The next day came.
Zeid was first to arrive at the guildhall. While inside, there was a long moment of solitude where Zeid found a free time to speculate and review his system which was eventually followed by his daily quest. More people began to enter the guildhall as time passes by.
[Stats]
Name: Zeid
Level: 7
Class: None
Title: None
Damage Reduction: 25%
[Attributes]
Vit: 300
Cha: 21
<<>>
Str: 21
Agi: 14
Dex: 14
Int: 7
Acu: 7
Flo: 7
---
Available Points: 16
[Skills]
Soul Transfusion: Consume a captured soul and absorb its abilities. (Has a small chance of achieving a skill or bonus stat.)
-Kindle Shot [Lv1]: Shoots a small ball of flame from your fingertips. The fire will spread around the body upon contact with the enemy. Deals Fire Damage.
-Bouyant [Lv1]: Be able to levitate a few feet or control the speed of descent and/or ascent. Enter a state of temporary flight.
-Earth Modification [Lv1]: Bend and mold earth at your will within a range that fits within a 6-foot diameter. Lasts for 1 hour.
-Create Water [Lv1]: Conjure 1 gallon of water out of thin air. Disappears if unconsumed for 8 hours.
*Aphrodisiac [Lv1]: Secrete a viscous drug that enhances arousal and sexual pleasure as well as removing sexual pain. Contains a contraceptive ingredient. Has a good chance of replenishing the stamina of the caster and a small chance to the receiver.
Weaklings: Aggro lower level hostiles in a 300-meter diameter range. Higher-level beings are unaffected but if they are weakened, it can be applied. Aggro lasts for 1 minute.
Bloodlust: When the health of the user hits a critical limit, greatly boost stats for 5 minutes. However, the user will be enraged with wrath.
[End]
Zeid was flustered to read all the contents of his skills. To his perspective, everything felt similar to God's Odyssey Online. The way his system appealed itself and the way his stats worked. Within the years of his mediocre gameplay, a player can amass numbers of skills, spells, and talents but they can still only use a few. That is because each skill is unique and can become powerful when there are synergies.
In God's Odyssey Online, there's this term called "Maining and Obsolete". Maining applies when a player chooses a few skills, spells, and talents they own and grind to level them up. Those that are chosen becomes the sole mastery of a character. While Obsolete refers to the obtained skills that are chosen to be forgotten or deemed worthless in the set. However, the term obsolete means it is no longer used, there are still situations where these skills can come pretty handy despite being unleveled.
Zeid hasn't chosen a particular skill to main yet.
"Hey, Altair. How did I get [Aphrodisiac] anyway?"
"Upon fornicating with Aqueshia, master. Monsters that are coupled by you are considered subjugated monsters and thus a part of their soul is absorbed within your body."
"So that means when I fucked Aqueshia, she had already become mine not only by the flesh, if she had one, but also by the soul. Interesting." Zeid raised his eyes and realized that there are already a number of people within the guildhall. "…I'll find out myself when I see Elayne."
There were all people of different ages that are within his vicinity. It ranged from 5 to mostly 25 years of age. There are nobles as well as commoners waiting to take the test. Right now, there are 87 people inside and 20 personnel of the building. Only 50 are to take the test and that includes him.
Zeid stood as they were beckoned to enter the testing chamber. They were led by a knight and they moved accordingly. They arrived in a wide room with a domed ceiling and from afar was a black translucent crystal aloft 4-feet from the floor. The walls had tapestry hanging, depicting weapons and items of magic. Luminescent Crystals were inlaid upon the walls and beneath were empty pedestals.
The knight left and they were told to wait for the sage.
People began to converse, and some even sat on the floor while others remained standing.
Not long after the knight had left, a senile old man appeared out of the dark corners of the room. His appearance had silenced everyone and soon rose to await his remarks. His face had wrinkles and his hair had already turned gray. He wore a blue robe and stood quite taller than Zeid.
"[Weighted Arcane]."
The old man flourished his wooden staff and spoke those words which had caused numbers of people to kneel as if they are brought down by an unbearable weight. Those who remained standing were aghast and left their mouth wide agape. Gasps and screams filled the room.
"Silence! Those who remained standing! Leave!"
He roared as he ran his fingers through his long white beard.
"What?! You must be out of your mind, old man!"
"We paid to become an adventurer! Not to witness some freak show and leave!"
"C-can you explain why?"
People who remained standing complained. Their hearts were filled with discontent and their mouths expressed their displeasure. As most of them had been waiting to apply and paid beforehand. Their anticipation was replaced with desperation as some were nobles. These nobles came from families with powerful status and prestige. As a noble, failing before the Magic Potency test was an embarrassment and a proof of weakness.
In this nation, power and strength were everything, and the weak were left to rot.
"It seems you don't understand. I'll speak more gently this time. Leave or be punished by the royal family." The old Gandalf-looking man spoke softer yet his message remained stern.
It was a fact that the guildhall was of the king's possession. Anyone who dared to show insolence before the sage would meet punishment from the majesty himself.
The existence of adventuring has been traced back to centuries. Considering that those who had the ability to do so were powerful beings that can use magic, the first king had established the Guildhall to increase his military power. Knights are one of the classes in adventuring, the only difference they make is that they don't do quests for personal gain but for the people of the nation. While temptations cannot be avoided, it is an honor to be a knight within a nation. The knights are the vanguard within the battlefield while the others are just the kingdom's militia.
Those who aren't adventurers aren't allowed to take on quests.
Those who remained standing were left with no other choice than to leave. Their marks had been removed by the personnel of the Guildhall and were refunded by the price they paid. There were only 12 of them left.
Zeid who was kneeling on the ground felt as if he was carrying something heavy. He tried to raise his hands but to no avail. His eyes were wide in anger and shock, as his situation deemed him weak. Words of his past came drowning his thoughts and caused his body to shudder.
"N-no…I'm n-not weak…" Zeid forced his voice. Veins began to protrude all over his legs and arms. With all his strength, he tried to heave himself up. He was able to raise his body inches from his previous state.
"Oh…" The sage caressed his beard he noticed Zeid.
"Nonetheless…" He snapped his fingers and the spell was broken. Due to the sudden cessation of the spell, Zeid's act of forcing himself to stand caused him to catapult himself. Zeid was quick to act and used [Bouyant] to deter his further flight 3-feet from the flagstone floor. Three who noticed began to laugh at him in mockery. Those who didn't, remained silent.
Zeid remained calm as soon as he regained the ability to stand. He didn't care about the mockery he had received just now, as long as he wasn't told he was weak.
"You must be wondering why those people left. I will answer that now." He walked forward and placed his hand in front of everyone. "One of the most important components to become an adventurer is to have an Arcane Soul."
"Arcane soul?" people asked in unison.
"As you should know, there are three components of the human body. The flesh, the spirit, and the soul. The flesh is the very body you have now that confines the other two. The spirit is the energy within, or most commonly known as mana. And the soul, it is our conscience." He cast a spell and dense energy began to gather within the palm of his hand. "But that is all to the common people. Those who are adventurers have one additional component and that is the Arcane Soul."
"Arcane soul?" this time only the three men that laughed at Zeid spoke. Knowing that the other remained silent, they felt embarrassment slapping them as eyes shifted to them and adverted back to the sage.
"The Arcane Soul is only existent in a few of a hundred. It is the other part of our conscience that binds us to the gift of the gods called power. Without an Arcane Soul, one cannot achieve a skill or talent that is only given by the gods. It is the soul that allows us to mend and control mana within our body and use them to cast our actions." He closed his eyes and nodded his head. "Those who can use magic or has an enhanced skill in particular things have an Arcane Soul but if they are not adventurers, they cannot enhance those skills."
"The Arcane Soul is the conscience that allows us to control the very energy within us." He reminded them.
He threw his hand on the side and the dense energy shot towards the wall, causing an explosion. Rubbles flung wildly into the air as smoke emanated from the explosion.
[Explosion]
When the smoke cleared out, the wall had been destroyed.
Everyone had ducked for cover to avoid the grisly rubbles. There were screams coming from them, while some had muffled their voices. When they stood, they noticed the concrete wall was no more. The sage then snapped his finger and cast another spell.
[Earthen Wall: Guildhall's Fortification]
Soon, the rubbles scattered within the room turned into a miry substance that moved towards the crack. As if the particles itself started to multiply as well, the volume of the umber substance increased and spread along the crack. Having the hole fully covered, the substance soon hardened.
He cleared his throat and continued.
"Moving on. You lot are now considered adventurers. Now step forward as I call your names!"
"Enzo Blackburn!" Everyone's eyes widened upon hearing the name except for Enzo and Zeid. "Walk forward and place your hand on the black crystal."
"Isn't that the name of the recently summoned hero of the royal family?"
"Yeah, yeah! I can't believe he's taking the Magic Potency Test as well."
"A hero, is it?" Zeid pondered.
Soon a youth stepped forward. He was attractive as hell, considering his glossy black hair and flawless skin. His arms looked like he had been working out for a month straight, and wore a rather dashing outfit that Zeid had considered him, "…a guy with an 8th-grade-syndrome."
He was clad in black and a sword was sheathed behind his back. He stood two inches shorter than Zeid's current height.
"Come and place your hand."
He nodded and did as he was asked. Their eyes followed him as he approached the crystal. He placed his hand on the crystal that felt cold on his touch. But as his touch prolonged, the crystal became warmer.
Soon a panel appeared above them, similar to what Zeid perceives daily. It contained all his current stat and his main talent was revealed. Talent is a passive or active skill, one that determines the adventurer's role.
[Info]
Magic Potency: 10
Dark Luster: All skills of dark-affinity can be learned with increased efficiency of 10%. All dark-affinity deals 20% more damage to all units.
Class: Warrior, Swordsman, Swashbuckler, [+7]
[End]
The old man nodded. He had never seen someone with so many suitable classes before and Enzo had ten of them. The sage smiled thinking they will finally have a chance to win the war against the east.
Everyone was amazed to see his stats. The only one who was indifferent was Zeid.
"Hmm, so all of his beginning stats are a perfect ten. Not to mention, he can master skills of dark-affinity faster than anyone and deal more damage. Normally, a commoner can only receive a potency rate of 3 to 4, let alone reach 7 if they are of royal blood. But this, he is no doubt the summoned hero of the Seven Seraph's Church. With a perfect ten, there's a high chance that his stats will increase by ten every time he levels up." The sage thought to himself.
"You may choose a class from the three!" The sage remarked.
Enzo placed his hand before his face with his eyes solely locked on his palm. A dark fire soon kindled on his hand, waving calmly like a curtain under a breeze. He closed his eyes and spoke gallantly, clenching his hand, and extinguishing the fire.
"I choose the path of a Swordsman!"
The sage tapped the end of his wooden staff on the flagstone floor. The air around began to reverberate as magic circles formed beneath the dark crystal and Enzo. Both were enveloped in a soft light that soon dissipated. Enzo shifted his gaze between his wrist and the crystal.
Then he turned dandyishly, making his hair and the cape of his cloak to flutter through a whir. Everyone was in awe, even men. The only one who thought he over-exaggerated his exit was Zeid who embarrassingly watched the young lad.
"Man…I can't believe I did the same in high school. Now I know why some were laughing." Zeid reminisced a costume party. He dressed an OP anime character who wielded two swords.
"Next!"
"Aww, man! I have only one choice and it's a rouge?!"
"Aw, my talent is growing plants? I'm no good than a farmer, sigh…"
Time had passed and it was already Zeid's turn. As the last tester, all eyes were on him and the apprehension that people felt over their potency was replaced with anticipation. Zeid knew that their expectations wouldn't be met, so he kept a rather calm demeanor.
"Hey, doesn't that guy seemed strong too?"
"Yeah."
As Zeid stood before the aloft crystal, his hand reached for the crystal. Altair warned him constantly not to remove the Anti-Aura ring because he might be caught by a hunter nearby. A hunter can be anyone, and Altair feared there might be one around. Zeid nonchalantly threw her warnings away as he did not like being pressured by someone.
With a strong grip on the crystal, the panel appeared.
When the panel appeared, everyone fell to stupor.
Gasps filled the air…
Then was replaced by laughter.
"Hahahaha!"
"Ahahaha!"
[Info]
Magic Potency: 1
Inventory: Able to contain amounts of items within dimensional storage.
Class: [Error]
[End]
His eyes flashed and a sheepish smile curved on his face.
"Laugh while all of you can. I'll become the strongest." He spoke to himself.
The sage closed his eyes in disappointment.
"I'm sorry, kid. You'll only be allowed to have a support class." He confirmed to Zeid. "It bothers me though, why the error?" The sage thought to himself.
Disappointed, he immediately dismissed all of them.
When everyone left, the sage spoke to himself.
"I thought I finally found a guardian of a witch, sigh. No one that weak can become a witch's accomplice."