26 The Illusion of Choice
Whenever they encounter a class change, everyone hopes to have more choices. However, the reality is bitter, and, usually, it only presents common choices to everyone.
Well, it seems like my case is a bit—no, a LOT—different. After all, not only were there dozens, but my choices were more than hundreds!
"Congratulations on reaching beginner level," QUEEN praised as she clapped lightly, passing her well wishes to me. "And it seems like we're really the same, having low saturation points."
"Saturation?" A familiar term was heard, making me turn to her in surprise. "You mean the one where leveling up is based on the nanomachine's saturation inside one's body? Isn't that an unproven theory?"
"I haven't published it, but there are more than a dozen sample cases I have observed, including you. I believe that's enough proof of the case at hand." She walked to my side, staring into the status window that I had.
"... What's with your class-up choices?" She muttered with a hint of disbelief.
After all, even I can't believe the sheer number of choices I currently have. Maybe it even includes all the classes that I already know! Well, I'm not so sure, but at least it could be.
"Anyway, my class was already decided from the start anyway. Blacksmith!"
I scrolled up from the bottom of the list, reaching the thirty-forty range, and found the class I was hoping for. I immediately tapped the name "Blacksmith (Expert)" and waited for the notification... But the notification that came was far from my expectations.
[
Warning! You are overqualified for the selected class, Blacksmith (Expert)! The selected class will now be removed from the list of choices. Please choose again!
]
"... Sh*t!"
My class! It vanished! Wait, it's not time to panic yet. For blacksmithing alone, there were three variations: beginner, intermediate, and expert. Only the expert one vanished for now, so I can try the other two.
But as if to prove the first one, the highest, was something I was overqualified for, the rest gave me the same result. I almost fell to my knees, knowing that I couldn't pick a blacksmith as my job.
I looked around, searching for something that could fit my needs as well, and found the Crafter class. Without hesitation, I tapped on it, but again, the system claimed that I was overqualified for it. F*ck qualification; I just want a manufacturing job!
One by one, all of the crafting, manufacturing, repair, and other lifestyle classes were selected, but in the end, nothing worked. The list of 200 classes was now down to a little more than half. At that point, I had already lost interest in getting a class change.
"..."
But well, if I don't class up, I will remain at level 10 for all eternity. I gritted my teeth and selected the first job offered: swordsman. But still, the system claimed that I was overqualified for it. A soft chuckle echoed from behind me, but I was too invested in tapping at the list to even check. Rather, I was tapping all the items that popped up at the number one position, but it was as if pressing it just meant deleting them.
In just a minute, only the last four items were left.
"What's the point of presenting me with 200 choices if I can only select from 4?" I cursed lightly before calming down my raging anger.
Taking a deep breath, I tried to imagine myself under the four roles and, without hesitation, clicked the Demon Lord. Why? There's not much reasoning, just that being a hero and saving others and stuff sounds too tiring.
"Please work!"
As I pressed on the "Demon Lord" class, the system window finally appeared with a different set of texts.
[
Checking requirements... Requirements satisfied. Changing class to Demon Lord...
]
I watched as the notification's progress bar loaded slowly. A smile was about to appear on my face, anticipating the end of this long "class change" hell. But alas...
[
Changing to Demon Lord Failed! The presence of undeniable justice is detected in the user's mind and heart. The selected class will now be removed from the list of choices. Please choose again!
]
"F*ck!"
I cursed as I clicked on "Hero", the opposite of "Demon Lord". I wished that this time it succeeded, as the last two choices were things that I'd rather avoid for all eternity. They were definitely much worse compared to "Hero" on my scale!
Another while of loading started before the usual window appeared, showing another set of different content. But generally still the same.
[
Changing class to Hero failed! You lack the will to never back down from evil threats! The selected class will now be removed from the list of choices. Please choose again!
]
"D*mn! Now what?" I sighed, completely losing strength in my fingers to press either of the last two classes.
One is the Protagonist. I'm not sure what would happen if I chose it, but I guess a lot of bothersome things would occur. I'd rather stay inside our garage and tinker with creating weak weapons than do random chores.
The other one was more of a wildcard since its name had only three question marks. I have no idea what it was, but from my experience, question marks represent random values. Will the nanomachines assign me a job if I select it? Well, I guess... Still, random is better than the Protagonist, yeah.
My fingers trembled uncontrollably as I tried to press the second option. I took a deep breath, using my other hand to stabilize my right hand, and touched it. As soon as I did, another window popped up, making me stare at it in amazement.
"Wow!"
It was a f*cking roulette! D*mn it!
However, there was no button to press to start the roulette, which seemed to begin automatically. I tried reading what classes were entered, but the font was too small; it was almost unreadable. The only one I deciphered before it started spinning was "Sun Destroyer" or something; that sounds cool, but it's completely unknown what sort of class it was.
"This isn't full of joke classes, right?" I felt cold sweat pour down my back. If something like a swordsman class with low agility and strength or a mage class with no intelligence boost appeared, I'm confident that I'd turn to insanity.
If it's like that, then choosing the protagonist might be the better choice. I should've tried that one first before checking this thing. My aversion to the word "Protagonist" got the best of me, I think.
The roulette spun faster and faster until sparks were flying from its edges as if it would fly off if not for the stopper in the middle holding it in place. Then, as suddenly as it began, it stopped. I looked at the triangular pointer at the top and checked the name of the class that it chose... But the Roulette vanished before I could read it.
In return, a notification appeared in its place, announcing the class that I got.
[
Class Changed successfully! You have upgraded from Student Lv. 10 to World Breaker Lv. 1*
Class Change bonus received. All crafting skills will experience a 50% boost.
Class Skill Activated: World Inventory Lv. 1
Detecting a "Breaker" class activation... The world is entering the "Open" state... Complete.
]
"World Breaker?"
QUEEN muttered in a confused voice from behind. I guess even for her, it's a completely unknown class.
As soon as my class-up ended, I felt a wave of electricity course throughout my entire body. I could feel power rising in concert with the increase in class stage. I finally graduated from the basic level and entered the first class change, the beginner level!
After the upgrade was done, the golden status on top of my head vanished. It was releasing a faint glow all the time it was up there, so as soon as it disappeared, it was pretty easy to notice. I quickly turned to QUEEN, but hers was still there, displayed with a bright golden border.
"So the golden status gets removed upon class up?" I muttered absentmindedly.
"Rather than that, what's with your class? The last phrase, do you know what it means?" QUEEN asked, her face moving closer to mine.
Her furrowed brows were telling me that she was bothered by whatever it meant. However, even I have no idea what it referred to. If I didn't know that whatever the nanomachines put in the description was something relevant to the user, then I wouldn't even bother recalling its content.
"The world was entering the [Open] state, was it?" I tilted my head slightly, wondering what it could mean.
I closed my eyes and tried to think about the recent events. The dream, the golden status, the hundreds of class change choices, and now the weird class and the cryptic message at the end. I can't help but think that they're all connected.
I opened my eyes, scratching my head awkwardly, and just spouted whatever I thought the meaning was. "Isn't it just telling us that [Something] will change soon?"
I don't know what that something is, but more likely than not, I'd be involved in it. I'm bothered if the Protagonist is any better than this, but well, I can't return to the past and change my choices anyway.
"... Open Gates... Nanomachines... Could it be...?"
QUEEN was deep in thought, muttering discontinued words as if in a trance. I just stared at her for a while before I noticed that we were surrounded. I guess standing still in the middle of the field wasn't a good choice.
"But now that I'm at beginner level, I'm no longer the same as before!"
With quick movements, I dumped all the new stat points, a total of 20 points since a class-up is considered a level-up too, into Endurance.
[
Name: Giza Mahiro
Level: 1*
Class: World Breaker
Badges: 52 (expand>>)
Titles: 5 (expand>>)
Skills: 6 (expand>>)
Strength: 145.5 (33 + 112.5)
Agility: 145.5 (33 + 112.5)
Intelligence: 50.5 (13 + 37.5)
Wisdom: 53.5 (13 + 40.5)
Endurance: 180.5 (73 + 107.5)
Luck: 10
Free Stat Points: 0
]
Now that I look closely, I have gained another title without noticing... "Crafter of Miracles"? Must be from the time when I made the staff.
Anyway, now wasn't the time to get distracted. The Orthus were already around us, ready to fire their spells at once. I roared with a fierce battle cry, holding the knife in one hand and the lance in the other, before lunging into the crowd.
