34. Chapter 34: Class

Chapter 34: Class

Beatrice had indeed been affected.

And, one day in the future, she would return to kill her own 'master'?

Sulu laughed at himself: "As expected, ninety-nine percent of mutated rituals end in disaster! What should I do?"

"It's simple!"

Rhode's expression was resolute: "Before she grows up, find her and kill her! Eliminate all the pollution and the seed!"

The bomb I set off, I have to be the one to defuse it in the end!

Sulu smiled bitterly: "How do I find her?"

"You presided over the ritual; there must be a mystical connection and resonance between you and her!" Rhode said.

Sulu immediately recalled the pentagram brand on Beatrice's forehead. Ever since she had left a certain range, he had completely lost that sense of connection.

He hesitated, then explained the situation.

Rhode, however, thought it was normal: "You are too weak. Once she is at a distance, you will naturally lose the connection... Or perhaps, she is intentionally 'shielding' herself before she fully matures! If you want to catch her, you must strengthen yourself, for example... by becoming a true transcendent!"

"Alright!" Sulu agreed instantly, and immediately saw the look of surprise on Rhode's face.

"You agreed?" Rhode's mouth hung open.

"Yes, I agreed. Is there a problem?"

"You were so resistant when you were a child..." Rhode rubbed his hands together.

That's because I'm a different person now. Besides, if I don't become a professional, is there even a way to survive in this world?

Sulu rolled his eyes internally: "Now that I've grown up... tell me about classes and transcendence!"

"Alright!"

Rhode thought for a moment and said: "In this world, transcendent power has always existed, regardless of 'Twilight' or 'Dawn', and those who master this power are called 'transcendents', or 'professionals'!"

"Then how does one become a professional?"

Sulu asked quickly.

"It's simple... through 'advancement' and 'class changing'!" Rhode smiled and explained: "We collectively refer to the transcendent paths of this world as 'career paths'. Only by obtaining a Tier 1 class can one be considered a true 'transcendent'!"

"In the mystical world, we divide career paths into several tiers, from Tier 1 'Transcendent', to Tier 2 'Elite', then Tier 3 'Expert', and Tier 4 'Master'... The transcendent level represents their essence transcending that of a mortal; Tier 2 Elite means they are the cream of the crop among extraordinary beings; Experts are deep researchers in their respective fields; and Masters prove that they are the grandmasters of a certain school."

"That's easy to understand. What about after Tier 4?" Sulu pressed.

"Isn't Tier 4 enough?" Rhode was stunned: "During the Twilight of the Gods, Master-level powerhouses were the true pinnacle... As for Tier 5 and Tier 6, they are legends, they are myths!"

"Then how does one obtain a Tier 1 class?"

"The methods are diverse, depending on the 'career path' you choose. For example, our family's [Witch Hunter], its Tier 1 class is [Demon Contractor], which requires performing a ritual called 'Gaze into the Abyss'; the Tier 1 [Alchemy Apprentice] requires completing the transformation of mystical power; [Soldier] requires arduous training to stimulate the body's potential to break through... Others require consuming special potions, but in general, various rituals, training, potions, or seeking help from certain entities are the mainstream..."

"[Alchemy Apprentice] and [Soldier]?" Sulu's ears perked up. He seemed to have heard the term 'Soldier' from Donald, but the man hadn't wanted to elaborate.

"These are the two most widespread Tier 1 classes. One delves into spellcasting ability, while the other focuses on physical strength... representing two different major directions..." Rhode looked at Sulu deeply: "How do you think career paths came to be?"

"Bestowed by gods? Or explored by ourselves?" Sulu guessed.

"Not bad, but knowledge bestowed by gods accounts for only a tiny fraction. In today's world, there are as many classes as stars in the sky. Most of them were explored by us humans, through learning from transcendent species, mystical forces, and various insane experiments... Perhaps in ancient times there were only a few career paths, but today, there are so many that even the most learned transcendent might not be able to count them all. Some have vanished into history, while others are flourishing... But!"

Rhode's tone grew heavy, implying something: "Only the most common paths have the possibility of reaching the summit!"

"Reaching the summit?"

"Let me put it this way: the so-called career path system is like trees. [Soldier] and [Alchemy Apprentice] are the two with the largest trunks, possessing countless branches. For example, when an [Alchemy Apprentice] changes classes at Tier 2, they can choose the enchantment school to become an [Arcane Scholar], or delve deep into spell power to become a [Spell-Toucher], or study arcane arts to become an [Arcane Scholar]! These are all Tier 2 branch classes on the [Alchemy Apprentice] trunk. As for Tier 3, there are even more... The more branches there are, the greater the room for future choices! The [Soldier] class is the same; one can become a Tier 2 [Swordsman], or a [Ranger], or a [Gunfighter], which is a recently popular class... The more branches, the more robust the tree grows, and the future peak is higher than other classes... as long as you don't take the wrong path!"

"However..." Rhode said: "Some Tier 1 classes have very few branches, like the [Witch Hunter]. There are only two choices: light and darkness, or resistance and corruption!"

Sulu suddenly felt a deep sense of sorrow.

Intuitively, he sensed that Rhode did not want him to follow the family's old path.

"I understand... when choosing a career path, one must aim for the highest tier. In this regard, the more branches a class has, the more room for choice, and the greater the possibility of future success."

Sulu nodded solemnly.

"That's right. Some obscure classes, either because their lineage is broken or they simply cannot meet the advancement conditions, are just traps... For example, the legendary [Dragon Shepherd], whose advancement condition is to tame a dragon! By the Seven Gods! If he can't find a dragon, he will never be able to advance!"

Rhode sighed: "Looking back at the history of the mystical world, countless geniuses have created a large number of secret classes, but only a few have truly reached the end... I must warn you, choose carefully. Although you can take multiple classes, once you consume a lot of energy on a class that cannot be advanced, the possibility of sprinting to a high tier in the future will decrease..."

"Multiple classes?"

Sulu's ears perked up, hearing something that excited him: "Can I take multiple classes?"

"Of course you can. As long as the attributes don't conflict, no one will care if you take ten classes, because the class tier is always calculated based on your highest class. The gap between each tier is terrifyingly large."

Rhode shrugged his shoulders: "Human energy is limited after all, and the rules of many classes conflict with each other. Taking multiple classes is more harmful than beneficial... I heard of a guy who bizarrely took five classes, and then he was stuck at Tier 1 forever. Although having more classes gave him more methods, perhaps allowing him to tangle with a Tier 2 Elite, he would never be a match for a Tier 3 Expert."

"I just feel that if I can take multiple classes, in case I choose the wrong career path, there's still a chance."

Sulu smiled.

Through the conversation, he had learned a great deal of information.

"It's best not to choose wrong. Even the most talented person may not necessarily go very far on a career path..." Rhode warned cautiously.

"What is the furthest point on the path of a profession?"

Sulu suddenly sighed: "According to what you said, the highest level a Witch Hunter in the family has reached is the fourth-tier Master level!"

"Isn't the fourth tier enough?"

Rhode's expression turned somewhat strange: "Besides... the [Demon Hunting Master] can still continue to promote upward, but it requires the help of the Goddess Church. I have seen the records in the family genealogy; one ancestor of the Portley Family became a sixth-tier [Guardian of God]!"

"Then what about after the sixth tier?"

Sulu asked suddenly.

Rhode was stunned for a moment, then immediately put on a stern face: "I will not discuss such blasphemous questions with you!"

Actually, you have already answered it. Is it blasphemy?

Sulu thought to himself, deep in contemplation: The pinnacle of the professional path might be able to touch the realm of the gods?!