Chapter 8: On Our Separate Ways
After Michelle had changed her class, we exited the Hall of Classes. The three thugs who had attempted to mug us earlier were nowhere in sight, evidently having learned their lesson.
“Maxim, did you not change your class?” Michelle asked curiously, turning her head at me.
I had considered lying, perhaps claiming I’d chosen Apprentice Warrior or Apprentice Adventurer, but I decided against it. They’d find out the truth eventually, and it wasn’t worth the hassle. “No, I didn’t. I suspect there are other ways to gain classes outside the Hall of Classes. If worse comes to worst, I can always come back and change my class later.”
As the creator of this game, I knew the secret to obtaining one of the strongest classes lay in not choosing any of the standard options offered here. However, achieving that goal wasn’t something even I could take lightly.
“I see.”
“Can’t say that I disagree with your approach,” Boris added, crossing his arms. “Especially since I already had a class before coming here.”
Both of them gave a nod of acknowledgment, seeming to accept my reasoning without further questions.
“So, where should we go now?” Boris asked, glancing around.
“Hmm…” I paused, thinking about our next move. “How about this: You two head to District F first and look for lodgings. I’m sure all of this has been mentally exhausting for both of you, and you want some time to think. While you’re there, check out the weapon shop and equip yourselves. This place is far from safe.”
“Where are you going?” Michelle asked, noticing I had no intention of accompanying them.
“I have somewhere else I need to go first,” I replied, leaving it at that.
I wanted to check the library, as it was one of the few places where divine warriors could acquire certain knowledge and even skills.
There were two main ways to gain skills—three if you included signature skills obtained at the start or through special methods and class-related skills from class, as Michelle got two skills related to her new class. The first method involved performing specific actions repeatedly or training in a particular discipline until a certain level of mastery was achieved. The second was to purchase skill books. However, skill books were expensive, and the ones available in most places only offered general or weak skills.
My primary goal, though, wasn’t just to learn new skills—it was to increase my stats.
As the thought crossed my mind, I suddenly remembered something and turned to Michelle. “Ah, right. You should take this.” I took out the iron dagger from my inventory I’d stolen from the thugs and handed it to her.
“Isn’t this dagger…” She hesitated for a moment before accepting it. “Thanks, Maxim. I’ll make good use of it.”
I asked Boris if he needed a weapon as well, but he refused. Since he mostly fought unarmed, small bad-quality weapons would only drag him back he reasoned.
With that settled, they began heading toward District F while I turned my attention back to my plan. In the main plaza, there was a grand structure reminiscent of the Great Library of Alexandria. Towering columns and beautiful statues framed the entrance, their surfaces adorned with intricate carvings.
I approached the massive building, but as my foot touched the stone stairs, I collided with an invisible barrier. A blue holographic screen flickered to life in front of me.
Access Denied: Insufficient Authorization Rank.
So, entry isn’t open to all divine warriors—only those of a certain rank or higher can gain access, I thought. It appeared that my current standing wasn’t enough to unlock this particular treasure trove of knowledge.
No matter.
This wasn’t entirely unexpected. After all, knowledge in a place like this wasn’t likely to be given away for free or without merit. Furthermore, there were alternatives that I’d prepared.
I muttered, “Guess this leaves me with the skill bookstore in District F.” I wasn’t sure where District F was located. However, I remembered where the other group led by Elysia had gone when we separated earlier, so I quickly found my way there.
It wasn’t a far walking distance from the main plaza since the city appeared to have a circular layout that was divided into six sections. And a wide, central street at the edge of the plaza, leading directly toward a massive cathedral that loomed in the distance, which served as a landmark. Additionally, there was a sign pointing toward District F ahead of me, which confirmed that I was on the right path. But as I looked around, scanning the streets for any sign of Boris or Michelle, I didn’t spot either of them.
Instead, as the buildings began to shrink in size and the road beneath my feet shifted from stone to mud, I noticed a small group of beggars huddled by the side of the street.
The second they saw me, the beggars swarmed around me like a flock of hyenas rushing toward their prey, filling the air with a chorus of misery.
“Please, kind sir, spare us just ten soul coins—just enough for a meal!”
“Mercy, brother. I’m fifty coins short for today…”
“Please, spare even the smallest amount.”
“…”
Worthless beggars. They were people who had been chosen as divine warriors before me, but due to their cowardice and poor decisions, they were unable to adapt to this new world and the scenarios. Now, they were barely scraping by, reduced to begging on the street; it was a wonder how they had survived thus far.
Still, I couldn’t help but think that Istellia was quite a failure at managing her realm, even for a new god.
Unlike the modern games of realm management back on Earth, gods like her rarely micromanaged their divine warriors, especially the low-rank ones like us. To them, it was beneath their stature to intervene in such matters. As could be seen, this then created a breeding ground for higher-ranking divine warriors to exploit and dominate those beneath them, setting the stage for an exploitative hierarchy. Scarface and his group, along with the three thugs earlier, were perfect examples of how this system played out.
“Hey! Are you deaf?” A nearly bald middle-aged man stepped into my path, his expression twisted with disdain. “We’re all in this together! Show some decency! What, did your parents never teach you respect or kindness?”
“Out of my way!” I glared dagger at the crowd, my eyes locking on the man who dared block my path. The intensity of my stare made them all flinch and instinctively step back, vanishing the bravado from their faces.
Might makes right. People like this only understood strength and dominance, not charity or reasoning. Helping them would achieve nothing, so why bother?
With the path now clear, I continued on before finally arriving at my destination not long after. It was a modest bookstore with a hanging sign in the shape of an open book, though, at first glance, the place was very unassuming—nothing like the grand, opulent structures near the city center.
As I pushed the creaky door open, a small bell chimed overhead, and a wrinkled old woman, hunched and cloaked in a hooded robe, peered at me with a sour expression. “Another hapless chap getting lost? If you’re not here to buy anything, don’t waste my time,” she grumbled in an annoyed tone.
Not only does the place look dilapidated, but the service is equally dismal… If this were Earth, people would have flooded this place with one-star ratings on Google Maps or similar apps.
But I wasn’t here to debate customer service ethics. Instead, I asked her if there were any books that I could read for free instead.
“Free books?” The old woman snorted, her lips curling in disdain. “There’s a rack over there with some dusty old volumes. Fifty or so. Most are worthless drivel no one ever touches. Go on, knock yourself out,” she said, gesturing dismissively to a corner of the shop.
Without rising to her bait, I walked to the indicated rack and picked up a random book. The reason I was so intent on reading wasn’t idle curiosity. I hoped to uncover fragments of the truth about what had happened after my fall from grace and subsequent reincarnation. My memories were fractured, scattered across the hazy dreams I’d been having. While I didn’t expect to find solid answers here, the nagging need to piece together my past compelled me to search.
Unfortunately, most of the books were little more than fanciful tales or legends about long-dead divine heroes. One story told of a fearsome figure called the Crimson Sovereign, who ruled over an apocalyptic world. Another described an ancient lich commanding an unholy army of millions, its name bringing fear to many. It was clear that these tales didn’t concern themselves with distinctions between good and evil—they simply chronicled power in all its forms.
Even though these were merely stories, I kept reading, letting the words flow through me.
Your Mind has increased by 1.
You have acquired a skill: [Fast Reading Lv.1].
“Nice.” This was another reason why I read these books. Even though the increase was minor, stats were stats. Incremental progress like this would eventually add up if I kept at it.
Still, with nearly 80 percent of the books untouched, I chose to leave the rest for another time. There were more pressing matters to attend to.
Settling into a creaky old chair, I opened my inventory, letting the familiar holographic interface appear before me.
- Aleph-Tier General Lootbox
- Uncommon-Grade Armament Voucher
Aleph-Tier General Lootbox
Grade: Common
Type: Lootbox
A gacha-style lootbox containing random common-grade items ranging from consumables to basic equipment. Unpredictable, yet always useful… maybe.
Although the explanation was dubious toward the end, I didn’t mind it as I pulled the lootbox from my inventory—it had the appearance of a small wooden chest. Without hesitation, I pried it open.
A soft glow emanated as the lid creaked, disappearing intermittently as it changed into three purple crystal-like stones.
Magistone
Grade: Common
Type: Crafting Material
A crystalline stone imbued with faint mana, often used in crafting basic enchantments or as a low-level power source.
“What a dud.” Despite getting three magistones at once, it was a disappointment given my supposedly high Luck stat. Still, these stones had their uses and were worth a decent amount if sold.
Setting them aside, I turned my attention to the other item.
Uncommon-Grade Armament Voucher
Grade: Uncommon
Type: Selection Token
A special voucher that allows the user to select one uncommon-grade weapon or piece of equipment. Redeemable directly through an inventory interface.
Without hesitation, I activated the voucher. A translucent menu materialized before me, displaying a neatly categorized list. And as I read through the descriptions of the weapons and equipment available, my eyes stopped on one particular item.
“Wait, isn’t this!”