Graduates Guide

The entire class tapped their screens to open the file, a flash of numbers, words, and maps appeared as the document named 'Graduates guide' sparked to life.

A choir of sighs and groans flooded the classroom as students dropped their heads and began to quietly whisper amongst themselves.

"Dude this is the same document that we've read over a hundred times, does Mr. Riosa think we're braindead or something?" spouted a student to his friend. Scrolling through the document and noting the similarities.

While the whole classroom was complaining to each other and groaning about being taught the same thing repeatedly, Zeth slowly made his way through the file highlighting key information and rewatching the battle videos.

The synthesizer flickered before displaying a paused video, where a human draped in basic armor and handling a short sword was about to engage a group of gnomes.

Zeth pressed play on the video and slumped back in his chair. As the video played the man spoke up.

"Hello students! My name is Erik and I'll be showing you all how to engage your first enemies with a close-range weapon!" He yelled as the gnomes closed in and began to lunge at him.

"These are gnomes, I'm sure every student is familiar with these little guys but it's my job to teach you how to fight them! These will be your first and only enemies from when you activate through to level 5." Erik dodged the gnomes attempting to grab him as slid away from the encirclement.

"Outside of your city walls you'll be met with a vast landscape consisting of countless enemies and comrades. However, by the tireless work of your cities guard we can limit the closest areas around the walls to be manageable for newer hunters!" He spoke as he threw a gnome that had landed on his shoulder.

Zeth watched and recalled that his city, 'Holdow' contains these gnomes to designated zones to increase the efficiency of hunters. Allowing them to level fast and leave the protective areas and venture to dungeons and other cities.

"Firstly, you need to separate them. Gnomes work in groups and once you let two or three of them get a hold of you, even a level 10 might take some damage. Their main sources of damage are their sharp teeth and hats. Being bit and pierced in the wrong place can cause permanent injuries and even death." Erik stated as he danced around the gnomes slowly increasing the gaps between each of them.

"As a basic swordsman like most of you will probably become, you can see that my movement is limited when compared to an archer or rogue. How melee classes need to deal with gnomes is quickly and efficiently cut them all in succession!" he yelled as he sliced through the closest gnome.

The battle was over within a few seconds, scattered gnome corpses littered the ground as Erik started to speak directly to the camera.

"However, remember everybody, this technique is for hunters fighting alone. If you wish to learn about group formations and such, please ask your teacher or continue reading the graduates guide!" He said as he sheathed his sword and patted his shoulders. Expertise and experience oozing from his still figure.

Zeth closed the video and threw himself deep into thought. The expectation of receiving a class worth picking when clans recruited was draining. As Erik stated, most of the students would likely receive a lackluster swordsman class or rogue.

The truly fortunate would receive rare and even unique classes, having substantial stat increases and more flexibility in their move set.

Zeth exhaled deeply to calm his nerves, as someone without any noteworthy talent in swordsmanship and ranged combat, all he could hope for was an awakening of a special stat such as mana and rage, both leading to high ranked skills and classes.

After Zeth finished rereading the guidebook the school bell rang, indicating that class had ended, and students were to head to the training halls before returning home.

"Everyone!" Mr. Riosa shouted as his tome floated.

Countless symbols and arcanes flooding out of the book and attaching to each student.

"I've given you all an increase in your strength and speed, you all need to destroy at least a singular training dummy before you leave!" he claimed as his hands slammed against his table, shaking the classroom.

The entire classroom broke out into mayhem as each student scrambled to leave and make their way to the training halls, none of them wanted to be last and deal with their teachers lectures.

As Zeth patiently waited for his classmates to calm down, he checked his phone and noticed a notification on the messaging app.

"Why is Andrew messaging me?" He wondered as he opened the text.

The phone lagged as the message appeared on the device.

"Dude, Apparently Vesa activated today. And holy shit you won't believe what class she has." The text read.

His eyebrow perked up as Zeth typed his response.

"Don't keep me on the edge of my seat and just tell me." He replied.

"Terramancer, she has a fucking epic class! Apparently her first ability gives her the ability to control earth and flora to create spikes and blades. This is the Bona fide real deal!" Andrew said.

Zeth took a moment to think, a class like this would entice some massive clans and might even start a small bidding war for her.

He sighed as images of thousands of echelons being used to bribe her into their clans could easily solve the financial strain that his parent's slave away to lessen each day.

As always, those with good luck would have the easy lives that the people at the bottom scrape and grind for.

"She's a walking grenade, whichever clan she chooses is going to have to fight tooth and nail for her. Doesn't even seem worth the effort to me" Zeth replied as he put is phone away, staring up at the sign reading

'Training Hall #5'.