"Happy birthday, Dante," Dante whispered to himself as he waited in anticipation.
Only one minute remained. He was going to officially become a 16-year-old boy.
He had always celebrated his birthday alone since his parents' death, satisfying himself by only eating more than usual on that special day. Sadly, this might be his worst birthday so far.
He had died multiple times just to reach this point. And he didn't know if he'd die again and repeat this hell or not.
'No, I won't die again. With this sword, I'm a little confident in running away if I can't defeat the barbarian.'
As Dante steeled his mind, a change finally occurred.
Obsidian-black, inky-black, pale-blue, crimson, and silver runes appeared out of nowhere and surrounded Dante.
In his eyes, they seemed beautiful, dancing around him as if celebrating his lonely birthday, surrounding him entirely like a small, colorful shell.
Or more accurately, a cocoon.
'I don't think that's for the bloodlines.'
It was the second most beautiful scene he had seen after the ether current. Dante extended his arm to touch them, but his eyes suddenly felt heavy.
'What is…'
Before he could complete his thought, he fell to the ground, sleeping calmly for the first time since his arrival in this world.
The runes moved closer to him until they covered his body, then they started working.
Some runes modified Dante's body, some runes found their way into his soul, others entered his head directly, forming a small gem on his brain.
After this process, he wouldn't be the same.
¢¢¢
As Dante's body was sleeping, his consciousness found himself in a dark void.
'Where… am I?'
He extended his hand like a blind man, but he couldn't touch anything other than the ground.
At the next moment, a surge of knowledge filled his mind.
It was ironic how many times this had happened to him. He was getting used to it now.
Runes
The language of magic, knowledge, and truth.
He finally understood what each part meant.
Magic reflected things like casting magical spells or performing rituals.
Truth reflected the information the orb was showing.
Knowledge reflected what was happening to him now. They were able to inscribe themselves on him, similar to the Dance of Greed ability.
He was getting an understanding of what the runes were doing to him.
He was getting his class from the world runes. It was a neutral force that didn't care about good and evil, only about feats.
Whenever someone became 16, the world runes would judge them by everything they were born with, had achieved, had learned, and had earned to give them a suitable class.
There were too many factors which would determine that class. The runes provided him with a small example.
A person who has the Light Aspect, is an expert in healing spells, and has helped many people.
Such a person would get a class like Priest or Saint.
A good person who has the Light Aspect, is an expert in swordsmanship and fighting spells, and helped a lot of people.
Such a person would get a class like Paladin or Light Swordsman.
That class would give them knowledge.
A Priest would increase their comprehension of the Light Aspect, learn new supporting spells, and get increased mana control.
A Light Knight would increase their comprehension of the Light Aspect, learn new attacking spells, and get a sword technique.
Next, their bodies would change, gaining abilities and stats.
A Light Knight would get a physique suitable for swordsmanship, suitable light abilities, and a boost in their stats focusing on vitality.
A Priest would get a physique suitable for magic, suitable light abilities, and a boost in their stats focusing on mind and spirit.
Lastly and most importantly—they'd form a core in their brain, which was called Core of Existence.
It was the gem Dante took out of the rank 1 monsters he killed.
That core worked as a storage and a refiner, connected to the mana veins and replacing the old way of storing mana in the head.
It would allow Dante to store double the amount of mana his mind stat usually allowed and would even refine all his energies, including the demonic energy.
With the same amount of mana and spiritual energy, he'd be able to cast stronger spells than before.
'That's really… insane.'
Dante finally understood why having a class was a game changer. No wonder the barbarian was so strong.
But what was her rank? From the knowledge he received, he knew that there was more than just rank 1.
Dante thought about the amount of time she had spent fighting the giant skeleton, and assumed that she was only rank 1 as well.
He didn't know how much stronger the rank 2 beings were, but after seeing the giant skeleton's strength himself, he knew that the barbarian's strength wasn't that overwhelming.
'There is always hope.'
Dante's heart burst with determination as he absorbed all the knowledge he was receiving by the world runes.
¢¢¢
"Ouch."
Half an hour later, the 16-year-old Dante woke up in the corridor, realising that he had hit his head when the runes caused him to sleep.
Suddenly, he saw a few remaining runes hovering in front of him.
[A demon walking the path of the abyss and sins.
A dragon bringing disasters and calamities where he lands.
A bond that should never have formed this early.
A genius sorcerer.
A talented swordsman.
A mistake unseen by fate.
A miserable soul that leaks and attracts misfortune.
You have suffered, died, returned, adapted, and slain existences beyond your rank despite being a crippled, uneducated, and untrained child for years.
The world runes acknowledge your feats and potential at such a young age.
The world runes have modified your body, forcefully awakening your ether veins.
You have earned the 123rd Crown of Existence.
You have been given an extraordinary class. Your stats will multiply by 1.5 every time you advance in ranks.]
"...."
'Genius? Talented? Since when?!'
Dante looked at the runes in a daze as they disappeared slowly. Then, he looked at his right hand.
'I… I understand it now. So that's why I couldn't sense it before.'
Dante's eyes widened as he raised his hand and cast a spell on himself.
Silver Ether Spell — Appraisal!
Instantly, Dante's runes appeared without using the black orb.
════════
Name: Dante
Age: 16
Race: Demonic Dragon (Dragon Bloodline 10%, Demon Bloodline 14%)
——
❖ Classes:
[Abyssal Doombringer] (Extraordinary)
Existence Essence ⟨0/1000⟩
✧ Passive Abilities:
⟨Shadowbirth⟩
⤷ Your shadow rises as an independent abyssal existence. He gains 50% of your stats and becomes a sentient being, loyal servant, and good listener.
⟨Luck Seer⟩
⤷ Your left eye perceives the invisible Wheel of Luck within all living beings.
——
❖ Stats:
• Vitality: 15→38
• Spirit: 20 →30
• Mind: 16 →24
• Demonic Energy: 20→42
——
❖ Domains & Aspects:
✧ Abyss Domain — Attunement: Greater
⤷ Aspect: Shadow [Comprehension:25%]
✧ Destiny Domain — Attunement: Greater
⤷ Aspect: Misfortune [Comprehension:15%]
——
❖ Innate Traits:
[Demonic Dragon]
⤷ Your bloodlines clash, slowing each other's growth, but gradually fusing into something greater.
• Draconic Mutation: Right Eye, Lungs
• Demonic Mutation: Right Arm, Left Eye
[Regression Marks (7/30)]
[Silver Ether Bond]
[Silver Ether Eye]
[Sorcerer's Gift]
[Fateless Soul]
[Unfortunate Aura]
[Misfortune Attraction]
[Demon of Temptation]
——
❖ Relics:
[###]
════════
Unconsciously, Dante glanced at his feet.
"...."
His shadow wasn't there.