Ice went to a clearing near the village and started looking for monsters there. He chose somewhere close to the village because he wasn’t sure the attack that happened a few weeks back wouldn’t happen again. He does have an additional safety precaution available though, given by Sea as a gift for completing his training.

They were a couple of Teleport Stones. These were used to instantly get to any nearby town or city via teleporting. These particular stones Ice possessed held the additional function of being able to set the last town he was in as a transport point. In this case, it was Maleena. Ice could use it to immediately escape danger once he feels it was too much for him to handle. Pretty valuable.

Having checked his inventory, Ice also went over his stats one more time.

Name: Ice

Level: 1

Class: ★Initiate

HP: 150

MP: 50

EP: 50

Str: 10 (+20)

Def: 10 (+40)

Agi: 10

Dex: 10

Int: 10

Luk: 5

Skills: Passive HP Recovery / Basic Adventuring / Ancient Blessing / Unarmed Combat Mastery Lvl. 1

The equipment he had on increased his base stat by quite a bit. The Hunting Knife gave +20 to Str. The Leather Hood and Gloves both gave +5 for a total of +10 to Def. The Adventurers Robe and Boots also added +20 and +10 to Def respectively. They were a bit higher in quality compared to the actual starting gear that novice adventurers usually acquired once they passed the CQMA designated test to become Initiates. Ice once again felt grateful for Mr. Findor’s kindness.

Not long after, he was able to spot some pink colored Pon-Pons just a bit away from his current position and hurried over to their location.

“Time to test the waters a bit.”

There were 3 of them in total. They totally didn’t look all that strong, but because Ice was only level 1, he felt that no amount of precaution was wasted. He decided to wait it out until they got separated.

“___One broke away from the group. Now’s my chance!”

Ice jumped in front of the monster and pelted it with a small rock, which effectively got it’s attention. Ice then ran back a bit to lead the monster away from the other two even further. When he was satisfied with the distance, he turned toward the monster and readied his weapon (Unarmed Combat Mastery provided bonuses but at its low level, it would only give Ice just a few points added to base damage so he decided against fighting unarmed for the time being).

“___Alright fur-ball, let’s see what you’ve got.” Ice licked his lips in excitement.

The Pon-Pon launched a full body charge. Ice avoided it easily.

“___Hmmm. Much slower than I thought. And the info about it lowering it’s horns translating to a charge was spot on. Well, it’s actually pretty obvious but whatever…”

Satisfied about his ability to evade incoming attacks if he wanted to, Ice decided to actually take one attack to know how it would feel like and exactly how much damage he would take.

The Pon-Pon launched another charge and Ice braced himself for the hit.

“___Gnnnh… That still hurt a bit… Not as much as Seas strikes though. I only took 5 damage. Looks like the equipment is really holding up well. And the horns didn’t even penetrate my skin. Looks like it’s actually real…”

Sea told Ice that if his defense was high enough, he would be able to deflect even a pointed or bladed weapon like a knife with ease, even with bare skin. But if the enemy you were facing had high Atk that trumped your Def, they would easily injure you.

“___Alright! This time for the kill.”

Ice brandished his Hunting Knife and gave the Pon-Pon a few quick slashes after avoiding its attacks, easily killing it.

“___No drops. Figures. How bout the XP?”

Ices’ XP bar increased to 30% with just one kill. It was actually pretty high. Ice decided to up the pace and went after a few more Pon-Pons.

***

After a couple of battles, Ices’ level quickly rose to 5. He gained about 3 SPs per level so he now had a total of 15 to spend on upgrading his stats. He decided to focus on Str and Agi first because his Def was still sufficient to take on the monsters in this area and his style was more on avoiding and counter attacking anyway. Ice invested 10 points to Str and 5 to Agi making his base stats a total of 20 Str and 15 Agi.

Ice decided to move on after collecting all the drops. There were Pink Fur Tufts, Small Pon-Pon Horns and a few Bronze coins. Ice was still curious as to how exactly money was able to come from a monster’s corpse, but decided thinking about that stuff was pointless because the very situation he was in was crazy enough as it is and went about resuming his hunting.

***

He moved over to an area with Green Pon-Pons this time. They were a little bit higher in level (Lvl. 4-5) as opposed to Pinks (Lvl. 1-2). There were also Brown Pon-Pons (Lv. 3-4) but right now, Ice was pretty confident he could take on some who were on par with his level.

Everything was going smoothly. The green colored Pon-Pon did slightly higher damage (about 10 damage max to be exact) but as Ice was already level 5, he was able to take a few hits without much worry. His maximum HP already reached about 190 after becoming level 5 with an added 10 points of HP per level. Another pop up appeared after his sixth kill, stating that he’s reached level 6 and brought his HP total to a full 200.

Ice felt pretty good. He was hunting and leveling up at a good pace and he was slowly getting the hang of fighting monsters. Then something unexpected happened – a green Pon-Pon he apparently missed killing suddenly came in front of him and spewed out green mist. It didn’t take long for Ice to realize what it was – poison.

It seems that in his elation, Ice pretty much forgot all the data he researched on including the fact that this particular Pon-Pon type also used poison mist to attack. It shaved 10 points out of his HP every 5 seconds and, although it won’t actually completely drain him, it also served as a signal for other green Pon-Pon near them to gather and attack en masse; bringing up a high possibility of being ganked to death once his escape routes were sealed.

Ice was also unable to bring any Antidotes with him, making the situation he was in pretty dire. Cursing himself for his carelessness, Ice made a break for it in order to avoid being killed by small, cute and cuddly creatures. He wasn’t keen on using the Teleportation Stone because it was a valuable commodity and Ice thought he could still manage to outrun the Pon-Pons with a little leeway since they were relatively slower; having no limbs and all.

Making it back to the entrance of the village with barely any HP remaining, Ice fell down, mentally exhausted from the ordeal. The poison effect had already dissipated so he should recover gradually once he rests up.

“___Damn! That was incredibly stupid of me! I was completely absorbed by the atmosphere. The excitement of hunting and leveling up made me forget crucial data. I can’t let this happen again…”

After a short moment of self reflection, Ice decided to call it a day, taking note to buy some Antidotes from Mr. Findor before resuming hunting the next day.

***

With some Light Antidotes to cure less potent poisons on hand, Ice resumed hunting the following morning, remembering to take careful consideration of his surroundings.

“___There won’t be any surprises this time. I’m going to pick this area clean!”

He hunted down the Pon-Pons with impunity. He didn’t let a single one escape. Apparently, Ice held a bit of a grudge about what happened last time, so he was even more tenacious in hunting down the furry little creatures. He was surprisingly spiteful.

Ice killed off the green Pon-Pons before they had the chance to use their poison mist attack, indicated by their bodies bulging up before spewing the nasty stuff all over their foes.

“___That won’t work on me a second time! Now drop dead bastards!!!”

Before long, the entire area was stripped clean of any green Pon-Pon presence. After his hunting spree, Ice was able to gain additional levels. He was now currently level 9, with about 20% more XP to go before reaching level 10.

Ice used up his SPs, increasing his stats further. His Strength was now 27 and his Agility increased to 20. It was now possible for him to hunt the lower leveled Pon-Pons without the use of weapons. This made him want to try something out – namely leveling up his Unarmed Combat Mastery Skill. He’d been putting it off for a while but now seemed to be the perfect opportunity to start raising it.

Ice proceeded to the pink Pon-Pon area and unequipped his Hunting Knife. He then began to give a beating to the unfortunate creatures. He punched and kicked them to submission, grabbing them by the fur if they ever attempted to escape.

Ice brought up a recently captured Pon-Pon to eye level and gave it an admonishing look. “Now that’s not good. You can’t just run off on me like that. You have to stay put while I pound you to the ground for XP. Don’t worry though. I will never forget your sacrifice…” He was saying it with a calm, soothing voice but the contents were not calm or peaceful at all!

The Pon-Pons were not convinced one bit. They started to run away immediately the instant they saw Ice, and he gave chase like a madman, delivering fast, accurately timed strikes furiously to down every Pon-Pon he caught up with. This went on for a while and the ensuing onslaught was beyond words.

Ice actually had occasional fits of [1]Eighth Grader Syndrome and he was currently indulging in one such episode. It sure sucked for those at the receiving end of his rampage though. He even caused an incident that would forever live in infamy with the kids of Maleena village.

***

One day, while Ice was indulging in his Pon-Pon extermination spree as usual, a group of kids decided to take a small stroll just out side the village. It was relatively safe since the Pon-Pons were originally not innately aggressive and would only really attack when provoked. And, as previously mentioned, they were actually pretty cute.

The Pon-Pons really looked like the small plush toys kids back on Earth would enjoy buying or getting from those UFO Catcher machines in arcades. It turns out they were pretty popular with the kids in El Fabula. Some children of well-to-do families or noble houses even commissioned Monster Tamers to catch some so they could keep them as pets. The kids from Maleena just contented themselves with watching from afar.

Now what would happen if these innocent youngsters were to witness the rampaging Ice killing off their beloved Pon-Pons by the droves? Seeing him catch and lift one up on one hand by the horn (which eerily looked like a man grabbing a severed head) with an evil grin on his face; the children were traumatized.

They went off running back towards the village and straight to their rooms and refused to come out for days. When the adults finally got them to come out, they all asked the same question to their parents – ‘If I’m a bad kid, will the Pon-Pon Man come to get me?’. Thus, the legend of the Pon-Pon Man which scares even the naughtiest of brats to behave came to be.

***

One may wonder as to why Ice was so nonchalant with the act of hunting the sorry creatures. It’s just that he was used to it.

Back when he was a kid, Ice was often tasked to help with catching and slaughtering the chickens their family raised in the province and preparing them to be cooked for daily meals. Same with their goats and pigs. He was used to this kind of stuff if it was for sustenance. After all, these animals were raised to be eaten. It just felt natural to him.

He viewed hunting and killing monsters in the same context. Chickens, goats and pigs were for food. Pon-Pons and other monsters were for XP. For him, they were fundamentally the same – both necessary for living. So when he said he would never forget their sacrifice, he was actually pretty serious about it.

Of course we could argue that you really don’t have to eat meat in order to live. Same with hunting monsters and leveling up. But just as Ice wasn’t all that keen of going full-on vegan, he was also just as apprehensive of sitting on his haunches and waiting for things to be resolved or living a quiet life in Maleena. So that was that.

But even having said this, a sorry sight was still a sorry sight. Ice was relentless. He had already knocked down countless numbers of the unfortunate creatures. It was genocide! The greatest threat ever to befall Pon-Pon kind!!!

They let out cries of despair! Will they ever be saved from this sorry plight? Then, from across the horizon, a saviour came! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, its…

“A mini-boss huh? Heh! It looks quite tough. Can’t take this one out unarmed it seems…” Ice re-equipped his Hunting Knife and prepared for the inevitable confrontation.

A MINI-BOSS!!! Unfortunately, this guy didn’t wear a cape. Nor did it have its underwear over some spandex tights. Heck, it didn’t even have legs! It was actually a huge red Pon-Pon that had a sharp look and a scar that ran across from its left eye to its cheek. It also had something that looked like a mustache on. As its name bar indicated, it was called ‘Don Pon-Pon’!

The Don Pon-Pon stood between Ice and the other Pon-Pons with an indignant demeanor.

*Poooon! (How dare you do this to my brethren! You shall pay dearly for this transgression human!)

“Oh yeah?! Make me!”

*Poooon! Pooooon! (Insolent cur! Engarde!)

And the battle between Ice and the Don Pon-Pon mini-boss commenced.

***

The Don was deceptively agile despite its large size (reaching about half of Ices’ full height with a rotund body). It used hit and run tactics and piled on the pressure, using the surrounding rocks and trees as launch points to perform attacks like Spanish luchadors. All that was missing was a mask!

Fortunately, Ice was still able to keep up thanks to Seas training and the attack pattern data he memorized. He accurately read the attacks and countered accordingly. He couldn’t avoid all the attacks though and still took a considerable amount of damage every time he was hit.

It was the same for the Don too however. He had a considerable amount of HP but his defense was lacking. He also took quite a bit of damage from Ices’ counters. The Dons large size also made it easier for Ices’ attacks to hit.

They fought to the limits of their abilities without budging an inch, giving no quarter. Truly a valiant fight worthy of a championship match! Before long, both their HPs reached critical.

*Pooon! (Hmmm… Well fought human. You maybe an enemy but your strength and tenacity is worthy of mention…)

“Hah! You’re quite the character yourself. You sure you’re just level 12?”

There was born respect out of the clashing of two equally skilled fighters in battle! In both of their eyes dwelt an faint glimmer of admiration for each other that was not there before.

*Pooon! (Don’t take me for any run-off-the-mill level 12 monster! I’m called mini-boss for a reason you know!)

“Damn straight! Now then, seeing as we’re both at the end of our ropes here, let’s go ahead and end this shall we?”

*Poooon! (Very well. I shall put all my spirit in to this next attack! Prepare yourself!)

“I was born ready. Come on!” Ice readily taunted the Don.

The Dons body glowed red, signalling its preparation for its most powerful attack – Don’s Full Body Press (Lvl. 3). Ice braced himself and concentrated all his senses to reading the attack, committing all his energy to perform a perfectly timed counter.

It was over in moments.

*Pooon… (Heh… It’s the end of the line it seems…)

“…Yeah.”

*Pooon? (What’s your name adventurer?)

“…Ice. The name’s Ice.”

*Pooon… (Ice, is it? Very well. I shall remember that name…)

The Don Pon-Pon collapsed and turned to dust, dropping several items.

[Don Pon-Pons Horns] Crafting Material – Rare: Don Pon-Pons large and shiny horns. Useless as material for weapons but seems to be an ingredient for a rare potion.

[Don Pon-Pons Mustache] Crafting Material – Rare: Don Pon-Pons dandy mustache. Can be made into a flashy accessory with questionable value.

[Royal Ginseng] Consumable – Rare: Potent energy and vigour giving consumable. Raises HP by 30% and Str by 20 for 1 hour.

He also gained four levels. He he gained one level previously after the pink Pon-Pon genocide bringing his level up to 10. And now, with the XP gained from defeating the Don, his level went up to 13. His Unarmed Combat Mastery was now level 4, with just about 8 Skill XP points left to reach level 5.

After putting the items inside his inventory, Ice looked to the setting sun with eyes tinged with melancholy.

“___That was a good fight… Adios… amigo.”

Ice set of for Maleena with a slight air of sadness enveloping him.

***

After a couple days of intensive hunting, Ices’ level had shot up to 18. He’s hunted most of the monsters near the area around the village and had gathered quite a number of items and equipment from the monster drops.

His weapon changed to a Dirk (Atk +40) and his armor and accessories were also upgraded. He currently had Fur Hat (Def +15), Scale Jerkin (Def + 25), Scale Gloves (Def +10), and Forest Boots (Def +15 / Agi +5) on – all dropped by monsters that ranged from levels 13-15 like the Bulb-Eyes and Dire Hounds.

His goal of reaching level 20 was not that far off now. 20 was the required level in order for Ice to take the Class Change exam so he can advance to a Basic Class. He decided to redouble his efforts now that he was in the final stretches.

Ice moved to a new area further into the wilderness where level 19-20 monsters dwelt. He’s already scanned the area a couple of times before and took note of the possible ambush and choke points. He’s also made efforts to observe the monsters roaming the area and collected data on them. He collated all the information he gathered using the Record option in the Menu screen which he already activated using the Record Tablet.

It allowed him to use a holographic keyboard-like projection that he could then use to type and save anything he liked in the Record screen. It was pretty handy for data gathering. It was also eco-friendly since it’s paperless! So much win!

After a quick review of the data, Ice made final checks to his status screen to make sure everything was in order before beginning the days hunt.

Name: Ice

Level: 18

Class: ★Initiate

HP: 360

MP: 85

EP: 85

Str: 44 (+40)

Def: 10 (+65)

Agi: 30 (+5)

Dex: 10

Int: 10

Luk: 5

Skills: Passive HP Recovery / Basic Adventuring / Ancient Blessing / Unarmed Combat Mastery (Lvl. 7) / Keen Eye (Lvl. 4)

He’d decided to go with the Str/Agi build for now. His equipment still provided adequate Def and he barely got hit by the monsters anyway just as long as he kept his wits about.

His HP now totalled 360. It seemed that he received more HP points when he reaches a certain threshold rather then the usual 10. He gained 50 HP when he leveled up to 10 so he assumed that he’ll receive more when he reaches levels that are multiples of ten. His MP and EP are both 85. He hadn’t had much use for them yet because he didn’t have a lot of Active Skills that used them up.

His Unarmed Combat Mastery also increased in level quite fast thanks to a little exploit he discovered by chance. He found that it actually still gained Skill XP even if he’s had a weapon equipped just as long as he mixes some bare handed strikes, kicks, headbutts and all sorts of other physical moves when he attacked.

He fully took advantage of this fact and beat up monsters with a combination of slashing and striking attacks. He even did a Mike and bit their ears off – if they had one that is. Otherwise he’d settle for a couple low blows or uncalled for headbutts. It had worked like a charm and now the Skill is up to Lv. 7 with a 25% bonus to Unarmed Atk, x3.5 to Unarmed Atk Spd and +11 to Rct. He felt the Rct bonus the most beneficial since he’s able to deal with monster attacks more safely and efficiently now since his reaction speed had increased.

Satisfied, Ice set off to begin the days hunt. As was his standard procedure, Ice stalked and cornered the monsters in ambush points and proceeded to deal with them as swiftly as possibly to avoid getting the attention of other monsters nearby and being ganged up by multiple targets.

He’d already tried fighting at least one of the monsters prowling the area (Forest Lynx Lvl.19 and Lesser Goblin Lvl. 20) and determined how many he could take on at any one time based on the damage they gave him and their overall speed and abilities.

Surprisingly, Ice found the lower leveled Lynx more troublesome because of their fast attacks and coordinated actions when faced as a group. They were unexpectedly even more coordinated than the Dire Hounds which attacked in packs. He determined about three was the limit for hunting without worry of his HP falling to the halfway point. Any more and he might have trouble, especially since he had no Active Attack Skills that could be used to dispatch the monsters faster.

He was a bit bothered by that actually. He was only able to acquire just one more new Skill called Keen Eye which allowed him to glean a limited amount of data about a particular monster such as HP total when he used it at 2 EP cost. Further level ups would increase the info displayed. Right now he could get the exact HP, level and total XP given. A really useful Skill, but it still didn’t help with killing monsters faster.

Ice eventually just chalked it up to the fact that he was still in a beginner Class so it was a given he didn’t have more burst offense oriented Skills yet.

“___I’ll just have to work with what I have. No pain no gain, as they say.”

He methodically dispatched the monsters little by little and slowly gained XP. He was able to level up to 19 with no trouble after a round of patient hunting.

“___This is going well. If nothing goes wrong, I’ll be level 20 within the day.”

With renewed enthusiasm, Ice hunted every single monster he could get his hands on while being wary of any nasty surprises that may pop up at any time like mini-bosses. He’d fought a couple mini-bosses after his encounter with the Don a couple days back.

His Forest Boots actually dropped from one such mini-boss called a Prime Hound. It was the Dire Hound mini-boss and it’s swift and accurate attacks gave him trouble. Ice managed to kill it by the skin of his teeth and was the closest call he’d had since his encounter with the Sable Wolf.

He even killed it by mimicking what Sea did when she killed the Wolf a little, attacking its legs first to make its speed drop and finishing it by stabbing it at the back of the head. It wasn’t as swift nor elegant as what Sea did but Ice still felt a sense of accomplishment.

There were no mini-boss encounters this time though. But Ice still managed to get his level up to 20 with no problems.

“___Alright! I’ve managed to get to level 20. Next would be taking the test. I’ve got to keep up the momentum and upgrade to Basic Class soon. Time to let Sea know for that letter of recommendation.”

He proceeded to go back with a light, excited gait.

***

“You finally did it! You reached level 20! Way to go Ice!”

Ice was greeted by a happy looking Sea and was immediately congratulated for his achievement. Ice smiled in return. But something about it bothered him a bit.

“Uh, thanks. But I haven’t even told you I reached level 20 yet. How’d you know?”

Sea made a surprised face and averted her eyes nervously. “Eh?… Uh… Ah… Y’know. You looked really happy so I just figured you finally did it is all. Aha ha…”

“Pssh. Yeah right. You were basically just stalking him whenever he went out for hunts right? I see you tailing him practically every day. Seem’s you’re really ‘concerned’ about him huh sis.” Suddenly, Ein, who was sporting a rather mischievous grin, chimed in.

Sea’s eyes widened like saucers and quickly turned towards Ein. “Wha-? N-NOOO!”

“Angry sister incoming! Abandon ship!!!”

Ein swiftly went out the open window to the front porch and made his escape.

“Uh… W-Well… Ehehe… Um, Ice… It isn’t like that you know. I wasn’t s-stalking you or anything. I was just worried if you would be attacked again so I followed you. For protection purposes! So, um…”

Sea was desperately giving excuses while blushing and twiddling her thumbs. It was pretty cute. Ice fought back the sudden urge to hug her for being so cute and composed himself.

“Y-Yeah. I don’t particularly mind. It was for my safety right? Then that’s fine.” Ice was waving his hands in front of him frantically. He wasn’t quite sure who he was making excuses for.

Sea looked at him with teary eyes. “R-Really! You don’t think I’m creepy or something?…”

“N-Not at all. I don’t think that in the least.” Ice shook his head rapidly and managed a stiff smile.

“Really? Ehehe. Thank goodness. I wouldn’t know what to do otherwise so…”

“Y-Yeah. Ahaha…”

“Ehehe…”

“……………”

Things quickly turned awkward and both of them had their faces dyed a bright shade of red.

“Ehem! Don’t you have something else to discuss with my daughter lad?”

“Wha-?!”

“Eh?!”

Mr. Alphonse suddenly broke the awkward atmosphere with a cough.

“S-Since when were you there father?” Sea was visibly shaken and the color of her blush turned even deeper.

“Since the beginning. Why? Is there any problem?” Mr. Alphonse raised an eyebrow and his look implied that him being present when his daughter was busy flirting(?) with a guy was only a matter of fact.

“N-No! Not at all! Ehehe. Anyway, about the Class Change Test…” Sea just attempted to brush the issue off. Ice followed suit.

‘Oh! Y-Yeah. The test. Right. Uh, I can actually take it now right?”

“Yup. We can set off immediately if you want. There’s one scheduled for tomorrow after all. I can recommend you the Test Manager right away.”

“Let’s do that then. Anything else I might need for the test?”

“I think you’ll be fine with your current equipment. Make sure to bring some potions and antidotes too. There’s a monster extermination phase after all.”

“Alright. I’ll go get ready then.”

“Ok. Do your best tomorrow.”

“Will do.”

“___Tomorrow’s the day then. It’s alright. I did all I can. All that’s left is to do my best.”

Ice slapped his cheeks with his hands to pump himself up and went off to Mr. Findors shop to buy some additional healing items and get ready.

***

Morning came swiftly for Ice, who wasn’t able to sleep much because of excitement and growing anticipation regarding the test. After getting out of bed with a slight yawn, he proceeded to make sure all his preparations were in order, finished his morning routines and went downstairs to find Sea all geared up and ready as well.

“Ready to go Ice?”

“…………………………”

“Um… Ice? What’s wrong? You’ve been standing still as a statue since a while ago. Don’t tell me your nerves are getting to you? You’ll be fine. I just know it. So cheer up okay.”

Ice has been in a state of shock ever since he saw Seas get-up. Struck speechless, he was currently engaged in frantic internal monologue to calm himself down.”

“___It’s not like this was totally unexpected but… Seriously?! What’s up with that fearsome attack power that tears a mans reason to shreds!? This is just totally unfair! Uncle! This just did a blitzkrieg on my poor otaku heart!”

Ice was currently being totally captivated by the equipment Sea had on her. It consisted of the standard female armor found commonly in any fantasy setting RPGs, animes, light novels and mangas. But that was exactly the point. It was, in all honesty, incredibly risque!!!

Sea’s current equipment consisted of the standard armor set she wore during her duties as a squad captain serving in the Ricksvale Principality Elite Guard. It consisted of a breastplate, armored skirt, gauntlets and greaves.

But the armor was incredibly form fitting, totally and unreservedly flaunting Seas alluring body lines. The breastplate hugged the contours of her chest and was open at the top, showing off her cleavage. It would be better to describe it as a metal bikini rather than a breastplate.

The skirt only had light armor attached to each side of her hips and its main body was a pristine white, and tantalizingly short pleated mini-skirt. Her midriff was totally exposed; her slim waist open to plain view.

And the greaves that reached the below the knee was worn over white knee socks decorated with lace, accentuating her shapely legs. The ‘[2]zettai ryouiki’ was like a work of pure art, enough to bring tears of joy to any Otaku.

“___This is just standard. I should already know better! But damn! Aaaaaarg!!!”

The unexpected attack totally caught Ice unawares. His Otaku heart wasn’t prepared for this sensory onslaught.

“___I mean, I know it’s pretty normal for this type of armor to exist in this kind of world. But seeing it for real is still shocking. Does this even qualify as armor? It doesn’t even protect the important bits!!!”

It was complete and utter defeat. Ice was already struck down by the overwhelming power of Sea’s current get-up before even attempting the Class Change Test. He knelt down on the floor, completely submitting to the sublime force known to mankind as ‘Eros’.

“It’s no good… I can’t… It’s my loss…”

“Eeeeh?!!! You haven’t even started taking the test yet! Don’t let those nerves get the better of you! Pull yourself together!”

Sea was frantically shaking the dejected Ice who had his pride for being a respectable adult smashed to pieces. She knelt while spreading her legs wide, a slight flash of red flitting in and out of his field of vision. Ice judged it would be complete K.O. if things proceeded further so he hurriedly stood up and took deep breaths to compose himself.

“___Hooo haaa. Hooo haaa. It’s okay. I’m calm. I need to reach a state of complete stillness. Auuuummm…”

Ices’ face slowly revealed a look of calm indifference. Success! He narrowly avoided getting his pride destroyed any further.

“Um… Are you already okay?”

“Y-Yeah. Sorry about that. I’m alright now.”

“Thank goodness! Shall we set off then?”

“Let’s do this!”

“That’s the spirit! Just keep calm and you’ll be fine.”

Sea brought her hands together and smiled cheerfully, giving Ice words of encouragement. She jumped lightly, resulting in a glimpse of a fluttering white lace petticoat entering Ices’ gaze.

“That’ll be hard with you looking like that…” he muttered under his breath, trying to prevent his nostrils from flaring up any further to keep himself from being fully labeled a pervert.

“Hmm?”

“N-Nothing! Let’s get going Sea. I’m itching to finish the test and get promoted.”

“Okay. Let’s go!!!”

Ice followed a cheerful Sea out of the house and proceeded to head to the transport point near the center of the village.

***

“Are all of your things ready? You didn’t forget anything did you?”

Mrs. Romany fussed over her daughter just like a lot of mothers would. Sea had a complicated expression on as she did so. Ice found it charming and smiled at the scene.

“No mother, I’m all set. Ice is too. Right Ice?”

“Yeah. I’m good to go.”

“Make sure to bring some souvenirs back sis.”

Ein was as cheeky as always and was asking for some souvenirs from the capital.

“Good luck kid. We’re rooting for ya!”

Mr.Galen gave Ice another bear hug and ruffled his hair. Strangely, Ice didn’t really object to the treatment. His father would always do the same thing when he was a kid after all.It reminded him of those days.

Most of the people in the village were gathered near the transport circle to see the pair off. Words of encouragement were given out by the villagers and made Ices’ mood feel light.

“You’ll be coming back right away after the test ends right? Your leave period isn’t over yet correct?”

“Yes father. I’m just going to accompany Ice to get him approved for taking the test. Besides, I’m worried about the members of my squad so I’ll just go take a quick peek.”

Sea didn’t really have to accompany Ice since a letter of recommendation would have been enough. But she insisted she come along because she had business in the capital as well.

“Lad, you and my daughter are going on a trip together. Just the two of you. Alone. Without me there. Now I’m sure I’ve already made it clear to you when we first met but just in case… If you ever make a move on my daughter…”

Mr. Alphonse was giving off a menacing atmosphere as always and whispered words of ‘caution’ to Ice, who felt chills run down his back once again. It made it obvious that Mr. Alphonse was being pretty serious regarding the threat. Ice managed a frantic nod. But then, Mrs. Romany got in between them and pinched her husband in the butt.

“YOWWW!”

“Now just what kind of nonsense are you whispering to the poor young man honey? Ice dear, don’t you worry. Just go ahead and seize the moment if and when it comes. You have my express approval.”

“Honey! What the heck’s gotten into yo-OOOOWWW!”

Mrs. Romany pinched her husbands butt cheek harder while giving Ice a wink and a teasing smile.

“J-Just what do you mean by that ma’am? Haha…”

“I wonder?… Fine. Go ahead at your own pace. It’ll happen eventually…”

Ice was now subjected to a different kind of pressure and was backing down. Sea noticed the awkward atmosphere and hurried him along.

“W-What are you saying mother. I-It’s too early for that. L-Let’s go Ice!”

“O-Okay!”

After setting the coordinates to the Ricksvale capital, Ice and Sea teleported off.

***

The transport point was where one ended up whenever one uses a Teleportation Stone set to a particular area. Ice and Sea were currently using it to make a journey to the capital in practically an instant.

Because of the possible security risks, the transport point that was located at the capital was set a ways off from the actual city itself, in plain view to the sentry guards manning the watch towers that were placed all around the city walls. You also needed to officially register at the City Administration Office to be able to use it.

Sea used her authority as an Elite Guard Captain to let Ice use the gate. It was convenient for him but he also wondered if this could be used as a security loop hole somewhat. Sea just laughed at the notion and told him that anyone who made it to officer rank and above are thoroughly screened and trustworthy. Ice just let it slide. It wasn’t really his problem anyway. If they judged it to be safe, than that’s that.

“Here we are Ice! The capital city.”

Sea gestured towards the city scape once they entered the gate with a hint of pried in her eyes. Not that it was unwarranted. It really was an amazing view.

The white stone walls, the numerous colorful buildings with red tiled roofs and the people going to and fro filling the city streets – all of it evoked a feeling of liveliness and energy. It certainly looked and felt like a bustling fantasy metropolis.

There were quite a number of colorful characters roaming the streets – armored knights, wild looking mercenaries, robed men and women who very much looked the magician part, demi-humans such as beastmen ([2]Kemonomimi!) and even elegant looking elves. They all mingled in with the regular populace and provided an unfamiliar and exotic tableau. It was truly the first time that Ice felt he was really in a different world. And it was all presented in glorious 2D HD Color! Sweet!

“Well Ice? Isn’t it just wonderful! It’s one of the largest cities in the continent and is very liberal regarding policies in trade and the treatment of different races. People from different parts of the continent frequently come to Ricksvale because of this. We even have some people from different continents visit. The Ricksvale royal family are all very wonderful people. And our current prince reagent, Prince Alder Falwynd Ricksvale III, is a truly great man and an amazing ruler. We’ve never been this prosperous. It truly is an amazing place Ice!”

Seas eyes were twinkling with glee. She was behaving just as she did when he first met her in Maleena. Looks like she’s very proud of this place too.

“Haha. Well, if you’re that enthusiastic about it then I suppose I’m sold.”

“Really? I’ll take you to some great places in the city later. First comes the test. Let’s go.”

“Alright.”

Ice followed Sea towards an imposing building situated near the center of the city.

***

“Okay. We’re here. This is the local headquarters of the CQMA here in Ricksvale. Come on, let’s go in. I’ll introduce you to the Test Manager. It’s going to start soon.”

Sea guided Ice towards the reception desk and gave their introductions to the desk officer. They were then guided into the interior of the building and were asked to wait in a fairly large and tastefully decorated room. Ice had never been to somewhere so posh so he began eyeing the things inside the room with an amazed look.

“___Looks like it’s quite the large and affluent organization. Then again, they did manage the affairs of all of the adventurers currently active in the world. This much is normal I guess.”

Not long after, a tall and smartly dressed woman entered the room. She had her honey blonde hair tied in a neat bun and wore half rimmed glasses. She looked very much like a young school principal or a strict office boss. Sea immediately stood up and gave her a tight hug.

“Misha! It’s been so long. How are you? I didn’t know you would be the one administering the test today.”

It seems her name was Misha. Quite the cute name for someone who was so stern looking. As Ice was thinking that, Misha’s lips parted into a dazzling smile that made him take back his previous impression.

“___Well what do you know. She IS cute. A smile really does make all the difference.”

As Ice was having these random thoughts and slightly nodding his head in approval, the two women engaged in a happy conversation about their reunion.

“The last time was when we both finally got our A+ licenses Sea. I’m also glad to see you’re doing well. I heard about your being promoted to Squad Captain as well. I’m proud of you.”

“Ehehe. Thank you. I didn’t really think I’d get the position so soon too. You think I’ll do a good job?”

“You’re already doing well with being Princess Thelma’s personal guard squad right? I think you’ll be just fine Sea. Now then, is this the gentleman you wanted to recommend?”

The smile immediately disappeared from Mishas lips and she gave an appraising look towards Ice.

“___Man. That look sure piles on the pressure. But some people might surprisingly like that sort of thing ma’am. Careful who you do that to. You never know…” Ice was mentally making somewhat distasteful comments as he tried to match Misha’s stare.

After a few moments, Misha turned to Sea with a complicated look on her face.

“…Honestly, he looks a bit sloppy with that slovenly face of his. You sure he’s got what it takes Sea? You do know the consequences right?”

“___Geh! I guess my expression was a little off. I really need to ease up on these pointless monologues.” Ices’ brow twitched a bit from the unflattering description.

“Ehehe. Sure Ice might look a little hopeless and a bit perverted, but I’m positive he’ll do well as an adventurer. I taught him first hand so I should know.”

Sea smiled radiantly and proceeded to back Ice up. Or, at least, she seemed to be. There some rather awkward descriptions about his character mixed in as well.

“___Ugh! I’m really not sure how to take that. Do I really look perverted?” The creases on his brow increased further. He was taking serious blows to his self image here! Women sure are merciless.

“Haaah… Alright then. Since you trust him that much, I guess I’ll believe in him too. Mr Ice.” Misha let out a resigned sigh and called Ices’ attention.

“Y-Yes.”

“The test starts in ten minutes. The first one would be a written exam. Get your materials from the front desk and proceed to the examination room located at the end of the first corridor to the left. I bid you good luck. I’ll be seeing you then Sea.”

Misha went out of the room after some curt instructions and some words of parting for Sea. The sound of her foot steps echoing in the hallway.

“Well then, good luck to you Ice. The written exam is just about basic knowledge that you gained while being an Initiate so I’m sure you’ll do just fine. I’ll be waiting for you in the main hall.”

“Alright. I’m going.”

The Class Change Test was finally underway.

-Class Change Test End-

[1]Eighth Grader Syndrome – Chuunibyou in Japan. Slang term referring to a certain stage of life (often about 2nd year in middle school or, of course, Eighth grade) wherein an individual has the tendency to behave in unusual, sometimes humorous behavior – like believing they have supernatural powers, having an overly dramatic alias and forms of speech or acting all anti-social.

Some adults purportedly still behave like this. Ice happens to be one of the few who do. In his case, he likes to pretend he’s a kaijuu (Giant monsters popular in Japanese pop culture) and behaves accordingly. Only this time, it was a bit exacerbated by his current abilities as an adventurer and his overall situation.

[2]Zettai Ryouiki – Literally, the Japanese phrase “zettai ryouiki” (絶対領域) means “absolute territory”. But for Otaku, it means something else—but something nonetheless absolute. The term refers to the area of exposed flesh between high socks and a hemline. Some even fuss over details like exactly how many centimeters the space of flesh exposure must be.

[3] Kemonomimi – roughly translated as “Animal Ears” or “Beast Ears”. It denotes humanoid characters that possess animal-like features such as animal ears (obviously). Also see term “Moe”.

*Notes: You can not level up upon reaching certain Level thresholds in El Fabula. You start leveling up again after promoting until you reach the next threshold. By that time, you'll need to promote again and so on. But the ones after Basic Class will no longer require adventurers to take a formal test at CQMA facilities. Instead, one will encounter them as Quest type tests with different requirements.

There will be hints given out that are accessible through a sub-menu. But these are mostly vague outlines and clues. More common Classes find it easier to promote since there is already a wealth of information recorded. Guilds provide them for free in order to bolster their ranks. It's one of the reasons why people desire to join guilds.