The morning sun had already climbed high above the horizon, casting golden rays of sunlight over the rooftops of the village. A cool morning breeze carried the scent of fresh bread, pine trees, and farmland.
Mark Vance walked down the dirt road leading back towards the Boar's Head Inn, his thoughts still reeling from the battle against the giant crocodile.
The task that the Universal System had assigned him was much more dangerous than he had initially anticipated. The beast had plagued the village pond for years, making it impossible for anyone to get close to the water without being attacked.
Despite the danger, Mark had taken on the task
the reward had been worth it.
The experience.
The growth.
The victory.
Most importantly, though, was the fact that innocent people no longer had to live in fear.
As Mark neared the center of the village, he took a look at his System interface.
[Character Sheet]
Name: Mark Vance
Class: None
Level: 5
Health: 180/180
Mana: 60/60
It hadn't been that long ago that he had stumbled into this world, an inexperienced nobody tossed into a monster-infested dungeon. Now he stood as one of the most powerful warriors in the village.
His thoughts were interrupted as he noticed a familiar face leaning against the side of the inn.
Alden.
The old man stood beneath the shade of a large tree, his staff resting against his shoulder.
It was precisely nine in the morning.
Just as he said.
Alden smiled as soon as he saw Mark approach.
"I knew you would return."
Mark came to a stop in front of the old man.
"And I knew you would survive," he added with a grin.
Mark raised an eyebrow at that.
"You sound confident."
Alden's smile widened as he looked at the young man.
"That giant crocodile never stood a chance."
Mark's eyes narrowed as he stared at the old man.
"How do you know about the crocodile?"
Alden chuckled as he watched confusion wash over Mark's face.
"You completed the task chosen by the Universal System."
Mark's heart skipped a beat as he stared at the old man.
"You know about the System?"
"Of course," the old man said without hesitation.
"Mark, fighting that giant crocodile was assigned to you this morning."
Mark stared at him in disbelief.
"You mean... you know about the System?"
Alden gave a slow nod.
"You chose to take on that task, and you completed it."
The old man gave a slow clap as he walked towards a nearby bench. Mark followed his gaze before taking a seat next to the old man.
"You could have easily ignored the crocodile," Alden said as he looked towards the distant pond.
"Many adventurers would have taken the easy route and claimed the reward," he said with a smile.
"But you did not."
"You listened to the System's guidance," the old man said as he turned to look at Mark. "You fought the giant crocodile to protect the villagers. You fought it first because innocent people could no longer approach the pond safely."
Mark remained silent as he listened to everything the old man said.
It was all true.
Alden gave a small smile as he continued.
"Because you completed that task, your level increased to five."
A sudden system notification appeared before Mark's eyes.
[System Notice]
Level Requirement Reached
Class Selection Available
Please choose a Class Path
Mark's eyes widened in surprise as he looked at the notification on his interface.
Class Selection?
Finally?
The notification disappeared a moment later as Alden watched his reaction.
"You saw it, didn't you?" Alden asked.
Mark gave a slow nod.
"How do you know all this?"
Alden chuckled as he leaned back.
The old man then said something that shocked Mark to the core.
"Because I am your guardian angel."
Silence filled the air between the two men as Mark blinked in surprise.
"You're joking," he said after a few seconds.
"No," Alden replied with a smile. "I am completely serious."
Mark crossed his arms over his chest.
"Guardian angel?" he asked with a smirk. "Mine?"
"That sounds ridiculous," Mark said.
Alden chuckled.
"I expected that response."
He gestured towards the sky.
"When the Universal System selected your soul, it assigned a guardian to watch over you. Someone to help you when the time comes. Someone to guide you when necessary. Someone who ensures your path does not end prematurely."
Mark's military instincts were screaming at him, telling him that this man was not lying.
There was no deceit in his voice. No hesitation. No doubt.
Alden leaned forward.
"Understand this, Mark. I cannot fight for you. I cannot level for you. I cannot interfere with the System. But I can guide you. I can teach you."I can help you survive."
Mark remained silent as he processed everything the old man had said.
There was a strange sense of truth to his words.
Alden always seemed to know more than he should. He always appeared when he was needed. And somehow, he always knew what Mark had done.
Alden gave a small smile.
"Now then. Enough with the mysteries. You need training."
Mark looked at him.
"Training?"
Alden gave a slow nod.
"You may be level 5," he said. "You may have experience in battle."But your body still lacks proper development."You rely mostly on military instincts."
"That helps," Alden said. "But this world is different. The monsters grow stronger. Classes matter. Skills matter. Combat training matters."
Mark gave a slow nod as he listened to the old man.
Alden stood and gestured towards the road.
"Come," he said. "I will show you."
The two men walked through the village streets, passing by dozens of villagers who all greeted Alden with respect. Some even bowed as they passed him.
It was clear the old man held a position of power and influence in the settlement.
After a few minutes, they arrived at the edge of the village.
A large wooden building stood before them, with the sounds of shouting and clashing steel coming from within.
Thuds.
Impacts.
Heavy breathing.
Training.
Alden opened the gate as the two men entered the building.
Dozens of men and women were gathered in the large hall, all of them engaged in various forms of combat training. Some dueled with wooden weapons, while others practiced hand-to-hand fighting. A group of powerful warriors stood in a circle, taking turns striking a wooden training dummy.
Mark's eyes narrowed as he took in the sight before him.
Discipline.
Hard work.
Determination.
It was all very reminiscent of military training camps back on Earth.
Alden gave a smile as he looked around the room.
"Welcome to the Oakhaven Combat Hall."
Mark took a look around the room, his eyes narrowing at the sight of the powerful warriors. Some of them looked even stronger than the village guards.
At the center of the room was a tall and broad-shouldered man with short gray hair. His muscular body looked like it was made of stone, and his movements were surprisingly quick for someone of his size.
He tossed a young trainee across the room, sending the boy flying into a padded mat with a loud thud. The entire room fell silent as all the fighters turned their attention to the large man.
His sharp eyes landed on Alden, and a smile appeared on his face.
"Master Alden," the man said respectfully.
Alden gave a small nod.
"Good morning, Smith."
The large man gave a grunt as he walked towards them.
Mark used the Inspect function on him right away.
[Mr. Smith]
Level: 12
Class: Jitsu Master
Status: Friendly
Mark's eyes widened slightly as he looked at the information.
Level 12?
That meant the man was much stronger than anyone Mark had faced inside Oakhaven.
Alden gestured towards Mark.
"This is Mark Vance. The newcomer I told you about."
Mr. Smith gave him a long look before turning his attention back to Alden.
"So this is the guy," Smith said with a grin.
Mark raised an eyebrow at that.
Word got around fast, it seemed.
The large man crossed his arms over his chest as he studied Mark.
"You have good instincts," he said. "Solid foundation. But I can already see the flaws."
Mark smirked.
"That obvious, huh?"
"Very," Smith replied with a grin. "I can fix them."
Alden gave a slow nod as he looked at Mark.
"Mark will train here," he said. "As long as necessary."
He turned to look at the young man.
"You may stay at the inn as long as you like. Continue to grow stronger. Continue to learn. Continue to survive."
Mark looked around the room, taking in the sight of the powerful warriors.
It was a good place. A place where he could continue to improve. A place where he could take the next step in his journey.
Mr. Smith gestured towards the training grounds.
"Let's start with the basics," he said.
Mark followed him as the two men walked towards the center of the room. Just as he was about to step onto the training mat, another system notification appeared before his eyes.
[Class Selection Pending]
Current Recommended Paths:
Warrior
Guardian
Ranger
Tactician
Mark's eyes narrowed as he looked at the notification on his interface.
For a moment, he thought about all the battles he had fought since arriving in Aethelgard. He thought about the terrain, the traps, the chokepoints, the weaknesses. He thought about all the ways he had used the environment to his advantage. He thought about the tactics, the planning, the strategy. He thought about how he had won his battles not through strength, but through his mind.
A slow smile appeared on his face as realization dawned on him.
When his training was complete...
When the time came to officially choose...
His path would become clear.
"Tactics," Mark said.
Mr. Smith turned to look at him.
"What was that?"
Mark turned to look at the training arena, a determined look on his face.
"My future class."
The System interface flickered as another notification appeared.
[Hidden Compatibility Detected]
Potential Advanced Class Path: Tactician
Compatibility: Extremely High
Mark smiled as he looked at the new message. For the first time since arriving in Aethelgard, he could see the path that lay before him. And deep within the heart of the System, new possibilities had already begun to take shape.
ns216.73.216.176da2
and then Add to home screen.