Xiaxia giggled mischievously, enjoying the opportunity to show off her gaming knowledge. "Oh, let me tell you something interesting. Each race in the game has its own special ability called a racial trait. It's like a unique skill that only members of that race can have."
Xin looked intrigued. "Really?"
Nodding eagerly, Xiaxia continued. "For example, if you chose to be an Elf, you would have gained the [Keen Eyes] racial trait. Elves are known for their exceptional vision, which makes them great hunters. Many players choose Elves when they want to play as a ranger or a hunter class.
"And as for the beastfolk race, they usually have racial traits that enhance their strength or agility, depending on the specific type of beast they are."
Xiaxia paused, her eyes widening with anticipation. "So, what sub-race did you choose?"
Without hesitation, Xin replied, "I chose to be a cat."
Xiaxia's surprise was evident as her mouth dropped open. "A cat? Out of all the options, you went for a cat?!"
She burst into laughter, unable to contain her amusement. "You could have been a powerful wolf, a swift leopard, or even a fierce lycanthrope. But a cat? That's unexpected!"
Xiaxia didn't know whether to laugh or cry. But it was so Xin to choose something so unremarkable –– like he had chosen Meilyn.
"But you like cats," Xin said.
"Yeah. But as a pet!" Xiaxia exclaimed.
Xin was unbothered. "So what are its racial traits?"
Xiaxia sighed when she looked at Xin's impassive face. It made her think that she was the one overreacting.
"I don't know."
". . ." Xin's brow raised. "And you said that you have four years of gaming experience."
"It's because it's a cat!" Xiaxia growled. "It's so unremarkable that nobody would bother to pick it!"
Xin looked to the side and uttered, ". . . Useless."
"What did you say?"
Xin ignored her and looked at his stat himself.
Xiaxia was curious and went to his side.
"Ha . . ." Xiaxia was surprised as she read. "[Righting Reflex]? What's that?"
Xiaxia proceeded to read, "Cats have natural instinct and remarkable agility to twist their bodies mid-air during a fall, enabling them to land on their feet, minimizing the impact and potential injuries."
Xiaxia's lower lip puckered out in dismay. "So unremarkable," she commented.
Xin didn't mind and asked her, "What's your race then?"
Xiaxia's eyes squinted upward in glee. "Hohoho. Be amazed, for I acquired the very rare . . . ANGEL race!"
". . ."
Xiaxia's smile fell when Xin's face remained a statue.
"Aren't you going to ask how I get it?"
"Is it that extraordinary?"
"Of course it is!" Xiaxia exclaimed and leaned over, the veins in her eyes popping as she explained with a passion, "Angels are a rare race that has the best healing abilities. Their unique racial trait [Celestial Nature] allowed them to boost healing spells up to 20%! They also have wings, so they have the passive [Fly]. They glowed a radiant light and are truly captivating. They're so awesome that every guild is coveting one."
"So you're a healer?"
Xiaxia abruptly paused and looked to the side. "No . . . ," she squeaked in a low voice.
"So you're saying is . . . the Angel Race is wasted on you."
Xiaxia whacked Xin's head, strong enough to make a point. "Who said? For your information, I'm an Angel Paladin! I have both magical and physical abilities, so I can do both support and offensive attacks depending on the situation. But not that a block of ice like you could understand."
"So, how did you acquire it if it's a rare race?"
". . ." Xiaxia's lips smacked together, and her eyes roamed anywhere except Xin's. "Let's just say that . . . I received it as a gift."
Xin stared at Xiaxia suspiciously. "Hmm . . ."
"A-anyway!" Xiaxia quickly changed the topic. "You'll have a hard time looking for guilds with that race. But don't worry, I have a guild, so you can–!"
"I don't plan on entering one," Xin said decisively.
Xiaxia's excitement quickly turned into confusion as Xin firmly rejected the idea of joining a guild. She blinked, struggling to process his words, and her eyes widened in disbelief. "
Huh?! What do you mean you're not entering one? You do know that Guildbane is a game that revolves around guilds, right? There are so many benefits and opportunities that come with being part of a guild. You'll be missing out on a lot if you choose to go solo."
Xin's expression remained unwavering. "I understand that, but I prefer to play the game on my own. I want to experience it at my own pace for now."
Xiaxia was concerned about Xin's decision, but she knew better than to argue with him once he had made up his mind.
However, she believed that he would reconsider once he realized the limitations of going solo in the game.
Bringing up the topic of his class, Xiaxia asked, "You still haven't chosen one?"
Xin shook his head, expressing his confusion. He was overwhelmed by the many options available in the class list.
"I see. We'll it could really get confusing at first. But . . ." Xiaxia ran her eyes at Xin and sighed. "A cat . . . why does it have to be a cat, for god sake."
"Do you have something against cats?"
"It's not that. I just couldn't find a class that matches the cat race well. Cats are not strong enough to be fighters or barbarians, and they don't have any intelligence boost to be mages. They also lack the agility-related traits to be thieves or rogues."
"Shouldn't you know which class suits each race after playing the game for four years?"
"Cut me some slack. The developers are constantly adding new races and classes that it's hard to keep track of each one of them."
Xin shifted his eyes to his drink and casually took a sip. "Then I guess I'll remain classless for now."
Until he knew what class best suited him.