Chapter Twenty

Ding!

 

Bob jerked as the alert chimed inside his head; not having expected any notices from the system until after he’d gobbled up all the silver he’d spotted.

At first, he was worried. Afraid that he was about to be notified that the crab had infected him with some terrible bag-rotting disease, or that the system had suddenly decided it only accepted coinage for all species-leveling purposes.

Instead, he was given his first bit of evidence that – perhaps – this Universe wasn’t quite as out to get him as he’d believed.

 

Congratulations!

New Class available!

Class: Treasure Hunter

Rank: B

For some, Treasure is more important than food. More important than water. More important than living a life of comfort, respect or dignity

More important than life itself, in fact

Class Focus

Detection

Attributes

Perception, Dexterity, Willpower

Requirements:

Go alone to the depths of a Dungeon in search of Treasure. And find it.

Possession of an ‘Evasion’ Path Skill

Willpower: 20

Enable Class?

 

For a moment, Bob could only stare at the windows in shock. He’d been tempted multiple times during his endless trek across the Dunes to accept one of the Classes he’d picked up. Only managing to resist the temptation because both seemed like, if anything, they’d make his situation worse. Attempting to use ‘taunt’ to fight the local grouper with the goal of acquiring another option actually ranking above choosing either in his mind.

A show of restraint which certainly seemed to have paid off now.

He glanced over towards the silver ingots, the mimic part of his brain screaming at him to gobble them down, before focusing back on the screen in front of him.

The ingots would keep. Had already done so for untold centuries. The Class option felt as if it would disappear the moment he took his eye off it. Even if experience told Bob that was almost certainly untrue.

Still, it was a feeling he didn’t need to resist, doubting he’d find a better ranked Class anytime soon. Certainly not before he got out of his current life-threatening situation.

Not interested in allowing himself any more time for overthinking, Bob scrolled to the bottom of the page and mentally pressed the ‘Enable Class’ button. Non-existent fingers crossed that the benefits he gained would be enough to give him some options in his present… predicament.

 

Congratulations!

You have chosen a Class!

Welcome to the Great Battle!

As a sapient of Seraphia, you will be broadly reliant on your Class to defend yourself against That Which Mana Has Birthed. Those Creatures which are Cursed to destroy all intelligent life for its slight against Her.

You can gain experience in your Class in various ways! Including, but not limited to:

• Destruction of Creatures Touched by the Dungeon’s Heart
• The Capture of a Lesser, Moderate or Greater Node
• Maintaining Control over a Lesser, Moderate or Greater Node
• Class specific methods (limited to Classes ranked C and above)

The maximum Level obtainable in a Class is based upon its Ranking. Which will increase as follows:

F – 10 E – 20

D – 30 C – 50

B – 75 A – 100

Upon reaching Maximum Level in a Class, Evolution is possible. But only if the Sapient in question has developed an understanding of their Class which betters The System’s own. At which point they will be given a unique (S)pecial Class; with a maximum level dependent upon their own actions.

You have Chosen the Class:

Treasure Hunter (B)

Go to Class Page now?

 

…What?

Bob just stared at the window for a moment. His glee at having gained a higher ranked Class quickly snuffed out by the confusion, and no small amount of concern, brought on by the system’s first paragraph. Most of what came after ‘Cursed to destroy all intelligent life’ kind of being glossed over.

‘Wait.’

Bob’s mind stilled as he came to a sickening realization.

Was this why all those crabs outside were so desperate to tear him to pieces? Why that slime seemed so intent on chasing him, despite them both running past numerous, delicious-looking piles of garbage? Because he was ‘Sapient life’?

‘But how would they even know?’ Bob thought, before looking down at himself. Wondering what part of ‘empty sack falling through the water’ screamed out ‘Sapient life’ to these things.

Shouldn’t they just think he was a monster too? The humans he’d encountered had certainly done so. And, honestly, he wasn’t living a life all that outside what the rest of the monsters were. Desperately trying to survive while seeking out any opportunity for evolution or advancement.

Hell, He could even understand them. Hear their gross little words dripping into his brain. Something which, in hindsight, probably had more to do with him being turned into a monster, rather than all of them weirdly possessing telepathic abilities. Just like how the language of those three adventurers automatically translated itself in his mind while they were having their conversation.

Because he was also Sapient.

Which was why everything outside wanted to clip him up into a pile of Bob-themed confetti.

Bob’s aggravation only grew as his thoughts began to run circles around themselves. The fact that whatever had sent him here had not only stripped him of his humanity, but caused all the other freaks to hate him too, stoking a burning pit of anger somewhere deep inside him.

He turned his head back up to glare at the boxes; taking back every nice thought he’d ever had about this universe, or the system, or anything that had happened to him since he’d arrived here.

Because apparently it wasn’t enough to be turned into a bag. It wasn’t enough to be transported to some alien world and left to die – paralyzed and helpless – in some damp underground cavern.

No, instead he was to be pit against both sides in some world-spanning war he’d only just become aware of. Probably only surviving as long as he had due to the isolated areas he’d been thrown, or sucked, into.

Bob allowed himself to seethe for a few more moments; cursing and swearing and promising retribution against all and sundry before finally… letting it go. Forcing himself to push away all the useless aggravation rattling in his brain so that he could focus on things that actually mattered.

Because nothing had actually changed from the revelation. The crabs would still have been outside, waiting to kill him, regardless. Now he just happened to know why.

And even if the reason why was some stupid, ridiculous, discount-bin RPG bullshit, there was still no point in getting upset about it.

Okay. So maybe he wasn’t entirely done letting it go yet. Unfortunately, he also had an unknown period of safety available to him, so he really couldn’t afford to dawdle. He opened up his Class page, hoping to at least find some good news there.

Surprisingly, discovering quite a bit of it.

 

Class: Treasure Hunter (B )Level: 1/75 EXP: 0/16

Attribute Gain Per Level:

* Perception + 5

* Dexterity + 4

* Willpower + 3

Class Skill

Treasure Sense (B)

Evolution Path

Detection

Level 10: Skill Evolution 1 Level 25: Skill Evolution 2

Level 50: Skill Evolution 3 Level 75: Skill Evolution 4

-Unique Experience Gain-

*Treasure Hunter (B)* Gains (10) Experience points per Gold Coin value of treasures found.

If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

 

Those were a lot of attribute bonuses. As well as a… Class Skill? And Evolutions?

Mildly confused, Bob focused on his newly obtained ability like he would his normal skills. Asking it to open up.

Luckily, this time The System chose to acquiesce to his request. Though likely only because it also had something it wanted to say.

 

Ding!

You have acquired your first Class Skill!

Class Skills operate differently from Obtained Skills. Their capabilities being far broader in scope and not leveling via use.

Class Skills are instead the vast, generalized abilities of each Class made Manifest. Evolving into greater and more personalized versions of themselves as you level up.

You have acquired the Skill ‘Treasure Sense (B)’, from the ‘Detection Path’

 

Treasure Sense (B)

(Advanced form of ‘Dungeon Sense (C)’.)

As well as aiding in the detection of Traps, Curses, Monsters and Mana Flares; this Skill allows its user to sense out Treasure hidden within the Dungeon’s embrace.

 

Bob stared at his new Skill in mild shock, marveling at its utility, before wondering if the ability was supposed to be an active or passive one.

A thought which was almost immediately answered by The System. Though it decided to use unsettling, psychological assaults in lieu of conversation.

As Bob was suddenly beset by the strangest sensations he had never experienced before. The closest thing he could acquaint them to being the feeling of someone staring at you from across the room.

From all around the tower he felt a sort of pressing danger. A bad ‘vibe’ that lingered around windows and other entrances, urging him to stay away. One which he assumed had something to do with the massive horde of flesh-rending crabs currently surrounding him.

Alternatively, from the direction of the silver ingots not ten feet from him, there was a strange ‘beckoning’ sensation. A gentle, sunny warmth which almost felt like it was tugging him forward.

After focusing for a bit, he could feel other bits of ‘sunshine’ out there. Most of them squashed to nothing by the cloud of danger he was encompassed by; but some flickers of light cutting through.

Enough for him to know that the darkened silver in front of him wasn’t the only ‘treasure’ hidden in this building.

Once Bob had managed to wrangle all the new information flooding his mind, putting each into their own new ‘homes’ within his brain, he paused to calculate how this might affect his situation.

And then began to feel the first burgeoning flames of hope.

This might be very good news for him. Might save him, even. At least if he could find a way to get around an army of angry crustaceans.

Though, more and more, he was beginning to think ‘through’ might be the better alternative.

Bob flexed himself slightly, feeling out the improvements his body had gotten from just a single level in his new class. A single level, he was just now realizing, which gave him more than twice as many attribute points as leveling his species did.