Having everything settled, I turned to the kids who were apparently scolded by the owners of the place, so they had to pay for the repairs. We were eating in the restaurant downstairs when I overheard the conversations around me.
"Did you hear? According to my friend who is a guard, the dragon was the real leader of the invasion."
"Yes, and not only that. Apparently, the stingy ruler who chose to hire adventurers instead of using the barriers and protection spells had to use them anyway."
"Hehe, serves him right for being stingy."
"No doubt. He doesn't cause trouble for us, but he never invests in the city to improve it. He just spends the money on luxuries and parties he throws for whatever reason."
"Certainly."
"But you know. I heard that the dragon's body only disappeared after he fell."
"Really? That big of a corpse wouldn't fit in a space bag unless it was of the highest quality."
"Hahaha, if the lord couldn't replace his losses with the body of such a rare beast. I'm sure a cheapskate like him only used the barrier and attack spell because he thought the dragon was worth more."
"Don't scoff so much. Even if he is what he is, he's a noble and could arrest you for any excuse he makes up."
"You're right, I got carried away. But everyone knows that, so I don't think it matters."
As I listened to the conversations, I was able to understand more about the current situation. I already knew that some city lords prefer to make requests to the Guild Association to hire adventurers, since activating those defense and attack formations is extremely expensive and they wouldn't use them unless it was a desperate situation. Still, apparently, the celebration party will go ahead as intended.
I spent the rest of the day preparing. In the evening, in my room that had already been arranged by the owners of the place, I made some protective and concealment barriers. I had asked the children not to disturb me because I would be busy all night, especially Erlys, who usually comes. Tonight I was preparing to advance in rank.
I spent most of the day getting my thoughts in order and how I was going to proceed, as these opportunities come along rarely in life. I had more or less made up my mind that I was going to awaken from the lightning element, and that was the sealing trait at Lili's request.
That was the trait she had in our previous life and the only one we did not awaken because we prioritized absorption. She told me that she was going to use this opportunity to awaken something that she had been thinking about for a long time in our previous life and that she believes has a good chance of being fulfilled, so she delegated to me the task of awakening the sealing trait.
I agreed, as I planned to awaken a new light element characteristic and would put almost all my attention on that, so it is better that the lightning awaken a characteristic that I already know.
Without further ado, with everything prepared, I set out to begin the ascension process. Directing the accumulated energy from the experience, I began to move it with my body, nourishing every part of it with that energy, making it more powerful and attuned to the mana.
On my chest, the three previously formed stars began to flicker in an irregular rhythm, as if they were following a melody that no one can hear. I felt how my body was becoming more powerful and how my existence was being elevated. The ecstasy of these sensations was unlike anything I could imagine, but I kept my focus and will on what was happening next.
At that moment, as the energy of the experience finished enhancing my body, it concentrated in my containers and chest. Now the important part began. As the fourth star formed, my mind immediately felt like I was sailing on a sea of stars. I felt small and insignificant in the face of the immensity of what I felt. Still, I had already experienced this and knew I shouldn't waste time, so I concentrated and somehow information and other things I don't understand passed through my head like thoughts that exist but quickly leave your mind like a passing dream.
My concentration was in several places at once, a price I must pay as a possessor of more than one element. Still, my mind was clear on my goals. Time passed, but I did not know how much. I felt it was hours, days, weeks, weeks, years; I don't know. I only know that something inside me, something new, was being created.
This is something I have felt when I first created my characteristics in my previous life. All the information, theories and hypotheses were being filled in and corrected by a force that I do not understand and it was slowly permeating me. All this was happening during my ascension.
When I somehow felt that I had accomplished all that I could, all was quiet. I was just floating in that sea of stars with no direction, no time, no nothing, and sooner than I remembered, I was opening my eyes in my room.
"Huumm... Ah, that was more intense than I remembered."
I can never remember exactly what happens during my ascension; I just remember it as a blurry, very real and immersive dream that I wake up confused or as if I had spent a lifetime in it. I felt all my changes and, sooner than I expected, a window appeared before me. It was one of the few times in the life of an awakened person that I saw something other than their normal state window and in it appeared:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Select one of the following jobs:
Night Storm Hunter
Twilight Hero
Guardian of Lightning
Lord of the Shadow Thunder
Black Lightning Avenger
Swordsman of Darkness
Lightning Monarch
Lightning Paladin
Shadow Monarch
Sentinel of the Electric Dawn
Knight of the Fulminating Light
Guard of the Lightning Dawn
Swordsman of the Divine Lightning
Hero of Light
Shadow Assassin
Warrior of the Electric Dawn
Crusader of the Luminous Lightning
Twilight Watcher
Guardian of the Dawn
Paladin of the Penumbra
Champion of the Night Light
Swordsman of Dusk
Archon of the Twilight Lightning
Paladin of the Shadowy Dawn
Avenger of Radiant Thunder
Guardian of the Electric Eclipse
Crusader of Dark and Luminous Lightning
Sentinel of Light and Shadowy Thunder
Necromancer of Storms
Sentinel of Lightning
Paladin of Dawn
Lightning Reanimator
Monarch of Darkness
Soldier of the Abyss
Paladin of Radiant Death
Conjurer of Light and Death
Master of the Celestial Wraiths
Hero of Lightning
Avenger of Accelerating Lightning
Celestial Illuminator
Lightning Warrior Punisher
Paladin of the Holy Lightning
Conductive Light Knight
Dawnguard Will
Arcane Tempest
Holy Illuminator
Lord of Shadows
Swordsman of Punishment
Warrior of the Dawn
Holy Lightning Crusader
Arcane Shadow
Champion of Light Assimilator
Master of Absorbing Duality
Defender of Light and Shadow
Guardian of the Hidden Eclipse
Swordsman of the Twilight
.....
...
..
..
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was thinking about whether to choose jobs based on my previous life, but what was displayed before me was a spectacle I cannot describe. There are over forty jobs when the average is no more than five. Having ten choices means you are a genius in many areas, but not to mention the number.
Usually when you get your first job, you get simple things like lightning mage, fire warrior, or if you're lucky, knight, priest, or some better classes that boost your combat form. But what I have here are jobs that you can get on rank advancement.