Chapter 1 The Beginning [Rewritten]
The morning bell sounded inside the academy halls. The first-year students were full of excitement. Today was the day they would unlock their talents and be able to traverse the dungeons.
A certain boy with messy black hair was sleeping on his desk unaware. He was a head shorter than the others, with a slightly frail look.
"Suuu… Suuu…"
His name was Vincent Schwartz, a young boy who lived with his adoptive mother and sister. He was not expecting to unlock anything special because of his lack of talent. The only thing he could be proud of was his beautiful face that matches even the high elves.
A girl and boy stood close to his desk, whispering. The girls with her long curled blonde hair and green eyes, Odette Conzelmann, was her name.
She was Vincent's first love, however; she ended up dating the man who was talking with her.
Dirk Kirchwey had short black hair and brown eyes. He was Odette's lover and the class leader. His talents in martial combat and spell-casting were the top of first year.
"Hey Odette, are you serious about your family helping me become a true knight if my talent is good enough?" The surrounding desks picked up his low voice.
"Of course! Your achievements impressed my father. Unlike some worms that tried to catch my eye with their pathetic lack of abilities." Odette said.
Her eyes scanned over the sleeping Vincent and several other males who hid their faces. She didn't understand why this began happening.
'This hatred is so strong it consumes my every thought. Why? Why does our family's sacred deity hold so much hatred towards him?'
In the past, she was close friends with Vincent and enjoyed being around him. However, when she awakened her family's sacred art and bloodline, no matter how hard she tried, the only feelings that surfaced towards him were bitter hatred and anger.
'I'm sorry, Vincent, but I cannot control this... We all know how hard to train and push forward despite lacking any bloodline or special background.'
*Thud!*
The teacher slammed the door open with enthusiasm. His balding head shining from the sunlight.
"Students! The moment you have all been waiting for is upon us!"
He pulled a cart like object into the room. On the table were 26 colourless balls.
These were the same number as there were students. The way to awaken your powers and be able to enter the dungeon legally, a person had to complete the awakening ritual.
"Line up, prepare for your awakening!"
'I hope some of these kids awaken to something special. They will need it to avoid becoming like me, a bitter and short-tempered fool!'
Everyone stood up quickly, awaiting their chances to advance in the world.
The children were so eager to not only gain their own strength but to escape this doomed town. The town was called Verina, named after a noble who reclaimed this area from the dungeons.
A poor town in the eastern lands of the Country of Ulkan, with nothing but poverty, corruption and dungeons.
Ulkan was a small nation that had two extensive empires flanking its sides. The demon empire of Vandis is a land filled with monsters and various demons that only desired to crush the opposing Phoenix Federation. The Elf Queen Astoria led the Phoenix Federation. She led her people and their allied forces against the demons.
The nation of Ulkan was merely a buffer zone for the many collisions between these two giants. It was merely a facade of a true country.
It was only kept because the Elves and Demons didn't wish to deal with the countless small dungeons within this small human lead kingdom.
Nobody knew what was beyond these countries. Over 3000 years ago, when the dungeons first appeared. A great fog surrounded the continent.
The fog had killed anyone who entered. This left the three countries isolated. Over time, they had forgotten about the rest of the planet, Neduria.
"Vincent Schwartz!" His teacher's voice roared.
'Why have you suddenly lost your passion? Have you given up after months, even years, of trying to improve harder than anyone here?' The teacher felt empathy for the boy and could see his younger self inside Vincent.
He was angry at Vincent for wasting everyone's time. However, the biggest reason was seeing the moment he too gave up after awakening and only having a low-class job.
The teacher paced towards Vincent's desk, raising his hand as his hand covered in soil before he slapped Vincent with the back of his hand.
(Vincent POV)
I felt something hard impact my face. Moments later, my body began flying towards the back wall. My body felt pain all over as I collided with it.
There was a taste of iron in my mouth as I struggled to open my eyes. I was kneeling on the ground looking upward's to our teacher and his angry face.
The pain in my cheek throbbed violently. Our teacher was called Janik Kindler. He was a former middle rank dungeon explored, that was before he lost his party inside an intermediate dungeon. Then becoming a schoolteacher.
He like to use force to make us obey his commands. I lifted myself off the ground, brushing the dust off my clothes.
"Vincent Schwartz! Today is an important occasion. Apologise to your classmates for delaying their awakening. We all know trash like you won't amount to anything! But don't bring the rest of us down."
His face seemed strange every time he berated me in front of everyone. It was like he was the one being berated and insulted. This made me slightly angry and hate this guy even more.
I looked down with my body shaking in anger.
'It's not like I wished to be born this way! No power, no wisdom, or even money! One day I'll show you all and make you apologise for belittling me!'
My blood seeped from my palms as my nails sank into them, trying to hide my anger.
I gave a reluctant bow. "I am sorry for delaying your awakening. Please forgive me!"
"Hahaha, what a loser. He's short and also incompetent." Armin Oppert said in spite.
However, I noticed Dirk gave him a slight dig as if to stop him.
'Why? Why do you stop him isn't this what you wish for?'
He was Dirk's best friend and talented with money and business.
"It's a shame he's so useless. His face is by far the most graceful in this world." Felia Wildner said, with her hands leaning on her palms. A smile full of delight filled her face.
'This woman was a little weird. Sometimes she would insult me as if to encourage me through anger. However, when things got too far, she was always the one to come forward to support me.'
I didn't understand women well. But this woman didn't really seem to enjoy this group lynching.
Felia was one of the most popular girls in the class. Her words stopped many of the girls from antagonising Vincent.
In fact, they all knew she had a secret crush on him and wanted to isolate him, forcing him to become her lover when he seeks comfort from his loneliness.
My body moved towards my desk and looked at the clear marble like object placed down. I did my best to ignore what they said about me and tried to focus on keeping my thoughts clear.
'Will I be able to get a talent that can help my mother and sister?'
The teacher gave a loud grunt before heading back to his desk. Once somebody ate the clear ball, it would fuse with their body and activate the dormant magic cells within their bodies.
This would then allow them to see their own talent and abilities with various magic devices. They used the device on the table for this method. It would intercept a person's mana and convert it into data.
"Raoul Gramlich, swallow your awakening agent!"
"Y-yes sir!"
I watched the slightly chubby ginger boy swallow the orb filled with nerves. His body glowed a strange green colour before the teacher's board filled with various information.
[Raoul Gramlich - Aged 18]
[Human]
[Shield bearer - Level 1]
[Talent: Reduce damage you take by half. Can avoid one fatal blow a day.]
The teacher would call out people's names, and they would awaken. Most people got jobs and talents as villagers or farmers. Raoul was one of the lucky ones, as they escorted him to the special class.
"Odette Von Conzelmann! Swallow the orb."
She straightened her body, holding the colourless orb, giving the teacher a nod before swallowing it. The moment she did. Her mana filled the room with a brilliant flame and the cries of a phoenix. The teacher felt the pressure of her mana weighing down on him. Let alone level 0 children.'
[Odette Von Conzelmann - Aged 18]
[Human/Phoenix half]
[Fire maiden - Level 2]
[Talent: Loved by flame. All fire spells deal more damage. Reduces fire damage taken by 20%.]
"WOW!"
"As expected of my woman! She's amazing." Dirk said with pride.
I was glad for her. Despite how she acted, I did like her at one point and didn't really care much anymore about an old childish feeling of love.
Now it was close to my turn. Only Dirk and Felia remained before me..
It was funny that she left the classroom without even looking at Dirk and went straight to the special class with the other teacher. Noise filled the room for quite some time.
"Alright! Quiet or I'll expel the lot of you!"
"Dirk Kirchwey eat the orb!"
[Dirk Kirchwey - Aged 19]
[Human]
[Lance Knight - Level 1]
[Talent: Damage inflicted with a lance doubled. Able to mark an ally for protection, lowering their damage taken by 40%]
"YES! I can become a knight!"
I could see the tears in his eyes. He may have been the one who won Odette's affection. It was his friends that insulted me. However, Dirk rarely took part and always showed reluctance, as if this wasn't his own choice.
Dirk's status wasn't anything special compared to Odette, but for the boy in question, I think it was more his goal since being a child.
He wasn't a jerk on purpose Dirk was just highly competitive. Dirk looked towards everyone in the class, including me, and gave us a bow. His hand slapped my shoulder as he passed me.
"I hope you can forgive my actions. I was under too much pressure and had no room to spare. Good luck, pretty boy Vince!"
My mind felt a little shocked this guy was always incomprehensible. His actions caused me to miss the teacher call Felia's name.
'Was he really not a bad guy? I actually don't recall him doing that much to me. However, I won't just forgive his actions instantly. Let's see how he acts in the future.'
[Felia Vilda Drethrar - Aged 19]
[Moon Elf]
[Huntress - Level 2]
[Talent: Able to bond with a single person. Permanently sharing status gained on Levelling Up.]
(AN: This means if she gained +1 Agility on level up, the linked person would also gain +1. Also works in reverse.)
"I declare as the fourth princess of the Phoenix empire! My beloved muse and eternal lover! Vincent Schwartz, to become my fated person!"
Her face had the look for someone who finally spoke a hidden secret.
The class went crazy at her loud declaration. She being a princess was a secret known only to the top members of the academy.
Janik left the room in a haste to confirm this revelation.
I rose my head, hearing my name called out. A strange feeling suddenly assaulted me.
I could feel someone's intense feelings of passion, hopelessness, and fear. They directed all their feelings, desire and hopes towards me as a blazing threat tied around both our fingers.
'She is always smiling, yet why are her thoughts only filled with despair and resignation?'
Our eyes met.
Her beautiful white hair with a small clip on her right side. The rest flowing down her back spiked tips. No longer hiding her long, pointed ears and tanned skin. She no longer pretended to be flat chested as her large E cup breasts filled out her uniform upon breaking the illusion.
There was a strange cream coloured tattoo that appeared on her pelvis around the area her womb was located. Likely related to her talent.
This was the true form of the fourth Elven princess, Felia Vilda Drethrar.
She had grown strangely attached to me since many years ago when I used to pretend to be a knight and thought her darker skin and pointed ears were pretty. So protected her from a few bad guys in the past.
'Did protecting you as children have this large an effect?'
'I aim to become the greatest dungeon knight surrounded by powerful women! like my adoptive father's dream! So do your best to become a powerful woman!'
Felia seemed to desire to speak with me, with her huge golden eyes staring my way.
She was watching my every move. However, before she could walk up to me and chat, a dark elf woman pulled her out quickly by the arm.
This woman was likely her guard or something. She was also wearing an exotic dark elf armour filled with countless trinkets from her hometown showing her high rank in their tribe.
It took several minutes before a rather tired and sweaty teacher, Janik, returned. He gave me one look and then nodded to signify it was my turn to swallow the orb.
Most of the class had now left. It was only the few that wished to mock me or people who didn't get a good awakening.
'Please don't fail! Please!'
I swallowed the orb, then a burning sensation filled my body. There was another presence around. Me, it was like Felia's talent, but this time I knew it was completely under my control.
Inside my mind, there was a display that was like the others I had seen today. But mine was different.
We weren't supposed to see it without the tool. But mine was visible if I closed my eyes and focused.
[Welcome to the Demonic choice system!]
[You have two choices!]
[Maximum charm, unlimited mana and summoning profession]
[OR]
[Knight class with average status, an epic grade weapon and two talents]
[Choose One]
'Eh? System? Choice? Did everyone else get this or is it just for me?'
[Please make a choice]
'Well... I know it's vain but I enjoy being good looking. If I was ugly, would Felia have bound with me?'
'The knight's choice is really appealing, though... Two talents.'
"I choose the first one!"
There was a moment of silence. I opened my eyes to see the entire classroom frozen in time. The mechanical voice once again speaking in my mind.
[Congratulations! Unlock the Class Summoner]
[Adjusting status and calculating talent]
****
[Vincent Schwartz - Aged 18]
[Demon]
[Summoner - Level 1]
[Mana: 0/0]
[Strength: 1] [Agility: 1] [Stamina: 1] [Wisdom: 1] [Intellect: 1] [Charm: MAX]
[Talent: Women that fall in love with you will never betray you. Able to summon form pacts with higher beings.]
[Racial: plunder the power of enemies you kill.]
'What? Why are my status all 1? I am like a piece of paper, but wait! Felia's talent can help fix this... I don't know whether she can see into the future or she's just my lucky start!'
I opened my eyes, as everyone could see my status. However, with a few changes, my racial talent and status were missing, just like the others.
The teacher and others seemed shocked. I got a decent-looking class as he sent me towards the special class like Felia and the others.
[Learned new spell! Identification]
[Learned new spell! Mana missile]
[Learned new spell! Mana shield]
I felt myself holding back my tears for many years. My mother tried her hardest to keep the family out of debt. She worked a job at a bar and hunted monsters part time.
Myself and my sister watched seen her running herself haggard and finally I could contribute to the family!
'Dad! You don't need to worry anymore. I will look after mom and Milla! Your son is going to become a dungeon knight!'
[A High ranked Ice Spirit requests to form a contract!]
THIS CHAPTER UPLOAD FIRST AT NOVELBIN.COM