Advancing to Beginner

James had been immersed in reading his magic book. The tome of magic introduction by the Qel-batath Circle was incredibly comprehensive, thanks to the magical association that had existed for over a thousand years, perfecting the training of new mages by revealing their techniques in small fragments. James had tried to learn beginner spells, but despite having a magical class, it was still locked and showed a discouraging gray on his information screen, indicating there was no way to progress on that path.

Suddenly, he felt a knock on his door. He had been so absorbed in his reading that he hadn't noticed the approaching footsteps. "James, lad, Riverdale has good news for you. Come to the dining hall," Strom said with a hint of excitement in his voice.

Intrigued, James ended his meditation session, checked his mana level, organized his belongings, and made his way to his mentors.

Upon entering the dining hall, the first thing he saw was the two elders drinking beer from their mugs. "I remember that time when Rosemary was furious with you for accidentally touching her butt. Hahaha," Riverdale joked, teasing Strom.

"Good morning, Mr. Riverdale," James greeted after the elders finished laughing.

"Good morning, lad. You're really in good shape," the old merchant replied with a big smile.

"What happened?" James asked as he took a seat and poured a round of drinks for everyone.

"Excellent news, lad. A portal is predicted to open soon in our lands to the Qetzcel plane. This plane is extremely rich in resources and has a special characteristic: it only accepts people with a maximum beginner class and up to level 100," Riverdale revealed.

"But wouldn't it be dangerous for me to go there? I don't have a combat class, and I'm only at level 15. I haven't even taken the class advancement yet," James expressed, showing his confusion. Although he didn't know much about that world or that particular plane, he was aware that where there were many resources, there were also many battles.

"No, lad, that's where you're mistaken. Nobody goes to that place alone," Strom replied.

"So, how can I attend?" James asked, knowing they wouldn't have revealed all this if they didn't know the answer.

"At the very least, you must join a mercenary guild. The dangers are immense," explained his master, recalling his bitter past.

"And is there any group you know that I can join?" James asked, intrigued. From their previous conversation, it seemed that both elders had been in some group, although Riverdale seemed reluctant to satisfy James' curiosity.

"There will be many groups from our nation present, but the most important one for you is the delegation led by army members. Although they generally pay the least, they are by far the most reliable for you. Plus, if you're willing to give up a portion of your loot, they might reward you with the books you're so eager for. It's a significant shortcut, and the commitment is much more limited than the options we discussed earlier," revealed Riverdale.

"But why would the delegation accept a runic blacksmith like me?" James asked, confused.

"Because time within the plane passes differently, they could spend 3 to 6 years on the expedition, but only 3 to 6 months would have passed here," explained Riverdale, to which Strom added, "Carrying so many weapons and armor in advance is tremendously bothersome as they would deteriorate anyway. Therefore, many nations establish basic infrastructures there and use materials from the plane itself to manufacture their equipment, as well as to carry out missions and explore richer areas."

"I see. That's why they bring specialists. I suppose they will also recruit alchemists and enchanters," James commented, trying to grasp the situation.

"They will try, at least. You should know that there's no shortage of casualties, and although people with artisan classes are more abundant, they are also more reluctant to take those risks. That's why, if you participate, I can assure you'll reap benefits," affirmed Riverdale.

"It sounds quite promising. When does the delegation depart? Will it be alright for me to be absent for such a long time, Master?" James asked, concerned about his responsibility towards Strom.

"Of course. In fact, I'll take advantage of the time you're away to try and advance my class. Your arrival has inspired me to keep moving forward. The delegation sets off in approximately six months," Strom replied.

"Wow, big bad bug got a bit of a soft spot" Riverdale said sarcastically.

Strom hit Riverdale's arm, and the three of them laughed as they raised their beer mugs in a toast.

"So, what do I need to do to join?" James finally asked, after exchanging a few jokes.

"If you already had your basic class, you would qualify. After all, they need all the help they can get. But in your beginner condition, you'll have to undergo a test in front of a witness from the army," Riverdale replied.

"If you wish to undergo an evaluation right away, you need to go to the town hall and request an evaluation. I can give you the address if you'd like. Alternatively, you can choose to take the promotion. However, considering the number of affinities you have, it would be wiser to take your time to learn another branch and increase your options in the future," Strom said to James.

"I think I'll try to take the promotion. The truth is, I feel like I've taken this world too lightly. I need more power to achieve my goals," James responded seriously.

The meeting continued for a few more moments until James excused himself to meditate again. He had strictly adhered to his schedule and was beginning to reap great benefits, so he knew he had to maintain his efforts.

During the following week, James trained and studied diligently until something different happened on the night of the seventh day. His mana accumulated continuously and reached the amount of a beginner mage. This triggered a strange phenomenon inside his mind.

With sweat running down his forehead, James closed his eyes and focused on circulating his mana. He quickly noticed it beginning to rotate in a peculiar pattern on its own. He tried to actively mimic it, but the pattern turned out to be too complex, and the required speed far surpassed James' capabilities.

He tried everything he could to improve his transmission, but it proved to be very difficult. In his desperation, he stumbled upon an unorthodox method: he tried to mimic the neural impulses, creating specific areas where he generated a mana coating to make big leaps and maintain the pattern.

Although he knew that such movements were counterproductive and that there was information related to mana patterns in his book, James felt that this pattern was crucial to his development, and he needed to maintain it for as long as possible. Only then could he assimilate it and discover the meaning of this strange rune.

Initially, James quickly lost ground. However, as he established more well-positioned jump zones, he finally managed to artificially reach the speed of the pattern and alleviate some of the burden on his mind, allowing his body to maintain the charge of the mana zones.

When he had assimilated about a third of the strange rune, James noticed its complexity. Although he had glanced at intermediate-level runes out of curiosity, this rune was much stranger, with multiple layers and three-dimensional projections.

Suddenly, the complexity of the rune began to exponentially increase, and James, with his tricks, started to suffer severely as he couldn't maintain the required level. Although he tried to hold on and restore his pattern, the pain became overwhelming until his consciousness faded, and he lost the rune.

James was unconscious for 2 hours. When he woke up, he felt excruciating pain throughout his body. It seemed as if all his muscles had torn apart, and that might have been the case. However, a wide grin appeared on James' face. He had obtained an invaluable gift. Inside it were all the instructions on how to improve his artisan class. He discovered that the rules that applied to everyone didn't apply to him. Now he knew that his affinities were not exclusive, and he didn't need to choose a single path. He had to advance in all of them to reap the rewards.

Under normal circumstances, this would be an infernal demand for anyone, but there were also some small benefits for James. His class was much more powerful than any other, considering its full development at any level. Although he was deficient in terms of the time it would take him to achieve such development, what made James happy was that he now knew he could individually advance in each affinity at varying speeds. The disadvantage would be that the skills of his least developed affinity would suffer, but this would give him room to grow and obtain certain advantages, especially in his runic smith facet. Additionally, another reward he had obtained was the Supreme Rune.

Now he knew what he had to do to unlock the development of this rune. He needed to forge a common sword and place the most basic version of the Supreme Rune on it. This would turn it into a special weapon and should progress alongside him. Every time he wanted to upgrade his class, he would need a corresponding upgrade in both the weapon and the rune. Although he didn't know how, he knew it would be of great help, especially considering the special plane that would soon appear.

It took James 3 days in bed to recover enough to be able to walk again. "Apparently, playing with mana inside your body wasn't a good idea," he thought.

That day, his stat screen opened, initiating the improvement process. He met the requirements for forging skills and rune knowledge. The next thing he needed was an advancement emblem or the approval of someone with the same class. Finding another world builder would be impossible, to say the least. However, here comes the information that made James happy: his class allowed him the flexibility to advance in each affinity on his own. Therefore, he needed genuine approval from a master in each affinity. In this case, the approval of his own master would be sufficient, as long as it was genuine and heartfelt.

"Master Strom, I believe my progress in the art of runes is sufficient to begin my class upgrade. I request your approval to enter the beginner level," James respectfully expressed, aware of the importance of receiving his master's blessing.

Strom, initially surprised by the request, responded, "If that's what you wish, then you'll have to demonstrate your skill in forging and rune inscription. Let's fire up the forge and see what you're made of, lad."

James nodded with determination and got to work. Despite the persistent pain in his body, a high dose of adrenaline flowed through his veins, nullifying any physical sensations. Only absolute concentration and precise hammer strikes remained.

The workshop filled with the crackling of the forge's flames as James meticulously prepared the necessary materials for forging the sword. With skill, he selected a resilient steel ingot and placed it in the fire, patiently waiting for it to reach the right temperature for shaping.

Meanwhile, Strom closely observed every move James made, evaluating his technique and skill. Forgecraft was an art that demanded precision and mastery, and Strom was determined to ensure his disciple rose to the challenge.

Once the steel ingot reached the ideal temperature, James extracted it from the forge using heat-resistant tongs. With surprising grace, he began shaping the sword blade on the anvil. Every strike of the hammer resonated in the workshop, creating a symphony of metallic sounds.

James immersed himself completely in his task, focusing on each strike, each precise movement to shape and balance the sword. Each strike was an expression of his skill and dedication to his craft.

Once the blade began to take form, James swiftly plunged the red-hot metal into a container of water to cool it, hardening the steel and ensuring its durability. After several cycles of heating and cooling, the blade acquired the desired shape.

But forging a sword was not limited to the blade alone. James understood that providing a suitable hilt was also crucial. He searched among the available materials and selected a resilient and beautiful wood. With utmost care, he carved and shaped the hilt, ensuring it fit perfectly with the blade.

Once the hilt was ready, James skillfully joined the blade and hilt, using rivets to ensure the sword was well-balanced and sturdy.

With the creation of the sword complete, James examined it with satisfaction. He had succeeded in forging a beautiful weapon that reflected his skill and dedication. However, one crucial step remained: the inscription of the runes.

Taking a runic hammer he had received from his master, he began channeling his mana and swiftly struck the sword. Each hammer blow left an imprint of mana design.

Once again, Strom was surprised by the amount of mana James possessed. He had already demonstrated a level of skill in blacksmithing that exceeded expectations, but now he showed a level of mana comparable to that of an advanced smith. It was undeniable that James possessed an exceptional reserve of magical energy, something impressive for someone who still considered himself a mere blacksmith.

On the other hand, James inscribed the Supreme Rune with relative ease, which puzzled Strom. He didn't expect it to be so straightforward; however, he quickly understood where the problem lay. The rune he had inscribed, although present, seemed dormant and lacked its own function. Moreover, there were unfinished paths, and at a glance, James could grasp the suggestions: there were specific spaces where he could place other runes to create a more complex composition.

James searched among the patterns suggested by the base rune, and although many were unfamiliar to him, he finally found one he recognized: the edge rune.

At this point, the mana required to sustain the process became overwhelming, and James was forced to strike quickly. The inscription became frenetic, and each blow carried an amount of mana that his own hammer found difficult to process, which impressed Strom. Although James was pushing his limits, he decided to inscribe an enhanced version of the edge rune.

With the final strike, James finally slumped exhausted onto a chair, and his master took his place to make the final adjustments and ensure the quality of the weapon and runes.

"An impressive work, lad. If I didn't know you and observed you from the outside, I'd think you had just passed your ascension to an advanced class. You're truly an exceptional specimen," praised Strom, acknowledging James' achievement.