Shifting in the chair to get more comfortable, Klarion opened The Path of Power: A Comprehensive Guide to Imperial Classes Common to Rare. The leather creaked beneath him as he settled in, the heavy primer resting on his lap. He took a moment to appreciate the intimidating weight of it before he flipped it open, past the title page and what looked to be an elaborate dedication to the Emperor and the Seven Imperial Princes. After six pages, he found the introduction. He skimmed over the neat, flowing script, eagerly seeking to absorb all he could in order to make the best decision he could about the class he would be aiming to unlock.


    Classes are the lifeblood of the Empire, shaping the destiny of every citizen, the text began. Within the Multiverse, a Class determines not only what one can do, but also one’s capacity to fulfill one’s chosen role. To hold a Class is to hold purpose, the text continued. To step into one’s destined role and contribute to the harmony of the Empire. From the humblest Common rarity class to the most exalted Rare Class and beyond, every path serves the greater whole.


    excited. Gaining a class meant gaining more power, which he could use to protect himself and those he cared about, and perhaps finally end the threat his enemies posed to him at the Academy. Or at least have a better chance at surviving them.


    Cook specializing in making breakfast dishes, he knew that was never going to be possible in his case. Background and scion status aside, his appearance and the stats that he gained with every level would make him stand out soon enough. No, better to pick a class type that would allow him to accelerate his gain in power and strength rather than pick one that fell under Crafter or Occupation in some misguided hope he would be able to hide away.


    Beyond class type, the rarity of a Class plays a crucial role in determining not only the strength of one’s abilities but also the number and type of ability slots available to the class holder.


    Common Classes, the book explained, tend to have fewer slots, and those slots are often limited in versatility. Ascending to the ranks of the Rare Classes, however, not only have more slots but also possess a more favorable distribution, allowing for greater strategic complexity and power, though even then, the range of options is shaped by the Class type itself.


    With that thought in mind, he flipped the pages to the next chapter in the book. Though he did not expect the section to be useful, he began by skimming over the list of Common classes. As the book explained it, they were the most basic and accessible classes within the Treverorum Empire and, as such, required no special materials or Essences but only a simple ritual anyone could perform to unlock. Essentially, the classes provided just enough power and access to abilities that the majority of the population would be able to go about their lives more easily and, if necessary, be able to contribute to the common defense in times of war.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Or at least that was what the author claimed.


    Klarion’s fingers tapped against the pages as he reviewed a few of the classes to get some context for their comparison to the Uncommon and Rare classes he would be looking at next. There were more of them than he’d expected, though perhaps he shouldn’t be surprised. An Empire as vast as the one he was a part of now would have an equally large range of roles to be filled in its society. Farmer, Guard, Scout, Hunter… the list went on and on. Each was practical, purposeful, and designed to utilize abilities that would allow the class holder to fulfill that specific role in the Empire. Which made sense, really. Not everyone needed to fight for their survival on a daily basis. And the Empire did not run on battles and magic alone. It ran on food, trade, craftsmanship, and knowledge, with those able to fight ensuring that those engaged in the former were protected.


    He flipped to the next section of the primer: Uncommon classes. The next step up from the Common classes, the primer made mention within the first paragraph that these classes required a few special materials, which varied based on the class, and a slightly more complicated ritual. Given that those extra materials likely had costs associated with them, it was likely that this rarity of classes was limited to richer commoners or families who saved up to give their children a better chance in life. Perhaps minor nobles who did not possess territory or a significant source of income.


    From the first few classes listed in the pages that followed, it was easy to see they offered more power than the Common rarity classes, sure, but they were still limited. A step above the everyday Farmer or Guard, but not enough so to allow the class holder to rise to the level of an elite. And that was the problem and why Klarion would not be picking an Uncommon class. An Uncommon Protector class might be able to lead a band of soldiers, but he’d never be a match for the might of a Rare class of the same type. No, he needed something better, something that would allow him to gain the power that would let him face his enemies head-on.


    He flipped the pages, faster now, to get to the next section, the one he really cared about. Rare classes, the book said, require Essence attunement, more special materials than Uncommon classes, and a specialized ritual chamber to unlock. These classes provide considerable power and are generally only found among the nobility of the Empire or those rare few without Imperial rank that nonetheless have sufficient wealth and influence to obtain them.


    potential Epic class, and, most importantly, no time, it was better to aim for something that he could actually obtain. If the author was to be believed, even the vast majority of scions that attended places like one of the Imperial Academies typically settled for Rare classes, and they were still powerful enough to dominate the political landscape of the Empire. They had the strength to defend themselves, the influence to control their destinies. If Rare classes were good enough for them, then they would have to be good enough for him.


    might be making some progress.