Second World

"What's the matter?" Peniel asked him.

"It took me around six seconds to form that rune. By the time I could cast the spell, my opponent would have hit me. Not to mention I need to concentrate in order to form the symbol, how am I to cast the spell during intense combat?"

Peniel rolled her eyes at him, "that's why you need to practice! So you can shorten the time you need to cast the spell, and to be able to maintain concentration for casting the spell under any circumstances."

"But, won't this make a magic user class completely inferior to melee class? My Warrior's advanced skills can still be triggered in an instant."

"That is your shallow thinking," Peniel replied. "Magic spells had firepower and effects that far outstripped most melee skills. Not to mention they could be cast from a distance. If both classes can equally discharge their skills in the same instant, melee classes won't stand a chance at all against magical classes."

Hearing Peniel's explanation, Jack thought back to his past VR RPG games. It was true that in those past games, magic classes had a casting time before they could cast their spells. Perhaps this was a replacement for that casting time. On the other hand, this rune forming method was more realistic. One who diligently trained to accustomed themselves in forming the symbols would hold an advantage against those who were lazy, as they would be able to cast their spells faster.

Peniel continued, "if you think that forming this single rune is already a headache, wait till you get higher level spells which required you to form a spell formation."

"Spell formation?" Jack asked. "Wait, do you mean spell formation like in the trial just now? One with seven runes?"

"Yeah, and that is not the worst one. The highest level I know required you to form a spell formation constructed with nine runes. Good luck when you get a spell like that."

"N– nine runes? How long will I need to cast that spell…" Jack was flabbergasted.

"As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. You better do lots of practice if you want to be a good magic-user class."

Jack let out a depressed sigh. He still preferred melee class after all.

Since he had completed the trial, there was no point for him to linger around. He went out the door to the hallway with the verandah. When he looked at the scenery outside, he was dumbstruck. Instead of the forestry and the mountain view from before, what was beyond the verandah was an ocean view. It was seawater as far as his eyes could see.

He could also see some seagulls flying close to the verandah. One of them even perched on the verandah railing not far from where Jack was standing. Jack decided to approach it. It squawked when it noticed Jack's coming and immediately flew away.

This is some seriously good enchantment, Jack thought to himself. The scenery was either an illusion or this part of the building actually existed in another place at the same time as it was in the capital. Anyway, this was too high level for him, so he left after admiring the view for a while.

When he came down the stairs to the ground floor, the same old mage was still shuffling through the books by the bookcase rows. Was there no one else in this academy? Jack thought.

He came to that old mage and said, "Thank you for your instruction, sir. I've passed the mage Trial. May I enquire to your name?"

"My name is not important. It's good that you have passed. Now if there is no more matter you need, I would like to return to my books," he replied as he waved his hand indicating for Jack to leave.

Jack felt awkward, the NPC overseeing this Mage academy was completely different from Gruff from the Warrior Academy. But he still replied politely, "then I will take my leave. Thank you again, sir."

Jack walked away. Before he went out of the exit, the old mage shot him a short glance.

Jack decided to go to the Adventurers Association to pick a quest at the Silver Hall. Now that both his classes were advanced classes, he was suitable to tackle the quests in that hall. He walked towards the direction of the Adventurers Association.

Before he walked far, he bumped into someone he knew.

"Boss!" That someone shouted at him with a gruff voice.

"Man… I told you already I'm not your boss," Jack said helplessly.

"Sure, sure," The Man replied as he approached with two other Fighters in tow. "Fancy meeting you here, boss. By the way, your armors looked sick!" He was referring to Jack's Blood Guard Scale armor and Shadow Bear Tasset. Especially the pants armor with its dark fur, it appeared really manly, completely suited The Man's taste.

"Thank you," Jack replied. "Yours not bad either."

"Really?" The Man looked at himself. Most of his armors were uncommon grade, but their appearances were roughly still the same as the standard common armors which Fighter got in the early stage.

"I was being polite," Jack told him.

"Hahaha," The Man only laughed as a response. He then said, "What're you doing here, boss?"

Before Jack could answer, another gruff voice was heard, "I was wondering why it suddenly stinks, so it happened to be you!"

"You! A**hole! What the f**k are you doing here?" The Man cursed back.

Jack looked at the one The Man was cursing at. It was a large man with feature and temperament which oddly gave him the same impression he got from The Man, except this new man was a younger version. The person was in a larger party of six people.

"Do you know him?" Jack asked The Man.

"Do not bother with him, he is a nobody," The Man answered.

"It's funny hearing a nobody calling someone else nobody," the other guy retorted. "I heard you even dare to copy our guild's name after you got kicked out. Do you perhaps asking us to come to kick your butt?"

"What copy? I have a part in coming up with that name, so it is partly mine as well. What's wrong with me using it? And who the heck got kicked? I quit myself because I can't stand an annoying upstart like you!"

"You prick! You looking for a fight?" The other guy wanted to lunge at The Man but his friends held him. "Not here," one of his friends said as he pointed towards a direction. The guy looked over and see a group of patrolling guardsmen who were walking by.

"Heh, you are lucky we are in the safe zone," the guy said to The Man. "And I don't have time to deal with you, I'm about to become a Warrior class. If you have the guts, let's settle our problem outside the city once I change class."

"You? You dare to fight me? Don't be ridiculous, how many times have I spanked your ass in the past? You are just looking for trouble. I am also about to become a Warrior. All right, let's settle this once we become Warriors!" The Man roared fiercely.

They were both coming to take the trials to become Warriors? Jack thought. He inspected them with his God-Eye monocle. The Man had indeed reached level 15, while his two subordinates behind him were level 14. Their level increase was not slow either, Jack thought he could not afford to slack around if he did not want to get left behind.

When he inspected The Man's opponent, he was dumbfounded, not for the person's level, he was also a level 15 Fighter. What blew him away was the guy's name. His alias was The Real Man. Jack was sure now that he and The Man were related in some way.

After further exchanging threats and insults, The Real Man left in the direction of the Warrior Academy.

"You mind telling me what that was all about?" Jack asked The Man.

"Nothing important," The Man laughed. "Just some upstart trying to make a name for himself. There is no need for you to worry about it, boss."

Jack nodded, he was not going to pry other people's issues if the other was not willing to share. He asked instead, "so you are going to try for the Warrior test?"

"That I am!" The Man said with pride.

"Have anyone from your guild tried the test yet?"

"No, I am the first one to reach level 15 amongst them."

"How do you know about the trial for advanced class?"

"Heard it from people, apparently some guy read it in the library. Someone else heard from that guy, we heard from that someone else. Something like that."

"Well, have you heard anyone succeeded in passing the test?" Jack asked again.

"Not yet, at least none had announced their success publicly," The Man answered.

"Have you heard from someone who had taken the test about how the test is like?"

"No, I did ask some people who are rumored to have taken the test, but they kept quiet about it. Strangely though, those guys were level 14, so I guess they lied about it."

"Actually, I don't think they have lied," Jack said.