Chapter: Class Advancement
Damian jolted awake, his breath ragged and his heart pounding. Sweat drenched his face, mingling with the blood and grime on his skin.
“Astrid… Miles!” he called out in a panic, his voice echoing softly in the small, decrepit office.
It took him a moment to realize where he was. Slumped against the wall, he surveyed the room. In the corner, Astrid and Miles were fast asleep, their bodies sprawled awkwardly on the dusty floor, exhaustion having overtaken them. Relief washed over him like a wave, and he slumped back against the wall.
“Just a dream,” he muttered. “I fell asleep.”
The room reeked of death—goblin blood, sweat, and the metallic tang of violence. But in an ironic twist of fate, the overwhelming stench masked their presence, making them invisible to any wandering goblins.
Damian’s muscles ached, his wounds still tender despite the healing potions and his Heal ability. Time was slipping through their fingers, and the weight of what lay ahead gnawed at him. Howard’s team was still out there, captured, possibly tortured. Sunrise was only a few hours away, and the urgency pressed heavily on his shoulders.
Sitting in the quiet darkness, Damian pulled out the mana stones they had collected from the fallen goblins earlier. The stones shimmered faintly in themoonlight filtering through the cracked windows.
“I don’t have a choice,” he whispered to himself. “I need to get stronger.”
One by one, he swallowed the mana stones, feeling the familiar surge of energy coursing through his body. His breath quickened as the warmth spread, and his muscles tingled with newfound strength.
Ding!
A notification flashed in his vision.
Congratulations! You have reached Level 30. Please choose a class.
Damian’s eyes widened as three class optionsappeared before him:
• Berserk (Rare): Enhance your strength and durability at the cost of control. Enter a state of rage to decimate enemies but risk turning on allies.
• Magic Swordsman (Unique): A balanced classcombining swordsmanship and magic. Enhanceagility, strength, and mana, allowing for versatilecombat styles.
• Paladin (Epic): A holy warrior with unparalleled defense and healing abilities. Protect allies withdivine power while smiting foes.
Damian stared at the glowing text, his mind racing. The possibilities were tantalizing, but each class came with its own strengths and limitations.
The Berserk class promised unmatched strength but at the cost of losing control—a risk he couldn’t afford with Astrid and Miles depending on him. The Paladin class appealed to his protective instincts, but its emphasis on defense didn’t align with his fast-paced, offensive style.
His gaze lingered on Magic Swordsman.The balance between his ability to seamlessly switch between melee and magic appealed to him the most.
“This is it,” Damian whispered. “This is the path I need.”
He selected Magic Swordsman, and a rush of energy enveloped him. His muscles tightened, his sensessharpened, and a surge of mana flooded his veins.
The Transformation
A new notification appeared, detailing his classbonuses:
Magic Swordsman Selected
+15 Mana
+10 Strength
Enhanced proficiency with both swords andelemental magic
Damian couldn’t help but grin. The boost was equivalent to five entire levels, a leap that could make the difference in the coming battle.
“Status,” he muttered, bringing up his window.
Damian Park
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Race: Human
Class: Magic Swordsman
Level: 30
Mana Points: 150/150
Strength: 75
Agility: 75+5
Dexterity: 20
Mana: 30
Skills:
Heal Lv 9
Iron Skin Lv 15
Lightning Spear Lv 6
Intermediate Sword Mastery Lv 7
Observe Lv 5
Blacksmithing Lv 7
Damian studied his stats, marveling at how far he had come. His agility and strength were formidable now, making him faster and deadlier than ever.
However he was concerned why Iron Skin had not evolved yet.
“This is what we need,” he muttered, clenching his fists.
Damian glanced at Astrid and Miles. Miles let out a soft snore, his bat resting against the wall beside him. Astrid’s bow lay across her lap, her face peaceful despite the chaos they’d endured.
“They’re strong,” Damian thought. “But are we strong enough for what’s coming?”
The memory of the goblin horde and the poisonous darts flashed in his mind. They had barely escaped with their lives, and now they were heading straight into the heart of danger.
Damian stood quietly, walking over to the window. Outside, the refinery was cloaked in darkness, the distant sounds of goblin chatter were faint in the distance.
The cold, stale air of the warehouse clung to their skin as Damian, Astrid, and Miles crept deeper into the goblin camp. The quiet hum of distant goblin chatter echoed faintly through the corridors, but no enemy had crossed their path since they defeated the snipers perched on the rooftops. Each step brought them closer to the heart of the camp, where Captain Howard’s team was being held.
Damian moved in front, sword drawn, his senses sharp. Astrid trailed behind him, her Lightning Stag Bow gripped tightly, while Miles flanked their right, his Magic Steel Mace resting on his shoulder.
“We’re getting close,” Damian whispered, his voice steady but firm.
“Something doesn’t feel right,” Astrid muttered, glancing over her shoulder.
Miles smirked. “They’re scared of us, obviously. Weak little goblins can’t handle—”
The words died in his throat as an overwhelming wave of bloodlust crashed over them. All three froze in place, their instincts screaming danger. A heavy thud reverberated through the air, followed by the faint clinking of chains.
Out of the shadows emerged a massive figure. A hulking, grotesque troll, its grayish-green skin marred with scars, lumbered forward. Shackles bound its wrists and ankles, glowing faintly with a sinister magic. Behind it, a smaller goblin cackled gleefully, holding a jagged staff wrapped in crude charms and controlling the troll like a puppet.
Damian immediately cast Observe on the beast.
Weakened Slave Troll
Level: 25
Description: A troll enslaved by goblin magic. Despite its weakened state, it possesses immense physical strength and rapid regeneration, making it a formidable opponent. Though its intellect is limited, its brute force and endurance compensate.
“This is bad,” Damian muttered, gripping his sword tighter.
“Really bad,” Miles added, taking an uneasy step back.
“Focus!” Damian screamed. “Miles, take its legs. Astrid, aim for that goblin. I’ll keep it distracted.”
The troll let out a deafening roar and charged forward, the ground shaking with each step.
Damian darted to the side just as the troll’s massive fist slammed into the ground, shattering the concrete where he had been standing. “Move quicky !” he shouted, his eyes locking onto the goblin controlling it. Astrid fired an arrow at the smaller goblin, but the troll swung a massive chain, deflecting the shot.
“This thing is smart enough to protect its master!” Astrid yelled.
Miles took his chance, activating Stealth and vanishing from sight. The troll’s head snapped side to side, confused, as Miles reappeared behind it and swung his mace with all his strength into thecreature’s knee. The blow connected with a sickening crunch, and the troll roared in pain, stumbling forward.
“Nice hit!” Damian shouted, rushing in and slashing at the troll’s exposed flank. His sword cut deep into its flesh, but to his horror, the wound began to close almost instantly.
“Damn it, its regeneration is insane!”
“Watch out!” Astrid screamed as the troll lashed out with its chains, forcing Damian to dive out of the way. The chains narrowly missed him but obliterated a support beam, sending debris crashing to the ground.
Damian rolled to his feet, his breath ragged. “Astrid, keep that goblin off balance! Miles, hit it again—this time, aim for its other leg!”
Astrid nodded, drawing another arrow and muttering under her breath, activating Bloodshot. The arrow glowed faintly red as she released it, and it struck the smaller goblin in the shoulder. The goblin shrieked and stumbled, momentarily losing control of the troll.
“Now!” Damian shouted.
Miles roared as he brought his mace down on the troll’s other knee, collapsing it to the ground. Damian seized the opportunity, leaping onto the creature’s back. The troll thrashed wildly, trying to shake him off, but Damian planted his feet and raised his sword high.
“Lightning Spear!” he screamed.
A surge of electricity coursed through his arm as a glowing spear of pure lightning materialized in his hand. With a guttural roar, Damian plunged the spear into the troll’s back, sending arcs of electricity crackling across its body. The troll convulsed violently, its regeneration halting as the lightning disrupted its magic.
“Finish it!” Damian shouted.
Miles ran forward, swinging his mace repeatedly into the troll’s skull, while Damian drove his sword into its chest. Blood splattered across the ground as the troll let out one final, ear-splitting roar before collapsing.
The smaller goblin trying to crawl away, clutching its wounded shoulder, but Astrid’s arrow found its mark, piercing its throat. The goblin gurgled and fell, lifeless.
The team stood in the wreckage, their breaths ragged. The troll’s massive corpse lay in a pool of its own blood, steam rising from the charred wounds. Damian wiped the sweat from his face and leaned on his sword.
“That… was way harder than it should have been,” Miles muttered, collapsing onto a piece of debris.
Damian glanced at Astrid. “You okay?”
She nodded, though her hands trembled slightly as she lowered her bow. “That… thing was terrifying.”
Damian knelt by the troll’s body, cutting into its chest. He retrieved a Rank 2 Mana Stone, and the team gathered a few smaller stones from the goblins they had killed earlier