The very first thing I did is move around. Compared to my Bladeheart body, this body is more like my real body. And unlike before, I felt much weaker. Still, I tried casting magic and all of it is still present.
"Don't worry. All of the skills you can use back then are still usable here as well."
"Woah, Master, so this is the world that you keep on diving in and out of every day? I can't believe it, the mana here is so pure compared to Earth!" Pixie started flying around me and I was surprised by her sudden appearance.
"You also came along?"
"What are you saying, Master? I am bound to you so of course, I would be coming as well. Renatta was nice enough to give me one of those stamps as well. Lookie here. See?"
She then showed me the stamp located on her forehead. It's hidden on her bangs but if she removes the bangs, the tattoo is revealed. I also checked mine and it seems they were there as well.
"Then how come you are not here earlier?"
"Well, because I am bound to Master, the moment when I also activated this tattoo, it didn't transport me immediately since you still haven't arrived here, I was staying still for a while in an empty space, waiting for the time for you to come. The moment you arrived, I also got some foothold here as well, and now, I am here as well!" Pixie became smug after that.
"Wait, so does that mean even Pixie can level up as well?" I asked Renatta.
"Yes. Since she also got the tattoo, that means she also will gain experience like everyone would. Oh, and by the way. It seems our levels have disappeared as well. My original level should have been level 146 but now, I am back to level 1," Renatta revealed.
"Oh? So you guys also have levels too?" Riko was surprised.
"But isn't that common sense, Riko? When we are still thinking this was a game, everyone had levels including the normal soldiers. Of course, they have experience points. They even know the status panels as well," Rika immediately corrected Riko.
Indeed. Just like what Rika said, everyone here in the Alternate World knows the status panel, even though they are not in the game, causing other players to think they are in a game, which in reality, was something normal for the inhabitants of Alternate World.
"So that means even you guys will be grinding for levels with us as well?" Mother asked.
"Yes. However, I am not too sad. I consider this a blessing as now I can choose my abilities once more and avoid choosing skills that are useless or just not worth taking instead. It's a big win!" Renatta gives a thumbs up.
Now that we are here, I decided to see how replicated the system of Nexus is compared to the status panel in this world.
Swiping my hand in the air, the status panel I have appeared. But compared to the Nexus, this one is lacking many things that the Nexus has before. Many of the lacking features are those that should only exist on the other side like the money conversion, HoloPhone connection, and live streams are now missing.
The only remaining panels left are stats, skills, life skills, equipment, inventory, teams, and companions. The rest are all gone.
"Wait, how come there are some skills here that I don't recognize?" Akira who was currently fiddling with his stat panel frowned.
"Oh, that might be because that is how things here in the Alternate World work. Based on the info given to us, you guys start by choosing a class right? In reality, everyone can choose which skills they can use and although they are divided into different masteries and specialized in a certain class, they can be learned by anyone. In short, they can become a hybrid mage that can heal and defend, or they can be a ruthless swordsman that can cure and heal wounds. All skills depend on your own choice."
When I heard the explanation, that's when I realized how Queen Tanya was capable of dealing more damage despite being a Reaper class. It's because she can use skills from the Fighter class without the need to be restricted by the skills. She can freely choose it depending on what she wanted to be.
"Ho? So that means I can choose whatever skills I wanted to learn?" That's interesting," Father nodded with interest.
"Isn't this just the same as Manato's class before we reset? The Versatile Class?"
Everyone looked at me, knowing that I live that kind of life in the Alternate World before.
"Oh, now that you mention it, isn't the Versatile class the hardest class to level up? I heard it takes double the effort to even level it up compared to a normal class. But looking at Manato, he seems to be doing fine. How come?"
"I think I have an explanation for that. It seems the way this world works for the Nexus is something complicated and so made the class system. This was fine but they couldn't get rid of the original concept which we have right now and decided to make it a new class to make sure that everyone who pick this class struggled, they decided to make it difficult to progress easily, making it impossible to be used. This is why, more class-oriented people are more popular than a Jack of All Trades class. It's far easier for Nexus to calculate things with only one branching skill tree compared to the Versatile Class and to keep up with the calculations, they ensured that the leveling will almost take forever to do so," Labo who was just listening on the side explained.
"Or perhaps they just think this kind of class system is too OP and they didn't want everyone to be strong enough to rebel against the system?" Riko had her eyes shine after thinking about something simple like that.
"I can't comment on that, my words earlier were just a theory and it might be wrong. Only the Nexus and the people behind it knows," Labo shrugged.
"Well, whatever the case, the limitation is not present right now. And everyone can choose freely what skills they want once they earn enough points. So, with that said, we should start grinding points yeah?"
Everyone nodded and we opened our inventory. Inside it are the items for beginners, armor, and weapons. However, for me, when I opened my Inventory, the first things that were present inside are two of the items that are bound to me.
The Versatile Weapon, and the gift the Yuki-Onna has given to me. I grab the Versatile Weapon out of the inventory and my whole body suddenly got overwhelmed by the sudden influx of power surging through me. However, it doesn't hurt, in fact, it feels good for some reason.
"Ah?! What the? Manato, isn't that the weapon you keep on using during your "Bladeheart" days?" Rika asked as she pointed it out.
"Yeah. It was an item that is bound to me. An item that cannot be separated to me."
Renatta approached me and started to investigate the Versatile Weapon.
"I can feel the power of the Goddess of Death in this weapon but it's pretty faint. However, the power of this weapon is overwhelming. I advise that you take caution in using this weapon, Manato-kun. This weapon might end up taking your life without you knowing."
I gripped the weapon tightly. I know that much. But this is a weapon that I have been holding for long. And has been with me since then.
Then, I immediately remembered. Isn't this weapon part of the "gift" that was given to me by Nobuhiko in the beginning? Shouldn't this be something bad?
ραΠdαsΝοvεl.cοm "Heh, you thought that was the main case? You think I would serve someone of that caliber of a human?"
A sinister voice suddenly started speaking.
"Who was that?" I looked around but everyone looked at me with a confused expression.
"Don't bother looking. I am directly speaking to you using your mind, contractor. If you are thinking about the gift of the man that has been given to you, unfortunately, that one has been digested before you had been able to wield me. Therefore, you don't need to worry about that, as I alone, am perfect enough to be your weapon, hehehehe," the mysterious voice started laughing like an imp. Something I didn't expect to hear on my mind.
That's when I looked at the Versatile Weapon. On the hilt is the sinister eye of the Shadow Dragon, the devourer that resides inside the weapon.
"You might be wondering how I was able to speak right? The answer is simple. I can speak like this without problem before however, I don't have any need to communicate with you who uses a body that is connected to the vile human and the vile goddess of creation and life. Now that you have severed contact with both of them, we can now speak to our heart's content! Looking forward to you, partner. Give me more treats and perhaps I will not devour you, hehehehe..."
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