Chapter 16: Olgan’s Path
It is quite strong... Olgan felt a surge of excitement as he skimmed through the information shared by Edith.
The +1 boost to all Attribute Stats was quite impressive. He speculated that all Classes gained this bonus upon advancement, alongside additional bonuses to specific stats—just as the Berserker received a slight STR boost and a substantial +3 to VIT.
His gaze drifted down the list to the Heavy-type Melee Weapons, then shifted to the slender longsword sheath hanging at Edith's waist. Clearly, it wasn't a heavy melee weapon.
Noticing his scrutiny, Edith smiled and puffed out her chest. "I've trained my whole life with a one-handed longsword. While missing out on the 10% bonus damage is a bit disappointing, I'm confident my overall combat effectiveness will be better when using a weapon I'm accustomed to."
Olgan nodded, not surprised. If the bonus were significantly higher, it might warrant a reconsideration, but a mere 10% wasn't enough for her to relearn a new weapon. It was far better to wield what she knew best.
There wasn't much to see from her Status Interface. While all her Stats had increased considerably after her first Ascension, her Potential VIT still lingered below the average of 5 points. He could easily picture Edith standing still, allowing Lenna to beat her up to quickly boost her VIT.
I really hope she won't come to enjoy it like most Berserkers, he thought, a bead of sweat trickling down his face.
The Skill [Rage] had evolved into [Berserk]. The most significant benefit of this new version was the elimination of annoying HP degeneration once her HP dropped below 50%. There was also no longer a permanent penalty for remaining in a berserk state for an hour; she could gradually recover her lost PER, INT, and WIS.
What intrigued him now were the increased stats for STR, CON, and AGI, alongside the percentage decrease in PER, INT, and WIS. He would need to ask Edith to run some tests later.
A smirk spread across his face as he rubbed his hands together at the thought of game-related experiments.
[Berserk Cleave] looked equally impressive. Although her sword was a one-handed longsword, this was reality—not a game. There shouldn't be any restrictions on how one held a weapon. Surely, there was no reason for Edith not to wield the longsword with both hands to activate the skill, right?
Draining 5% of her own HP was painful, but it combined exceptionally well with [Berserk]. Plus, it dealt fixed damage to opponents! In Olgan's eyes, this was utterly broken.
The 18 fixed damage might not seem like much, especially with a lengthy 10-second cooldown, but this was still a Level 1 Skill, and Edith's Potential VIT was currently low. If she managed to raise it to 8, on par with her STR and INT, that fixed damage would scale significantly. Combined with her normal attack damage, it could become devastating against enemies, especially since other Classes typically had much lower HP than hers.
[Last Stand] was another overpowered skill—a perfect life-saving option in emergencies, with a remarkably short cooldown of just one day.
As Olgan continued to immerse himself in the wonder of real-life gaming mechanics, Edith called out to him.
"Just like I mentioned before, I think advancing to a Mentor Class would suit you well. You seem knowledgeable and selfless, willing to teach me how to develop [Rage], ideally [Berserk] and [Berserk Cleave] as well. In my eyes, there's no better teacher than you. I'm sure Lenna would agree," Edith said, playfully teasing Lenna.
"Hmph, I don't," Lenna snorted, turning her head away.
Edith beamed at their interaction while Olex looked on in confusion, his mind racing.
What's going on? Wasn't she supposed to advance to a Swordsman or Mage? What are all these skills they're discussing? He was lost and unable to grasp the situation.
Edith had no intention of hiding her path. It would soon be evident that she hadn't advanced to either Swordsman or Mage, the prerequisites for becoming a Magic Swordsman at the 2nd Ascension. If the previous attackers learned she had chosen a Class unrelated to the Magic Swordsman, they might mock her and abandon their attempts to assassinate her, creating a safer environment for her to grow.
Olgan felt a flush of embarrassment. "Well... I didn't do much..." Compliments weren't something he was used to; usually, when analyzing game mechanics, such praise came laced with sarcasm, not the genuine admiration Edith expressed.
Edith smiled brightly, clearly in good spirits as she handed him a rolled paper. "This is the Class Reset Scroll, the same one from before. Consider it part of the reward I'm planning to gift you when we return to the Magect Dukedom. Originally, this was looted from those 'bandits,' so it's not even mine.
"Just to be clear, you really don't have to follow the Mentor path. You can choose to sell this scroll later, but if you decide to become a Mentor, you can use it to revert your decision if you're not satisfied. However, it won't work for 2nd Ascension and above, and using it will drop your Level back to 10, along with the reset of all assigned attribute points after Level 10."
Olgan held the Class Reset Scroll, reflecting on the short 2-3 days he had spent with Edith and Lenna, helping her overcome her challenges in becoming a VIT-focused offensive Class.
Did he enjoy it? Yes.
He felt at home calculating and training Edith to perfect her [Rage] grind.
As for the idea of being unsatisfied with the Mentor role later, the main stats of this Class seemed to be INT, followed by WIS, and perhaps PER and DEX. He speculated about the Mentor Class, realizing it didn't conflict with his original path.
Being a melee Class was out of the question. Although he enjoyed hack-and-slash games and the thrill of executing combos on airborne enemies, this was reality. He lacked the courage to charge headfirst into battle.
Right now, he preferred a long-range Class like Archer or Mage over Swordsman. Focusing on INT aligned perfectly with his original desires.
Besides, who said a Mentor had to be a support-type Class? As a gamer, the idea of crafting a combat-oriented Mentor Class sounded challenging and intriguing!
To be sure, he decided to consult someone more knowledgeable first. "What's the main attribute for the Mentor Class?"
Edith pondered for a moment before answering, "Honestly, I'm not sure. Not many people choose the Mentor Class. They're quite rare despite being one of the easiest Classes to advance into. The conditions are simple—just teaching someone any kind of knowledge can unlock the option."
Lenna stood silently, equally unsure.
Surprisingly, Olex, who had been quietly observing, spoke up, hiding his curiosity about how a Novice Class like Olgan could have saved Princess Edith and Lenna. "The Mentor Class mainly focuses on INT, with WIS and PER as sub-attributes."
Olgan thanked him, rubbing his hands together with excitement for the future. "I've decided. I will walk the path of Mentor."
Hearing this, Edith's smile widened, while Lenna nodded without much change in her expression.
"I'm sure you'll become a renowned Mentor in no time!" Edith declared, volunteering to guide Olgan through the Ascension process, followed by Olex, while Lenna waited outside the tower.
The three of them entered the tower and ascended the staircase toward the top.