Chapter 53: The Path to Power: A New Class

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On a nameless mountain, space began to ripple and distort, as if reality itself was being twisted. A dense barrier materialized out of thin air, only to rapidly dissipate, revealing the skull-masked man emerging from the ether.

"Cough, cough... truly remarkable," the skull-masked man rasped, blood trickling from his mouth. "I never expected your power to have grown so much since that day, kid. I eagerly anticipate our next encounter." With those parting words, he ascended into the sky, vanishing from sight.

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"Damn it," Gabriel muttered under his breath, frustration etched on his face as he surveyed the empty ground where his adversary had stood moments before. "I never imagined he had a rare ability capable of countering my [Cursed Totem]. How infuriating to let him slip away like that."

Gabriel's mind buzzed with unanswered questions. "Who is he? Why was he spying on me, lurking outside the dungeon at this hour? And why does he want to kill my predecessor?" No matter how much he pondered, the answers eluded him.

"Never mind," he resolved, shaking his head. "Next time, I'll make sure to bind him completely before asking any questions, ensuring he can't escape as easily." Determined to put the matter aside, Gabriel decided to return to Reid City.

Before heading straight home, he took a detour to buy some food as a treat for his parents. After a brief walk, he arrived at the Heavenly Fragrance Restaurant and placed his order with the maidservants.

"Sir, that will be a total of 5 gold," the maidservant informed him.

Gabriel nodded, handing over the gold. After a short wait, his order was ready, and he left the restaurant to head home.

Upon arriving, he found his parents had just returned, beating him by mere minutes. They immediately checked him over, their concern evident, despite knowing he had successfully passed his assessment as the top scorer two days ago. Their worry stemmed from his recent venture into the most dangerous dungeon in Reid City.

Once they confirmed Gabriel was unharmed, they sighed in relief.

During dinner, Gabriel shared some details of his dungeon run, though he kept the encounter with the skull-masked man a secret. After a relaxing shower, he lay in bed, his thoughts drifting to the possibility of a class change. Resolving to visit the Class Advancement Department the next day, he pulled his blanket over himself and drifted off to sleep.

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The next morning, sunlight streamed through the window, coaxing Gabriel awake. He began his morning routine and, after finishing, joined his parents for breakfast.

"Honey, did you sleep well last night?" Helena asked with a warm smile.

"Yes, Mother! I thought you and Dad would already be at work," Gabriel replied as he took a seat.

"We have a lot to do today," Harold began, explaining between bites of food. "Our boss sent a message— we need to leave the city and head to the capital. We'll have government escorts, but we'll be passing through areas frequented by wolf packs. We need to plan our route carefully to reach Caryl City before evening and enter the imperial capital's territory."

Concern flickered across Gabriel's face. "Dad, are you prepared enough? Should I come with you for extra protection?"

Helena smiled reassuringly. "It's all right, dear. We might not seem like it, but we can handle ourselves. We're more worried about you, especially with you planning to hunt in that dungeon again."

Time passed as they enjoyed their breakfast together. Since becoming the primary consciousness in the former Gabriel's body, this was the first time he had shared breakfast with his parents, making the moment all the more precious.

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At the Hunter's Association, the Class Advancement Department

Gabriel stood at the entrance of the Class Advancement Department inside the Hunter's Association, momentarily stunned by the grandeur before him. In this era of spiritual energy resurgence, the Hunter's Association had become the most important organization in every country, with its presence in almost every city serving as a landmark.

The Hunter's Association tower in Reid City was a majestic structure, piercing the sky like a sharp blade. This towering edifice housed the core secret techniques and was so well-hidden that it was invisible from most parts of the city, only revealing itself upon reaching the city center.

By 8:30 a.m., a line had already formed outside the Class Advancement Department. Gabriel waited patiently for an hour before he finally stepped into the hall of the Class Advancement Department.

The hall was illuminated with dazzling lights, and the air was filled with the self-congratulation of those who had successfully changed their class. Two more hours passed before it was Gabriel's turn.

The man in charge of the reception, a middle-aged man with a goatee, was busy reviewing some files. Gabriel noticed the name tag on his chest: 'Cloud Vhon Sid.'

"Hello, Sir. Mr. Cloud, I'm here to change my class…" Gabriel began.

Cloud yawned, stretching his arms lazily before replying, "Are the Class Advancement materials ready?"

"Ready," Gabriel confirmed.

Cloud's demeanor shifted slightly as he inquired, "Have you prepared the money for your class advancement? If not, you'll need to go home and ask your parents."

Gabriel hesitated, then whispered to himself, "Money? I never thought that in addition to the materials for the Class Advancement, money would also be required."

Though Gabriel thought he had spoken discreetly, his words were overheard by those with keen hearing, prompting laughter from the surrounding people.

Out of the blue, someone commented, "Besides the materials, you also need to pay for the Class Advancement scroll. Do you think it just appears out of nowhere?"

Another voice chimed in, "And don't forget, you have to pay for the service too! Did you think the staff at the Class Advancement Department were volunteers?"

Laughter erupted again, and someone remarked, "This kid really doesn't know that Class Advancement costs money. He must be from an ordinary family!"

The man who had spoken earlier added, "You have to understand, the Class Advancement scroll is expensive. It's not something an ordinary family can afford!"

Cloud's patience wore thin. His morning had already been plagued by people begging for free assistance, leaving him irritated. "Do they really think Class Advancement scrolls grow on trees? Do they think we're running a charity?" he fumed internally.

Waving a hand dismissively, he said, "If you want to change your class, go home and get your parents to prepare the necessary money."

He returned to his work, expecting the conversation to end there. But Gabriel pressed on.

"How many gold coins are needed to change my class?" Gabriel asked, frowning.

Cloud, now visibly more annoyed, snapped, "1,000 Gold Coins!"

Gabriel exhaled a sigh of relief. "Only 1,000 gold? I have that amount on me. Please start the process so I can advance my class, Sir Cloud."

Surprised, Cloud set aside the documents and adopted a more serious demeanor. "Little friend, may I ask what your current class is? And what class do you wish to change to?"

"I'm a Support Class, Healing Category," Gabriel replied nonchalantly.

Cloud retrieved a supporter class change scroll; his curiosity was piqued. "What do you want to change your class to?" he asked, his tone more respectful than before.