"Excuse me, coming through."
Gauss blinked and quickly stepped aside, realizing he’d been standing in the middle of the staircase, completely blocking the way. A woman passed him with a polite smile.
He gave a sheepish smile back, a little embarrassed.
Guess that’s just part of the rookie experience.
It wasn’t really the scenery that had him frozen, but the emotions—raw, complex, overwhelming. This wasn’t just a new floor in a building. It symbolized how far he’d come.
And if he was feeling this way, he could only imagine how others—those who had struggled for years or even decades—felt when they stepped onto the second floor for the first time.
“Alright, let’s grab a table and sort out what I’ve got. Also, time to scope out the area.”
There were plenty of seating areas scattered across the open space. Gauss found one near a window with a perfect view of the floor and no one nearby. He sat down and exhaled.
Time to take inventory.
Between yesterday’s loot sales, his recent quest payout, and the 5 gold coins from the newbie gift pack, he now had 14 gold and 35 silver in cash.
A Life Mana Stone (approx. value: 2.5 gold)
A Teleportation Scroll (approx. value: 4 gold)
A Healing Scroll (approx. value: 3 gold)
That brought his total net worth to around 24 gold coins.
If needed, he could sell the Life Mana Stone—its effects had diminished significantly since he'd advanced to professional rank. He didn’t feel its restorative power anymore.
That would give him around 17 gold in liquid funds.
“I’ll need to buy a few Cantrip Scrolls… Maybe even a Spatial Storage Item, if I’m lucky enough to find one at a good price.”
He glanced at the stores surrounding the upper floor.
Being a guild-run facility, the storefronts had a clean, minimalist design. No flashy decor—just clear signage and refined iconography: general goods, gear, potions, magic items, skill scrolls, books, and quests.
“No rush. Let’s take a look at the books I got first.”
He pulled out the Adventurer’s Handbook.
He’d wanted to read it earlier but couldn’t find a quiet place until now.
Now was the perfect time.
He opened the book and started reading.
A guild staff member in uniform even brought him a complimentary drink. For the first time in a while, Gauss felt completely relaxed—as if he were back in a library in his past life, enjoying the peace of reading in silence.
Time passed gently. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ noᴠelfire.net
Eventually, Gauss closed the book and leaned back, a thoughtful look on his face.
Now he finally had a framework for understanding how the system worked.
Extraordinary: Levels 11–15
Transcendent: Level 21 and beyond — basically mythic tier, unreachable for most.
Bronze → Iron → Silver → Gold → Platinum
Each tier roughly aligned with class progression:
His current badge—a tiny six-pointed star—indicated Bronze One-Star status.
That said, rank and class level weren’t strictly one-to-one. Guild rank also factored in quest experience and reputation. Someone could be level 10 and still be Bronze or low-tier Iron if they hadn’t taken on enough guild work.
As for Platinum-ranked adventurers, those were practically legendary figures—capable of reshaping landscapes. Valleys, mountains, and rivers across the continent were said to be remnants of their battles.
These people were rarely seen by the public and considered divine by many.
Upgrading a class wasn't easy. Most people started with base classes like Warrior, Mage, Warlock, or Ranger, and could eventually transition into advanced archetypes:
Warriors → Stormblade or Berserker
Warlocks → Dragonblood Warlock, Banshee Warlock, etc.
These advanced classes unlocked powerful abilities—Stormblades could harness wind; Dragonblood Warlocks could shield themselves with draconic scales and cast draconic spells.
In theory, Gauss’s class, Magic User, could advance too—but it wasn’t a common class. Unlike Warriors or Mages, his path wasn’t well-documented.
That was fine. Even most normal classes struggled to advance. Requirements ranged from physical conditioning, rare items, rituals, and skill tests to luck and timing.
It reminded him of standardized tests from his past life—everyone knew the goal, but few could actually achieve it.
Fortunately, his Magic User class was already overpowered.
In the days since becoming a full-fledged adventurer, Gauss had felt his battle performance surpass traditional Mages and Warlocks.
So how did one level up?
Everyone had a different class emblem or mental representation of their growth. For Gauss, it was that magic-filled goblet he sometimes visualized.
Warriors might envision a greatsword or shield.
Regardless of the shape, gaining experience through combat, quests, training, duels, and challenges all contributed toward progression.
For casters like him, the most immediate improvement came in mana quality—not just quantity.
Higher mana quality meant stronger spells, more efficient casting, and better control.
He hadn’t read everything, but he’d absorbed the most important parts. The rest could wait until he got back.
He slipped the guide into his pack and stood up, heading toward the shops.
His first stop: the Skill Scroll Shop.
The place was quiet—unsurprising. Unlike potions or gear, skill scrolls were long-term investments, not consumables. Most adventurers didn’t visit often.
The shop was neatly organized by class:
Each section clearly marked.
Time to see what spells and cantrips were available.