A gentle light wrapped Alex’s body, as if trying to access everything he had experienced.
Not long after, the orb would then show suitable professions based on his experience and preferred weapons of choice, as well as his fighting style.
He had seen this many times in the game, but this was the first time he was experiencing it in reality.
And truth be told, it felt a little ticklish. He couldn’t help but smile a little as the light glowed faintly on his body.
Because he was too immersed in the sensation of being appraised, he didn’t notice Svalinn also glowing faintly, as if it was communicating with the orb.
The orb responded in kind and blinked twice in rapid succession as if it had agreed to Svalinn’s request.
< Appraisal Complete! >
< Showing list of Job Classes >
— The most common starting class for those who wish to wield the sword.
— A humble but sturdy class trained in traditional shield combat. Good all-around defense.
— A beginner studying under a formal sword school.
— Trains in one-on-one sword fighting techniques and timing.
— Lightly armored and agile, trained for fast combat.
— Young hero-type who believes in justice and carries a hopeful heart.
— Basic shield-bearer trained in battlefield formations. Prioritizes defense and crowd control.
— Carries oversized shields and controls choke points. Ideal for defending narrow passages.
[Runeshield Initiate]
— An arcane trainee who asks Mage Classes to etch protective glyphs onto their shield.
— Uses a marked shield that enhances certain sword techniques.
— Entry-level ceremonial soldiers trained to hold the line and look sharp doing it.
— Sword and shield users trained to fight near fire or carry torches into battle.
— Locked since requirements are not met.
The young man blinked once, then twice, when he saw the last profession on the list.
’Oathkeeper... isn’t this the Hidden Class Master Lord Ramza talked about back then?’ Alex mused. ’It’s grayed out, which means it cannot be chosen.’
Still, he was confused why and how it even appeared in the list of choices.
Something shouldn’t have happened, at least based on what he remembered from the game.
Out of curiosity, Alex tapped the Oathkeeper Job Class to see the kind of requirements needed to unlock it.
"Some fight for glory. Others for gold. But the Oathkeeper fights for a promise never broken—even if it costs them everything."
[Requirements to unlock Job Class.]
— Prove your will to protect by literally stepping in front of death. (Cleared!)
— Have a preference for using a shield in battle. (Cleared!)
— Block 100 attacks from a Boss Monster or a Mini Boss using a shield. (Not Met!)
— Successfully complete a rescue mission for a captured or kidnapped ally. (Cleared!)
— Win a difficult fight without running away. (Cleared!)
— Make an Oath (Not Met!)
[The Oathkeeper is about making an Oath. In order to make an Oath, you must first clear the other requirements before returning to the temple to make your oath.]
— The harder the Oath, the stronger this Job Class would be.
— The moment you break this Oath, you will lose the benefits of this Job Class and acquire the Oathbreaker Profession in its place.
Alex frowned after reading the description.
The thing that truly caught his attention was the oath making part that was required in order to acquire this Hidden Class.
The young man believed he couldn’t take an oath lightly, for once it was broken, the consequence would be dire.
’I see. Maybe this Job Class appeared because I’m so close to meeting the requirements?’ Alex wondered, unaware that the shield in his hand might have played a significant role in allowing him to see the requirements of the Oathkeeper Job Class.
After looking at the requirement he still hadn’t met yet, Alex thought about blocking one of the attacks of the mutated jumping spider. Very obviously, that idea was immediately trashed.
The scene of it viciously sinking its fangs into the Rank 3 dire bear’s neck was still fresh in his mind.
No matter what kind of simulation he ran in his head, it was difficult to block it, let alone take a hundred attacks from it. As such, fighting against the Boss Monster was not an option.
Which led him to the only choice he had.
’Block 100 attacks from a Mini Boss,’ Alex thought. ’This, I can do.’
After making his decision, the young man left the temple with Dim Dim to return to the center of the domain, where the crimson salamander was located.
Instead of taking the Shielder Job Class, he believed becoming an Oathkeeper would suit him more perfectly.
While the young man was off to face off against the Mini Boss, the Catkins on the first floor were busy searching for his whereabouts.
Lavinia was very angry because Lioren hadn’t woken her up even realising that the young man had gone missing from their camp.
She only knew about it when she woke up in the morning and realized that Alex was no longer around.
"Young Miss, I’m sorry," Lioren said. "I didn’t mean it."
"Save your lies for those who will believe it," Lavinia sneered. "I don’t even need to ask my brother or grandpa to confirm what happened last night. I trusted you, and you chose to betray it. That’s all there is to it."
The Catkins looked at their two leaders anxiously.
They knew Lioren disliked the human, but that their Young Miss treated him kindly because he was her brother’s disciple.
Clearly, Lioren was in the wrong, so the other Catkins completely sided with their Young Miss.
Even Lioren’s close friends, including the one who had been forced to keep quiet about Alex’s disappearance, knew which side to choose during this moment.
"Find Alex and bring him back here safely," Lavinia ordered. "Those who find him will be rewarded."
The Catkins nodded and spread out to search for the young man on the first floor of the domain.
Cairo, Ramza, and the Elders who saw this couldn’t help but sigh. If only they could, they would tell Lavinia that Alex was no longer on the first floor but on the fourth floor.
Although they could still communicate with the teenagers, they were unfortunately left with one last chance. So, they didn’t dare to use it unless it was of the utmost importance.
Cairo had spoken with Alex earlier because he was in a dangerous position and needed directions.
The Elders understood that the prodigy of the Hartwell Clan did the right thing at that moment.
Lastly, for some unknown reason, all of them were starting to hope as they watched the young man who was about to head to the center of the fourth floor.
They didn’t know what kind of Job Classes he had seen during the appraisal, but they clearly saw the young man leave the temple without choosing a profession.
This meant that he might not have seen the Job Class that he wanted and wished to return to fight against monsters in order to gain more battle experience.
Perhaps by doing so, he would finally obtain the key that would allow him and the other Catkins to survive this tribulation that no one had seen coming.