Adventurer of Many Professions

At last, he had awakened as a [Warrior]!

Raymond could feel the change within him, an electric surge of strength and skill now pulsing through his muscles and bones. He sensed an immediate understanding of how to wield the sword in his hand, as if centuries of battle experience had been poured into his mind in an instant. His grip tightened on the sword's hilt, instinctively shifting into a combat-ready stance, a stance that felt both new and strangely familiar.

With a flick of his hand, he opened his personal information panel, eager to see what this new status looked like:

Name: Raymond Kelton

Age: 15

Magic Value: 210.3/210.3

Occupation: Fighter, Warrior

Skills: None

Skill Points: 1

Cumulative Value: 0%

Awakenable Professions:

- [Swordsman] — Awakening Requirement: Swing a long sword weighing no less than eight kilograms a hundred thousand times within a day.

- [Hunter] — Awakening Requirement: Set and use a trap to kill a monster, track prey for ten minutes undetected, and use a bow to hit a target ten centimeters wide from a distance of ten meters.

Learnable Skills:

- Bone Crusher [Fighter] — Learning Cost: 1 Skill Point [+]

- Iron Elbow [Fighter] — Learning Cost: 1 Skill Point [+]

- Whirlwind Kick [Fighter] — Learning Cost: 2 Skill Points

His [Fighter] profession had evolved, with [Warrior] now proudly listed beside it. And with that, his skill points had increased to one, opening up new pathways for him to learn combat abilities. A tempting "+" symbol blinked beside the skills "Bone Crusher" and "Iron Elbow," waiting for him to invest his skill point.

Raymond hesitated, debating whether to spend it now or save up for the Whirlwind Kick, which required two points but promised greater power. And who knew what other skills a [Warrior] might unlock? There was no rush, he decided. There would be time to learn these skills soon enough.

However, his attention was drawn to something else on his status panel: his magic value. It had risen to 210.3. A hundred points higher than he'd anticipated.

"Wait... I should be at 110.3 magic points," he muttered, bewildered. "Where did the extra 100 come from?"

After a moment of thought, realization struck. "Could it be… the Warrior class added 100 magic points upon awakening?" He recalled that most professions granted an initial magic value of 100 points. This must have been the boost from his Warrior awakening, a gift of strength for surviving the trials and tribulations it took to get here.

Content with this discovery, he turned his focus back to his surroundings. The sewer tunnel was littered with the charred remains of mutant rats, their bodies still smoldering from Sylph's explosive fire spell. However, a few rats, charred and barely moving, had somehow survived the blast.

A wicked thought crossed his mind. "Maybe I should take them out, gain a few more skill points?" He could feel the urge rising within him. Each mutant rat represented both experience and a chance to strengthen his newly awakened skills. Besides, he'd read the awakening requirements for [Magician]: defeat a monster with bare hands. It was a risky thought, but now, with these weakened creatures barely clinging to life, he might be able to complete it without much danger.

He shook himself, snapping back to reality. This wasn't the time for experimentation. They were still deep within the sewer, and the blast from Sylph's spell had likely echoed through the tunnels, drawing even more mutant rats toward them.

Already, he could see movement among the bodies strewn around the tunnel. Some of the rats, merely stunned by the explosion, were beginning to stagger to their feet, their bodies twitching and eyes blinking as they struggled back to consciousness.

Raymond glanced at Sylph. She was leaning heavily against the wall, her face pale and her breathing shallow from magical exhaustion. She couldn't defend herself if more rats came, and he couldn't protect her and fight at the same time. The realization brought clarity to his decision.

"Forget it," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. "Let's get out of here first."

The sewer was no place to test his limits, especially not with an exhausted Sylph by his side. He'd have plenty of time to grow stronger and unlock new skills, but only if they both made it out alive.

Without another thought, he turned to help Sylph. But as he reached for her, something caught his attention, a faint ripple in the sewer's filthy water, a sinister movement just beneath the surface. His eyes narrowed, and his hand instinctively moved to his sword, but he hesitated, straining his senses.

Among the floating debris of blood, rat limbs, and scraps from the sewer, the murky water was concealing more than just filth. Some of the bodies from the explosion had landed in the water, floating among the refuse, but this… this was different. He could feel something, a presence lurking just below the surface, waiting.

"Raymond?" Sylph's weak voice brought him back, her tired eyes looking up at him with a hint of confusion. She hadn't noticed the water.

He shook his head, forcing a reassuring smile. "Nothing. Just… let's move, quickly."

He gently supported her, guiding her as they started to make their way toward the nearest exit. The sewer's dank air seemed heavier now, as if watching their every move. Each sound echoed ominously, each shadow seemed to stretch and reach toward them.

As they moved away, Raymond cast one last glance back at the filthy water, still rippling faintly. Whatever it was, he would be ready for it. But not here. Not now.

"Let's get out of this sewer," he murmured, his voice filled with quiet resolve. With newfound strength and the warrior's spirit now awakened in him, Raymond knew that this was just the beginning.

Raymond's head whipped around, his eyes fixed on the dark, oily surface of the sewer water. Something beneath the filthy water was stirring, sending ripples that widened with each passing second. Suddenly, with a loud "splash," the murky surface erupted, sending waves of foul-smelling sludge flying into the air.

Emerging from the black depths was a monstrous, hulking figure, drenched in sewage and caked with grime; a giant mutant rat! Its massive body was slick with the disgusting sludge, its once-gray fur now matted and dripping with black water and chunks of unidentifiable filth. Despite the creature's grotesque appearance, Raymond recognized it instantly.

"Impossible…" he breathed, his heart skipping a beat. He had been sure that Sylph's explosive magic would have obliterated it. But here it was, battered yet alive, staring him down with a rage that burned through its murky green eyes.

Raymond tightened his grip on his sword, his body coiling with tension. He assessed the creature quickly. It wasn't unscathed, far from it. A massive, gaping wound marred its right side, with intestines partially exposed and dragging along the ground as it moved. Its right hind leg had been blown off completely, leaving it hobbling in a grotesque, uneven gait, blood and sewer water oozing from the torn flesh.

He realized what must have happened. The creature had likely leaped into the sewage ditch the moment Sylph's fireball had soared toward it, evading a direct hit. It had escaped death by a hair's breadth but not without paying a heavy price.

Yet, somehow, despite its grievous injuries, the giant mutant rat seemed even more deadly. The loss of flesh had made it leaner, more agile. It had shed the weight that might have slowed it down, and now it looked ready to unleash its last reserves of fury on Raymond.

The rat's enraged gaze locked onto him, and it unleashed a blood-curdling roar that echoed through the sewer tunnels, sending tremors down Raymond's spine. Before he could react, it lunged, filthy water spraying around it as it closed the gap between them with terrifying speed.

Instinct took over. Raymond staggered backward, only to feel the cold, unyielding surface of a stone wall press into his back. Trapped, he barely had time to brace himself as the mutant rat swung one of its enormous front claws, each talon nearly twenty centimeters long and glistening with sewer muck.

With no time to test the limits of his leather armor against claws that sharp, Raymond dropped into a roll, ignoring the revolting sludge that coated the ground. He felt the rush of air as the rat's claws swiped just inches above him, close enough that he could feel the sting of its foul breath.

Screeech!

The rat's claws scraped against the stone wall where his head had been moments before, carving three deep grooves into the stone. Raymond spared a quick, horrified glance at the marks. If those claws could gouge stone like that, his armor and his flesh, would have been no match.

Rising from his roll with the agility honed by his newfound [Warrior] strength, Raymond barely had a second to steady himself before the mutant rat turned, snarling, and charged again. This time, Raymond reacted instinctively, lifting his leg and delivering a powerful kick straight into the rat's chest.

Thud!

The kick landed solidly, driving the rat back a few paces. But the force of the impact reverberated painfully up Raymond's leg, and he stumbled, feeling a dull ache in his ankle. He winced, realizing that even with his increased strength from the [Warrior] awakening, the mutant rat was still far stronger than he'd anticipated. This creature was wounded, missing a leg, yet its resilience was nothing short of monstrous.

And now, it was angrier than ever.

The mutant rat shook off the impact of his kick, its mouth twisting into a snarl that exposed rows of jagged, yellowed fangs. It crouched, gathering itself for another strike, then sprang forward with terrifying speed, its remaining three legs pushing it forward like a cannonball. Its mouth gaped wide, fangs glistening as it aimed for Raymond's exposed neck.

There was no time to think, no time to plan. Pure instinct took over. Raymond raised his sword, bracing it with both hands and thrusting it upward, aiming straight for the rat's gaping maw.

The mutant rat crashed into him, its jaws snapping down around the blade with a sickening crunch.

"Guuaaah!" the creature shrieked, its eyes wide with pain as the sword bit into the soft flesh inside its mouth. But its fury only intensified. With a feral snarl, it clamped down, its powerful jaws grinding against the metal, splintering the blade as if it were made of brittle glass.

Crack!

Raymond felt the sword snap, the vibration jolting up his arms as the shattered blade left him defenseless. He stumbled back, clutching the broken hilt, his heart pounding in his chest. The mutant rat spat out the jagged remnants of the blade, its mouth bleeding but its rage undiminished.

Raymond's mind raced, desperation clawing at him. His only weapon lay in pieces, and the creature, though severely injured, was far from giving up. He was cornered, unarmed, and facing a relentless monster fueled by pain and rage.

There was no choice now but to fight with every last ounce of strength he had. His mind cleared, focusing entirely on survival.