"YGGDRASIL," as a game, was vastly different from traditional games. The death penalty was severe—dying meant losing five levels, and if your levels weren't sufficient, your account would be deleted.
To minimize the cost, players had two options: activate resurrection magic or carry resurrection items like cash-shop gear such as resurrection rings or wands.
Aron, unfortunately, had none of these resurrection tools.
And he suspected that even with his innate ability, [Player], death in this world wouldn't automatically grant him a respawn.
After all, this was no game. It was a real, breathing world.
He couldn't afford to be careless!
Aron gnawed on the hardened black bread, his hand instinctively brushing against the short sword strapped to his waist—a weapon he'd purchased for several silver coins.
Without a "Item Appraisal" spell, he couldn't gain any specific information about the sword.
Still, even without such magic, Aron knew this short sword was a basic, mundane weapon with no stat bonuses.
His purpose for buying the weapon wasn't just self-defense. It was because, upon touching the weapon, he had stumbled upon a way to trigger [class activation].
....
*Buzz—*
[Contact with a weapon: Short Sword. Basic class information acquired: Warrior.]
[Do you want to advance?]
Aron held the short sword in front of him and waited. A notification appeared on his status screen.
"No!"
Aron quickly thought the command in his mind.
The prompt on his status screen vanished. This wasn't the first time he'd encountered this notification. The same thing had happened when he purchased the sword.
Including this instance, Aron had rejected the prompt twice.
Through experimentation, Aron had discovered that touching weapons for an extended period allowed him to trigger notifications for certain classes.
At a weapon store earlier, he had touched a unique shield and triggered a mid-tier class called [Black Guardian]. However, he couldn't unlock it since it required the prerequisite basic class: [Protector].
That discovery had excited Aron so much that he touched nearly every weapon in the shop, enduring the murderous glare of the store owner.
Unfortunately, aside from that shield, every other weapon could only trigger the basic [Warrior] class.
.....
In "Overlord," the classes were divided into three tiers:
- Basic Classes (15 levels)
- Mid-Tier Classes (10 levels)
- High-Tier/Special Classes (5 levels)
Each class had a maximum level cap corresponding to its tier.
The game boasted over 2,000 unique classes, creating a vast and diverse system. It was nearly impossible for two players to have identical class configurations unless they deliberately copied each other.
Aron had discovered his ability to activate classes when he bought the short sword. Despite this, he hadn't chosen a class yet, as he was fully aware of one crucial limitation.
*The level cap was 100!*
Every basic class occupied 15 levels of that cap. To stand against the likes of Nazarick, focusing solely on [Warrior] or [Caster] would leave him vulnerable to counterplay.
In other words, Aron needed a balanced build that covered his weaknesses.
To achieve this, he would need to unlock at least one basic Warrior class and one basic Caster class. However, just those two would already consume 30 levels, drastically reducing his remaining options.
*He had to be extremely cautious!*
One mistake in class construction...
The margin for error was far too small. Aron couldn't afford to be reckless.
....
Chewing on the stale bread, Aron furrowed his brows. Sitting on the ground with his head lowered, his dark brown eyes flickered with contemplation.
When it came to his choice of basic classes, he still lacked concrete direction—or rather, he was too hesitant to decide.
If Nazarick weren't a looming threat and he only had to contend with the locals, he wouldn't need to be this meticulous.
In this world, the only true dangers were the legendary Dragon Lords.
....
Aron also knew there were shortcuts he could exploit to reach level 100 quickly.
In "YGGDRASIL," a player didn't have to max out a single class. A player could theoretically unlock 100 different classes and still reach the level cap.
Of course, a level 100 player with such a fragmented build would be utterly useless.
Aron had been contemplating ways to minimize the power gap between himself and Nazarick's guardians since realizing the world he'd been transported to.
He could only think of two solutions:
1. Leverage the unique systems of this world—techniques like Martial Arts, or treasures like the "Razor Edge" of Re-Estize Kingdom or the "Origin Ring."
2. Unlock Special Classes!
Special classes, rarer and stronger than high-tier classes, came with unique abilities or effects, often surpassing even super-tier magic in power.
Only with access to special classes did Aron believe he could stand a chance in one-on-one confrontations with Nazarick's floor guardians.
...
*Tap. Tap.*
The sound of footsteps echoed as someone stepped out from the crowd, stopping before Aron, who was crouched in the corner, his head low as if consumed by troubling thoughts.
The shadow cast over him provided a small reprieve from the oppressive heat.
Aron noticed the slight drop in temperature and quickly snapped out of his thoughts. His gaze shifted to the figure standing before him, while he kept his expression neutral.
It was a young boy.
The boy had short, golden hair with bangs that nearly obscured his eyes. His hairstyle vaguely resembled a mushroom cap, giving off a timid and mild-mannered impression.
He seemed young, and though his clothes were plain, they were of better quality than Aron's copper-coin attire.
Looking at the boy, Aron's dark brown eyes briefly widened with recognition.
*Enri Emmot?*
No.
It was *Nfirea Bareare*, the future "Genius Alchemist," one of the few humans even Ainz Ooal Gown deemed noteworthy.
Though the boy's current appearance differed slightly from the narrative's depiction, the resemblance was unmistakable.
"Hello, are you in some kind of trouble?" Nfirea asked softly, his tone genuine and sincere.
...
*Trouble?*
The word caught Aron off guard.
He glanced at the half-eaten black bread in his hand, his position crouched in the corner, and the general aura of despondency he must have been radiating.
Aron had a sudden realization.
*This kid thinks I'm pitiful!*
A vein twitched on Aron's forehead, but he kept his face impassive. "No," he replied curtly.
"What are you doing, Nfirea?" A cold voice interjected from behind the boy.
A small elderly woman with pale white hair wrapped in a green headscarf approached, her expression indifferent.
Despite her height of only 1.5 meters, her presence felt sharp and commanding.
Hearing the woman call the boy "Nfirea," Aron's suspicions were confirmed.
*It really is Nfirea.*
If there had been any lingering doubt, it was now erased.
Aron instinctively glanced at the boy again.
This kid was a true prodigy.
With dual variant classes—Alchemist (Genius) and Apothecary (Genius)—Nfirea possessed a rare talent exclusive to this world.
Classes marked with (Genius) allowed their users to learn more skills, master abilities beyond their current level range, and enhance their skills' potency.
In just a few short years, Nfirea would use local herbs to craft the legendary *Blood of the Gods*, essentially equivalent to a low-tier healing potion from YGGDRASIL.
Such potions were commonplace in Nazarick, but they were a finite resource. The fact that Nfirea could replicate them using this world's materials made him invaluable to Ainz.
And that wasn't all.
Nfirea's innate ability, [Unlimited Item Usage], allowed him to use any item regardless of class restrictions—including scrolls, weapons, and race-specific artifacts.
He could even wield guild-exclusive weapons!
...
Taking a deep breath, Aron composed himself.
This boy…
*Nfirea Bareare.*
A truly high-quality human.
In certain circumstances, Aron realized, Nfirea could even pose a threat to Nazarick itself!
_________________
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