"So the 'bloodline awakening' ritual is necessary?" Robb asked thoughtfully.
"That's right," Andrey said with a serious look. "It requires specific potions and guidance. There's some risk, but the success rate is fairly high. Once awakened, your power grows steadily—and it's compatible with many other forms of training."
"What about the Demon Hunter path?"
"Much more aggressive," Andrey explained. "They directly alter their body structure through a process called 'stitching,' grafting in monster organs to gain partial beast-like abilities. The risk is huge—over 70% failure rate—but those who succeed gain incredible boosts, especially in perception and reflexes."
As he finished speaking, another screen flickered into Robb's view:
[Class Advancement Unlocked: Demon Hunter ★★]
[Requirements:]
Constitution: 2.5
Monster organ "stitching" completed
Survive the rejection response
[Traits: Heightened Senses, Abnormal Resistance, Beastform]
Robb thought back to some of the strange-looking people he'd seen in Lizard Alley. They were likely Demon Hunters.
"As for Spellblades…" Andrey lowered his voice further.
"They're rare, and extremely powerful. Spellblades perfectly fuse swordcraft with magic. They channel magic directly through their blades to cast spell-like attacks. But this path demands a lot—top-tier swordsmanship and strong mental abilities."
"Almost every Spellblade was already a swordmaster before advancing. And they all had high mental aptitude. That kind of dual talent is rare—that's why real Spellblades are so few."
Robb felt a jolt—this path matched his own direction almost perfectly. He had both the knight's physical growth and the mage's mental training.
Right on cue, a third panel lit up in front of him:
[Class Advancement Unlocked: Spellblade ★★½]
[Requirements:]
Constitution: 2.5
Mental Attribute: 2.0 ✔
Basic Swordsmanship: Mastery level
Breath-Body Training: Adept
Complete the forging of a Spellblade
[Traits: Spell Sigils, Weapon Enchantment, Mana Surge]
"But…" Andrey added, "I heard that those who possess the 'Solar Blessing' can walk an even rarer path after becoming a Spellblade—something called the Solar Knight. It's a legendary class found only in ancient royal records. They're said to draw power directly from the sun and wield unrivaled strength."
"According to the texts, every Solar Knight had already been a top-tier Spellblade. By fusing swordsmanship, magic, and solar power, they reached levels of might that rivaled even full-fledged research mages."
At that moment, Robb's vision flashed again—but this time, the interface looked strange. The text was hazy, incomplete:
[Rare Class Advancement Partially Unlocked: Solar Knight ★★★]
[Requirements (Partially Revealed):]
Prerequisite Class – Spellblade ★★½
Possess the Talent – Complete Solar Blessing
???
???
[Traits: ???]
[Note: Additional info needed to fully unlock class path]
"Solar Knight?" Robb murmured, surprised. "Never heard of that before. I don't think it's even in the faction's knowledge archives."
"That's because it's been centuries since one appeared," Andrey explained. "In the entire history of the Farwynd Kingdom, only two have ever emerged. Their power was said to rival even full scholars. At their peak, the royal family stood on equal footing with the Black Mist Academy because of them…"
They continued talking as they weaved through the narrow paths of Lizard Alley.
"In the end," Andrey summarized, "no matter which path you choose, you need a solid foundation. Mastery of the Solar Breath and its paired sword style is essential."
Robb agreed. Between the Timewarden's Pocket Watch and the materials they'd gathered tonight, he had what he needed to accelerate his growth.
"Thanks for sharing," he said sincerely. "That information was actually really helpful."
Andrey laughed and teased, "If you're serious about thanking me, maybe knock a few shards off your potion prices. That'd mean more than words."
"If we start haggling, we won't be friends for long," Robb replied with a chuckle—then picked up the pace, eager to leave this unsafe district behind.
Back at the dorm, he carefully scanned the room with his mental power. After confirming there were no surveillance spells or traps, he finally relaxed.
He locked the door behind him, then pulled out the silver pocket watch, studying it under candlelight.
The watch shimmered with a soft glow. The black gemstone embedded in it was like a sleeping eye—deep and mysterious.
He wiped the dust from its surface. The ancient engravings became clearer.
Now that he looked closely, they weren't mere decoration—they were a kind of rune he'd never seen before.
They didn't match any known mage sigil systems. Nor did they resemble markings used by any other known extraordinary factions.
They felt more like an ancient, forgotten script from some distant realm—each stroke pulsing with strange, unknowable power.
"Timewarden's Pocket Watch… 'Timewarden' sounds like a class too," he thought to himself, gently running a finger over the black gemstone.
[Timewarden's Pocket Watch (Inactive)]
"How do I activate you?" he whispered internally, sending his mental power gently into the watch, searching for a trigger.
The gemstone suddenly lit with a faint red glow, like an eye slowly opening to meet his gaze.
And then, from deep inside his mind, a voice rang out—ancient, solemn:
"By blood be bound. By time, sworn."
The meaning was instantly clear to Robb, as if it were a memory long buried and now returned.
He set the watch down, pulled out a small knife, and nicked his fingertip without hesitation or fear.
A single drop of blood fell onto the black gemstone—perhaps a small thing, yet a pivotal drop in the river of fate.
The moment the blood touched the gem, it was like molten iron dropped into a frozen lake—a wave of energy exploded from the watch, rippling outward, then rapidly contracting.