"Aaagrh," moaned the wolfkin as he got up, noticing a frail-looking young man staring at him in confusion.
"How much time has passed?" Ragnar asked.
"Nearly an hour," the servant replied.
"Rudri, why didn't you leave?" Ragnar questioned.
"How could I, when you fainted without any reason?" Rudri responded.
"Well, there is certainly a reason for it," Ragnar replied.
"And what might that be?" Rudri inquired.
"The fight I just had," Ragnar revealed.
"What are you saying? Weren't you in control the whole time? I admit the last examinee put up a good fight and caught you off guard a few times, but in the end, you still defeated him," Rudri said, confused.
"No, you are partially right, but also wrong. The last two attacks that kid displayed weren't normal. They were on par with someone who has broken through the Grandmaster rank. Those attacks forced me to use all my mana and aura to dodge them," Ragnar clarified.
Rudri was completely shocked by this revelation. If it was true, then Aldric was truly a genius. Meanwhile, Aldric left the association's building and headed straight to the city library. Since he had asked the God of Darkness to erase his memory, he wanted to gather as much information as possible.
After paying the entry fee, Aldric began searching for books related to Warna and the combat class ranks. As he read through the books, he discovered that Warna was composed of 12 empires: Empire of Solaria, Empire of Aquaria, Empire of Vitalis, Empire of Lumina, Empire of Sylvana, Empire of Umbra, Empire of Zephyrus, Empire of Fulgur, Empire of Terra, Empire of Aetheria, Empire of Valor, and Empire of Unity. Each empire shared a common border with the others and worshiped a specific god. For example, the Empire of Solaria worshiped the God of Fire, the Empire of Aquaria worshiped the God of Water, and so on. The last two empires, Valor and Unity, did not serve any gods and preferred to remain neutral when it came to religion. They believed that every person should have the right to follow any particular god or not, and no one should force their beliefs onto others.
Aldric also discovered that he was in the Empire of Solaria, which worshiped the God of Fire. The city he was in was called Aegis City, which played a significant role for the empire due to its numerous dungeons and forests. The forests contained many unexplored ruins. Aldric thought to himself, "I don't know whether it was a coincidence or not, but it's great that I was summoned here."
Setting aside the book about Warna, Aldric picked up a book titled "Hunter's Guide." It was divided into four sections: swordsmen, mages, monsters, and quests for adventurers. The last part explained the dungeons around the Empire of Solaria, revealing that there were over 500 dungeons scattered throughout the empire. Additionally, the empire had more than 95 cities, some even larger than Aegis City.
Aldric turned his attention to the ranks for swordsmen:
- Apex Swordlord
- Ascendant Rank
- Elder Rank
- Grandmaster Rank
- Master Rank
- Expert Rank
- Journeyman Rank
- Apprentice Rank
- Novice Rank
Curious, Aldric called up the system and asked, "Is Apex Swordlord the highest rank one can achieve in sword practice?"
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"Yes, but I can provide a much more elaborate explanation than this book," the System replied, sounding somewhat jealous.
"Okay, give me the details," Aldric requested.
"There are a total of nine ranks for a swordsman," the System explained.
- Apex Swordlord: These individuals are just below a god. They can rival anyone in the world, and none can challenge them.
- Ascendant Rank: Individuals who rival mythical rank monsters in strength. In the past, when two Ascendant rank swordsmen clashed, half of the Solaria empire was destroyed.
- Elder Rank: Beings that rival legendary monsters. They excel in their art and can single-handedly take on hundreds of thousands of soldiers.
- Grandmaster Rank: Individuals who can go toe to toe with ancient monsters.
- Master Rank: Individuals who are skilled enough to kill Majestic beings.
- Expert Rank: Individuals who have just stepped into the realm of the sword. They can choose two paths from here: the path of mana or the path of aura.
"Ranks from journeyman to novice aren't worth looking at and are weak. They would end up killing themselves if they tried to fight monsters or raid dungeons," the System added.
Aldric was impressed by the detailed explanation provided by the System. He then turned his attention to the section about mages.
"System, can you give me the ranks for mages?" Aldric asked.
"Now you are on the line," the System replied.
Shocked, Aldric asked, "What did you just say?"
"Here are the ranks for mages," the System continued:
- Novice Acolyte: Beginners with minimal magical knowledge and control. Abilities include basic elemental manipulation and simple spells.
- Apprentice Mage: Progressing magicians who gain a better understanding of magical arts. They have improved control and can use more advanced elemental spells.
- Adept Sorcerer: Skilled spellcasters capable of handling complex magical tasks. They have mastery over basic spells and can use intermediate and defensive spells.
- Elemental Acolyte: Specialized practitioners devoted to a specific elemental aspect. They have advanced control over their chosen element and specialize in spells related to their deity.
- Master Enchanter: Experts in magical manipulation, capable of weaving powerful enchantments. They have mastery over intermediate and advanced spells and can combine elements.
- Archmage: Renowned magicians with vast magical knowledge and expertise. They have mastery over advanced spells, possess unique magical abilities, and are adept at spellcraft.
- Divine Channel: Individuals marked by the gods, granted access to divine magical powers. They can channel divine energy, access god-specific spells, and employ advanced magical tactics.
- Magus Supreme: Masters of all magical arts, capable of manipulating reality. They can fuse multiple elements, cast reality-bending spells, and possess unmatched magical prowess.
"Any further explanation would make readers go insane," the System concluded.
Aldric couldn't comprehend the last part of the System's explanation. He then turned his attention to the section about monsters.