Ezekiel's footsteps echoed softly along the cobblestone paths of Fwerah as he made his way southward.
The Adventurer's Association stood proudly near the South Gate — unmistakable even from a distance. With its imposing five-storey design, it towered over every other structure in the village. A testament to ambition in a place still clinging to rustic simplicity.
Unlike most buildings in ReLife, which leaned into medieval or early Renaissance aesthetics, the Association's construction was strikingly modern — glass-paneled windows, reinforced concrete supports, and sleek steel arches.
In a world dominated by timber, stone, and iron, this structure felt jarringly out of place. More like an office tower misplaced in a fantasy realm.
Ezekiel wondered about the intention behind such a mismatched design choice. Was it a quirky detail added by a developer to serve as a bridge between the real world and the game? Even so, for the architecture of the 22nd century, the Adventurer's Association was strangely outdated.
He stepped through the sliding glass doors — automatic, though enchanted to operate on magic rather than motion sensors — and entered the building.
Inside, the air was cool and crisp.
The lobby was massive — far larger than what the exterior had implied. It reminded him of Somia's store, where space itself had bent, expanded by spatial magic.
Polished marble floors reflected soft light from floating crystal chandeliers attached to tall ceilings. Velvet-cushioned benches lined the center, and a fountain bubbled gently in the corner, enchanted with miniature water elementals swimming lazily within it. Ezekiel was certain they were only projections.
The entire eastern wall was taken up by a massive mission board, glowing softly with hundreds of pinned quest scrolls. Each notice displayed information in Klarinian script: monster bounties, herb collection tasks, caravan escorts, etc.
To the west, a long curved reception desk stretched like a crescent moon, behind which stood four clerks in uniform. Each wore a navy-blue vest embroidered with silver filigree, signifying their rank within the Association. All of them were catering to long lines of NPCs, aiding them in their tasks or requests.
It felt more like a high-end hotel lobby than a fantasy hall — until the weapons and armor on the NPCs shattered that illusion.
Most of these NPCs waiting in line were Adventurers from outside of Fwerah. Ezekiel could also see villagers mixed in with forms in their hands, perhaps for posting bounties.
The Association was bustling with activity — more than even Ezekiel had anticipated.
Despite knowing the building's purpose and popularity, the sheer number of people packed inside still caught him off guard.
Across the entrance, a sizable bar was teeming with NPCs, their voices blending into a constant hum of laughter, clinking mugs, and animated chatter. The atmosphere was lively, almost festive.
Among the crowd, he spotted a few players lingering near the mission board or chatting with quest-giving NPCs. A quick glance was all it took for him to read their levels — most were sitting at Level 4 or 5.
Latecomers, Ezekiel thought.
Some players noticed him as he entered, their gazes holding an element of shock and awe.
He had, after all, not bothered to store away his equipments or weapons this time. Besides, he was also covered in dried blood from the couple monsters he slaughtered directly. He simply hadn't the time to clean up since his return.
Ezekiel ignored their questioning gazes and hushed whispers. Instead, he instinctively headed toward the mission board first. His eyes scanned the available bounties.
Most of them were menial:
Eliminate three Level 4 Cave Bats nesting in my farm – Reward: 12 copper.
Collect five Ice Nettles from Frostroot Region – Reward: 18 copper.
Bring back two Level 6 Wild Boar Tusks – Reward: 50 copper.
He didn't even bother reading the rest. These were beginner jobs — barely worthwhile for someone below Level 10.
The real bounties — the ones actually worth pursuing — were listed within the Association's exclusive internal system, accessible only to registered members.
These missions could be accepted from any branch of the Association across Enia and came with a set time limit. Failure to complete a mission within that window typically resulted in penalties, such as a one-week suspension from taking on new assignments. In essence, they functioned much like system-generated quests.
The severity of the penalty, however, scaled with the mission's rank. Failing an SSS-rank mission, for example, could result in permanent expulsion from the Association.
Taking a mission and failing to deliver wasn't just a failure — it was a breach of trust. Wasting a client's time and resources was one of the greatest offenses in the Association's eyes.
Ezekiel also had his eye on several jobs from the Association himself — but now wasn't the time.
He turned and made his way toward the class assessment desk next, located just beyond the bustling bar.
Behind the polished mahogany counter stood a middle-aged woman with short auburn hair and a gentle smile. Her posture was straight and composed, exuding professionalism, yet there was a natural warmth in her expression — the kind that instantly put people at ease.
She was dressed in the same attire as the other clerks and her name tag read: "Gazelle."
"Welcome to the Adventurer's Association," she said. "How may I help you today, Sir?"
Ezekiel returned her smile politely. "I'm here for my class change. I'd like one main class scroll, and three sub-class scrolls."
Gazelle blinked, momentarily caught off guard — then her expression lit up. This wasn't just an ordinary adventurer.
Even without displaying any formal insignia or making a grand entrance, the man before her radiated a strong presence. There was something intangible in the way he stood, the quiet confidence he carried. His now 35 Charm points, along with 900 reputation in Fwerah, gave him a subtle yet unmistakable magnetism.
To someone like Gazelle — an employee attuned to social cues, as if woven into her personality — it was like standing before a noble, perhaps even royalty.
Her fingers twitched slightly with excitement. "Of course! Right away, sir. Please give me just a moment."
Though her demeanor remained polished and professional, the enthusiasm in her voice betrayed her excitement. The client standing before her was easily the most distinguished they'd served in months.
Fwerah wasn't just any backwater village. In fact, it was considered the largest settlement along the Western border of the Klarincè Kingdom.
Adventurers from all corners of the realm passed through its gates, often seeking this branch of the Association for its strategic location tied to intercountry trade routes. The branch here had been built with significant investment — not for prestige, but for necessity.
Despite the daily influx of adventurers, nobles remained a rarity — and none had ever radiated the quiet gravitas this one carried.
She pulled out a thin arcane sheet of parchment and slid it across the counter.
"This is the class change form. Please fill in your basic information — name, age, level — and of course, your desired main class and sub-classes. Once you've done that, we'll run your stats through our affinity crystal to verify compatibility."
Ezekiel nodded, already familiar with the process.
Main class changes required a minimum compatibility of 60%, or else the class change would fail.
If one's compatibility didn't meet the threshold, the Association would recommend alternative classes based on latent potential and stat distribution.
It was a safety net for newer players. A way to prevent classing into something they could never master.
Ezekiel took the form and a pen handed to him by Gazelle.
He then filled in the required fields effortlessly:
Name: Ezekiel
Age: 22
Level: 16
Then came the important part:
Main Class: Summoner
Sub-Classes: Miner, Forger, Alchemist
He double-checked the form, then handed it to Gazelle.
She scanned it... and froze momentarily.
Her eyes lingered on the main class field — Summoner.
For a moment, her kind expression faltered. She didn't say anything, but Ezekiel saw the hesitation. It wasn't ridicule — it was concern.
The Summoner class wasn't weak in the eyes of the NPCs — but its early progression was grueling, even for them. Worse still, almost no one passed the compatibility check.
From her nine years at the desk, Gazelle had only seen three people ever try to register for Summoner. Two had failed outright. The other had barely scraped through with a 61% — the lowest passing margin possible. And that person had returned days later, bruised, exhausted, and full of regret.
Summoner was a trap for the unprepared.
Still, she didn't let her worry show. She simply nodded and gave a small, reassuring smile.
"I will run the test now. If, by any chance, your compatibility doesn't meet the minimum, don't worry. I will personally help recommend a few alternative classes better suited to your talents."
Ezekiel smiled at her reassurance.
"I appreciate the offer," he replied, not bothering to explain he'd already estimated the result.
80-85%, he thought to himself.
The score was high enough to qualify for an S-rank evaluation. And if he registered with the Association immediately after, it would also grant him a reward — ten Intermediate Mana Recovery Potions.
In terms of value, these potions were no less precious than Silver-tier items.
Gazelle beamed as she motioned for him to follow, leading him behind the class assessment counter to a door flanked by metallic trims and softly glowing runes. With a gentle hum, the door slid open, revealing a sleek, modern elevator — powered by pure magic.
Even in ReLife, elevators were rare. Their presence here only reinforced how financially fortified the Association truly was.
The elevator began to ascend, as Gazelle kept her voice light and professional while explaining the building's structure to him.
"This building has five floors. The first is the public lobby, bar, and mission board, as you've seen. The second floor houses the class assessment center and combat training halls. The third and fourth are reserved for the alchemy and forging divisions, along with secured storage for ingredients and rare crafting materials. The fifth… well, that's where our branch management, appraisal center, and treasury are kept."
Ezekiel nodded, listening to her explanation with polite interest, though he already knew this layout from his memories. Still, he appreciated her tone — professional yet warm — and the way she handled her duties with quiet precision.
The elevator stopped with a soft chime, its doors sliding open to reveal a broad, sterile corridor. The magical lighting above was gentle but precise, and the floors were covered in pristine white tiling. It took a little longer to reach than the elevators he was used to back in the real world, but it was smooth and quiet — a testament to the Association's craftsmanship.
As they stepped out, Ezekiel noticed the distant echoes of sparring, laughter, and magical discharge drifting faintly from down the hallway. The training center, he presumed. But Gazelle led him down the opposite direction — into a far more secluded area.
The Class Assessment Hall.
The room they entered was massive — easily half the size of the main lobby downstairs. Yet despite its size, the space was silent. No echoes. No footsteps. The air itself seemed to hush.
Ezekiel's boots sank softly into the white-padded floor. The same material cushioned the walls — a high-grade magic-dampening fabric known as Streed. Used in spell labs, war rooms, and classified magic research chambers, it was capable of absorbing both mana emissions and external noise.
He took a moment to appreciate the design. Everything about this place was built to accommodate immense magical power and to protect against its consequences.
At the center of the chamber stood the Orb of Judgment — a towering sphere of transparent crystal, roughly half Ezekiel's height. Pale veins of glowing light pulsed within its depths, like it was breathing.
"This is the affinity crystal, Orb of Judgement," Gazelle said gently. "Once you place your hand on it, it will read your mana, mental disposition, elemental affinity, and even your subconscious intent. From there, it will determine your compatibility with the class you've chosen."
Ezekiel stepped forward without a moment's hesitation.
With a silent thought, he summoned his status screen. It flickered into view, neatly displaying all his current information, while his eyes hovered over one line.
Free Stat Points Available: 36
Up until Level 10, each level-up granted 3 free stat points. From Level 11 onward, that number increased to 4. Since Ezekiel hadn't allocated any points since Level 6, he'd managed to accumulate a considerable reserve.
He started by allocating 12 points to Wisdom, raising it to 30 — just enough to meet the requirements of both Stat Absorption and Skill Absorption, his most vital passives. With the foundation secured, he directed the remaining points into Intelligence.
Had it not been for the Stat Absorption skill, he might have been more cautious about pouring everything into Intelligence. But now, there was no reason to hold back.
Once done, Ezekiel gave his updated status screen one last, satisfied glance.
Name: Ezekiel
Age: 22
Level: 16 (1%)
Title: Wolf Nemesis; Pioneer; Demon Slayer; The One Who Beats The Odds; Threader of Miracles
Class: {Empty}
Sub-Class: {Empty}
HP: 150/150
MP: 245/245
Vitality: 25 (+5) [1 VIT = 5 HP]
Intelligence: 49 [1 INT = 5 MP]
Strength: 8
Stamina: 10
Agility: 13 (+5)
Wisdom: 30
Dexterity: 5 (+3)
Luck: 27 (+5)
Charm: 35
Skills: Stealth (Active); Parry (Active); Focus (Active); Willpower (Passive); Vulnerability Scan (Active); Stat Absorption (Passive); Skill Absorption (Passive)
Sub-Class Skills: Mining IV
Equipment: White Tunic (Cloth); Brown Pants (Cloth); Iron Sword (Common) — Durability: 70/100; Wolf Armor Set (Bronze) — Durability: 100/100; Fragment of a Forgotten Seal (???)
Inventory: 21/75
To score high in a class assessment, what truly mattered was the synergy between specific attributes. For Assassins, it was Agility, Strength, and Luck. For Summoners, the key stats were Wisdom, Intelligence, and Charm.
No matter the class, either Charm or Luck was always part of the synergy equation.
Ezekiel excelled in all three stats required for the Summoner class. With Charm, Wisdom, and Intelligence all hitting above-average thresholds for his level, he felt a solid sense of confidence about his evaluation.
Of course, the system wasn't easily fooled. Players couldn't simply grind levels before a class change and expect to cheat their way to a high ranking. If a candidate's innate attributes — like Charm or Luck, which couldn't be raised through leveling — were significantly lower than the others, the system would penalize the imbalance. In such cases, failing the assessment was inevitable.
"Ready whenever you are." Gazelle offered, stepping back respectfully.
Ezekiel exhaled, centering himself. He gathered his mana in his right hand, letting it stir and swirl like a quiet tide under his skin. Then, with steady motion, he placed his palm against the smooth, cool surface of the orb.
The reaction was instant.
The moment his skin made contact, the orb flared to life.
Brilliant veins of light danced across the orb's surface, winding around his hand like golden vines. Runes ignited from within, ancient and unreadable, rotating slowly around his fingers.
Ezekiel's expression remained calm — but deep inside, a thrum of anticipation stirred in his chest.