In the arena, the battle between Gazef and Brain was reaching its climax. Sparks flew as their blades collided. Flashes of martial arts lit the air with bursts of energy and tension.
Meanwhile, Sakeer's attribute panel continued to update rapidly:
[Skill 'Weakness Perception' detected. Requires Basic Warrior Profession. Current conditions unmet—]
['Genius' profession activated. Transition successful. Conditions met. Consume 1 Skill Point to learn this skill?]
[Skill 'Parry' detected. Requires Basic Warrior Profession. Current conditions unmet—]
['Genius' profession activated. Transition successful. Conditions met. Consume 1 Skill Point to learn this skill?]
[Skill 'Ability Boost' detected. Requires Basic Warrior Profession. Current conditions unmet—]
['Genius' profession activated. Transition successful. Conditions met. Consume 1 Skill Point to learn this skill?]
Clang! Clang!
The metallic ring of steel echoed through the stands.
"Unbelievable!"
"This is amazing—Gazef's holding his own against Brain, the genius swordsman!"
"I can't even keep up with their movements anymore!"
The arena, once hushed in awe, now roared with excitement. Spectators leaned forward, captivated by every clash.
But Sakeer's attention was elsewhere. His eyes remained fixed on the glowing notifications hovering before him.
Learning skills just by watching them? he mused. That's... unexpectedly efficient.
Originally, he had assumed he would need to undergo rigorous training—just like the locals—to acquire skills. But the unique properties of his profession, Genius, had rewritten those assumptions.
Its potential was beyond anything he had dared to hope for.
Still, he had to be careful. He currently had only three skill points to spend.
Then, a new notification appeared:
[Skill 'Quick Slash' detected. Requires Intermediate Profession: Swordmaster. Current conditions unmet—]
[Possession of prerequisite profession 'Genius' detected. Consume 3 Skill Points to learn this skill?]
Sakeer's eyes narrowed.
Intermediate Profession: Sword Master?
He glanced at Brain, whose masterful performance was the source of the skill. If memory served, Brain held three professions: Basic Fighter, Intermediate Swordmaster, and Intermediate Sword Master.
This confirmation suggested that the move Quick Slash originated from his Sword Master class.
But for Sakeer, the skill itself wasn't the most important detail—it was the implications behind it.
In YGGDRASIL, players needed to unlock a profession before they could access its skills. But here, the rules were reversed.
In this world, mastering a skill could grant access to the profession itself.
Take the advanced class Ninja, for example. In YGGDRASIL, it required reaching at least level 60 to unlock. But here? Acquiring a single Ninja skill might be all it took.
He recalled the ninja sisters from the adamantite-ranked adventurer group, Blue Rose—a living testament to this method.
An idea began to form.
If I learn Quick Slash now... does that mean I unlock the Sword Master class?
If true, Sakeer had just stumbled upon a revolutionary path to acquiring professions—a shortcut that bypassed traditional training or the need for specific equipment.
It was a more direct, more efficient route. One that allowed for precise growth tailored to his goals.
And although Sword Master was only an intermediate class, this discovery made the possibility of reaching even higher classes—perhaps even legendary ones—seem entirely within reach.
But what about unique professions?
The thought briefly crossed Sakeer's mind, though he quickly pushed it aside. More immediate priorities demanded his focus.
Advanced professions were rare in this otherworld, even among its native inhabitants. Attaining one was a notable achievement. However, special professions—though technically classified as advanced—stood apart from the usual hierarchy of basic, intermediate, and advanced roles.
In YGGDRASIL, unlocking a special profession required fulfilling specific, often obscure conditions—demands that went far beyond mere effort.
In truth, there were almost no shortcuts.
In the game, every level 100 player could manage to obtain several advanced professions, but most could only ever unlock a single special one. That fact alone spoke volumes about how difficult those requirements were.
Suddenly—
"Ahhh!!"
"Go, Brain! Finish it!"
The deafening cheers snapped Sakeer out of his thoughts. Shaking off his distraction, he turned his eyes back to the arena below, focusing on the match.
Unconsciously, the fight had progressed far more than he'd realized. Brain's relentless assault had pushed Gazef to the brink of defeat. It looked like the match was all but over—Brain was on the verge of victory.
Sakeer took a steady breath, centering his attention on the stage. He wanted to see if the outcome would unfold as he remembered it.
In the heat of battle, Gazef, who had held his ground admirably against Brain's onslaught, suddenly faltered—as though his ability to retreat had been forcibly shut down.
In that critical moment—
Brain lunged forward, intent on finishing the duel.
But then—
His body froze mid-strike. In the very next instant, an unseen force launched him backward, slamming him hard onto the arena floor.
The thunderous arena fell deathly silent.
What just happened?
Even with Sakeer's heightened awareness, he couldn't clearly follow the exchange. In truth, few present likely could.
Amid the confusion, Sakeer glanced at his status panel.
[Skill "Four-Light Combo" detected. Requires Warrior profession. Current conditions unmet—]
[Special profession "Genius" activated. Transformation successful. Conditions met. Consume 1 skill point to learn this skill?]
Sakeer exhaled quietly. Everything was unfolding just as he remembered.
In the Imperial Trials tournament, Gazef had secured victory by unveiling a powerful, self-developed technique—Four-Light Combo.
The silence shattered as cheers erupted once more.
"Gazef!!"
"Gazef!!"
"Gazef!!"
The entire arena roared with his name, the spectators swept up in the thrill of the upset.
Sakeer observed their excitement, the way faces lit up in awe and disbelief. Then, calmly, he turned back to his status panel and made his decision.
"Let's unlock 'Quick Slash.'"
He was curious—could mastering a related skill grant access to the associated profession?
More importantly, his current special profession, Genius, didn't offer any direct combat stat bonuses. If he wanted to grow stronger, he urgently needed a more combat-oriented class.
Thanks to the Genius profession's ability to adapt basic combat roles on the fly, Sakeer still retained a high degree of flexibility—even as he advanced into mid-tier professions.
(End of Chapter)