Chapter 18 - A quest has arrived
Far less spent compared to last time, Cantorn got up. His head was still spinning from the attack he received, as that miniature earthquake was nothing one should joke about. He had underestimated the power of the beast, and even more than that, he had been overconfident. While it was still his own ability that led him to victory in the end, he still could've easily evaded that last strike, if only he had been more cautious. Cantorn felt like this was a lesson, that he would remember for a long time. And it was also one, that he would probably disregard in the future again. Being cautious was one of the things he had perceived as a smart trait, but nowadays, he wasn't as sure as before. It wasn't caution that had won his fights before. He had won through taking risks, some calculated and some not.
Anyways, a lesson was not all he earned from this fight. While some lessons were helpful for the remainder of your life, so were levels. The beast he had slain apparently had been called a 'Plated Bison'. Cantorn thought that the name wasn't all too fitting and something like 'Hammerhead herbivore' would surely have been a better option, but in the end, he didn't really care. This level put him at a total of eleven, with sixteen status points unspent. He was eager to distribute them and surely would've done so under normal circumstances. However, this had not been the only notification he received. This notification was what kept him from jumping right into the status madness.
[Congratulations! You have received a new quest.]
It was of a different color than the usual ones. Instead of the familiar blue, a grey-ish screen with a silvery hue greeted his view. He already had an inkling of what it might be about but just to be sure, he mentally called upon the quest window of the system. What had currently been an empty space that he didn't take notice of, was now filled with a singular task.
| Class quest: Qualities of a rogue |
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What started out as a simple accident, has now turned into a full-fledged adventure. You have fought terrifying foes, overcame them, and became stronger. During your last fight, you have proven your skill with both the art of stealth as well as the art of the dagger. The system commends your achievements and wishes to foster your abilities. You have therefore been offered admittance to a class challenge. Prove your worth and be rewarded with a class of the rogue's branch. Fail and your journey will find an abrupt end.
Difficulty: Very easy ~ Impossible Clear conditions: Complete the class challenge Reward: Class of the rouge's branch
Do you accept the challenge? [Yes/No] |
Cantorn knew this screen all too well. Not by personal experience, rather because of what this quest represented. Back in his old tribe, it had been every child's biggest dream, to one day have a class of their own. When he was young himself, he was no different. Having a class meant, that you were officially recognized by the system. It was different from a title and yet pretty similar.
Titles were as coveted as they are because they were not only a sign of recognition by the system, they were a sign of strength and extraordinary feats as well. Classes were sought after because they were a sign of recognition and one of the few ways to gain completely new skills without having to learn them. A class was like the foundation of a house. If the foundation was strong, whatever you may build on it would surely remain for a long time. Classes provided exactly that. They were not a stepping stone towards a stronger self. Much rather were they a construct that kept growing with you. Acquiring a strong class meant, that you had a strong foundation. Growth was sure to come and all benefits of such growth would be tied together by the class.
However, classes were not that easy to get. While everyone that was powerful naturally had a class as well, many struggled to even just qualify for a class challenge. This struggle was further amplified by the fact that not everyone acquired a class in the same way. Some would get them at birth, merely because they were born by a powerful individual. Others were simply naturally gifted and did not have to struggle to stand out. And even others had to risk their lives to even just get a glimpse of the class quest. Those that had to risk their lives usually were the poor and weak. They could not afford the equipment to fight strong foes, and neither could they learn new skills, as they had no teachers to aid them. This caused the divide between weak and strong, poor and rich, fortunate and unfortunate to grow wider and wider.
As of now, Cantorn seemed to be on the talented and fortunate side. He was glad to have been given such an opportunity, and he would not waste it for sure. Without hesitation, he accepted the challenge.
[You have accepted the class challenge of the rouge's branch. As the challenger, you may start this challenge at will. Once you do so, you will be transported to the challenge trial. All items that you carry on your body will be transported with you. The intervention of outside forces during the trial is not possible.]
This has had to be one of the most informative system messages he ever got. While it usually liked to talk in cryptic ways, this one truly leveled the ground for everyone that would give his own challenge trial a try. Sure, some may have better gear than others but Cantorn was the last person to complain about that. I mean, didn't he just hunt his next piece of gear right now? It looked like it was time for some good old menial labor again.
One week. Cantorn wanted to be ready for the trial in one week. And after that, he'd find a way to escape this damned forest. While he liked spending his time out in the wild, always on the hunt for monsters, he missed people to talk to. No sane person would enjoy being isolated from all of civilization. And he thought of himself as a sane person. Still.
First. Thanks for the chapter.