The next morning arrived, and as usual, Aaron woke up early. He made his way to the room where the girls were staying, just three doors down from his own. When he got there, he knocked. After a brief pause, Tyra opened the door. Her hands gripped the doorknob tightly, and Aaron could see the worry etched on her face, but there was nothing he could do about it.
He offered a gentle, "How was your night? Did you both sleep well?" Tyra nodded, but the dark circles beneath her eyes betrayed her. Aaron chose not to push, instead delivering his message: "Both of you, freshen up and come to my room. After that, we'll head to breakfast."
Without a word, Tyra nodded and closed the door, her shoulders slumped in defeat. Aaron returned to his room, perched on the bed's edge, eyes flicking to the door every few moments. Half an hour later, a timid knock broke the silence. He opened the door to find both girls standing there—Kyela clinging to Tyra's arm, both of them staring at the floor, their bodies rigid with fear.
Aaron cursed silently. Fuck, I should have asked them differently. Calling them to my room like this probably seemed suspicious. He sighed, rubbing his face, and said, "You two don't need to be scared. I just want to talk about what we'll be doing today."
He stepped aside, inviting them in. Despite his reassurance, their unease clung to the air. Aaron sighed again. "We're taking on a mission today—probably against a Fragment Three-Star Beast. Don't worry, you won't be fighting. Just watch from a safe distance."
Tyra's eyes went wide at the mention of a Fragment Three-Star Beast. Catching her alarm, Aaron explained, "I picked a tougher mission because I'll weaken the beast first, then let you finish it off. That way, you'll level up much faster than with an easy quest. You can watch and learn while I handle the danger."
He reached out, placing his hand gently on their heads as reassurance and said, "Don't worry, I won't lead you into danger. I'm not like the others—I value life." As Aaron's hand rested there, their bodies relaxed slightly, though deep worry remained. Tyra hesitated, taking a breath before starting to speak, "Mas…" She nearly called him master but caught herself, remembering he didn't like that.
She corrected herself, "Sir Aaron, but Kyela is only F rank. She's never even killed a rabbit, and she doesn't have any attack skills." Her voice trembled as she pleaded, "C...Can we start with something easier?"
Aaron's smile softened, relieved to see them finally voicing their fears. "Didn't I promise yesterday to make you strong? That's why I called you here," he said. Tyra's confusion was clear, but Aaron's face grew serious. "What I'm about to share—never repeat it. Not in public, not to anyone."
Seeing Aaron so serious, they flinched—it was the first time he'd spoken to them in such a tone, and it made them uneasy. They nodded silently. "You see, I have a special class. It lets me upgrade other people's classes using my skill," he explained, choosing his words carefully so he wouldn't reveal the system itself.
When they heard this, their eyes flew wide open, as if they'd just seen a ghost. Their shock was only natural—everyone knew that, once awakened, a class could never be changed or ranked up. For Aaron to claim otherwise sounded downright impossible.
Their minds raced—how was this possible? Why could he do it? Tyra began to sweat, her voice shaking as she stammered, "I... It's impossible. How... how can anyone upgrade their classes?" Aaron replied, "Yes, it's impossible for others, but I can do it. That's why I called you here." Both girls stared at Aaron, and he gestured toward Kyela, who was so shocked that her small frame visibly trembled.
He said, "I can't upgrade classes infinitely—there are some restrictions, or else people would worship me like a god. But right now, I can upgrade Kyela's class." The girls were left speechless, and Aaron worried that the shock might actually make Kyela faint.
Aaron quietly opened their status window, visible only to him. "Do you know why I haven't asked about your classes or skills?" he said. "It's because I can see anyone's class, their skills, and even some of their attributes."
He paused before continuing, "Tyra, your class is Cinderstring Archer, and you have a mutated HellFire affinity—that's extremely rare. Kyela, you're a Spirit Tender, which is a weaker branch of Spirit Summoner, a class usually found only among elves. You also have a nature affinity. Now, do you believe me?"
Hearing Aaron reveal their class names and affinities, their shock only deepened. Even the kingdom didn't know how to check someone's class—that's why in Estrium, they relied on artifacts that could only reveal level and affinity through mana. Hearing Aaron speak truths they'd never shared shattered their understanding of the world.
Tyra's eyes widened as doubt and hope waged a battle within her. She steadied herself, biting her lip before asking, "W...Why us?"
Aaron noticed her uncertainty and offered a small, reassuring smile. "I know what you're thinking. If I told anyone in Estrium about this, the kingdom would give me anything I wanted. But I don't want to be controlled. I grew up in the slums and survived on my own. I want to build my own strength, and for that, I need loyal allies. That's why I chose to take slaves into my team—the slave contract ensures they can't betray me."
He added, "And as for choosing you, I saw something in your eyes—a reason to fight, a will to protect each other. Especially in you, Tyra." Hearing this, tears streamed down Tyra's face. She whispered, "C...Can we really become strong like the others? Can w...we really live a normal life?"
Aaron spoke softly, "Yes, and I promise—anyone I bring into my team, I'll make them so strong that not even the kingdom could stand against them." He paused, letting his words sink in, before asking, "Shall we begin?"
He turned to Kyela, who stood frozen in shock. Kyela had always wanted to protect Tyra, just as Tyra had protected her. But when she awakened with the lowest rank, it shattered her hope.
Before starting, Aaron said, "This is my first time trying this. If it hurts, do your best to endure it." Kyela nodded nervously. Aaron then focused on the plus sign next to her class. The familiar cost message appeared, now joined by a confirmation prompt.
[Upgrade Available: 4 MP required to upgrade this class.]
[Do you wish to proceed?]
Aaron confirmed the upgrade in his mind. Instantly, the room darkened—not with mana, but with shadow energy that spilled from him. Instead of the familiar blue glow, this energy was black tinged with blue, swirling like mist. The oppressive darkness pressed in, terrifying the girls and making it hard for them to stand.
After a few seconds, all the shadow energy surged toward Kyela, entering her body through her chest. She flinched, staggering back a few steps as a wave of intense pain shot through her. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she clenched her teeth, struggling to endure the agony.
Tyra rushed to her side and asked in a shaky voice, "A...are you okay?" Kyela didn't answer. Aaron could see she was in tremendous pain. He told Tyra to help Kyela onto the bed, knowing that, however long it took, she would have to endure it.
Tyra did the same, now sitting beside her on the bed and holding her hands. Kyela's body was burning hot, and her clothes were soaked with sweat. Aaron, meanwhile, felt his own strength fading. He checked his status and saw that his S.E. was almost completely drained—the upgrade had taken 120 S.E., leaving him with only 30. He stepped back and leaned against the wall, exhausted.
Kyela endured it all without screaming. Her eyes stayed shut, and she clenched her teeth so hard that blood began to trickle from her mouth. After a minute, the pain slowly started to fade. A few minutes later, when the agony finally subsided, Kyela opened her eyes to see Tyra's worried face gazing down at her.
Tyra whispered, "Are you okay?" Kyela managed a trembling, radiant smile. "Yes... yes, sister. More than okay—my class is now E Rank Lifebloom Spirit Caller!" Tears spilt down Tyra's cheeks as she pulled Kyela into a fierce hug. Kyela wept too, both sisters overcome with joy.
Still feeling weak, Aaron managed a smile as he watched the two sisters rejoice. Then he opened Kyela's status to check for changes. All the plus signs had disappeared, and his MP was back down to zero.
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Name: Kyela
Class: E Rank – Lifebloom Spirit Caller
Level: 0 (Progression: 0%)
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Attributes
Strength: 0.5
Stamina: 0.4
Constitution: 0.5
Agility: 0.5
Mana: 3
Loyalty: 40% + 60%(Contract)
State: Happy, Exhausted, Malnourished
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Health Points: 40 / 50
Mana Capacity: 30 / 30
Attack Power: 5 (Strength × 10)
Affinity: Nature
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Skills
Shared Senses(Passive)
Links her perception with her summoned spirit. The link remains active as long as the spirit is within 30 meters.
Lesser Spirit Contract (Active)
Call and contract a lesser nature spirit.
Number of contracts available: 1
One-time mana cost: 20 mana during call
After contract mana cost: -1 every second.
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There were a few notable changes. The biggest was that Kyela was now E rank, and her class had shifted to match her affinity. Her mana had also increased, now double that of Tyra's, while her other attributes remained the same.
Some of her skills had changed as well. She still didn't have any attack skills of her own, but now she could call and contract a spirit. The benefit of the contract was that she wouldn't have to spend mana to summon the same spirit again.
after a moment girls emotions stabalised now kyela's pain was gone she stood with help of Tyra as she was still exuasted and came near Aaron, then they both bowed their head a little and Kyela said " T...Thank you it is like a dream i will do my best for you " But Aaron turned his face sideways and said " There is no need for thanks just be loyal to me and please go to your room and change your cloths"
They didn't understand why Aaron had specifically mentioned clothes. When they looked up, they saw Aaron turning away, his cheeks tinged with red. Kyela glanced down at herself—she was still wearing the same cotton, light blue frock. Due to the excessive sweat from the class upgrade, her dress was now completely soaked.
The soaked dress hugged her frame, revealing the outline of her blue bra and two small ridges beneath. Kyela's cheeks flared crimson, and she squeaked, "Eiiiiii!" before darting behind Tyra, arms crossed over her chest.
In a hurry, both girls slipped out and returned to their room. Aaron went downstairs to wait for them at breakfast. About fifteen minutes later, the girls joined him, sitting across the table. There was less worry on their faces now, though Kyela's cheeks were still red with embarrassment, her fingers fidgeting nervously.
A few minutes later, breakfast arrived. Now that the girls understood Aaron had no bad intentions, they ate their fill without hesitation. Once they finished, Aaron asked them to follow him. He still had more than 900 gold left, along with Reurig's awakened token, which he could redeem for a bounty. Deciding it was time to buy some equipment and hunting clothes for the girls, he led them first to the merchant district.
He brought them to a reputable shop known for its quality goods. The girls followed him inside, quietly assuming Aaron needed something for himself. At the counter stood a woman in her thirties, her face lit up with a bright smile as they approached. "Welcome, dear customer. My name is Lizzy," she greeted them. Aaron returned her smile and said, "Morning. You can call me Aaron. I'm looking for some hunting clothes."
Lizzy nodded, then teased, "Are you shopping for yourself, or for your little girlfriends?" Aaron immediately corrected her, "They're my team members, not girlfriends." Lizzy laughed playfully and glanced at the girls. "Fufu, whatever you say." Aaron wasn't sure why she found it so funny, but when he turned to look, both girls had their heads down, cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
Aaron turned back to Lizzy, shaking his head in mild disbelief at the situation. Pushing aside his thoughts, he finally got to the point. "Can you help me get them some hunting clothes?" he asked. Then, gesturing to Kyela, he added, "Something suited for a mage for her," and pointed at Tyra, "and archer gear for her."
Lizzy slipped back into her professional demeanour. "Of course. Can you tell me your budget?" Aaron replied, "Budget isn't a problem. Get them the best gear for beginner adventurers." She smiled brightly. "Absolutely, leave it to me. In the meantime, feel free to look around for anything you might want for yourself."
Aaron nodded, and Lizzy led the girls to the women's section for hunting clothes. Aaron figured he should pick up some gear for himself, too. After 15 minutes, he settled on a pair of black common one-star-grade shoes that gave him +1 agility and matching trousers that gave him +1 stamina.
Finished with his selections and already changed into his new gear, Aaron waited another thirty minutes, muttering under his breath, "Fuck, why do girls take so long? Next time, I'll just hand them the money."
A few minutes later, Lizzy returned with the girls following behind, both now dressed in their new gear. They looked completely different. Aaron thought to himself, Well, maybe an hour was worth it after all. Tyra wore a brown tunic reinforced with black leather that covered her torso, paired with matching leather trousers.
The gear hugged her form, designed to preserve her archer's agility while highlighting her natural curves. Draped over her shoulders was a short cloak that set off her striking ash-grey hair. A sturdy belt encircled her waist, ready to hold accessories or extra equipment.
Aaron's gaze shifted to the small figure hiding shyly behind Tyra. Kyela wore a soft white inner dress that fell just above her knees, forming the base layer of her outfit. Over it rested a short, light-green cloak, neatly draped around her shoulders and fastened at the collar with a delicate clasp. The sleeves beneath were a darker black, snugly fitted to her arms.
A sturdy belt cinched her waist, while the lower half of her outfit shifted to darker tones—black leggings hugged her legs for ease of movement and were tucked neatly into mid-calf boots. With her petite figure and cute face, if Kyela had pointed ears, she could easily be mistaken for an elven child.
Aaron wasn't sure how long he'd been staring at them. Lizzy cleared her throat and asked, "So, how do they look?" Snapped out of his daze, Aaron looked away, embarrassed, and muttered, "They look beautiful." Lizzy smiled, then returned to the counter and began explaining the benefits of their gear.
Kyela's mage outfit granted her +2 Mana, +2 Constitution, and +0.5 to Stamina, Agility, and Strength. Tyra's archer gear provided +2 Strength, +2 Agility, and +0.5 to Stamina, Constitution, and Mana. All of their gear was of common grade, ranging from 1 to 2 stars. Wearing these, both girls would have a stronger start while their attributes were still low.
Aaron gave a satisfied nod and asked for the total price. Altogether, it came to 870 gold coins, including his own gear—a fair deal, considering everything was enhanced. After paying, they left the shop and set off toward Estrium. Aaron was broke again, so he decided to claim the bounty for Reurig. There were still weapons to buy for the girls.
As they walked, Aaron noticed the worried expressions on the girls' faces. He asked Kyela, "Why are you both worried? Do you still not believe me?" She shook her head and replied softly, "No, it's just... these gears are too expensive. We're worried we might not be useful to you."
Aaron smiled and said, "Don't worry about the money. Think of it as a loan—you can pay me back when you're able. Besides, I know you both will become strong in the future, so don't worry about not being helpful." His reassurance eased their worries a bit.
When they reached Estrium, Aaron asked the girls to wait outside while he entered the Estrium Council. The hall was vast, with several counters manned by Estrium enforcers. He first approached the board next to the counters, where all the current bounties were posted. At the end of the board, he found Reurig's listing. The reward was set based on Reurig's strength when he fled—level 25.
They had no idea Reurig was actually level 41, so the bounty was just 500 gold coins—less than Aaron had hoped for. Still, he'd gotten plenty from their base, and this amount would be enough for the weapons. He went to the counter and collected his bounty, and the enforcer thanked him for killing the rat.
Afterwards, he returned to where the girls were waiting and led them straight to the trade section of Estrium. There, he bought Tyra a two-star common grade bow with a dozen arrows that granted her an extra +1 Strength and +1 Agility.
For Kyela, he chose a staff adorned with a green enchanted crystal of the same grade, giving her +1 Mana and +1 Strength. He also picked up knives for both of them, just in case of emergencies. Everything cost him 440 gold coins in total.
With everything else taken care of, Aaron made his way to the mission board. He was looking for a hunting quest similar to the Razorboars, but at a higher level—something he could handle while keeping the girls safe. After a while, he found a suitable quest.
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Mission: Collect Venomweave Skulker Hearts and Fangs
Mission Number: B2-041
Mission Type: Hunting
Rank Requirement: Bronze 2
Tier: Fragment ★★★
Level: Levels 15 – 25
Reward: 15 to 30 gold coins for each heart and horn delivered based on levels.
Difficulty: ★★★ ( Based on when in Bronze rank )
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Aaron consulted the beast manuals. These creatures were found thirty kilometres deep in the southern forest, within a long stretch of ridges riddled with caves. They were typically solitary, with low health but incredible agility. Their venom made their attacks especially deadly.
Then he went to the counter and registered the mission—this time using his mercenary team token. As soon as he finished, a message popped up in his system: a new team mission had been added. Aaron had completely forgotten that registering a mission through the team would automatically trigger a corresponding system quest and reward.
He opened his status, and when he saw the new mission, a wide grin spread across his face.
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Team Mission: Trial of Fangs
Requirements:
Kill 10 Venomweave Skulkers
Raise Tyra and Kyela to Level 10
Duration: 24 Hours
Reward: 2 MP and 2 unassigned attribute points (Can be given to team members)
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Aaron murmured under his breath, "Now this is going to be fun." With a smirk, he headed over to the girls to share the details of their new mission.