Chronicles Of The Crafting Hero [REMASTERED]

James’s boots struck the uneven cobblestones with heavy, rhythmic thuds, a deep scowl etched into his face. Tyler walked silently beside him, keeping his eyes on the ground.

Inside James’s head, however, his thoughts were racing, desperately trying to make sense of the absolute impossibility Tyler had just dropped on him.

*How is that even possible? He leveled up six times just from training. It must have been gruesome, but still...* James glanced sideways at Tyler out of the corner of his eye. *He even gained two skills in the process. He must have gotten one from becoming a Plus, and another when he ranked up. This isn't normal. It's almost like he's one of them...*

"You want to become a hunter?" James finally said out loud, breaking the stifling silence.

Tyler nodded.

"Well, you're a Craftsman class, so I'm not sure if that can even happen," James pointed out.

Tyler frowned, staring down the street.* He's right. If only I had a full set of armor from another class. I could change that.*

Suddenly, the familiar text flashed across his vision, hovering clearly in his mind:

[IF THE USER HAS TWO ITEMS THAT ARE FROM THE SAME CLASS TYPE, THE CLASS CAN BE SWITCHED TEMPORARILY]

[NOTE: BONUS EFFECTS WON'T APPLY.]

Tyler stopped dead in his tracks, a sharp gasp hitching in his throat as he read the words.

"What?" James asked, pausing a few steps ahead and looking back at him.

"I can still become a hunter," Tyler said, his voice echoing down the quiet street, sounding a little louder than he intended.

James gestured dismissively with his hand. "I just told you, kid. A Craftsman can't be a hunter. They don't even have badges for that."

"I can change that."

"What?" James asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"My class. I can temporarily change it," Tyler said. "If I equip two items of the same class, it can be switched temporarily."

"Wait, hold on," James said. He took a deep breath, processing the words. "You can switch out your classes?"

"Yes," Tyler nodded. "The system said so."

James stared at him, completely speechless. Just... what the hell is this kid? he thought, his mind spinning. He can switch classes now? That has never happened. Not even the heroes could do this.

Tyler glanced up and down the sunlit street, making sure no one else was around. Satisfied that the cobblestone road was empty, he opened his right hand. A copper dagger suddenly materialized into his palm, the metal catching the afternoon light.

I'm assuming this is an assassin-type weapon, he thought, gripping the hilt. Let's see if it works.

James's eyes narrowed in surprise at the sudden appearance of the blade. "Where did you get that dagger?" he asked.

"I created it and stored it in my inventory," Tyler said. He wasn't looking at James; his gaze was fixed on what appeared to be completely empty air in front of them.

Inside his mind, the translucent text hovered clearly:

[CLASS: ASSASSIN (CRAFTSMAN)]

*It works*, Tyler thought, his eyes widening slightly.

"Are you trying to see if it works?" James asked, watching Tyler stare into space.

"Yeah," Tyler answered. He willed the weapon away, and the copper dagger disappeared from his hand with a faint blue shimmer. "And it works. The system says I'm an assassin now."

"An assassin?" James asked.

"Yes. It must be because of these shadow leather boots I equipped. They might also be assassin-class equipment."

"So you're saying your class has changed?"

"Yeah," Tyler nodded once more.

James put a rough hand to his chin, the stubble scratching against his palm as he frowned in deep thought.* Just like that? This doesn't make any sense. He's doing something impossible so easily.*

He looked at Tyler, who was just staring back with a completely dull, casual expression.

*He doesn't even know how huge this is*, James thought. *I knew he had potential and was extraordinary, but this is just too much.

"So let me get this straight," James said, dropping his hand. "If you equip yourself with two items of the same class, you gain that class temporarily. Does that mean... does that apply to any class?"

"Yeah, I think so," Tyler said.

"Hmm," James murmured, his eyes narrowing as he studied him.

Tyler shifted on his feet, the soft, leather of his boots flexing soundlessly. "I can become a hunter with this, right?"

James slowly nodded. "Yeah. You can..."

"Today?" Tyler asked.

James flinched slightly, the horrific image of the blood-soaked floor flashing back into his mind. "Yeah. It's possible."

"Then I want to do it today."

"Well, there's a bit of a problem with that," James sighed, rubbing the tense muscles at the back of his neck. "Even if your class has been changed temporarily, you still don't have any kind of ID, since you weren't born here."

"You'll need documents that have your name, your birthplace, things like that."

"Really?" Tyler muttered, his shoulders dropping in defeat. "But I don't have any of that."

"Lucky for you," James said, "I happen to be close friends with one of the staff. He can pull some strings for you. Come on, follow me."

James turned completely around, his boots scraping against the stone as he headed back down the road in the direction they were originally walking.

"Where are you going?" Tyler asked.

"To the registration center."

Tyler quickly picked up his pace, joining James at his side.

As they walked, Tyler looked around. Without the usual bustle of carts and people, the afternoon sun felt hotter, baking the uneven cobblestones beneath them. The silence in the air felt heavy. "The streets are so empty today," he muttered.

"It's probably because most people have gone to the town square," James said, his voice echoing slightly off the closed wooden shutters of the houses. "They're likely having a meeting about the festival."

"A festival?" Tyler asked.

"Yeah," James answered, looking over at him. "There's going to be a festival in two days. It's the day we celebrate and honor the time the Hero defeated the Demon God."

"Oh," Tyler said in understanding.

"Yes. There are different kinds of celebrations throughout the year. Most of them involve the Goddess, and some the King, like King's Day."

Tyler watched James take a right turn at a three-way intersection and followed close behind him. As they walked further, Tyler realized the settlement had completely changed.. The clustered houses were now much more scattered, replaced by paved walkways and large, pristine structures.

In the distance, towering over the other rooftops, he spotted a massive building made of pale, smooth stone. Fixed to the peak of its towering roof was a large metal sign made of three golden concentric circles. The circles were held inside one another by a single small gold chain. As the afternoon wind blew, the heavy metal rings steadily shifted and rotated against each other with a deep, echoing metallic groan.

The sunlight caught the shifting gold, making it gleam like a second sun against the blue sky.

"What is that?" Tyler asked, squinting at the blinding light of the building looming in the distance.

"Ah, that is the Lumina Church," James said, his tone flattening slightly. "People go there every Saturday to praise and worship the Goddess."

Tyler looked over at James. "Do you go there too?"

James cleared his throat, his gaze dropping to the floor as he shifted uncomfortably. "Uh, no, not really."

Tyler wanted to ask why, but he stayed silent, not wanting to pry into his business.

They took another turn to the left, slipping between a row of taller buildings. Almost immediately, the quiet stillness of the afternoon was shattered. The rising, chaotic noise of a massive crowd washed over Tyler, overlapping voices, the heavy thud of footsteps, and the sharp clatter of metal.

Two women passed them, their pristine white and gold silk dresses rustling softly, leaving behind the faint, sweet scent of expensive perfume as they smiled and laughed at their own conversation.

They came out into a wide open plaza, and James pointed ahead.

Standing before them was a massive two-story building made entirely of weathered red brick. It was incredibly wide, looking more like a fortified grand hall than a standard office.

The area was a sea of chaotic movement. Dozens of men and women pushed through the crowds, draped in scuffed leather armor, chainmail, and iron breastplates. Heavy broadswords and iron-tipped spears clinked against their sides with every step.

*This place has a lot of people*, Tyler thought, taking in the overwhelming noise and vibrant colors of the crowd. *Kind of like the marketplace.*

Tyler looked through the wide open double doors. Inside, a massive wooden counter stretched across the room, manned by several clerks dressed uniformly, just like the ones he'd seen back at the hunter base.

"We're here," James said.

As they crossed the threshold, their boots clacked sharply against the polished brown-tiled floor. Tyler looked around, surprised. The interior was cavernous. Thick beams of sunlight spilled through the towering vertical windows, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air.

Beneath the glass, rough wooden benches and tables were lined up. Several hunters sat huddled over them, the frantic scratching of their quills audible over the low hum of conversation as they focused intently on filling out stacks of paperwork.

A man with short, dark hair finished speaking to a heavily armored hunter at the counter. As the hunter walked away, the clerk's brown eyes landed on James.

"Oh, James!" the man called out, extending a hand and waving them over.

"Zack. How've you been?" James asked as they stepped up to the wood. They locked hands in a firm grip. "I haven't seen you in a long time."

"Same here," Zack said with an easy smile. "How's everyone back home doing?"

"They're doing great."

"I'm surprised to see you," Zack noted, leaning against the counter. "I thought you would've moved out by now."

"Well..." James hesitated, clearing his throat. "We had a bit of a problem, but it's settled."

Zack's gaze shifted, meeting Tyler’s eyes as Tyler stepped closer to James. "Oh, and who's this with ya?"

"This is Tyler," James said, forcing a small smile. "He's here to become a hunter."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"So you want to register, huh?" Zack said, a knowing grin spreading across his face. "I'll tell you right now, it's not an easy job. Are you sure you're up for it?"

"Yes," Tyler said, his voice firm and unwavering.

"You look determined. What class are you?"

"I'm an Assassin-type."

"Hmm," Zack hummed, his eyes scanning Tyler's physique. Beneath the tunic, Tyler's new muscle mass gave him a dense, combat-ready posture. "You look more like a Fighter-type."

"Assassin and Fighter builds look pretty similar. You can't really tell without an appraisal," James interjected, resting his forearms on the counter.

"Fair enough," Zack agreed.

James leaned in closer, lowering his voice to a whisper. "Hey."

"What is it?" Zack asked, leaning in to meet him.

"Listen, we have a bit of a problem," James murmured. He jerked his thumb toward Tyler. "This kid lost all of his documents, but he needs to become a hunter. I really want this for him. You can help us, right?"

Zack frowned, the easy smile vanishing. "Hmm. I can try," he said, sounding entirely unsure.

James looked at Tyler, then back at Zack with quiet desperation. "Please, Zack. There's a way, right?"

Zack stared into James's eyes for a long, tense moment. Finally, he sighed. "Alright. Let me see what I can do." He pushed off the counter, turning his back to them, and jogged up a wooden staircase leading to the main office on the second floor.

"What did you say to him?" Tyler asked quietly.

"I told him to help you out," James said, a small, genuine smile returning to his face.

Tyler stared at the empty stairs, then looked back at James. "It sounds like you've known each other for awhile."

"Well, yeah," James said, his gaze distant. "Zack was actually a hunter back in the day."

"He was?" Tyler asked, surprised. The man looked like a standard desk clerk.

"Yes. He was a Knight class, like me. Though he stopped hunting when he got severely injured. Almost died," James said, his expression turning grim. "I always hunted with him. After that... we never hunted together again." James turned his head, locking eyes with Tyler. "This job really is dangerous, you know. It can change a man. You'll be staring death in the face every single day."

Before Tyler could respond, heavy footsteps thumped against the wood. Zack hurried back down the stairs holding a few sheets of coarse paper. He reached the counter and slid them across the wood toward Tyler.

"Alright, here," Zack said. "Fill out these forms. You can sit at one of those tables over there. When you're done, bring them right back."

"Okay, thanks."

James patted the wood. "Don't worry. They're simple questions."

Tyler left James catching up with his old friend and walked over to one of the empty wooden tables. He sat heavily on the bench, picking up an ink-stained quill. The rough parchment had three pages.

He looked at the first prompt: What is your name? He quickly scrawled his answer.

How old are you? He filled in 22.

*These questions are pretty simple*, Tyler thought, the scratch of the quill echoing softly.

He scanned the next line: Have you undergone any type of combat training?

"Yes," Tyler muttered, checking the box.

He breezed through the rest of the pages. J*ames wasn't lying. They're really easy.* He paused at one specific question near the bottom: Did you raise your level within the designated monster zones, or outside?

*Of course, I have to lie about that one", Tyler thought, marking down outside.

He stood up, walking back and sliding the finished papers across the counter.

Zack picked them up, scanning the ink quickly before giving a short nod. "Okay. Follow me."

The massive counter was long enough that it practically split the whole building in two, but Tyler spotted a small waist-high swinging door built into the wood. He pushed through it, stepping behind the desk, and followed Zack closely up the creaking wooden stairs.

As he climbed, Tyler glanced back over his shoulder. James was standing at the bottom with his arms folded, watching him go. Behind him, the lobby remained busy, the other hunters turning in their own papers to the remaining clerks.

"Come on, keep up," Zack called out, breaking Tyler's focus.

Tyler hurried up the remaining steps. At the landing, Zack pushed open a heavy oak door, and Tyler stepped inside.

The main office was huge and suffocatingly quiet compared to the bustling lobby below. Meters in front of him, sitting behind a massive, cluttered mahogany desk, was an older man. He looked to be around James's age, with sharp features and wire-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. He was quietly reading a stamped pamphlet.

"Sir," Zack said respectfully, stepping forward and placing the papers on the desk. "Here he is."

The older man slowly lowered the pamphlet and shifted his piercing gaze to Tyler.

Tyler's curiosity flared. Instantly, the cold, translucent text of the System hovered in the air directly above the seated man's head:

[HUMAN: LEVEL 66]

The older man picked up the coarse parchment from his desk, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the ink. He looked up, his gaze locking onto Tyler. "Tyler Evans. That is your real name, correct?"

"Yes," Tyler said.

"I'd like to remind you that if your name is false, you will be locked behind bars or charged a huge fine," the man warned, his tone flat and uncompromising. "So I'll ask again. Is your name truly Tyler Evans?"

"Yes, sir," Tyler said, giving a firm nod this time.

"Alright. Let's proceed," the man said. He gestured to the wall beside his desk. Mounted against the wood was a smooth, fist-sized crystal orb, topped with a flat, rectangular piece of black glass.

*That's the thing they used to measure levels back at the base*, Tyler thought.

Directly in his line of sight, his translucent System panel hovered in the air, confirming his temporary class change. He smiled a little, feeling a small spike of adrenaline. *My class is still changed. I really hope it says I'm an Assassin.*

He walked over to the orb and pressed his bare palm flat against the smooth, cool glass. Instantly, the orb hummed, shimmering with a faint, pulsing green light. A second later, crisp letters materialized across the black rectangular screen:

CLASS: ASSASSIN

RANK: E

LEVEL: 20

Tyler exhaled a long, shaky breath he didn't even know he’d been holding. *It worked.*

"Oh," the older man murmured, sounding almost disappointed as he read the screen. "Level 20. Please, sit." He gestured lazily to the wooden chair across from his desk.

Tyler sat down, the wood creaking under his weight.

The man folded his hands over the desk, looking Tyler up and down. "You're an Assassin. I hope you know what that means. You'll mostly rely on your speed and stealth during your hunts. Keep that in mind."

Tyler nodded. "Yes, sir."

The man reached down, opening one of the heavy desk drawers. He pulled out a thick document and slid it across the mahogany. "Sign here."

Tyler picked up the quill and quickly scratched his signature onto the line. The man took the document back, closed the drawer, and immediately opened the second one next to it.

Tyler heard the sharp, distinct sound of clanking metal as the man shifted his hands around inside the dark space. Tyler glanced over at Zack. Zack was completely silent, keeping his gaze fixed on the man's hands as well.

The man pulled his hand out. Dangling from his fingers was a necklace. It had a thick silver chain, and attached to it was a heavy, black square pendant with a bold letter E engraved deep into the metal.

He slid it across the table toward Tyler. "This is your Hunter badge. You will carry it everywhere you go. If you lose it, you will pay a fine of thirty silver. However, with each rank up, the charge increases by another thirty."

"Thirty?" Tyler muttered, wincing slightly at the cost.

"Yes," the man said flatly. He then pulled out a second document, stamped it with red wax, and handed it to Tyler. "Sign here."

Tyler signed the bottom of the page. This time, the man did not take it back.

"You'll have to keep this one," the man instructed. "We'll keep the other. This is very important. Do not lose that, as well."

"Alright," Tyler said, carefully folding the paper.

"Okay. You can go now," the man dismissed him, his eyes already drifting back to the pamphlet on his desk.

Tyler reached out and picked up the heavy necklace. The silver chain felt freezing cold against his skin. He shoved it securely into his pocket, clutching the folded document in his other hand.

He and Zack turned and exited the office, the heavy oak door shutting behind them.

Inside the quiet office, the older man watched the closed door for a moment. *He became a hunter as soon as he hit level twenty*, he thought, letting out a long, tired sigh. *Things are going to be incredibly hard for him.*

He flipped his pamphlet open, completely dismissing the thought. *Well, that doesn't concern me. Young hunters die every day.*

Meanwhile, Tyler and Zack walked quickly down the wooden stairs back into the noisy lobby. A massive, relieved smile broke across Tyler's face.

As they reached the bottom, Zack grinned, looking over at James. "It's done. This kid is officially a hunter now."

"Great. Thank you, Zack. I really appreciate it."

"Come on, anything for an old friend, right?" Zack said, clapping James on the shoulder.

Tyler walked over to the small swinging door, pulled it open, and crossed back over the counter to join James.

James turned back to the clerk. "Alright, I'll see ya."

"Goodbye, old friend," Zack said, waving them off. "Send my regards to Lisa, alright?"

"I will," James called back.

James and Tyler turned away from the counter and walked through the front doors stepping back out into the bright afternoon sun.

James stopped and turned to look at Tyler. The heavy tension from the house seemed to have completely vanished from his face, replaced by a soft, genuinely proud smile.

"This is it, kid," James said quietly. "Well done. You're a hunter now."

Tyler chuckled, his chest swelling with relief. "Yeah." He looked down at the stamped document clutched tightly in his hand, his heart racing.

*Finally.*