A soft hum filled my ears. The status screen appeared.
…
Name: @!$!@#$@
Rank: 0
.
Species: Draconic-Blood Human [Rank 1]
.
Stats:
Strength: 2
Dexterity: 1 → 4
Endurance: 0
Intelligence: 99 → 101
Spirit: 4
.
Classes: Shadow (Click to check details), Alchemist (Click to check details)
…
I blinked. The jump in Dexterity was big as I expected. It increased by 300%.
My small body felt lighter. Even the slightest movement needed less effort.
What caught my eye more was Intelligence crossing one hundred. My thoughts seemed sharper, like someone had cleaned away the clutter in my head.
I tapped on the Alchemist Class.
…
Class: Alchemist
Rank: 0
Grade: Apprentice Alchemist
First Perk: Improved Ingredient Comprehension
Perk Information: You find it easier to learn and use knowledge about basic alchemy ingredients.
…
I leaned my head against the railing, taking it in.
Yuna crouched down. "Lord of Shadows, you gained a perk with the Alchemist Class, didn't you?"
I nodded.
"There won't be an active skill," she explained. "That's normal. Normal Classes don't give skills right away. Shadow is different because it's an Inherited Class. That's why it came with a skill from the start."
I stayed quiet, listening.
"There are three types of Classes," she went on. "Normal, Evolved, and Inherited. Normal Classes are simple. Anyone can get them by meeting a condition."
I glanced at the crown, asked innocently. 'Yuna, dismantling this crown counted as the condition to get alchemy class?'
"Yes. Even a basic process like that can unlock Alchemist as a Normal Class." She smiled faintly. "But to rank it up, you'll need better materials."
I nodded again. That was a problem for later.
Resting my chin on the crib railing, I muttered, 'Apprentice Alchemist, huh?'
The words made me smile.
People outside the System could still be alchemists. They could brew potions or refine metals if they had the knowledge.
But they didn't get stat increases or perks. That made them weaker than someone recognized by the System.
Yuna sat down on the floor and tilted her head. "What's your current class rank?"
'Yuna, it is Rank 0,' I said telepathically.
She nodded. "That's normal. Every Normal Class starts at Rank Zero. But don't underestimate them. Normal Classes can grow into Evolved Classes.
"And if you complete hidden requirements, which I'm going to help you with, you can get Rare Evolved Class, and even Hidden Evolved ones."
Evolved Classes were divided into three types.
Normal Evolved.
Rare Evolved.
Hidden Evolved.
Most people had Normal Evolved Classes. One a few would have Rare Evolved Classes.
Only the elites of the societies knew about the existence of Hidden Evolved Classes. These Classes were precious, and the requirement to get one was kept under tight security.
'I have knowledge from my past life, and Yuna is here who is sent by System.'
'This will make it easier for me to get Hidden Evolved Classes in future.'
Of course, to get an Evolved Class one must master Normal Classes first.
I thought about that for a moment. Then soft footsteps echoed in the hall outside.
My body froze.
Mom's steps.
The sound grew closer, then faded as she walked past the door.
I let out a quiet sigh of relief.
'Almost thought I was going to be taken away,' I muttered.
Yuna stifled a laugh. "You really don't want her to see you like this."
I nodded.
I turned my eyes back to the glowing screen.
Each class had its own progression. For Alchemists, the path went through Grades.
Apprentice Alchemist.
Journeyman Alchemist.
Formulation Alchemist.
Combat Alchemist.
Artisan Alchemist.
Each Grade gave perks and stats. Once someone mastered Artisan Alchemist, the class evolved.
"Evolved Classes are stronger," Yuna added, as if she read my thoughts. "There are three types of Evolved Classes.
"Normal Evolved, Rare Evolved, and Hidden Evolved. The stronger your foundation and achievements, the better Class you can get."
I nodded slowly.
For now, I was only an Apprentice Alchemist. But that was enough.
It was the first real step.
"Lord of Shadows, other than Normal and Evolved Classes, there are also Inherited Classes. Your Shadow Class is one example of it.
"These Classes can be passed through bloodlines, rituals, or contracts."
I listened quietly as she explained.
All Classes (Normal and Inherited) started from Rank 0.
Only Evolved Classes had higher start point, as one needed to master Normal Classes to get them.
"However," she went on, "keep in mind that no Class is worse than another by itself. How strong a Class is depends on how you use it.
"In the hands of a warrior, an Assassin Class might be useless.
"In the hands of a healer, a Scout Class is useless. What matters most is how the Class matches your fighting style."
I nodded slowly.
'Yuna, so it's not about the Class itself but how I grow into it?'
"Exactly," she said with a small smile.
It was exhausting to keep acting like a clueless kid, but I had to make sure Yuna did not realize I was a regressor.
My eyes went back to the dull crown lying in front of me.
Now that I had taken mana in, I only needed a little more to start on the path of a Mage.
The Mage Class had its own progression system. Unlike Alchemy, which went by grades, the Mage path followed stars.
Zero-star to nine-star.
Each star carried a massive leap in strength.
But the very beginning was to build a Mana Core, which marked Zero-star Mage, and then form the first Star for One-star Mage.
'I also need to decide what element I'll align with.'
That choice would decide everything.
I remembered the bitterness of my last life, where I was forced into Earth element.
Earth was strong, but it didn't suit me.
This time, I wanted the strongest element.
So many choices stood before me. Fire. Water. Air. Spirit. Astra. Space. Lightning. Weapon. Light, and countless more.
Some were common. Some were rare. Some had only ever been chosen once in history.