Chapter 1: Disastrous Day

Chapter 1: Disastrous Day

On my twentieth birthday, I had my first near-death experience.

I awoke that morning, anticipating the life-changing day I had ahead of me. Now, I had no idea how life-changing it would be, but just about everybody’s twentieth was a big one. Not just for people aiming for a Class, either.

For most, their twentieth birthday celebrated the day they finally became an adult. One who would forge ahead, make their own decisions, and try their best to leave their mark on the world. It was a largely symbolic celebration, but an important one nonetheless. But for people who wanted to acquire a Class, those symbolic sentiments became decidedly literal.

I was one of those people who was going to take their birthday literally.

I got off my lumpy mattress and exited the dingy room where I lived. I walked down the tavern stairs, each one creaking under my weight, and exited into the main barroom. Waving at the friendly owner of the cheap tavern, I left the building, skipping breakfast to save on food costs.

The reason I was saving money wasn’t that I was poor; I had a job that, while not exactly high-paying, would have been enough for a modest peasant’s life. No, the money I’d been stockpiling all these years had all been going toward something – this single day. I wasn’t going to let trivial things like discomfort take it away from me. My hands trembled as I fingered the dozen-or-so silver coins I’d collected in my pocket – my life’s savings. Then, I took a deep breath and headed toward the edge of my simple village’s walls.

I nodded to my employer as I walked past his blacksmith’s shop. I wasn’t a blacksmith, myself – or even an apprentice – I was just a manual laborer, carrying around metal ingots and working the bellows. I passed by the library, which was where I spent another bulk of my time. I wasn’t reading bard’s tales or anything so luxurious – I was studying. Having a Class was an extensive responsibility, and one that took a great deal of effort to keep track of. Combat theory, arithmetic, long-term planning, and many other skills were necessary to make effective use of one. So, the vast majority of my time was split between the blacksmith, reading the free literature at the library, and, of course, the sparring ground.

The sparring ground was the only non-survival expense I afforded myself. For a modest price, I gained access to training weapons, dummies, sparring partners, and, of course, the best Swordsman teacher in the whole village. He was a retired adventurer who had reached Level 32 before coming to our village to live out the rest of his life in quiet peace. Thirty-two! He was the highest-Level individual I had ever seen. I heard high-Level people like that were more common in the big cities, but out in a frontier village like mine, even seeing someone with a Class in the first place was rare.

Since he had the Swordsman Class, I decided that that was the Class I’d try to get for myself, too. Who else to learn from but the best, right? Besides, Swordsman was one of the easiest Classes to get, and it benefited a lot from raw physical strength, which I had a decent bit of from all my work at the blacksmith. I smiled as I touched the handle of the longsword, sheathed at my waist. It wasn’t exactly high-quality, but it’d get the job done for today. Besides, after I got my Class, I could start making some real money in the adventuring business, which would hopefully help me replace my pitiful gear.

After a few more minutes of walking, I finally arrived at my destination. I saw the man I’d agreed to meet with, steel plate shining on his body and a battleaxe fastened to his back. He had a woman standing next to him. He waved, and I waved back, taking a deep breath to calm my excitement.

“Hey! Arlan, right? Hope you’re ready for today!” He approached me and took my hand, shaking it. I nodded and shook back, trying not to feel intimidated by his iron grip; it was simply the results of a Classer’s higher Stats. He probably wasn’t even trying to squeeze any harder than I was. He let go of my hand and introduced me to the woman he was with. “This is my partner, she’s a Wizard,”

I nodded to her and held out a hand, but she didn’t take it.

“Are you sure you are twenty years old?” she asked. “You know that if you are even a day younger, this will be a waste of time and money.”

“Uh, yeah...” I said, taken aback by her abrasiveness. “Here, I’ll pull up my Status window to make sure, if you really want me to.”

Name: Arlan Nota Age: 20 Strength: 10 Class: N/A Level: N/A Endurance: 10 Class Type: N/A XP: N/A Dexterity: 10 Health: 100/100 Health/Minute: 0.042 Stamina: 58/60 Stamina/Minute 0.36

“Yep, it says my age is twenty.” When I looked at my Status, I couldn’t help but smile. Everything in bold was something that had changed since the last time I had looked at it, so I could see that all of my Stats had increased from 9 to 10! Of course, that wasn’t due to any merit of my own; everyone in the world got one point of Strength, Endurance, and Dexterity every two years until they turned twenty. So everyone that was at least twenty years old and without a Class would have the exact same Status as me – minus the name, obviously.

It wasn't like that meant everyone was exactly as strong and tough as everyone else, of course. One of the first things you learned when researching the System was that Stats only added on top of one’s own base abilities. So, someone with only 10 Strength could still technically beat a Classer with 50 Strength in an arm-wrestling contest, as long as the one with 10 had a much stronger body. It’d be pretty hard to pull that off, of course, but possible.

“Okay,” the robed woman interrupted my thoughts, “and are you sure you want the Swordsman Class? There are no take-backs, remember. Once you have a Class, you cannot get rid of it, and you cannot get another.”

“Yeah.” I was starting to get frustrated with her. I knew all this already. “I’m sure.”

“Relax, Arlan,” the man chuckled and patted the woman on her back. His immense Strength Stat caused her to stumble and catch herself. “She does this with everyone we get Classed. Had a few too many incidents with people asking for a refund after things didn’t go their way. Speaking of, you got the payment?”

“Yeah,” I walked over and placed the silver coins in his hand. My money-saving instincts were screaming at me to hold on to the large sum, to wait another day and make sure this was what I wanted, but I let go, and the coins fell into his hand.I was determined.

“Alright, now that the job’s official, let’s go over the plan. I know you’re probably familiar with the process, but like I said before, we’ve been burned a few too many times to skip over it.”

I nodded.

“So, to get the Swordsman Class, you’re going to need to use a sword to kill a monster that’s at least Level 10. Straightforward requirement, I know, but easier said than done.” He was right about the Swordsman Class’s requirement being straightforward. Some other Classes needed you to kill a specific type of monster, kill them under specific circumstances, or kill a multitude of different monsters in a limited timeframe. Just using a sword was child’s play in comparison. “You’re not even Level 0 yet,” he continued, “so if you tried to do that alone, you’d die before you could pull a blade from its sheath. That’s where we come in. We’ll find a monster, get it to the edge of death, and then you come in and get the killing blow. The killing blow is all that matters when it comes to getting your Class, unlike how XP is earned according to your contribution to the fight.”

“I do not think my partner emphasized that last part enough,” the woman interrupted. “You are to get the killing blow, and only the killing blow. You are to stay out of sight for the rest of the battle. It does not matter if we look like we need help. You, as an Unclassed, are so weak that joining the battle will only force us to worry about protecting you.”

My face hardened. “Yes. I know I’m weak right now. But I’m not stupid. I won’t come out of hiding until I’m sure it’s safe.”

“Good.” The woman closed her eyes and breathed, seeming to only relax just now. “We are to be fighting together, so we should get to know each other. I am Feiya, a Level 16 Wizard. I specialize in damage-dealing elemental Spells, with some additional Alteration Spells to temporarily make my partner stronger if things ever get messy.”

“And I’m the one she uses those Alteration Spells on,” the man nodded. “Name’s Dorrn, and I’m a Level 18 Berserker. And I know the stereotype about my Class, but I’m really not that dumb and battle-addicted.”

“He is only a little dumb,” the woman – Feiya – added with a smile. Dorrn just rolled his eyes with a chuckle.

“Well, since I’m Unclassed, I’m not sure if I can say much about myself that you wouldn’t already know,” I said, “but I’ve had a good amount of practice with the sword. I’ve been going to the training grounds every day for a few years now, so I’d hope that’ll help at least a bit with today."

Dorrn simply nodded. “If everyone’s ready, let’s head out.”

It was surreal being out in the forest surrounding my village for the first time – I’d never been outside the walls due to the roaming monsters that patrolled the wilderness. The only way anyone Unclassed came out of shelter in these parts was like me: surrounded by an escort of powerful Classers.

The forest felt greener up close. Back from the walls, it was just a few splotches of whatever. But here, I could look to my left and see hundreds of trees – individual trunks all sprouting from the ground and covering the air with a thick canopy of leaves – or I could look to my right and see a hill topped with a strange rock formation – probably formed by some Classer casting a powerful Spell.

It took about an hour of hunting before we saw anything worth noting – a large, furry beast that I immediately identified as a Dire Bear. I recognized it from the monster manuals I’d read, but the experience of reading about it versus seeing one up close was completely different. On all fours, it was still about as tall as I was, and blood-stained claws tipped its paws. Still, despite its imposing figure, Dorrn and Feiya leapt into battle. Dorrn charged and cleaved his axe through the beast’s side and Feiya cast a Spell that flung a spiked chunk of earth at the monster’s head, exploding into shrapnel on impact. Within seconds, the wild beast was dead.

“Only Level 8!” I heard Dorrn call, but I was still frozen in place by the show of absolute power. I blinked, barely recognizing that he was speaking to me. Sure, I knew that someone at a Level as high as theirs could single-handedly slaughter a village of Unclassed people, but experiencing that power myself truly got the message across.

“Not quite high enough for a Class,” Feiya said. “Do not worry, though, we will continue our search.”

We marched on, repeating encounters like that, with the adventurers killing strong-looking monsters while I watched, waiting for the call to come and get the killing blow. The call hadn’t come yet, but I was ready. It had been hours upon hours upon hours by now – I could even see the sun begin to set in the brief times we passed through a clearing and the thick canopy of leaves disappeared for long enough for me to see the sky.

She threw out a few stone projectiles at the Demon as it approached her, but it seemed to be expecting just that, dodging and deflecting them as they came. It tackled her to the ground, swiping at her unarmored torso a few times before she cast a Spell that caused an explosion, flinging the Demon back. But it landed on its feet, somehow prepared for her Spell. Just then, Dorrn finally reached it and swung at its back with his battleaxe, but the Demon turned around at the perfect time, and deflected the axe with its claws.

It swiped at Dorrn a few more times, aiming perfectly for the gaps in his armor as if it already knew where they all were. Feiya launched another chunk of rock at the Demon from behind, but it ducked without even looking, allowing the stone to continue in its path and hit Dorrn square in the face, knocking him backwards.

The Demon turned back to Feiya, who had to have been running low on Mana at this point, and rushed at her again, seeming intent to finish her off. It swiped at her over and over, slicing gash after gash into her stomach and chest, but it seemed she didn’t have enough Mana to cast another explosion Spell. Magic-Type Classes couldn’t use any sort of melee weapon, either, so she was defenseless.

However, Dorrn soon recovered, and swung at the frenzied Demon with his axe. It seemed that it had gotten too focused on Feiya, because it didn’t even notice the weapon bearing down on it until it was too late. Dorrn cut a huge slice down the Demon’s back, and then grabbed it and threw it aside. It tumbled across the dirt while Dorrn bent over to check on Feiya, who was in much worse condition. The entire front of her body was torn to shreds. She kneeled on the ground, coughing up blood and breathing raspily.

“Get behind me,” Dorrn ordered Freiya, putting a hand out to protect her as he stepped forward. “Do you have enough Mana for a buff Spell?”

“N-no.” Feiya managed to get out.

Dorrn took a deep breath and hefted his axe. “Okay. I’ll get us out of this.”

The Demon had already gotten back to its feet during their conversation, standing tall once again despite the massive wound on its back. It tore forth, seeming energized by the felling of one of its enemies. It swiped madly at Dorrn while also dodging and weaving through Dorrn’s own counterattacks as though it’d already memorized the man’s fighting style.

The Berserker was obviously losing the fight, taking hit after hit. His Health must have been running dry, but he was putting his all into the fight. He swung his battleaxe at the Demon in a wild attempt to kill the beast, but it blocked the strike, stopping the axe in its tracks. It twisted the weapon from Dorrn’s hands, grabbing it and flying back out of the man’s striking range. Then, it twisted its arm and flung the axe at Dorrn. He dodged, but didn’t account for the woman lying behind him.

“Huk–!” A raspy breath came from behind. Dorrn looked in horror at Feiya, impaled through her chest by the large blade. She was shaking, staring down at the handle of the axe that pierced her. Then she wordlessly and slowly closed her eyes, falling limp and motionless.

Dorrn turned to the Demon. “You, you bast–!”

His words were cut off by a claw in his throat, stabbing all the way through and poking out the back of his neck. Dorrn slumped over. The Demon, beaten, battered, and bleeding from the back, let out a grin as it retracted its claw from the man’s throat.

But just then, Dorrn surged forth, a wave of energy invigorating him. “–Bastard!” he shouted as he reached around, gripping both sides of the gash on the Demon’s back, and ripping it open, every ounce of strength in his arms going toward doing as much damage as possible.

The Demon hissed and snarled in agony, swiping at Dorrn and shoving him away to the ground. Its back poured out a fountain of blue blood from the ripped-anew wound and it fell to the ground.

“Don’t you ever... interrupt me... again,” Dorrn muttered. He laid his head on the dirt.

Dorrn didn’t get back up.

The Demon, however, did. Slowly, it got to one knee, then to the other, and then to its feet. I realized with more and more certainty that it would survive this encounter.

I couldn’t let that happen.

I hadn’t known them for long, but this Demon, this monster, killed two people. I couldn’t let their lives be lost in vain. Staring at the monster’s bleeding back that was turned toward me, I ran out from my hiding spot, sword held out at my waist.

Shunk.

The sword slid easily into the Demon’s open wound.

You have struck Level 14 Temporus for 37 damage using Sword.

The Demon – Temporus, it seemed to be called – turned to me in shock and pain. It looked at my sword, and chuckled, shaking its head. It had an almost self-deprecating expression, like it realized it had forgotten about something obvious. I withdrew my sword, and it collapsed to the ground.

I watched the unmoving body, breathing heavily.

You have offered minor contribution toward the slaying of Level 14 Temporus.

Due to being Unclassed, you have earned 0 XP.

I took a breath. Was that it? Was I finally going to get my Class? I looked around wildly, waiting for the fateful System message.

It only took a few moments – probably only a second or two – but it felt like hours.

Feat of strength performed. You have used a sword to kill an enemy of at least Level 10.

You have been awarded the Swordsman Class, Melee-Type.

Yes! Finally!

I had done it! I had gotten–

Feat of strength performed. You have killed Legendary Monster: Temporus, Overlord of Tomorrows.

You have been awarded the Minute Mage Class, Magic-Type.

Override. You have two Classes. Deleting lowest priority Class.

Congratulations. You are now a Minute Mage.

...the Minute Mage Class?