At night, Noah approached Chris, trying to get closer. He sat across from him. Chris looked at him and whispered,
"You're the new one. But you're not like the others. You're not a criminal."
"I don't know… I've lost my memory," Noah replied.
"Maybe that's for the best. Your past might have weakened your will. I noticed you tried to approach the old man… you're very lucky he didn't kill you. He may look aged and one-handed, but he's dangerous. No one knows his past, but he was surely sent here to die. Speaking of death—tomorrow the fighting arena begins. Since you're new, you probably don't know about it."
"What's the fighting arena?" Noah asked.
"It's a competition between slaves. The winner earns crystals for their account. Killing is forbidden, but accidents are common. Every slave has the right to participate, though winning is another matter. Still, you can place bets on the fighters—or even on yourself."
"Wouldn't that be meaningless if most slaves are forced to fight stronger opponents?"
"That's why fighters are divided into three groups. Every five victories raise you to the next tier. Bronze fights are the lowest—each win earns 20 crystals. Silver fights grant 50 crystals per win. Gold fights earn 100 crystals per win. And finally, Platinum fights—1,000 crystals per win. But at the start, you must pay 30 crystals as an entry fee. Lose three times, and you're disqualified."
Noah's eyes burned with desire. There was hope. A path to freedom. A chance to reclaim his dignity.
"I have a question," Noah said. "Do you know what Pure Energy is?"
"It's one of the mysterious powers—used as a foundation to unlock strong classes. But reaching the minimum requirement is extremely difficult. And even if you do, without a powerful patron like a noble to grant you hidden techniques and conditions, it's almost impossible to acquire a good class. If you did stumble upon one, it likely wouldn't be strong enough. You can only have one class, so it's better to build a strong foundation."
Noah thought of Chris's words… and the strange technique the old man had given him. Could that old man truly be someone with authority?
"Can you tell me more about the Kingdom of Light?" Noah asked.
"You really are ignorant. Right now, we're in the western continent of the world. It has four major powers: the White Kingdom in the north—where we are now, the Kingdom of Light to the east, the Republic in the west, and the Beast Kingdom in the south. Each fights for dominance over the continent. Because of that, the land is in constant chaos. There's no open war, but border skirmishes are constant. I'll likely be exchanged as a hostage one day… but I will never forget this humiliation."
Noah stared at him, his eyes glowing as if catching details others could not see.
"Thank you," he said, then left to sit alone. He began practicing the technique, trying to awaken his class. Sitting cross-legged like the old man, he meditated.
Darkness surrounded him. Then—
System Notification:You have fulfilled the conditions for a new class.
Class Unlocked: Brotherhood Warrior (Rank F, Growth Type)*You have inherited an ancient legacy. To truly claim it, you must prove yourself as a member of the Brotherhood that safeguards the balance of the world.
Skills:
Physical power doubled based on Pure Energy stats (10 minutes; 1-day cooldown)
Perception increased by one minor rank (permanent)
Do you accept to replace "Stranger" with this new class?
"I accept," Noah whispered.
System Display:--- Stats ---Rank: F+Classes:
Stranger (Rank X, Unclassified)
Brotherhood Warrior (Rank F, Growth Type)
Strength: FVitality: F-Perception: E+Pure Energy: G (Continue using Founder's Technique to upgrade)
Stranger Class Skills:
Absolute immunity to class-based effects (cannot be controlled, drained, or tracked).
Ability to understand and speak the world's language.
Can hold multiple classes equal to the ranks surpassed.
[Locked]
Stranger Class Weaknesses:
Marked as prey by all who fear the unknown.
Brotherhood Warrior Skills:
Physical power doubled based on Pure Energy (5 minutes; 1-day cooldown).
Perception increased by one minor rank (permanent).
Weakness:
If this class is discovered, kingdoms will hunt you down.
Noah stared in confusion at the Stranger's new ability. So I can hold multiple classes… how many can I gain? Could I become stronger than everyone? No… I must not get carried away. First, I need to escape this place.
The old man suddenly opened his eyes.
"Something has changed in you," he said in a low voice."Did you awaken a class?"
"Yes," Noah admitted.
The old man laughed, loud and wild. Even though many slaves were sleeping, some woke at the sound—only to fall back into slumber when they saw who it was.
"I never expected to pass down my legacy in this cursed place. From today, you are my disciple. You will escape this place and carry out my will. Do you accept, or not?" His words carried more threat than offer.
"Yes."
"If you betray me or grow lazy… you'll regret ever awakening that class."
Noah returned to his corner.But this time, he didn't feel fear.
He felt something else—hope.Hope for freedom.Hope for power.
Even if he had to suffer along the way, he had decided: he would not remain ordinary.
Maybe… just maybe… he could leave behind his failures from the old world.And rise as a hero.
With that thought, Noah closed his eyes and drifted to sleep—dreaming of greatness.