The dungeon chamber on the 6th layer was incredibly humid. I deflected a beam of water that came at me with my shield. This chamber had floating metallic balls that drew everything nearby to them and countered gravity elsewhere. One of the weirder chambers, but it created floating balls of water, that large monster spiked Fish swam in and shot out water beams.
There was a loud crack as Ozy unleashed a large burst of lightening that transversed through several of the floating balls of water. I leapt upwards as the lightening died down and began cutting through the monster fish one after another.
Fighting in three dimensions, was terrifying, but I just focused on the next monster in front of me. I could survive a high fall, and Healer Melon was here in case I broke a bone or injured myself. That gave me the confidence to rush forward.
A giant monster fish leapt out at me. Ozy flew in and slammed into its side before it could bit down on me. The fish went hurtling towards the ground. I spun and stabbed out with my Beginner’s Blade and cut down another monster fish that had leapt at me.
The battle took half an hour and it was completely exhausting. My stamina points were almost completely empty. Breaking free from the floating orbs of water wasn’t hard, just required one to build up some momentum and work out the angles once I cleared the local gravitational effects. Even with Healer Melon helping me out and boosting my stamina, this battle was one of the worst ones I had ever fought.
But it was that difficulty that gave me enough experience to finally reach level 20. I could feel pressure on my soul. Like a switch I could flip. “That was exhausting,” Healer Melon said.
“I hate dungeon chambers like this. Fighting in three dimensions is the worst. I hit level 20,” I said.
“Congratulations. We have time to spare as well to make our ascent out of the dungeon. You have been really pushing yourself the last couple of days,” Healer Melon said.
“If I am going to fight, but as well get the most out of it, instead of doing things halfway. But this chamber, is going on the list of very annoying environments. Without a good range attack or aerial movement skill, it was exhausting,” I replied.
“You still did quite well,” Healer Melon said.
“I couldn’t have done it without you or Ozy. I am still only good enough to clear up to the 5th layer by myself. After that I need help,” I replied, putting off my class selection while I caught my breath and let my body rest.
“Well, you want to head back now or do your class selection?” he asked.
“Now,” I said and pushed on my soul. Something flipped and everything disappeared, the dungeon chamber, Ozy, and Healer Melon.
I was sitting in a white expanse. “Hello?” I called hesitantly. I then saw myself but with glowing white eyes. “Are you me?” I asked.
“You could say that. I am also a guide. Or a part of your subconscious. The part of your soul that interacts with the System,” the Not Me said. “When you leave here, the memory will fade.”
“What, why?” I asked.
“This is a singular moment being stretched out. Your physical body cannot comprehend everything occurring in such a small amount of time. You aren’t really here. Your soul gathered enough energy to reach out. This is the trigger for a new class.”
“But you clearly know things, I don’t. How can you be me?” I asked.
“I am the part of your soul that touches upon the System that allows you to gain levels, stats, and skills. It isn’t a natural process. I know enough to guide you through your choices, but beyond that I can’t tell you anything,” Not Me said.
“Anything you can tell me?” I asked.
“Class selection. The System structures things and give options for what can occur. That is also why you are here and I have this knowledge to guide you. Anything beyond that, I only know what you do,” Not Me explained.
“Well currently I have a Tier 0 class labeled as Child, with a ranking of blue. With the effects of 10% Increased Skill Acquisition, Increased Learning Speed, Increased Stat Gain, Increased Physical Gain, and Increased Mental Gain,” I replied.
“Your memory does us credit. And your mother’s help has pushed your class far higher than it would normally go at such a young age.”
“Does that mean I have a lot of options?” I asked.
“No. Actually it is the reverse. I won’t insult you by presenting anything mediocre or a step backward. Such classes are never considered seriously. For a tier 1 class, the System is going to give you three options. And before you say Spellblade, you should consider each of them,” Not Me said.
“Only three, I would expect something like five or seven?”
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“Three. And be grateful it isn’t just one, with how far you have pushed things before getting your first class.”
“Doesn’t the one I was born with count?” I asked.
“It does and doesn’t. There is a reason it is labeled tier 0, but I don’t know the reason. Now do you want the best option first or last?” Not Me asked.
“First of course, so I can compare it to the other two. You would know this if you were me,” I replied with a questioning look.
“I am you, but I am not. You can worry or not worry about this, but you won’t remember and I am only here to help you with class selection. Now let’s start with the first option.” Not Me waved their arm and the description of the class appeared in the air.
Tier 1, Adult Human(Blue)
Increased Skill Acquisition(+10%), Increased Learning Speed(+10%), Increased Stat Gain(+10%), Increased Physical Gain(+10%), Increased Mental Gain(+10%)
“What? This is just like my previous class, but the tier is upgraded but the color of the class hasn’t changed,” I complained.
“Because it retains its versatility. While it doesn’t help you advance more than you already are, it also doesn’t cut off other paths you wish to pursue. Now for the second option.”
Tier 1, Adult Swordsman(Indigo)
Increased Sword Skill Acquisition(+60%), Increased Sword Attack Power(+60%)
“Why can this class be indigo and the first one cannot?” I asked.
“It is about sacrificing potential for greater power in certain areas. In terms of classes, your current one is at the very limit of what is possible,” Not Me explained.
“And if I chose the first option, I could upgrade it more, with another soul fruit?”
“Yes, but it wouldn’t be easy. Soul fruits, despite the name, don’t grow on trees,” Not Me explained.
“Any other way to improve the first choice?” I asked.
“I don’t know. I really don’t. I only thing I know that you don’t is class selection. Now for your third choice.”
Tier 1, Adult Polymath(Indigo)
Increased Learning Speed(+300%)
“How does attack power even work?” I asked while thinking back on the second option.
“Changes in your Mana. If you are holding a sword, you will instinctively make adjustments to better deal damage. It is the same with the learning and skill acquisition, the process just takes place in your subconscious and effects your mind instead of your body and weapon,” Not Me explained.
“I don’t like any of them,” I replied and Not Me let out a sigh. “If I don’t choose what will happen?”
“You will be in a coma. While time passes incredibly slowly in the outside world, it isn’t completely still. For every minute here, one second passes outside. So five seconds have gone by since you started class selection,” Not Me explained.
“They aren’t bad choices, but they aren’t good,” I countered.
“It is a tier 1 class.”
“Other people have classes that increase in power,” I said.
“Since they go with options where they specialize. The secret with classes is that they don’t ever increase in power except from an outside force. They just become more narrow and have a higher potential each time they increase in tier,” Not Me explained.
“I won’t remember this,” I muttered.
“Nope. But a part of you will know and the College is bound to have studies discussing this somewhere. Now you need to make a decision unless you want to see some of the garbage options?” Not Me asked.
“Maybe one,” I am curious.
Tier 1, Adult Sweet Consumer(Indigo)
Increased Sweet Skill Increase(+50%), Increased Tastiness of Sweets(+50%)
“Haha,” I said in a deadpan. Not Me waved and the joke class disappeared. “What about going up another color?” I asked.
“No. At each class selection the color of the class can only be increased by one rank.”
“And what does the color mean?” I asked.
“The potential of the class and the range of effects it can support.”
“Anything beyond violet?” I asked.
“No idea,” Not Me replied.
“What?” I asked.
“No idea. I really don’t know. Unless you have a violet class, it is unlikely I will ever know. Now do you want to narrow your class for greater power?” Not Me asked.
“I feel cheated, and no one remembers this?” I asked.
“No.”
“What if I use soul skills? Can I come back here?” I asked.
“I am created from the burst of your energy connecting to the System to arrange for a class. After you leave I will be consumed. When you come back here for your next class, it won’t be me, but another creation specifically made to guide you. And no, I don’t feel any dead. I am you and will become a part of you as the Mana used to form your class in your soul,” Not Me explained.
“The three options are all equally interesting. The first one is the one I am most tempted by. If I choose the second two options, can they be naturally upgraded?” I asked.
“Yes, but it is harder, since their potential has been reduced. The first class is a gamble if you can find a way to boost its color. The second and third class offer more immediate benefits and will help you progress in a specific direction. When you learn spells, the second class can transform into a spellblade class. Tier 1 classes are quite basic,” Not Me explained.
“The third class, I would level up all skills four times as fast?” I asked.
“It is a bit more complicated than that, but ultimately yes. Spreading out the effects of a class reduces their power but offers more versatility and possibilities. Focusing on a specific effect will boost that effect much higher,” Not Me explained.
“Could I choose one effect to boost?” I asked.
“No. Ultimately what is possible is what you have focused on. There are class options with an effect only focusing on the Mind stat, but you wouldn’t want them. The three I presented you are the best three out of all the classes you would consider. If you have something in mind then I can bring it up,” Not Me explained.
“No, I was curious. Even if I will forget all of this,” I replied with a frown.
It really wasn’t an easy decision. “If the first class increases to indigo, how will the percentages change?” I asked.
“They will all go up two percent and you can add another effect. For the second class, they will go up by ten percent if it changes to violet. For the third class it will go up by fifty percent.”
The third class was highly tempting. With it, I would easily gain skill levels. But it was worth sacrificing my potential for increased stat gains and greater versatility. “When I get a tier 2 class, will these options still be there if I go with the first option?” I asked.
“Possibly. But they could also not appear. Right now you have an incredible amount of potential. The class options are basically the best someone can get. But that might not always be the case. You had two soul fruits and lots of other things occurred before this class selection. These actions allowed for the best possible options to appear. Many people would get options similar to two and three but without the color increase,” Not Me explained.
In the end, it all came down to how much I trusted myself and what I wanted. This was an incredibly difficult decision.