Chapter 42: Classist_Soul of the Warrior

Chapter 42: ssist

 Monthly Experience

 Calcting...

 Relevant Skills Training: +800 Exp

 Physical Exercise: +0 Exp

 Sparring: +0 Exp

 Knowledge and Understanding: +20 Exp

 Life Experience: +2000 Exp

 Total Monthly Exp: 2,820

 Level Up! Lvl 28

 Another two weeks had gone by since the first time the team had delved the Dungeon, and Reivyn had seen a tremendous increase in Experience just from the two runs. It turned out that the final hallway where they encountered the patrol of 14 Revenants was the final step before the boss room. The second floor of the Dungeon was considerably shorter than the first, yet magnitudes more dangerous.

 He was concerned that he would outpace his two friends far too much if he continued getting an additional 8,000 Experience a week more, so he was able to convince them to move on to the next floor much sooner than he had expected. Teilon and Kimberly had gone with them and participated in thebat on the second floor, but due to the restrictions of them requiring their gear to be infused with mana, they only participated on the upper floors and stayed in the stairwell for the final patrol.

 Reivyn saw a decrease of 2,000 Experience due to his friends joining them on the third run, and Melissa and Larissa saw a simr decrease. From a conversation with Teilon and Kimberly afterward, he learned that they had earned 4,500 Experience from the trip.

 With the added participation of Erik, Teilon, and Kimberly, they each received around 4,500 experience, which amounts to 13,500 Experience - Erik didn''t get any Experience the first trip besides from the normal skeletons. The two girls and Ibined lost 2,000 each, which is 6,000 Experience. We somehow managed to gain an additional 7,500 experience spread between all of us. I have no idea what the calctions are, but other than for seeking Achievements, grouping up provides the most Experience. Sure, the total Experience gained would be far greater if everyone went in solo, but not everyone is able to clear the Dungeon''s first floor, much less the Revenants, by themselves.

 He was still at such a low level that he gained multiple Levels for each trip, but Melissa told him that would drop off a bit as he advanced into Tier 2.

 "It''s not a dramatic increase in Experience required to Level Up at Tier 2, but it ramps up quickly. For instance, Tier 1 sses require the current Level times 100, all the way up to 2,900 Experience to reach the maximum Level of 30; however, to initiate the ss Change, you have to max the Experience in the maximum level out, so the full 3,000 Experience.

 "Tier 2 sses require an additional 200 times the Level, in addition to the amount required to reach max level in Tier 1. Level 1 is always a freebie in each Tier, and it''s brought about by the changes the System makes to your meridians and the left over Experience from maxing out the previous Level. Tier 2 Level 2 requires 3,200 Experience, and to reach the max Level to go to Tier 3, which is Level 60 as opposed to 30, you would need 15,000 Experience at max Level.

 "I was Level 22 on our first Dungeon dive, and that meant I required 7,400 Experience to Level Up. I''ve Leveled Up once for each Dungeon dive, but that will soon slow down as well. I''m notining, mind you; it''s still really fast.

 "This Dungeon is ridiculous for Caster sses and anyone able to team up with Caster sses, so I imagine almost everyone at the two Academies will make a trip out here once we return with the information on it. The System doesn''t care that the Revenants are restricted due to theck of mana density. We still get the full experience for killing them. We''re basically getting the Experience reward for an entire Tier higher Dungeon."

 Reivyn pulled up his Status page.

 Status Name: Reivyn ss: Fighter Lvl 28 Age: 10 Health: 1190/1190 Stamina: 2200/2200 Mana: 915/915 Physical Stats Mental Stats STR: 101 INT: 91 VIT: 119 MAG: 92 DEX: 101 CLA: 34 CHA: 7 PER: 49 LUK: 8 Bloodline: Unknown 1000/10,000,000 Experience: 381/2800

 Reivyn was concerned that, due to the nature of the System awarding Experience all at once when exiting the Dungeon or during the Monthly Experience Calction, he would identally reach maximum Experience and identally initiate the Tier 2 ss Change before he was ready.

 I don''t know if the ss Change, once initiated, is irreversible or not. What if the System demands that I choose a new ss and doesn''t let me activate the Experience Siphon? That would be terrible news. I''ll go ahead and activate it to see how it works.

 Reivyn mentally flipped the switch, and he felt a pull in his core as a whirlpool of experience formed in his heart.

 Makes sense that the center of the Bloodline would be in the heart, Reivyn thought. He continued to examine the ability.

 Experience was an intangible form of energy, so he wasn''t able to see it like he could mana, despite all of his attempts at activating his Skill. It was a subtle thing, barely at the edges of his awareness, but he could feel the Experience that had permeated his body get sucked into his heart. He kept the ability active even after all of the remnant energy had been devoured, and he was happy to see that he was able to simply leave it on without even having to think about it. With nothing to absorb, the ability was inert, but he could tell that it was ready to gobble up any new Experience.

 Bloodline: Unknown 1,381/10,000,000

 Experience: 0/2800

 Alright. Simple enough. I''ll just reach Level 30, and then keep the siphoning ability active at all times until I''m ready to Tier up.

 Reivyn deactivated his ability, and the waiting maw in his heart went dormant. It didn''t cause any feelings of difort, no hunger or anything one might think about as an insatiable pull of energy, so he wasn''t concerned about leaving it on at all times. If he didn''t focus on it directly, it wouldn''t cause any noticeable changes in his every-day life at all.

 With thefort of knowing he could dy his Tier up indefinitely at will, Reivyn turned his attention to another new addition.

 Ever since he had been forced into the Fighter ss, the ss tab on his System Page had simply contained the general information about his ss, and nothing else; however, upon reaching Level 25, that had changed.

 Now his ss Page was filled to the brim with possible sses he could acquire upon reaching Tier 2. Several of them were grayed out, so he had sought Melissa once again for her counsel.

 "Once someone reaches thest few Levels before reaching the next Tier, the ss Page will disy the sses that you have already unlocked, as well as the sses you''re close to unlocking.

 "sses that you almost meet the requirements to will be grayed out. The System doesn''t provide the information about what needs to be done to fully unlock the ss, though. You will have to examine the ss, and, based on the context, figure out what it is that you''recking.

 "It could be anything: Stats, Skill Levels, Life Experience, or even something more intangible like reputation or affiliation with a group. You won''t be able to unlock the Priest ss without being a member of a church, for instance. That includes the Pdin ss that Sir Reifold holds."

 Reivyn ruminated on the information as he pulled the ss Page up.

 Tier 2 sses Avable: Common: Hunter

 Laborer

 Mason

 Miner

 Story Teller

 Woodsman Umon: Bowman

 Horseman

 Hunter *Wood

 Laborer *Earth

 Mason *Earth

 Mage

 Mercenary

 Militiaman

 Miner *Earth

 Miner *Metal

 Orator

 Scout

 Woodsman *Wood Rare: [Archer]

 [Builder *Earth/Wood]

 [Cavalryman]

 [Dreamer]

 [Fighter]

 [Mage *Air]

 [Mage *Darkness]

 [Mage *Earth]

 [Mage *Fire]

 [Mage *Ice]

 [Mage *Light]

 [Mage *Magma]

 [Mage *Metal]

 [Mage *Water]

 [Mage *Wood]

 [Rogue]

 [Politician]

 [Tracker *Earth/Wood] Tier 3*: Umon*: Expert Hunter

 Expert Laborer

 Expert Mason

 Expert Miner

 Expert Story Teller

 Expert Woodsman

 Fortune Teller Rare*: Cataphract

 Expert Hunter *Wood

 Expert Laborer *Earth

 Expert Mason *Earth

 Expert Miner *Earth

 Expert Miner *Metal

 Expert Woodsman *Wood

 Marksman

 Statesman

 Recon

 Soldier

 Soldier of Fortune

 Wizard Epic*: Assassin

 Chevalier

 Magic Swordsman*

 Shade

 Sharpshooter

 Veteran

 Wizard *Air/Earth/Fire/Water Legendary*: Champion

 Juggernaut

 Reivyn had a lot of options avable to him.

 I doubt anyone else has the sheer number of sses avable to them upon Tiering up. Most of these can be ignored, though. No way I would ever choose a Common rarity ss, especially after the reminder from Melissa about having to have rarer sses to even be able to continue Leveling Up.

 Reivynpletely ignored the entire swathe of Common sses and most of the Umon ones. He wasn''t ever going to choose such a ss, but several of them caught his attention in the Umon rarity.

 Let''s start with Hunter *Wood. That makes me think it has something to do with the Wood Element Affinity.

 Reivyn focused on the ss and received a pop-up notification window containing the information about the ss.

 Hunter *Wood You are an expert at finding and killing game. You''ve delved into the intricacies of leather working, but skinning your prey is as far as your knowledge in the field goes. You have the ability to tap into the Mana that surrounds and subsumes all of Nature, bending it to your will. In addition to the normal Skill set a Hunter is equipped with, the Wood Aligned Hunter will be able to manipte mana and use some rudimentary spells.

 It''s like I thought. Being able to use mana Skills inherently increases the rarity of a Lifestyle ss. Come to think of it, based on how the sses are named, I would have realized something was up with mother''s ss once I had ess to this information. If it were a Lifestyle ss, it would have been Weaver *Light, instead of Light Weaver.

 Thinking about it critically, the simple difference in the names has an entirely different connotation. A Weaver *Light would be a mundane Weaver with the ability to manipte the Light Element, but a Light Weaver is one who literally weaves the Light.

 With his curiosity sated, Reivyn moved on from the lesser Rarity sses. He was determined to get a Rare Tier 3 ss eventually, but there were several Tier 2 sses in the Rare section that piqued his interest.

 Dreamer You have had an intangible connection to the ethereal realm of Dreams ever since you were young. Most dreams are what they appear on the surface, subconscious thoughts that you experience in your sleep. You, however, are able to delve beneath the surface. The Dreamer is able to experience a lucid dream at will. With practice the dreams one experiences will have a more significant connection to reality. Entering someone else''s dreams are still out of reach for the Dreamer.

 That one''s interesting, and if I didn''t already have a clear path ahead of me and didn''t care about the possible consequences, I might have chosen such a ss to explore simply to see where it goes in the future.

 Tracker *Earth/Wood You have the ability to sniff out and track any sort of target, be it beast or man, across any kind of terrain. Nobody on the run is safe with you on their tail, as you are not only Skilled in the ability to track and investigate, but you can use the Mana of Nature and the very Earth to assist you in your tasks. The Wood and Earth Aligned Tracker is skilled not only in recognizing tracks, trails, and scents, they''re also able to conduct investigations and use mana Skills. Some simple Spells are at their disposal.

 This ss sounds like it''s abination of Hunter, Woodsman, Militiaman, and a bit of Casting. From the description, there actually appears to be a lot of utility for such a ss, and I can see that anyone who goes down this route would have a lot of opportunities. It specifically says they''re able to track not just beasts in the wilderness, but men and monsters, too. A Skilled Tracker could be employed by a city as an investigator or by the Army as apetent alternative to a Scout.

 Reivyn already knew about the Fighter ss and the intricacies involved with the lower Tier Mage sses. He also wasn''t too interested in the other Combat sses avable in the Tier 2 range, so he moved his focus down the list to the sses in Tier 3 that he already had ess to or was close to unlocking. He could extrapte the information in the other sses just from their names, and focusing on them specifically wasn''t necessary.

 Fortune Teller You are able to barely see the threads of fate connecting one to the web of reality. You aren''t able to predict the future, but you can see whether one is fated with a certain action or rtionship. With higher Skill, more threads and higher rity can be gleaned. The Fortune Teller is able to rmend whether a course of action is advisable or not. It isn''t always 100% urate, but with time and Skill, the Fortune Teller can not only urately guide someone to a desired oue, they can also maniptemon events.

 Another interesting ss. Sure, it sounds kind of weak: Common Tier - it only shows as Umon because it''s Tier 3 in Tier 2 - not 100% urate and manipte </emmon events, but if anyonepetent and/or lucky enough to encounter the right kind of opportunities goes down this path, I can see some powerful iterations at higher Tiers. Imagine someone able to manipte extraordinary events. Or control someone''s fate. I can see some interesting synergisticbinations arising out of someone who takes Dreamer/Fortune Teller as the ss build.

 Then again, that would only be possible for someone who unlocks this in Tier 2. Having it listed as a Common ss is probably a way for the System to prevent such a person from arising, locking them out of Tier 4.

 The Umon (Rare*) rarity was filled with Expert designated Lifestyle sses. Reivyn assumed one would need to literally have Expert Level Skills to even qualify for the sses.

 The only reason I can see them as close to being unlocked is probably because of my Expert Mastery in Weapons Master and my high level Affinities. I would need to abandon my Adventuring and buckle down on working on the associated Skills to unlock any of those, and I have no intentions of doing anything of the sort.

 Statesman You have inspired those around you with your words and deeds, and you have a Charisma that draws others to you. Embark on the path of the Statesman and control the lives of others through words instead of action. The Statesman can bend others to their will. It is not a nefarious mind control, but a Skilled Statesman can better argue their points and influence others to see things his way. As a champion for a cause one truly believes in, the Statesman can change the course of a nation.

 Hmmm, I''m not really one for political machinations. I''m not so blind as to be led by the nose by others, but this simply isn''t anything I''m interested in. Someone in a position of power, though, who bes Skilled with such a ss could truly be a force to be reckoned with, not through the force of their own arms, but from the arms of many. I can only imagine the reason this was offered to me is because of my Inspire Skill and Charisma Stat. Both of those are explicitly stated in the description.

 There wasn''t really anything else of interest in the entire range of sses that he was interested in, except for one, and it was only because it sounded simr to, but different from, the other Combat sses.

 Soldier of Fortune You are a professional Soldier, but you hold allegiance to no one. Some think the professional mercenary is beholden to money, but that isn''t quite right, either. You hold allegiance to yourself. You go where the wind blows you, and fight the fights you choose. The Soldier of Fortune is more focused on individualbat as opposed to joining the ranks of his fellow brothers in arms. That isn''t to say the Soldier of Fortune can''t perform in an organized group, but they are more individualistic and independent. These characteristics serve them well in the life of Adventuring or selling theirbat services to those who can afford it.

 This ss sounds like the perfect transition for anyone discharging from the military service but wants to continue in thebat field. The specific mention of Adventuring probably makes this a popr choice, actually. I would probably need to get more Life Experience fighting as a soldier to unlock this ss, but I have no desire to do so at this point in my life.

 Reivyn continued to peruse the options avable to him further down the list.

 Assassin You have spent time slinking in the shadows, but not to steal. You are as deadly with a de or bow as any otherpetent fighter, but the darkness is your friend. Not only can you conceal yourself in the dark, but it doesn''t hinder your ability to bring swift death to your foes. The Assassin can meld with the shadows and move about undetected where themon Rogue would be easily spotted. They can infiltrate hardened fortifications, and their targets aren''t safe anywhere. The Assassin can operate in the pitch ck of midnight just as well as the full sun of noon.

 It would appear the Skill Blind Fighting is the lynchpin for this ss; as it says they aren''t hindered by the dark. I would need to focus on increasing the Skill Level in order to have a chance at unlocking this ss. While I''m not interested in being a literal Assassin, I can see how the ss itself could provide some powerful boosts tobat and utility.

 Chevalier You''re able to fight mounted on a steed just as well as on foot. You can wield a wide variety of weapons and armor, but you aren''t the vassal of a lord ordy. The Chevalier is most well known for their heavily armoredbat abilities. They are able to operate with heavy te just as well as their counterparts in more light-weight armor, and they have the Skill to utilize a wide array of weapons: Lances, Spears, Swords, and Ranged Weapons.

 This sounds like an unaffiliated Knight. Going off of the words in the ss description and from what Melissa told me, one would need to swear allegiance to a lord ordy, and receive the proper recognition, to actually unlock the Knight ss. Considering Chevalier is an unattached equivalent, I''m sure there are some benefits to swearing to someone else to gain the Knight ss, but I don''t know what those might be.

 Magic Swordsman* You have an aptitude for Martial Combat as well as Casting. You have spent long hours honing your ability with a weapon, but you never cked off on training your mana Skills and affinities. The Magic Swordsman is renowned for their versatility, and only the most talented of individuals are able tobine the Martial with the Magical. The Magic Swordsman chooses an Elemental Affinity to specialize in, and they are able to apply their Magic directly to their weapons, and at higher Skills, their armor. While the Magic Swordsman is unable to cast Spells in the traditional Sense, they are incredibly deadly at close range. *Synergy detected with Weapons Master Skill. ss can utilize Weapons Master instead of Swords.

 This sounds right up my alley. The description paints a picture of someone doing what I''m currently doing, but with far more Skill and utility. That being said, the point of my next ss isn''t to keep doing what I''m doing now, but to fully utilize my talents and open up further possibilities in the future. I''ll keep my eye on this ss, and it''s definitely in the running for what I''ll choose - plus it''s already unlocked - but I''ll keep umting experience and Achievements and see if I can''t get something more in line with my goals.

 Shade You''re a deadly assassin with the element of darkness at your fingertips. You''re able to use the mana that shrouds the world to hide your presence and confuse your targets. The Shade is far more deadly than the mundane Assassin. Shades are able to utilize the Darkness Elemental Mana, and several superior Spells are at their disposal.

 Not much different than the Assassin ss, but with this one, I would be able to properly bring my mana Skills to bear. If I had an inclination towards choosing the Assassin ss, then this one trumps that.

 Sharpshooter Take aim with any ranged weapon, and strike your target from nearly any distance. You can extend the effective range of weapons beyond what others could possibly conceive. You are a terror on the battlefield. The Sharpshooter has deadly uracy, even beyond what would normally be possible. They can strike at targets before others can even see theming.

 This ss would definitely require a much higher Aim Skill Level. Sure, my Weapons Master Skill can lift some of the load, but that Skill more affects my ability to use the weapon itself, and not necessarily the uracy. It ys a role, for sure, but Aim is the true determining factor for ranged uracy.

 Veteran You have survived many battlefields, and many different life or death situations. You have the uncanny ability to perceive danger, and your presence is a solid rock for anyone else in your Party. The Veteran is able to soothe the nerves of others with their Aura alone. They instinctively know when danger ising, and they know how to defeat it.

 Veteran sounds like a great ss, actually. Even though the description is kind of bare-bones, the implications are amazing. This ss would be able to fully use the Sense Danger Skill, and it looks like ites with an Aura Skill that relies on Inspire. This is much more than just a typical strong Combat ss, and it is closer to a leadership role that''s also able to get down and dirty in the thick of it. This is the kind of ss that I think of when I think of the epitome of a soldier. Then again, despite how much I''m drawn to this ss, it''s not for me.

 Wizard *Air/Earth/Fire/Water You''re able to expertly wield the four basic Elements. You can use simple Spells andplex designs of magic equally with ease across the spectrum of all the basic elements, and you''re able to somewhat use others, as well. The Full-Basic-Elements-Aligned Wizard is a powerful Caster. Their Spells are no longer restricted to one Element, but they can shape each of their Spells to their desired Element, and the weaker versions can also be used with moreplicated Elemental Tiers. Simple Bolt Spells no longer take up a ss Skill slot, and they have several powerful Spells avable to them.

 It looks like one needs to, at minimum, master the ability to free-hand cast each of the basic four Elemental Bolt Spells. I have a decent grasp on Fire and Ice - which probably counts towards Water, but I should work on that in my own time as well, just to be safe - but I''ll need to figure out the mana weaves intrinsic to the other elements.

 Maybe I can post a notice in the Adventurer''s Guild Branch to pay for some tutoring from others who have the other Elemental Bolt Spells to learn from. Yeah, that sounds like a n, and something I should do anyway. This is definitely the frontrunner for my next ss right now, and I should focus on trying to unlock it.

 Reivyn wasn''t done looking at the other sses just because he found a strong candidate. He still had two more sses, and they were of a higher rarity. Reivyn was surprised to see that he was somewhat close to unlocking Epic (Legendary*) rarity Tier 3 sses.

 Champion You are a bastion of light on thebat field. None can stand before you, and those that follow in your wake are bolstered by your very presence. The Champion is a master of their preferred method ofbat. They can wield mana Skills in an expert disy of synergy between Martial and Magical, and they lead from the front. They are able to sway the entire battlefield with their Aura, and none will break and run when a Champion leads the charge.

 There''s a lot of subtext in those lines: able to use the Light Element, high Battlefield Awareness Skill, Master ofbat, Expert mana Skills, high Inspire Skill. If I was interested in the Magic Swordsman and Veteran sses before, this ss puts both of those to shame. And the requirements listed between the lines are insane, at least for someone in Tier 2. I''m sure it would be a lot easier for someone to acquire Master Level in a Martial Skill plus Expert Level in mana Skills with an additional 60 Levels avable for them to train in. I''m actually 100% confident I could easily unlock this ss in the future. In fact, as of right now, this is the ss that I want once I legitimately reach Tier 3.

 Reivyn was truly impressed with the short description of this ss. He would likely find other sses just as interesting and powerful in the future, but this one was a good one to choose as a goal for now. With his thoughts in order on what he would work towards one day, Reivyn read thest ss in his list.

 Juggernaut You are a whirlwind of unstoppable death on the battlefield. You are a berserker that canunch a devastating assault just as easily as you can act as a level-headed bulwark to protect yourpanions. The Juggernaut is a steel tornado. They are able to freely wield any weapon or armor, and they can assume the role of absolute destroyer or absolute defender. Woe be to any who get in the way of the Juggernaut.

 This sounds like the less magical version of Champion, but with just as much Skill and utility, just in a different way. I mean, it wouldn''t also be listed as an Epic ss if it was noticeably weaker. If I thought the Veteran was the epitome of a soldier before, then that would only apply to the basic troops now. This is the epitome of a soldier: able to attack and defend in equal measure, and able to bolster morale and intimidate their foes.

 Reivyn concluded his perusal of the various sses that he had ess to. He had gone through all of the ones that had any chance of being selected, and not only had he found a ss to work towards unlocking in Tier 2, but he also had an even further goal to work toward once again.

 He was quickly approaching the day when he would be able to reach Tier 2, and he needed to get more Achievements under his belt if he wanted to get the best ss possible.

 This week we''re going to tackle the boss room of the second floor. I''m sure there''s an amazing Achievement, for all of us, for sessfully doing so. Next week: Solo Dungeon Delve.

AliNovel

Chapter 42: Classist