A second after Sun Busong started cursing, a deafening boom rang out. The rebel leader, McNeil Theramplug, and his robot had blown themselves up.
The blast swept through the entire Workshop Hall, sending metal fragments flying in every direction. It even tore up a layer of the ground.
But what did any of that have to do with Sun Busong and the others? He'd already run out of the Workshop Hall and hidden behind the wall of the enormous corridor.
"Wouldn't have guessed you could run that fast, kid. Looks like learning that skill paid off after all. Hahahaha!"
Seeing Humar lying beside him and licking his paws, Sun Busong was delighted. He'd thought Humar was a goner, but the little guy's survival instincts were incredible. He'd managed to save himself at the critical moment!
That had saved him 1,000 Kill Points. Was that a bargain or what? (Reviving a pet once cost 1,000 Kill Points.)
While Sun Busong was still calculating the rewards from the trial, an electronically synthesized voice suddenly came from the Workshop Hall.
"Trial Mission completed. Trial participants, gather your belongings immediately and prepare to leave! 10, 9, 8..."
Sun Busong panicked. He hadn't had a chance to loot the final boss's corpse after killing it.
"What the hell? You're only giving me a few seconds? I can't even touch the corpse! That's cheating!"
He jumped up and cursed furiously, but the teleportation was happening whether he liked it or not.
Sun Busong once again experienced the weightlessness, pressure, and suffocating sensation of passing through the space-time gate.
When he recovered, he found himself back at the Ironforge teleportation point, inside the Arcane Hall.
"Welcome back, trial participant. I'm delighted to see a Hero who has made it through a Nightmare Trial."
Sun Busong landed fairly steadily this time. After going through it a few times, he was starting to get used to it.
After vigorously shaking his head to clear it, he looked toward the voice. It belonged to Belstarfer, the teleportation master of the Arcane Hall. Eye of the Storm.
"Thank you, Master. What should I do now?" Sun Busong was always courteous to Master Eye of the Storm. That was just how he was: if someone was polite to him, he was even more polite in return.
"You now have the right to learn the Talent Skills of any class. The choice is yours. This is the Arcane Hall. If you want to become a Magic Professional, there are three classes here for you to choose from."
Master Eye of the Storm had heard Sun Busong's name long ago. During his first trial, when he advanced from militia to soldier, he'd cleared it without taking any damage. The trial had also detected that he had both magic and physical-class talents.
"Come with me."
Sun Busong followed Master Eye of the Storm to the second floor.
There was abundant magic power here. Even he, a soldier who hadn't yet become a professional, could feel it.
Three Magic Professional trainers stood before him: Paladin trainer Valgar Forgefire, Mage trainer Nitblin Spark, and Priest trainer Seodus Frostbeard.
"Have you decided? Which class do you want to become?"
Sun Busong had no interest in becoming a Magic Professional. It seemed like too much work for his brain. But they were being so polite that it would feel rude to turn them down outright.
"Could you tell me about these three Caster Classes first?"
"Of course! I'd be delighted to help." Master Eye of the Storm was very enthusiastic toward Sun Busong.
"Please, give us a demonstration, Valgar Forgefire, Paladin!" Master Eye of the Storm went over to the Paladin trainer and gestured for him to introduce the class to Sun Busong.
Valgar Forgefire bowed to him, then began his introduction. "A Paladin's duty is to protect the weak, uphold justice, and destroy the evil forces that come from the darkest corners of the world. Our holy knights wear Plate Armor to face the most powerful foes. The blessings of the Holy Light allow us to heal wounds."
"Very good, very good. Thank you for the explanation, Master Forgefire." Sun Busong clapped to express his gratitude.
"Next is this gentleman! Priest trainer Seodus Frostbeard, please tell us about the Priest class."
The trainer was an old Dwarf. Sun Busong glanced at him and secretly pursed his lips.
From Sun Busong's understanding of the game, why would a man choose to be a healer? Weren't healing classes usually the first choice for pretty women? Wasn't the healing output proportional to the size of a woman's chest?
"We Priests strive to elevate our spirits and express our unwavering faith by benefiting the masses. For thousands of years, whenever war has ravaged the land and our allies have needed support, we have left behind our comfortable lives and departed our secluded temples. When terrible battles occur, no Hero would question the value of our Priesthood."
After finishing his introduction, the old man smiled gently at Sun Busong.
"Good grief!"
The hair on the back of Sun Busong's neck stood on end.
Seeing that Sun Busong had no interest in the Priest class, Master Eye of the Storm led him straight to the last trainer.
"This is Mage trainer Nitblin Spark. I expect you'll be more interested in Mages. They're a class with extraordinary magic damage, and they can learn to open portals. With a portal, you can return to Ironforge whenever you like."
After Master Eye of the Storm finished speaking, he gave the Spark trainer a meaningful look.
"Hello, Leibraide—Busong. I'm Nitblin Spark, the Mage trainer. I'll now give you some information about the Mage class."
"Only the most perceptive, intelligent, and disciplined students can walk the path of a Mage. The Arcane Magic we Mages can wield is far too powerful and dangerous. Only the most devoted scholars can glimpse its secrets. To avoid hindering our spellcasting, we wear only cloth armor, but we can gain extra protection through mana shields and enhancements."
"To stop our enemies, we Mages can summon gouts of flame to set our targets ablaze, or cause flames to erupt across an area and set an entire group of enemies on fire. We can also unleash frost that freezes everything in an instant, trapping enemies in place or even turning them into ice sculptures."
After Master Spark finished his introduction, Master Eye of the Storm, who had been waiting nearby, hurriedly asked, "Well? The Mage class is the one that suits your tastes best, isn't it? Powerful magic can destroy enemies in an instant. Isn't this kind of violent combat exactly what you've been looking for?"
Back when Sun Busong played the single-player game, he'd created a Warrior. But after crossing over into this world, he'd discovered that things worked differently from the game. Levels 1–10 were for commoners, levels 11–20 were for soldiers, and people could only become professionals after reaching level 20.
Since he'd created a Warrior character, he didn't want anything to go wrong.
"Master, could I think about it a little longer?"
"Of course. All the Dwarf race's Caster Class trainers are here. You can choose whichever class you like. But first, we need to confirm whether you have the talent to become a Magic Professional."
"No problem, Master. How do you want to test me?" Sun Busong was a little curious.
Master Eye of the Storm opened his hand, revealing a multicolored magic orb.
"This is a talent orb that tests whether you have a magic-class talent. You only need to place your hand on it."
Sun Busong figured there was no harm in taking the test, so he boldly placed his hand on the orb. Nearly ten seconds passed, but the orb didn't react at all. Master Eye of the Storm and Sun Busong both felt a little awkward.
Just as he was about to take his hand off the orb, it changed. Rays of light poured out from it: pure white, bright red, blue, green, and gold!
Master Eye of the Storm cried out at the sight. "All schools of magic! You have talent in every school of magic! By the Titans, an all-magic prodigy has appeared!"
Sun Busong could tell something was wrong. Master Eye of the Storm was looking at him like a lecher eyeing a young woman. Run!
He knew exactly why Master Eye of the Storm was looking at him that way, but he could only become a Warrior. He couldn't risk his life as a test subject. He didn't care who said otherwise!
Sun Busong took off running. When he'd met Commander Lei Mao before, he'd remembered that all three Warrior trainers were in the Military Ward.
The Military Ward was quite far from here. It took him nearly an hour to get there. Master Eye of the Storm didn't realize what had happened until Sun Busong was long gone.
"What happened? Why did he run? Did I get too excited and scare him? What am I going to do? I have to find him right away and get him to become a Mage. An all-magic prodigy! I have to have him!"
While Master Eye of the Storm searched the entire city for him, Sun Busong had already reached the Military Ward, drenched in sweat.
Once there, Sun Busong rushed straight into the Weapon Hall.
"Quick, I want to become a Warrior!" He went directly to a Warrior trainer named Beierban Follesson.
The trainer looked up at him, then frowned. Too many soldiers came to become Warriors every day. Dwarves with magic talents were rare, so most of them could only become Warriors. Even the other physical classes, Hunters and Rogues, were scarce. Those two classes required special talents.
Master Beierban Follesson glanced at Sun Busong and said impatiently, "Your level is high enough, but if you want to become a Warrior, you'll first need to complete an advancement trial. Come back after you've finished it. Oh, and you'll have to wait in line. Can't you see all those people ahead of you?"
Sun Busong looked where he was pointing. There really were seven or eight people waiting in line to become Warriors. But he was in a hurry. What if Master Eye of the Storm found him and made him join a magic class?
"Master Follesson, I've already completed the Trial Mission. It was Nightmare difficulty. They said that once I passed the trial, I wouldn't need a mentor or have to pay, and I could learn every trainer's Talent Skill for free."
"You don't need to pay? You don't need a mentor? Dream on. So what if you passed the trial? We're not exempt—What did you just say? Nightmare difficulty?"
Master Follesson finally caught on. His shout startled several trainers nearby.
"Follesson, what's wrong with you? Why are you shouting? We're all getting old. You'll scare us to death, and then you'll have to teach all these Warriors by yourself!" said the other Warrior trainer standing beside him, Kostam Shatterflesh, displeased.
"He—he said he passed the Nightmare Trial and wants to become a Warrior!" Follesson finally managed to get the words out.
"Nightmare difficulty! Someone who passed the Nightmare Trial wants to become a Warrior? Are you crazy?" Master Shatterflesh thought it had to be a joke.
Sun Busong was getting a little angry. The way those two treated him was worlds apart from Master Eye of the Storm. If he weren't worried that taking another class might cost him his life, he would've turned around and left.
Just then, another Warrior trainer spoke up. It was Kev Hammer, Ironforge's most experienced Warrior trainer.
"You there, kid. Come here. Hahahaha! Got any booze? If you do, I can help you become a Warrior right now."
The old man had a huge beard, and his bulbous red nose covered nearly half his face.
"Master Hammer, stop fooling around. Tell him to get in line," the two trainers said. They still didn't believe Sun Busong had passed the Nightmare Trial.
"It's all right, it's all right. You two have already taken most of the work off my hands to spare me the trouble. I've got nothing to do, so let the kid come over." Master Hammer rubbed his bleary eyes.
At this point, even if the two of them begged Sun Busong to become a Warrior, he wouldn't give them the time of day.
"Master, I've got good liquor!" As he spoke, Sun Busong rummaged in his bag. It was a fine drink he'd gone to great lengths to get. He'd originally planned to share it with his Old Man Hanyi.
Black Label Delicious Rum
Use: Increases your Stamina by 15 for 15 minutes and leaves you completely drunk!
Description: A strong liquor brewed with honey or sweeteners. It's often found drifting at sea and is frequently caught by fishermen. It's also very famous in Southshore.
A bottle of liquor appeared in Sun Busong's hand. In the blink of an eye, Master Hammer, who'd been more than ten meters away, was standing right in front of him. His bleary eyes were now wide open and gleaming.
"Kid, you actually have liquor this fine! Hahahaha! I saw how big you are, so I was going to waive the procedures and help you become a Warrior. But it seems good deeds really do get rewarded! Hahahaha, this liquor is mine now!"
He quickly snatched the Black Label Delicious Rum from Sun Busong with one hand. His other hand wasn't idle either: it landed directly on Sun Busong, and a hexagonal pillar of light instantly rose beneath his feet.
"Master Hammer, you're making things difficult for us. If everyone did this, the trainers would be punished."
"Hahaha! I'm in a good mood today. Just this once—there won't be a next time!" Master Hammer had already opened the bottle, and its rich aroma was beginning to spread.
"You damn fools! What are you doing? I'll fight you!"
With a Flash, Master Eye of the Storm instantly appeared beside Sun Busong from afar, but he was too late. The advancement ceremony had already begun. Forcibly interrupting it would only hurt Sun Busong.
"Oh, isn't this Master Eye of the Storm? What brings you to the Military Ward? Come, come, I've just gotten a bottle of fine liquor. Let's try it together!"
"Try it my ass! Do you know how stupid you've been? You've just ruined Ironforge's most powerful magic prodigy!"
Master Eye of the Storm wasn't even pretending to be friendly. All he could do now was sigh and watch helplessly as Sun Busong completed the advancement ceremony.
Only then did the Warrior trainers and the nearby Hunter trainer slowly realize what was going on.
Once they understood who was in the middle of advancing, they were all left speechless with shock.
Leibraide—Busong. That Engineering prodigy who'd used explosives of his own making to destroy a Burning Legion portal had now completed the impossible Nightmare Trial and become a Warrior!
"Did he get hit in the head during the trial? Why would he pick a Warrior when there are so many other promising classes?"
"Exactly! Even if he doesn't like using magic, he could've become a Hunter. Look how impressive my bear is!"
"Ah, what a shame. And Master Hammer, too. Tsk. You get old and your eyesight goes bad. Why didn't he ask what was going on before advancing the kid? Such a promising talent!"
Inside the hexagonal pillar of light, Sun Busong was slowly being transformed.
As a commoner, his primary attribute increased by 1 point every time he gained a level: Strength. His secondary attribute was Stamina, which increased by 1 point every two levels.
After reaching level 10, he advanced to soldier. His primary attribute then increased by 2 points per level, and his secondary attribute by 1.
After advancing to professional, his attribute panel underwent a major change. Strength, Agility, Stamina, Intellect, Spirit, and Armor became his primary attributes.
His secondary attributes were Damage, Speed, Power, Hit Rating, Critical Strike Rate, and Precision!
The growth rate of his primary attributes was determined by his class.
As a Warrior, he gained 3 Strength every level, 2 Agility and Stamina, and 1 Intellect and Spirit.
If he were a Hunter, he'd gain 3 Agility and 2 Strength and Stamina.
Caster classes gained Intellect and Spirit.
Amid the arguing, Sun Busong completed the advancement ceremony and woke up.
A crowd of Dwarf elders filled his vision. From the sound of their voices, they'd all been arguing over him.
Sun Busong didn't want to get involved, and he had no good excuse for choosing the Warrior class anyway.
While everyone was busy arguing and paying him no attention, Sun Busong quietly slipped away, hunched over.
He came to a deserted cave with a small pond nearby.
He'd heard long ago that the legendary Old Ironjaw could be found here.
He hadn't learned Fishing yet, but Fishing and First Aid weren't professions; they were secondary skills. He'd have to find an opportunity to learn them.
He set up his fishing rod, pulled his hat down over his head, and began inspecting his new character panel!
Sun Busong: Dwarf Warrior, Level 21. Health Points: 29445! Base Attributes: Strength +80 (+156 Free Attribute Points) + Agility +53. Stamina +53. Intellect +21. Spirit +21. Armor +1095. Secondary Attributes: Damage 195–225. Speed 2.43. Power 845. Hit Rating 61. Critical Strike Rate 33.99. Precision 20. The above are unarmored attributes. Slaughter: Artifact, Item Level 21 (sealed; one seal removed every twenty levels), necklace. Binds when equipped; cannot be traded or discarded. Growth Artifact: the more monsters or enemies you kill, the faster Slaughter grows. +21 Strength +21 Agility +21 Stamina +21 Intellect +21 Spirit Equipment: For every 100 enemies of your level that you kill, one Free Attribute Point is automatically generated. Free Attribute Points can be added to Strength, Agility, Stamina, Intellect, or Spirit. (4865/100) Equipment: You can combine equipment you've made to upgrade it! It can be upgraded to a maximum of five stars. Each upgrade requires three pieces of equipment of the same star rating, and each combination costs 300 Slaughter Value! And Humar! Lion King Humar: A combat pet with an extremely high Growth Degree. He'll be your most loyal companion and family. Level 21, common quality, can grow (1/10), loyalty 100%. (Happy) Health Points: 1798. Strength 52. Agility 52. Intellect 52. Spirit 52. Stamina 52. (Master Attribute Boost: +2332 Health Points. +25 Strength. +7 Agility. +7 Intellect. +4 Spirit. +4 Stamina.) Skill 1: Cower (reduces your pet's presence, making enemies less likely to attack him). Skill 2: Prowl (causes your pet to enter stealth, but reduces Movement Speed. His first attack after leaving stealth deals 50% bonus damage. Attacking an enemy or taking damage from one cancels stealth.) Skill 3: Dash (increases Movement Speed by 80% for 15 seconds. Can be used while prowling.) Growth pets can absorb the Soul Energy of other rare monsters they kill to evolve. (Common-quality Humar gains 2 attribute points per level and randomly learns one Pet Skill every 10 levels.)
Thanks to the readers who've been supporting the story these past few days. Thank you, [The Protagonist's Background Prop], [Yu＿Wei], [], [Is the Real Me Even Human 0818], and the rest of you.
I'll keep doing my best to continue writing!
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