My conversation with Samantha had been so involved that I hadn’t taken the chance to truly survey the room.
I walked past the podium and glanced at the three tables in front of me, while Samantha explained what I was looking at.
<Before you meet up with other challengers, you have the chance to choose a class. The F-rank and E-rank classes are readily available—all you’d have to do is just pick up the book you want and absorb the knowledge.>
On the first table, I could see over a dozen leather-bound books. I skimmed through several of the titles: Swordsman, Mage, Magician, Sorcerer, Archer…
<The F-rank classes are trash,> Samantha said, urging me on to the next table.
At Samantha’s prompting, I moved on to the second table, which, predictably enough, held the E-rank classes. I could sense a faint power, or pressure, from these books. <Don’t bother with the E-rank classes,> Samantha said, urging me on to the sole book on the third table.
The third book simply said, Mana Modulator. By looking intensely at the book, I was able to trigger a blue pop-up description:
Mana Modulator (D-rank class): A Mana Modulator''s power comes from the mana flowing in their veins. Grants Internal Mana Affinity (D-rank). Teaches Mana Modulation (D-rank): Allows you to modulate the mana inside your body. Can convert mana directly into temporary stats. Each temporary Stat Point lasts 30 seconds. +2 Mana Pool/level. +1 Mana Regeneration/level.
I frowned, uncertain about the tradeoff. "Isn''t 30 seconds short?" My original, F-rank Mana Modulation lasted twice as long.
Samantha laughed. "It''s long enough to make this a highly sought-after class. Note that the D-ranked Mana Modulation doesn’t have a cooldown, or an upper limit for how much mana you can convert into stats. But if you''re not convinced, just keep in mind that none of the F-rank classes offer stat boosts per level. And the E-rank stat boosts don''t compare. Even if the Mana Modulation skill were useless, this class would still be better than any other class in the room, because D-rank classes always give better level-up bonuses compared to E-rank or F-rank classes. It’s common sense, really, I shouldn’t have to explain this…"
I reached out to take the Mana Modulator class.
<Before you touch it,> Samantha said, <I recommend changing your gear.>
I glanced down at what I was wearing. Honestly, I was surprised that I was still receiving a stat bonus from my Magician’s Robes. The robes were bloodied and shredded. The left sleeve was completely gone, and there were several holes from where I’d been shot by arrows.
<Try on the orc armor. Its stats are better than what you’re wearing now>
I took the orc armor out of my pouch. The breastplate, helmet, and boots were all too large for me, but it did seem to offer better protection compared to the Magician''s Robes that I had been wearing. Fortunately, each piece of new equipment had some kind of cushiony inside that reminded me of what memory foam should be—something that didn’t get in the way when I put it on, but then closed in around me slightly to hold the equipment in place. It would hopefully also serve to redistribute the distribute the impact of any blows that landed on my armor.
I still felt weighed down by awkwardly large and heavy armor, though.
<There are two main benefits of Schema-recognized equipment,> Samatha explained. <The first is obvious--armor can block or deflect direct blows. The second is that when you equip armor as one of your seven slots, you gain a stat bonus to your Status Window.>
After putting on the orc’s helmet, boots, and breastplate, I glanced at my new stat screen.
<table width="624">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="156">
Name:
</td>
<td width="156">
Jarek
</td>
<td width="156">
Level:
</td>
<td width="156">
3
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="156">
HP:
</td>
<td width="156">
13/13
</td>
<td width="156">
Physical Defense:
</td>
<td width="156">
11 (+4)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="156">
Strength:
</td>
<td width="156">
10 (+2)
</td>
<td width="156">
Mental Power:
</td>
<td width="156">
11
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="156">
Dexterity:
</td>
<td width="156">
10
</td>
<td width="156">
Agility:
</td>
<td width="156">
10 (+4)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="156">
Mana Pool:
</td>
<td width="156">
11 (+1)
</td>
<td width="156">
Mana Regeneration:
</td>
<td width="156">
5 (+1)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="156">
Available Points:
</td>
<td width="156">
0
</td>
<td width="156">
Coins:
</td>
<td width="156">
50,300
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="156">
Class:
</td>
<td width="156">
None
</td>
<td width="156">
Profession:
</td>
<td width="156">
None
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="156">
Titles:
</td>
<td colspan="3" width="468">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="156">
Skills and Spells:
</td>
<td colspan="3" width="468">
Identify (F-rank)
Mana Modulation (F-rank)
Death’s Defier (A-rank)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="156">
Affinities:
</td>
<td colspan="3" width="468">
Internal Mana (F-rank Low)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="156">
Equipment:
</td>
<td colspan="3" width="468">
Mana-infused Knife (F-rank): +1 Mana Pool, +1 Mana regen.
Orlan Blade (E-rank): +2 Strength, +2 Agility
Orc Helmet (F-rank): +2 Physical Defense
Orc Breastplate (F-rank): +2 Physical DefenseThis story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
Orc Boots (F-rank): +2 Agility
Interdimensional Pouch (E-rank):
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
“For an A.I, it doesn’t look like you’re very good at optimizing,” I said, glancing at my stats. “These numbers are all over the place.”
Samantha sniffed. <What would a human know? Also, it’s not just about optimizing. When we start our fourth challenge, you’ll be around people. How could you make a good first impression around people with a tattered magician’s robe? Also, we’re going to want to keep our class secret. We should make people think we are focused on physical stats. It’s always good to keep some things to ourselves.>
I nodded at Samantha’s last point, and I reached out to take the class change book.
The moment my fingers came into contact with the book, I saw my surroundings shift and suddenly, I was in another world.
I appeared in a desolate town square. The buildings were 3-4 stories tall, made of stone and mortar. It was clear, from the weeds and cracked stones, that nobody had lived in these buildings for hundreds of years.
In the middle of the square was an altar, which held my Mana Modulator class book.
A fully armored elf stood in between me and the altar, sword raised to bar my path.
<This is just an illusion. Not anybody can claim a D-rank class. If we can''t get past the elf, we will be kicked out of the illusion and the book will disappear from the room. Don''t worry about taking damage, and just follow my lead.>
And let me guess. You conveniently forgot to mention that taking the D-rank class would require another battle.
<I didn’t think it would be a big deal,> Samantha replied, smoothly. <This is just an illusion anyway. Even if you die here, you’ll just be kicked out of the illusion without a scratch on your body.>
Part of me was inclined to doubt Samantha, because she''d lied so much to me before. But really, something felt unreal about this world. Although there was plenty of detail around me, I felt like the distant buildings were just a haze--a background--that didn''t truly exist.
I breathed deeply, and I began to follow the combat shadow that had kept me alive so far. I strode forward, faking the confident posture I saw from the outline.
<The elf is a Mana Modulator,> Samantha said, while I charged forward. <We need to force him to convert mana into stats, and then let his timer run out.>
Once I closed the distance, I swung my sword forcefully at the elf. The elf dodged faster than I could see, and immediately rushed towards me.
I was already backing off, though. I barely parried the elf’s sword as it flashed at me. I was only able to parry because Samantha somehow knew where the strike would end up.
I continued backing up on the cobblestone street, and the elf pressed his advantage.
<He converted mana to Agility,> Samantha explained. <We just need to hold on for 30 seconds longer.>
It was a long 30 seconds. I backed away furiously, and the elf furrowed his brow as he continually failed to harm me. I had no idea what I was doing, completely ignoring the elf in front of me and focusing on following the combat shadow. Fifteen seconds later, the elf picked up pace again, moving in even more of a blur.
It was impossible now to avoid damage it seemed. Samantha’s combat shadow switched its focused towards damage reduction. I parried the elf’s first strike, but then a second strike fell before I could block, so I raised my left arm and let the sword bite into my bone.
Fortunately, the elf’s strength wasn’t enough to chop my arm off.
My own sword strike, aiming for the elf’s head, forced the elf to free his sword quickly and parry.
The moment the elf started raising his sword, I was already backing away, putting more distance between us.
The elf quickly closed the distance again and struck. I wasn’t able to parry in time, and the elf’s blade stabbed into my stomach.
I backed away again.
The elf pulled his blade out of my gut, and struck again. This time, I was ready. I blocked his blade, as I retreated, and gained another valuable second.
It wasn’t long before the elf’s attack speed began to falter. It wasn’t hard, at that point, to continually backpedal in circles, looping around the main square.
Once the elf completely ran out of his Agility boost, I pressed my attack.
<Use Mana Modulation to gain Agility,> Samantha said. It was the command I had been waiting for. Between my own mana that gave me increased Agility, and Samantha’s abilities to read my opponent, I struck at the weak points in the elf’s armor.
My first strike sunk into the elf’s armpit. Then, as the elf extracted himself, I spun behind him and struck the back of the elf’s right knee with full force.
The elf staggered forward slightly, and I drew some blood from the strike.
As the elf spun, I stabbed directly at where Samantha knew the elf’s eyes would be.
My sword sunk into the elf’s eyes, and the town around me faded.
I appeared back in the oh-so-familiar white-walled room, with the Mana Modulator class tome in front of me.
As I tried to open it, the Atropos Schema prompted,
Would you like to change your class to Mana Modulator (D-rank)?
Yes/No.
I mentally selected yes, and opened up my character sheet.
<table width="624">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="156">
Name:
</td>
<td width="156">
Jarek
</td>
<td width="156">
Level:
</td>
<td width="156">
3
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="156">
HP:
</td>
<td width="156">
13/13
</td>
<td width="156">
Physical Defense:
</td>
<td width="156">
11 (+4)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="156">
Strength:
</td>
<td width="156">
10 (+2)
</td>
<td width="156">
Mental Power:
</td>
<td width="156">
11
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="156">
Dexterity:
</td>
<td width="156">
10
</td>
<td width="156">
Agility:
</td>
<td width="156">
10 (+4)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="156">
Mana Pool:
</td>
<td width="156">
11 (+1)
</td>
<td width="156">
Mana Regeneration:
</td>
<td width="156">
5 (+1)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="156">
Available Points:
</td>
<td width="156">
0
</td>
<td width="156">
Coins:
</td>
<td width="156">
50,300
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="156">
Class:
</td>
<td width="156">
Mana Modulator (D-rank)
</td>
<td width="156">
Profession:
</td>
<td width="156">
None
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="156">
Titles:
</td>
<td colspan="3" width="468">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="156">
Skills and Spells:
</td>
<td colspan="3" width="468">
Identify (F-rank)
Mana Modulation (D-rank Core)
Death’s Defier (A-rank)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="156">
Affinities:
</td>
<td colspan="3" width="468">
Internal Mana (D-rank Low)
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="156">
Equipment:
</td>
<td colspan="3" width="468">
Mana-infused Knife (F-rank): +1 Mana Pool, +1 Mana regen.
Orc Helmet (F-rank): +2 Physical Defense
Orc Breastplate (F-rank): +2 Physical Defense
Orc Boots (F-rank): +2 Agility
Orlan Blade (E-rank): +2 Strength, +2 Agility
Interdimensional Pouch (E-rank):
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<There are a few important changes to highlight,> Samantha said, as I studied my character sheet.
<By gaining this class, you’ve forcefully upgraded Mana Modulation to a D-rank skill. The new Mana Modulation skill is the skill that you saw in the Mana Modulator Class description. It lets you convert mana directly into temporary stats.>
I called up my Status Window. By mentally selecting my class and each skill, I could read more about it.
Mana Modulator (D-rank class): A Mana Modulator''s power comes from the mana flowing in their veins. Grants Internal Mana Affinity (D-rank). +2 Mana Pool/level. +1 Mana Regeneration/level.
Mana Modulation (D-rank): Allows you to modulate the mana inside your body. Can convert mana directly into temporary stats. Each temporary Stat Point lasts 30 seconds.
<I hope you can understand the potential for this class,> Samantha said, excitedly. <It won’t take too long for your Mana Pool to pass 100, and your Mana Regeneration per minute will pass 50. Just think of what this means. You’ll be able to fight short, intense battles against opponents that should be out of your league.>
<There is one small caveat—unfortunately, Mana Modulators are not able to gain any benefits from Mana Potions. If it helps, you could explain that away by saying that it would be too broken otherwise, but the real explanation is complicated and has to do with the relationship between stat points and souls.
Why didn’t you tell me that in advance?
<It shouldn’t change your decision. If you were able to, then Mana Modulator would easily be a C-rank class.>
That was somewhat surprising to me. I could vaguely follow what Samantha was saying. If I could convert--or modulate--the mana in my Mana Pool into a stat like Agility or Strength, and then replenish my Mana Pool with a potion, and then convert mana again into Agility or Strength...that sounded like such a cheat. If I were a game designer, I wouldn''t allow that. But, in the Atropos Schema, that would only count as a C-rank class? What other classes were out there??
Samantha, meanwhile, continued to explain my stat sheet. <The other thing you should notice on your Status Window is that you have improved your Affinity. Affinity is a key part to how the Schema restricts classes, and it plays an important role in class development. Since your Affinity is Internal Mana, you aren’t able to control mana outside your body by casting spells. On the flip side, even if another mana-based class found a Mana Modulation skill book out in the real world, they wouldn’t be able to use it, unless they had Internal Mana Affinity. Humans are generally limited to three Affinities, so we will need to think carefully about the next two Affinities that we choose.>
<The last thing to highlight doesn’t show up on your Status Window. This is the biggest benefit to gaining a D-rank class in the Atropos Schema Tutorial, and this is why I am confident you will thank me later for everything I’ve put you through.>
Samantha paused, as if waiting for my response. I just shrugged. Honestly, I was still processing everything. No, I was trying not to process things too much. Things were turning out ok, in the sense that I wasn’t dead. If I had to choose between dying and being temporarily mind-controlled, it seemed like an obvious choice. But I wasn’t going to tell her that.
<The biggest benefit to a high-ranked class,> Samantha continued, <is the stat gains per level. Previously, you were gaining +1 HP per level, and 1 free point to allocate. Now, you will gain +1 HP, +2 Mana Pool/level, +1 Mana Regeneration/level, AND a free point per level.>
<If I were to make a guess,> Samantha continued proudly, <I’d say you’re on track to be one of the 100 strongest humans on your planet.>