. As a reward for your choice, you have gained the following stat points:

Strength: +5

Vitality: +5

Dexterity: +10

Intelligence: +10

Wisdom: +5

Her eyes widened as she watched her stats increase before her eyes. She could feel the power coursing through her veins, the dark energy of the void infusing her with newfound strength and agility.

*Ding!* A third notification appeared, this time accompanied by a list of skills.

As a Voidstalker, you have gained the following skills:

Passive Skills:

[Void Attunement]: Increases mana regeneration by 20% per second and enhances void spell potency by 15%.

[Ethereal Resilience]: Provides 20% resistance to void-based attacks and debuffs, reducing their effectiveness.

Combat Skills:

[Void Bolt]: Fires a bolt of dark energy at a target, dealing void damage and applying a void debuff, reducing the target's Dexterity and Wisdom by 10% for 10 seconds. Each newly applied debuff resets the effect. Mana Cost: 25 mana per cast.

[Umbral Shift]: Temporarily phases the user into the void realm, making her immune to physical damage for 5 seconds. Mana Cost: 50 mana per cast.

[Voidwalk]: Teleports the user to a target location through the void, allowing for rapid repositioning during combat. Mana Cost: 30 mana per cast & Stamina Cost: 20 stamina per cast.

[Dark Infusion]: Channels void energy into weapon attacks, empowering them with 30% additional void damage and reducing enemy resistance to void-based attacks by 20% for 5 seconds. Mana Cost: 20 mana per second.

Elara blinked, momentarily overwhelmed by the flood of information. She took a deep breath, focusing her attention on the status screen floating before her.

Name: Elara Brightwood

The name felt both familiar and strange, as if it belonged to someone else entirely. Her eyes scanned down the list of classes and skills, trying to make sense of it all.

Class 1: Voidstalker – lvl 1

The title sent a thrill of excitement through her. She had no idea what being a Voidstalker entailed, but the name alone sounded powerful and mysterious.

Her gaze lingered on the Voidwalker skill, and a sudden thought struck her. If she could teleport through the void, perhaps she could use it to escape this room. She glanced at the mana and stamina costs, then back at her stats.

Mana: 55/55

Stamina: 43/43

She frowned, trying to work out the math in her head. If Voidwalk cost 30 mana and 20 stamina per cast, she could only use it once before running out of resources. And that was assuming she could even control where she ended up.

She bit her lip, weighing her options carefully. The Voidwalk skill seemed like her best chance of escaping this strange room, but it was also a huge risk. What if she ended up somewhere even more dangerous, with no way to get back?

She needed to test the skill first, to see how far she could travel and how quickly her mana and stamina would regenerate. Taking a deep breath, she focused her mind on the skill, feeling an energy swirling around her.

"Voidwalk," she whispered, picturing a spot on the other side of the room.

In an instant, she vanished from where she stood, only to reappear on the far side of the room. The sensation of being squeezed, pressed, and folded in on herself was overwhelming, leaving her gasping for air and struggling to maintain her balance. She stumbled forward, catching herself on the smooth wall before sliding down to the floor.

Mana: 25/55

Stamina: 23/43

She glanced at her status screen, noting the drop in her mana and stamina levels. She sat on the floor, trying to catch her breath as she watched her mana and stamina slowly regenerate. It was a painfully slow process, taking several minutes just to regain a few points. At this rate, it would take hours to fully recharge her resources. And that was assuming she didn't use any other skills in the meantime.

She frowned, considering her options. She could try to increase her wisdom stat, which would increase her mana pool. But how could she do that? The room offered no obvious means of gaining experience or leveling up.

She glanced at the glyphs on the ceiling, wondering if they held any clues. With her Glyph Insight skill, she could now make out some symbols more clearly. But their meaning still eluded her. She sighed, leaning back against the wall. She needed to find a way out of this room, but rushing into things blindly would only get her into trouble.

Her gaze lingered on the passive skill of Void Attunement, a glimmer of hope sparking in her sapphire eyes. The skill's description promised a 20% increase in mana regeneration per second, which could be the key to replenishing her resources more quickly. She wondered if there were other ways to boost her mana and stamina regeneration even further. Perhaps certain actions or activities could help her recover more quickly.

Her thoughts turned to the Voidwalker skill itself. She had only used it once, at its base level. What would happen if she leveled it up? Would the mana and stamina costs increase or decrease? Or would leveling the skill unlock new abilities or effects?

She remembered the Novice Glyph Insight skill. The description of the skill has not changed, but she has felt an increase in her perception and understanding of the Glyph. The skill was also gained before even choosing a class. This meant that she could potentially learn skills outside of the Voidstalker class, opening up even more possibilities for growth and customization. Her mind drifted back to the RPGs she had played in the past. In those games, resources like mana and stamina were often restored through rest, meditation, or consuming certain items, like potions or food.

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She glanced around the room, searching for anything that might serve a similar purpose. But the chamber remained as empty and featureless as ever, offering no clues or resources to aid in her recovery. She sighed, sitting on the platform once more. She knew that she needed to be patient, to let her mana and stamina regenerate naturally before attempting any more experiments with her newfound abilities.

Elara closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she stood up and settled into a cross-legged position on the platform. She had never been one for meditation, but given her current situation, it seemed worth a try. At first, her mind raced with thoughts and questions, refusing to settle into the calm, focused state she was aiming for. But as she continued to breathe deeply, counting each inhale and exhale, she felt a gradual shift in her consciousness.

The glyphs on the ceiling seemed to pulse and glow more brightly, their intricate patterns dancing behind her closed eyelids. She focused on the sensation of the cool energy flowing through her body, imagining it as a swirling mist that filled her from head to toe.

As she sank deeper into the meditative state, she became aware of a subtle pulsation emanating from the platform beneath her and a low, pulsing hum from above that seemed to resonate with the rhythm of her heartbeat. She focused on the sensation, allowing it to fill her mind and body. She imagined the pulsation as a conduit for the energy, channeling it through her body.

*Ding!* A notification appeared, startling her out of her meditative state.

Congratulations!

General Skill Acquired: Meditation [Level: 1]

Increases mana regeneration by 10% and stamina regeneration by 5% while meditating.

She blinked in surprise, a smile spreading across her face as she read the notification. Her intuition had been correct - meditation was indeed a way to boost her resource regeneration. She glanced at her status screen, noting that her mana and stamina levels had increased slightly during her brief meditation session.

Mana: 29/55

Stamina: 26/43

She took another deep breath, settling back into her meditative pose. She had a long way to go before she would be ready to attempt an escape from this strange room, but at least now she had a plan of action. She had been experimenting with her mana and stamina regeneration for what felt like hours, trying to get a sense of how quickly her resources replenished on their own. By her calculations, it seemed that she gained roughly one point of mana every few minutes, with her stamina regenerating at a similar rate. It was a painfully slow process.

But with her newly acquired Meditation skill, she hoped to speed up the process. She settled into a deep, rhythmic breathing pattern, allowing her mind to drift into a state of calm focus. As she meditated, she could feel the subtle pulsation of energy flowing through her body, the sensation growing stronger with each passing moment. She imagined the mana and stamina as swirling mists, filling her from head to toe.

*Ding!* A notification appeared, breaking her concentration once more.

Meditation Skill Leveled Up!

[Meditation lvl 2]: Increases mana regeneration by 20% and stamina regeneration by 10% while meditating.

Elara smiled, pleased with her progress. She settled back into her meditative state, determined to push the skill even further. With each level she gained, the percentage increased, allowing her to recover her resources more efficiently.

She opened her eyes, the blue glow of the room casting an ethereal light on her face. She glanced at her status screen, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she noted the replenished mana and stamina bars.

Mana: 52/55

Stamina: 38/43

With her resources somewhat restored, she stood up, stretching her limbs and shaking off the lingering stiffness from her meditation.

"Voidwalk," she whispered, picturing a spot on the opposite side of the room.

In an instant, she vanished from where she stood, only to reappear on the far side of the chamber. The sensation of being squeezed and stretched through the void was still disorienting, but this time, she maintained her balance as she emerged from the teleportation.

She took a deep breath, savoring the rush of exhilaration and adrenaline that coursed through her veins. She glanced at her status screen, noting the drop in her mana and stamina levels.

Mana: 22/55

Stamina: 18/43

But this time, the cost seemed less daunting. With her Meditation skills and Void Attunement passive, she knew that she could recover her resources more quickly than before.

*Ding!* A notification appeared, accompanied by the familiar blue screen.

Voidwalk Skill Leveled Up!

[Voidwalk lvl 2]: Teleports the user to a target location through the void, allowing for rapid repositioning during combat.

She frowned, studying the notification. The skill description or cost hadn't changed. She settled back into her meditative pose, focusing on the pulsing energy that emanated from the platform beneath her. As she sank deeper into the meditative state, she could feel her mana and stamina regenerating more quickly than ever before.

She spent the next several hours practicing her Voidwalk skill, teleporting from one side of the room to the other and then using the Mediation skill to restore her resources. Each time, the sensation became more familiar, the disorientation less severe. In that time she has accumulated a few system notifications.

Meditation Skill Leveled Up!

[Meditation lvl 3]: Increases mana regeneration by 30% and stamina regeneration by 15% while meditating.

Meditation Skill Leveled Up!

[Meditation lvl 4]: Increases mana regeneration by 40% and stamina regeneration by 20% while meditating.

Voidwalk Skill Leveled Up!

[Voidwalk lvl 3]: Teleports the user to a target location through the void, allowing for rapid repositioning during combat.

Elara smiled, pleased with her progress. She knew that she still had a long way to go before she would be ready to attempt an escape from this strange room, but with each new skill and level she gained, she felt a bit safer. But there's still one problem: she can't use Voidwalk back-to-back. This is risky because she's not sure if she'll teleport somewhere safe or end up, like, hovering over a cliff or something.

Elara sighed, her brow furrowed as she considered her current predicament. Despite the progress she had made in leveling up her meditation and voidwalk skills, she still felt woefully unprepared.

Her gaze drifted to the status screen floating before her, lingering on the Wisdom stat. It was currently one of her most important stats, and she had no idea how to go about increasing it. The system describes wisdom as representing her insight, perception, and awareness, but trapped in this featureless room, she had little opportunity to gain either.

Her thoughts turned to the Voidstalker class itself. It was an intriguing class, but she couldn't help but feel that it was not meant for someone just starting out. The skills required a significant amount of mana and stamina, and her low base stats made it difficult to use them effectively. She wondered if other classes might be more suited to her current level.

But even if she could choose another class, she knew she would still need to increase her stats. Without a solid foundation, she felt like she would struggle to make progress no matter what path she chose. Her gaze drifted back to the Divine Glyph on the ceiling, the intricate pattern now more clear and defined thanks to her Novice Glyph Insight skill. She had a feeling that they held the key to unlocking the secrets of this room and understanding its purpose.

But deciphering their meaning would require time and patience, two things that Elara feared she might not have in abundance, with her hunger and thirst growing with each passing hour. She knew she couldn't afford to remain trapped in this room forever. She closed her eyes, attempting to delve into the depths of her mind and uncover some profound insight that might increase her wisdom. She pondered the nature of the room, the purpose of the glyphs, and the meaning behind her mysterious circumstances. But try as she might, no earth-shattering revelations came to her.

Frustration welled up inside her as she realized that gaining wisdom would not be as simple as willing it to happen. She thought back to how easily she had increased her vitality, but then her vitality was at 1 and not 11. It seems like the higher the stat, the harder it was to increase naturally.

She couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance at herself for not focusing on increasing her stat points before becoming a Voidstalker. If she had known how difficult it would be to raise her wisdom, she would have made a different choice.

She sighed, her gaze drifting to the status screen floating before her. Her mana pool sat at a modest 55 points, enough to cast a single Voidwalk for 30 mana and one Void Bolt for 25. Alternatively, she could cast Voidwalk, meditate to recover some mana, and then cast it again.

She weighed her options, trying to decide on the best course of action. The Voidwalk skill allowed her to teleport short distances, but it drained her resources quickly. Void Bolt, on the other hand, was a ranged attack that might be useful if she encountered any hostile entities.

She took a deep breath, steadying herself as she prepared to test out the Void Bolt skill. She had never used it before, but the description on her status screen made it sound like a ranged attack. She raised her hand, focusing her mana into her palm. A swirling vortex of dark purple energy began to form, growing in size and intensity until it was about the size of a grapefruit. With a flick of her wrist, Elara sent the Void Bolt hurtling across the room. It impacted against the far wall with a slight wisp, leaving nothing in its wake. Like smoke being flung against a wall.

Elara blinked in surprise. She quickly cast another Void Bolt, watching as it, too, slammed into the wall with seemingly no effect. That was a bit disappointing.

Mana: 5/55

Stamina: 43/43

She settled into her meditative pose, focusing on the pulsing energy that emanated from the platform beneath her. She could feel her mana and stamina regenerating more quickly than ever before, thanks to her higher-level meditation skill. As she sank deeper into the meditative state, Elara's mind began to wander. She thought about the Voidwalker skill. She had used it to traverse the room, but she had not tried to use it to pass through a solid object. Could Voidwalk phase through the walls? She focused on the wall in front of her, picturing herself passing through it like a ghost. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for the attempt.

Mana: 55/55

Stamina: 43/43

With her resources fully restored, she stood up, her eyes gleaming with determination. She did not know what lay beyond the walls of this room, but she knew she had to try. Her Hunger would only get worse. She took a step forward, her hand outstretched as she prepared to cast voidwalk. The surrounding air began to shimmer and distort as she focused her mana, the fabric of reality itself seeming to bend to her will. She took a deep breath, her heart pounding in her chest as she prepared to take the plunge into the unknown.