While they were walking through the dense forest, Iris took the time to tell Alicar everything she knew about this place, her voice carrying a mix of knowledge and nervousness.
"I believe there are seventeen human bases in the Initial Stage, each of them surrounded by the same forest," she explained, her eyes scanning the treeline as she spoke.
This meant that if an awakener traveled for long enough in the Initial Stage, they might actually find another human base, though the distance between each base was extremely big.
It would take literal days to reach another, making such journeys dangerous and impractical for most newbies.
On the way, they encountered two more direwolves, and Alicar allowed Iris to fight this time by herself to help her gain confidence and experience.
She struggled a little at first, her movements hesitant and uncertain, but after only around a minute, she figured out how to use the elements more effectively.
She formed a flame spear from her fire element and threw it toward one of the wolves, killing it instantly as the flames consumed its body.
’The skill is extremely versatile, just as the description said,’ Alicar thought to himself, watching her performance with interest.
They could make walls, balls, spears, spikes, and many more things using each element, which meant their combat options were nearly limitless.
She managed to level up thanks to that, gaining the same attributes as Alicar, and she placed her two free attributes points in Spirit, recognizing its importance for their class.
Meanwhile, Alicar muttered "Status," and his panel appeared before him.
[Name: Alicar Soulveil]
[Class: Soulless (Unique), Elemental Mage (Special)]
[Talent: Infinite Evolution]
[True Title: None.]
[Level: 2 (28%)]
[Constitution: 5]
[Strength: 6]
[Agility: 7]
[Spirit: 10]
[Attribute Points: 2]
[Skills: Six-Elements Affinity, Elemental Attack]
[Class Skill: Contract Slot (1/1)]
Each attribute point affected something different for an awakener, so based on their class, they would need to select carefully to maximize their potential.
Constitution affected health, endurance, and resistance to physical and elemental damage, making it essential for tanks and frontline fighters.
Strength affected physical damage, carrying capacity, and other physical feats, which was crucial for warriors and melee combatants.
Agility impacted speed, reaction time, dodging, and attack speed.
As for Spirit, it was linked to mana capacity, magical power, and some even believed it touched the very essence of one’s being.
For someone like Alicar and Iris who had just gained the [Elemental Mage] class, Spirit was the obvious choice, as their power depended entirely on their magical capabilities.
’Hah, fuck it,’ Alicar thought with a shrug.
He selected his [Spirit] attribute and sent the two free attributes points toward it.
Ding!
[Spirit: 10 → 12]
Mana wasn’t infinite, and the main problem many mages faced was when their mana ran out, forcing them to wait for it to replenish naturally.
Having a higher Spirit stat meant more mana capacity and faster regeneration, which would prove invaluable in prolonged battles.
Either way, the difference became extremely obvious as soon as they met their next monster.
[Forest Ape Lv.3]
[Rank: Common]
This one was much more fierce-looking than the direwolves, standing tall with thick limbs, white fur, and sharp claws that could easily tear through flesh.
Its eyes burned with a primal intelligence that made it seem more dangerous than the wolves they had faced before.
Alas, it still stood no chance before the two mages working together.
Iris cast a lightning strike on the ape, stunning it in place just long enough for Alicar to unleash an ice spike, impaling its heart directly.
Ding!
[You have killed Lv.3 Forest Ape.]
Their experience bar shot up instantly, though not quite enough to level up yet, but they were making steady progress.
"By the way, it makes me wonder," Iris spoke as she crouched in front of the ape’s body, examining it with curious eyes. "I said it didn’t matter before, but now that we’re mostly safe... how is this possible?"
Alicar understood what she meant: in the history of this world, there had never been such a thing as granting a class to another person.
"I saw the [Records of Eternal Races] in my family’s library," Iris continued, her voice dropping to a whisper. "The only thing that comes close in my mind is the Royal Elves race, who can sacrifice their essence to bestow abilities on others... but this is simply too different."
Alicar didn’t seem to have sacrificed anything, in fact he seemed even stronger than before, able to use the same skills as she did without any apparent cost.
But still, Iris knew by instinct that she couldn’t tell anybody about this, not even her family.
The implications were too dangerous, and she had a feeling that revealing such a secret would put them both in grave danger.
"We won’t meet the other races until we enter the Second Layer," Iris spoke, her expression turning serious. "But I think... even humans shouldn’t know about this."
Alicar nodded in agreement, understanding the gravity of the situation.
Perhaps the best way to use his class was to ask the association to bring him as many awakeners as possible, allowing him to select only those with the best potentials.
But not only did Alicar not know when he’d unlock his next contract slot, but even then, who said they wouldn’t use him later for their own selfish purposes.
A Tier-3 awakener, those that can access the Third Layer of the Eternal Realm, would kill to unlock a new class, and Alicar couldn’t trust anyone with that kind of power.
What would happen if they appeared before him and he told them that he wouldn’t make a contract with them since their potential was "Bad"?
The thought sent a chill down Alicar’s spine, but he shook his head as he and Iris headed deeper into the forest, their senses on high alert as they pushed forward.
Soon, they started to hear the sounds of battle echoing through the trees, someone was fighting nearby, and it sounded intense.
After only around three more minutes of cautious movement, they emerged into a clearing where a dramatic scene unfolded before them.
In there, a group of awakeners led by a green-haired man was fighting a pack of Lv.5 Forest Wolves, their coordinated attacks making short work of the beasts.
The man with a snap of his fingers summoned dozens of vines from the ground, each of them snapping around the wolves and killing them with brutal efficiency.
"Good job, Jacob," one of the women of the group beamed as she approached the man, attempting to get close to him with obvious admiration.
But the green-haired man’s response was cold and dismissive.
"Do not touch me," he said icily, and she shrieked back, recoiling from his harsh tone. "Let’s focus on growing stronger."
Alicar didn’t know who that was, so he simply planned to ignore them and continue on their way.
But Iris, on the other hand, shook slightly, her face paling as she recognized the man before them.
"Oh no..." she mumbled under her breath, her voice trembling.
The green-haired man turned toward their location, his sharp eyes scanning the treeline until they landed on the two of them.
As soon as he saw them, a wide, cruel smile appeared on his face, his expression radiating malice.
"If it isn’t the Crowford family’s disaster daughter," Jacob laughed, his voice dripping with contempt. "I heard of what happened. Truly pathetic."
...
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