Instantly, the holographic screen shone at the center of the blue menu suspended in front of Zarkrion Volcanius, illuminating his face with light-blue tones that highlighted the excitement he had been carrying in his chest for years.
Zarkrion opened his eyes with that childlike spark one has when a long-awaited dream finally appears before them. He raised an eyebrow, crossed his arms… and smiled, that wide, youthful, slightly foolish smile, but filled with genuine happiness.
"This is something I've waited for my whole life," he said without the slightest doubt. "The system took way too long. Now I'll see what I'll choose."
Just as he finished speaking, the menu expanded. It was no longer just a rectangular floating panel; now luminous structures formed that looked like magical stained glass.
Symbols, insignias, and figures representing each class began to materialize around him: a sword covered in light, a spiraling staff wrapped in blue mana, a flexible bow with floating arrows, a dagger shrouded in shadows, and a great spiritual wolf glowing with an emerald-green aura.
The System of Appreciation announced:
[Class Selection – Choose 1/1]
....
And a brilliant list appeared before him, accompanied by animated images as if it were the trailer of a triple-A video game.
Zarkrion swallowed. He knew what this meant. He knew what choosing a class meant in that world. And even so, the excitement made him tremble.
It was like being thirteen again and standing in front of a new role-playing game.
....
1. Swordsman Class
A versatile warrior who masters close-combat fighting.
Swordsmen stand out for their speed, power, and special techniques channeled through the blade of their weapon. They are capable of cutting steel, deflecting projectiles, and executing abilities that combine physical strength with mana pulses.
Role: Frontline damage / Duelist.
Advantages: High mobility, strong physical attacks, great survivability.
Weaknesses: Limited range, depends on staying close to the enemy.
.... ....
2. Mage Class
Manipulator of pure mana and master of the elements.
Mages can summon storms, launch fireballs, freeze the terrain, or conjure ephemeral creatures of energy. The more knowledge they acquire, the more devastating their spells become.
Role: Ranged DPS / Magical control.
Advantages: Highest burst damage in the game, spell variety, battlefield control.
Weaknesses: Extremely low defense, high mana consumption, and vulnerability at close range.
.... ....
3. Archer Class
Specialist in precision attacks from long distances.
An archer can take down an enemy before they even realize the archer's presence. They wield bows, crossbows, or magical composite bows, and possess enhanced senses that allow them to track and strike with deadly accuracy.
Role: Ranged DPS / Tactical support.
Advantages: Superior range, high attack speed, light mobility, consistent damage.
Weaknesses: Low physical defense, dependent on positioning and terrain.
4. Assassin Class
Master of stealth and lethal close-range attacks.
Assassins hide within the shadows, paralyze targets, use poisons, and eliminate key enemies before disappearing without a trace. Their critical strikes can decide a battle in seconds.
Role: Rapid elimination / Infiltration.
Advantages: Extremely high critical damage, invisibility, brutal mobility.
Weaknesses: Extreme fragility, poor performance in prolonged combat.
.... ....
5. Beast Tamer Class
A warrior who forges magical bonds with wild creatures.
Each beast grants unique abilities, whether defense, attack, healing, or support. A skilled tamer can command entire packs or mythical creatures, fuse their aura with that of their companion, or even partially transform thanks to the spiritual bond.
Role: Versatile / Summoner / Support.
Advantages: Adaptability, multiple combat styles, creature control.
Weaknesses: Dependent on their main beast, vulnerable if it is lost or incapacitated.
"Simply epic…" he whispered. "But I don't know if I could depend so much on others…"
Zarkrion stepped back to observe the five classes together. The spectacle was imposing, like seeing five luminous paths, five different destinies waiting for him.
"Each of those classes has an important role and advantages, with unique disadvantages… but I can only choose one."
The words came out almost in a whisper. There it was—the absolute truth. Five possibilities. A single choice.
In that world, those five classes were the pinnacle of power. The highest expression of human and non-human talent. The most respected, the most feared, the most envied. But even so…
There was no "best" class.
There was no "definitive" class.
Everything depended on the user.
That was what made that world so brutal and magical. An assassin could kill a mage if they were silent enough. An archer could take down a swordsman if they used the terrain properly. A tamer could defeat anyone if they had the right creature.
But talent…
Ah, talent was another story.
The system evaluated all living beings and classified them from G-, the lowest, the social scum… all the way up to the legendary and almost nonexistent SSS+.
And there, Zarkrion murmured:
"Of course… the living beings of this world don't choose anything. The law of magic gives them a class without asking. Good or bad. Useful or useless. They have to accept whatever they're given… whether they like it or not."
That was the fate of the average inhabitant.
But he was not average.
"That rule doesn't apply to players, of course." Zarkrion lifted his chin. "I, as an exceptional player that I was… could choose any class on Earth. And now that I'm an anomaly… why wouldn't I be able to choose it here as well?"
His heart trembled. He had options, power, freedom.
"I'm good with knives. I could be an Assassin.
I'm also physically strong… I could be a Swordsman.
And the mage… uff… the mage is far too tempting."
Then a memory heavy with nostalgia fell over him like a warm blanket:
The Legendary Hunter.
The protagonist of the game.
His own avatar.
"It's true, I had forgotten…" Zarkrion said, surprising himself. "That's the class the Legendary Hunter gets in the game… and in the story."
He remembered perfectly how that worked.
In games, Zarkrion always chose the Swordsman class. It was faster, more comfortable, more effective. Continuous physical strikes, without the need for complicated mana calculations or spell cooldowns.
But this was no longer a game. This was basically real life now. Anything could happen, and there would be no turning back.
And the Legendary Hunter… ah yes, he also ended up being a swordsman in the novel, but with G- talent at the beginning. The worst, the weakest, the most humiliating.
He remembered the complete story of that protagonist:
Bullying.
Mockery.
Contempt.
Used as bait. Abandoned on dangerous missions.
But always smiling. Always striving. Always training.
Until one day…
He awakened.
The Goddess of the Sword descended.
And the protagonist's talent rose from G-… to SSS+.
As always in those works, talent was the most important thing above all else in any kind of matter or profession.
And in that world, talent grades were the quality of classesango the classes, so to speak—although of course, they should not be confused with rank. They are two different things.
An easy example: Fariella Almont is level 23, Rank E+, and of the Archer class. It is very likely that her Talent Grade is between D+ or C+ depending on her ability as an archer, and it would have nothing to do with her general rank.
Basically, it was the pinnacle of power.
"If I remember correctly, the protagonist reached SSS+ rank in all his stats in the novel, and in the game as my avatar as well."
Zarkrion sighed.
"Although the novel had way too many clichés, basically its writing was kind of… mediocre… but perfect in the game."
He crossed his arms once more.
"If I ever run into him… I need to be stronger. Neither as a tamer nor as an archer could I compete with that powerful thing…"
"The timeline of this world… is not that of the novel… it's the game's timeline. Which means that the Legendary Hunter… is my game avatar," Zarkrion said, revealing everything.
Exactly.
If he had to fight the Legendary Hunter, he would basically be facing the character he himself leveled up, spending all his savings so that it would have the best arsenal and premium abilities.
He would literally be fighting himself, but more powerful and ruthless.
"So… I'll choose Swordsman. That will let me level up even faster and more easily using weapons."
Decision made.
Zarkrion pressed the notification firmly.
"Are you sure you choose the Swordsman class?"
[PRESS: YES / NO]
Zarkrion frowned.
"What's with this system and obvious questions? I literally just said I want to be a swordsman…"
He sighed and pressed [YES].
The effect was immediate.
His body began to emit an intense glow. Lines of mana formed a circle on the ground, rising in spirals. It was as if his soul were being adjusted, molded, fitted into a new structure of power.
The air rumbled.
The room vibrated.
The light completely enveloped him.
Zarkrion closed his eyes, smiling.
"Finally… finally I'll be a swordsma—"
But then…
Something failed.
[SYSTEM ERROR]
[SYSTEM FAILURE]
The menu began to flicker frantically. Windows appeared and disappeared abruptly.
[PROCESSING CLASS – ERROR 404]
[PROCESSING CLASS – FAILURE 404]
.... ....
"Huh? Wh—?"
Zarkrion stepped back, alarmed.
The light distorted as if a broken screen were trying to fix itself. The system emitted a deep, metallic sound, like an engine about to explode.
"Hey! Hey, don't screw me over! Don't explode right here!"
His heart was pounding hard.
This was not a normal error.
Something was very wrong.
And suddenly… silence.
An absolute calm, almost unsettling, took over the surroundings.
The system stopped flickering.
One last window appeared, stable, firm, without any error:
.... ....
[CLASS SUCCESSFULLY PROCESSED]
.... ....
Zarkrion let out a massive sigh.
"Uffff… damn system… don't scare me like that! Don't you have any appreciation for your host?"
But before he could fully calm down…
A new window emerged.
One that didn't fit with any logic of the world.
One that didn't belong to the game.
Nor to the novel.
Nor to any known mechanic.
... ...
[Congratulations – You are the Chef Mage Class]
... ...
Zarkrion froze.
He opened his mouth.
He said nothing for several seconds.
Finally:
"What…? Chef Mage…?"
What kind of class is that?
Does that exist?
Did that even exist!?
The night went dark in the room with an unexpected surprise, something without explanation. Something without any sense at all for the Dragon King.