Chapter 18: Class Advancement

With thirty thousand Valis in hand, Akira stepped into the weapon shop and purchased a sharp, double-edged one-handed sword. He sheathed his staff back into his backpack and kept the spear tucked away for when the situation called for it. So far, everything was in order. His eyes sparkled with anticipation as he headed toward the dungeon. From the shadows of the stone walls, five goblins emerged, snarling and shrieking as they lunged at him. Akira gripped the one-handed sword and slashed in a single, swift arc, making three heads fly away. He pivoted, driving a kick into the remaining two goblins. The resulting force made their skulls crack against the wall. Before they could even slide to the ground, his blade pierced through their hearts. "It feels different." He muttered, casually retrieving the magic stones. "But I don't have time to waste on the first floor. Let's go straight to the sixth." Sixth Floor The atmosphere thickened. Shadows danced across the narrow tunnels, but Akira moved with fluid grace, slicing through monsters as if he was merely facing sticks of butter. With his boosted agility, he could dodge nearly every attack while dispatching enemies with clinical precision. At this moment, a War Shadow lunged from the darkness. Akira quickly ducked low, severing its claws with a single strike before cleaving its body in two with the next. "Looks like I've fully adapted to this sword. Time to push onward—seventh floor." Seventh Floor The air grew humid, filled with the sound of chittering insects. Emerging from the stone cracks were three Killer Ants, their red shells glistening under the dungeon's dim light. Their mandibles clicked rapidly as they closed in. Killer Ants. Notorious for overwhelming rookies. They were nicknamed Rookie Killers for good reason. Like monstrous cockroaches, they crawled out in swarms. One of them swung its hooked claw but Akira quickly sidestepped and slashed. Then, his blade slid through the ant's shell and spine like a hot knife through butter. A moment later, the creature collapsed, lifeless. In the dungeon, there was no place for flashy or elegant swordplay. Brutality, simplicity and practicality reigned supreme. Akira avoided direct clashes as much as possible. He cherished this one-handed sword—it was his first, and he wanted to keep it intact as long as possible. Dancing between the attacks, he dispatched the Killer Ants one by one. After a while, a clean upward slash took off another head. He paused, glancing at the edge of the sword that was now chipped from repeated clashes. "Sigh. It's wearing down." [Personal Information] Name: Akira Age: 13 Level: 13 Still two levels short. Around him, more Killer Ants scurried in. Magic surged from within his body, channeling into the sword. A green glow shimmered along the blade's silver-white edge—wind magic enveloped it like a second skin. With a single swing, he cleaved through another Killer Ant. The sword sliced effortlessly, purple blood spraying from the wound as its head spun into the air. The monsters fell like overripe fruit, their shells meaningless against his magic-imbued blade. The carnage was swift and decisive. Blood and shattered bodies littered the floor. [Personal Information] Name: Akira Age: 13 Level: 15 There was no quest. No system notification. Just a subtle shift. His [Skill Bar] had changed. What was once a single list had now branched into five subcategories—and a new option: [Class Change]. Akira felt something stir deep within him. The Dark Eye inside his body pulsed. He clicked on [Class Change] without any hesitation. Then, five options materialized before him. Elemental Blaster Glacial Master Blood Mage Swift Master Dimension Walker He first selected Elemental Blaster because it was perfectly suited for his current fighting style. His hair fluttered lightly, eyes glowing like black moons, tinged with a hint of death. Magic roared within him. He felt like he could explode with power at any second. Curious, he tried switching to Glacial Master. The next instant, his hair turned snow-white, eyes shifted to deep red, and a cold aura encased him. His once-agitated spirit calmed into a tranquil focus. Pressing a hand against the wall, he channeled his mana—instantly, a frosty sheen of ice crystals spread across the surface. Staring into the mirror-like reflection, he muttered, "My appearance... even that changes?" He summoned flames and punched the wall. The ice didn't melt—only cracked. Next... Blood Mage. His hair lengthened, flowing behind him like a cape. His eyes turned bright scarlet. His body even seemed taller. The scattered remains of monsters began to release a faint, crimson mist. It flowed into him—into the Dark Eyes. The pheromones attracted new enemies. Four Killer Ants charged toward him. Blood sprouted from his back, shaping into wings. He soared through the air. With a sharp swing, two ants split in half. His fingers danced, and blood twisted into scythe-like blades, slicing down the last two. "Even without control, this power is immense." Next was Swift Master. His hair shrank back to shoulder-length. The crimson glow in his eyes dimmed. Wind coiled around him, and he felt a thrill—freedom, speed, a longing to fly. He floated gently into the air, gliding through the narrow corridor with ease. Finally, he hesitated before the fifth option—Dimension Walker. "This one... no. It's tied to Cthulhu. The price is too steep." Akira shook his head. "Let's get stronger first." After all the tests, he returned to Elemental Blaster, the only form that didn't change his appearance. By suppressing the surging mana inside the Eye of Darkness, he could blend in—remain himself. With the Ice Sword in his left hand blocking the ants' attacks, and the one-handed sword in his right slashing clean through their shells, Akira carved a bloody path across the seventh floor. He dispatched the last monster in sight and glanced at the trail of corpses behind him. With a snap of his fingers, magic circles shimmered beneath each body, speeding up the retrieval of magic stones and materials. (End of Chapter) Read 40 Advanced Chapters on patreon.com/astralicity