For a week after getting his core, Al tested the changes in his power along with Yuly. The newly formed part of their core seemed to be composed of mismatched elemental and pure mana, just like when they first got their core. It meant that the core wasn't perfectly attuned to his body anymore, but it didn't really have any disadvantages, though the density of mana stored in the outer part was much less than in the center,
Al had also kept on cultivating with Yuly, now that the disparity was fixed, and in some months they should be able to reach Mid proficiency. Al had something he wanted to get done as soon as possible though, which was finally earning his class.
The next day he prepared all the essentials and set out. Unfortunately he didn't find any Rank 2 beasts, so he returned the following day. Over the week, he killed a boar and three rabbits, and weirdly enough he didn't pass a single Badger-pine. He also did a lot of jumping from tree to tree without any form of enhancement, and managed to get his Dexterity up to F+ Grade.
He had also notice a change since the last time he came here. The forest felt like it was positively packed with mana, however Al wasn't sure if that was because of his increased perception due to upgrading his core.
Then he finally found the last foe he would have to slay to level up. It was another Bear-boar, and although he still had some trouble getting through its tough hide, he had found that letting him ram into a rock and get stuck, and then piercing him in his exhaust hole and passing lightning through his blade repeatedly was a supremely good strategy.
It wasn't fast or pretty, but once it was zapped enough times the monster slowly died from internal injuries, and the waves of pain impeded it from focusing on getting itself unstuck from the rock.
He could also do the same by leading the beast to a rabbit hole, but those were harder to come by.
When his foe finally gave its last breath, Al found two screens in front of him.
You have reached level 5. You must choose a class to progress further.
Available classes:
...
A list of over 30 entries appeared in front of him, some of which he had already seen on his past life, but after a quick check, he mentally dismissed all the common and uncommon ones, narrowing it down to four, and opened those four on their own screens, to see all the details:
Close Combat Mage (Rare): You wield magic just as you wield your body, and combine the two for a fearsome result.
Requirements:
-Wield an element
-Posess a skill that utilises mana to improve physical aspects
-Have your mental stats and at least one physical stat at or above F+ Grade
Benefits:
- +75% experience bonus
- 3 class skills
- +50% training bonus for magic skills that enhance the body
Nondescript Hunter (Rare): You know not what path to follow, thus you walk none. Yet you still strive forward, somehow crossing the obstacles in your path.
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Requirements:
-Don't assign any assignable points
Benefits:
- +75% experience bonus
- Bonus to self-created skills
Master of Velocity (Rare): You go in and out of battle in fractions of a second. No projectiles can catch up to you, no attack could hope to reach you. You bring death to your foes before they know they are in danger.
Requirements:
-Wield a speed-enhancing element
-Have Dexterity as your highest tier physical stat
Benefits:
- +75% experience bonus
- 3 class skills
- +50% training speed for Dexterity-based skills
The Close Combat Mage class was really iffy, and Al felt like it would belong better among Uncommon classes, so he immediately dismissed it.
Nondescript hunter was pretty funny, but it didn't go with his build so he left it out too.
Master of Velocity would fit pretty well, and it was cool as hell, but he was only checking these classes out just in case. His eyes darted onto the last remaining class.
Prodigy of the Lightning Rapier (Epic): Since birth you have slain your foes with the might and speed of lightning. The people around you are awed by your boundless potential. You are to reach unprecedented heights, lest your path be cut short.
Requirements:
-Reach level 5 at 3 years of age or less
-Wield the lightning element
-Use a rapier as your main weapon
Benefits:
- +100% experience bonus
- 4 class skills
-Unlocks Perception stat and Charisma stat
'Wait, do spines count as rapiers? Maybe it depends on how the user sees it?'
Anyhow, this was not only an epic class, which came (as he had guessed) with a 100% exp bonus instead of the 75% of rare classes, and one extra class skill, but it also unlocked the Perception stat he had been craving for so long.
It also unlocked Charisma, a hidden stat he had only heard of in his previous life, as a freebie, though he was not sure what use that would be of use to him. The class itself was also super cool, so Al selected it, then proceeded to check his Status.
Alberto Peñas
Age: 1 year
Level 5
Class: Prodigy of the Lightning Rapier
Strength
F
Dexterity
F+
Toughness
F-
Will
E
Intelligence
E
Charisma
E-
Perception
F
Assignable
4
Skills:
[Mana Manipulation] (High)
[E Grade Core] (Low)
[Body Enhancement] (High)
[Lightning Palm] (Low)
[Quick Steps] (Low)
'Wait, my charisma is E- Grade!? I mean, my baby cheeks are pretty cute... wait, cuteness counts towards charisma? Am I going to lose it as I grow up?'
Al also happily noted his perception stat. He didn't really know how to train it, since he had only ever increased it by using points, so perhaps it was impossible.
Al was also a bit startled to see his first class skill just sitting there, with no prior notification. Then he remembered. 'Oh yeah, the first time I hit level 5 my class skill also just appeared in my Status. Is that a bug?'
He concentrated on it until a screen appeared.
[Quick Steps] (Class Skill) (Low): Allows extremely fast movement on almost any ground by optimising their movements. Speed increases with Dexterity, and duration increases with Toughness.
It seemed to be similar to a previous class skill of his, Footwork, though that one was more focused on dodging in a battle, while this one seemed more catered towards movement.
And this was only at Low proficiency, so who knows, it may evolve to work on walls or ceilings!