A window pops up in front of Clyde as he walks toward the maiden.

Congratulations! You have protected the maiden and unlocked the mage class!

While his vision fixates on the notification, the foreground shifts around him in an instant, phasing back into the white void with doors.

The fog muttering Clyde’s mind immediately clears, and he blinks back the horror.

"What was I about to do?" he asks as his body collapses to his knees.

"Isn't it obvious?” comes a voice from a blackened hollow that materializes within the void. “You were going to kill that girl”.

The hooded skeleton from earlier rises from the dark. “You used mind shift thrice consecutively. Most have their minds broken after two uses… let alone three," it says.

Clyde looks up at the skeleton with a frown, trying to think of anything but the maiden. "Who are you, the grim reaper?" he asks.

The skeleton considers the question. "...I'm not interested in answering ponderings about myself. My interest lies with you.”

Having his curiosity piqued, Clyde returns to his feet, keeping some distance between himself and the grim figure. "What is your name then, so I can address you properly?" he asks.

The skeleton considers the question. "What should you call me?” it wonders with a nod. “You can call me Ai," it says after a brief pause.

"Okay, Ai. Why am I here?" Clyde asks.

Ai looks around with its empty eyes, lingering a gaze on each door.

"Normally, people don't even see the doors," Ai says. "They are automatically set on a path, based on their aptitude or desire. When they do arrive and see another door, they often refrain from entering, as they are afraid of taking too long.”

"Why is it bad to take too long?" Clyde asks nervously.

"Death," Ai says simply.

"So… Am I dead?"

"I'm sure you'll figure it out,” Ai says. "Though, I find it simply extraordinary that you saw all the doors. You have the same amount of desire and aptitude for each."

Ai crosses its arms, as if uncomfortable. "It is an absolute headache for me, because I have to give you the ability to switch classes."

"But I'm not done yet," Clyde says, gesturing back to the doors. "There are still so many left."

"You can still see them?!" Ai says astonished, boney jaw agape. "Open character, Clyde Savian," Ai commands.

A window appears for Ai to examine. After a moment of anxious silence, the skeleton lets out a shrill shriek.

“AYEE!! J-Just who ARE you?!” Ai howls, as its bones rattle and burn with a gentle glow. Slowly, skin seemingly grew back on the bones of the figure, as if a veil were being lifted.

The being in front of Clyde no longer resembled a grim reaper, but a goddess with long white hair.

Spoiler :

Clyde stood dumbfounded. "What? You're a girl!?"

"That's not important. More importantly, HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?!" she says while shaking her head hysterically. "This is going to be such a headache.”

She pauses for a second, studying Clyde like he was a masterpiece painting. “Just who are you?” she asks, hand on chin.

Clyde shrugs, “I’m me. What type of question is that?”

Ai grinning, retorts, “Fine- be like that. I’ll just take a look myself.”

She looks deeply into Clyde's soul as he takes a small step back. Her piercing gaze unravels his being, almost as if all that was hidden was brought to light.

Her eyes start flashing, as if she was watching a movie at 100 times normal speed. It only took a moment for her grin to falter. “Oh. I see,” she says airily.

Ai raises her hand and begins etching symbols in the air, forming a magic circle over Clyde. Her voice shifts to a robotic, inhuman tone.

"Create Gift: Greater Class Switch.

Greater Class Switch Settings: Once every 24 hours, the ability holder may switch to any unlocked class. All gear and equipment is stored, repaired, and mana and constitution for that class is restored to full values. All enchantments and effects are removed during the switch. Set incantation [Greater Class Switch [Class]]

Target Clyde Savian, Grant: Greater Class Switch."

Many error messages appear around Clyde.

Ai grabs her hair, annoyed, "Dammit! I knew this would happen. This is frustrating."

Ai shoves her hand into Clyde's chest on the left side. Clyde grabs her arm, bracing and supporting it as if it were a knife, trying to movement.

"What are you doing?!" he shouts.

Her hand enters as she grasps the core inside his chest. "Start Reconstruction,” Ai commands robotically.

Clyde suddenly feels an intense amount of magic flow through his chest. He catches his breath, feeling like he can’t breathe. This sensation felt like heavy ocean waves crashing down on him. Each wave brought about intense shifts: from scalding water, to bone-gnawing ice ocean water.

“Add Mana Reservoir,” Ai commands again.

Clyde strained against the changes in his body. No, his very being- the shape of his soul was being molded and mended. The waves changed to a steady stream of pressure in his chest, threatening to burst Clyde apart from the inside, before sharply equalizing through his body.

Ai finally pulled her hand out, letting Clyde fall flat on his face. He was sure his heart had been ripped out, cut apart, and violently pounded back together. He lies there, unbelievably exhausted.

"Target Clyde Savian, Grant Gift: Greater Class Switch."

Clyde rolls over, grabbing his chest with his remaining strength. "My body feels weird," he says, taking in a breath.

“Shh! Not now,” Ai hisses, annoyed. "Target Clyde Savian, Lock Class All."

"What? Why are you locking my classes?" Clyde asks, brow furrowed.

Ai shoots an interrogating glare down at Clyde. "How did you have every combat class unlocked, and know every single ability in the system?"

"I just did a LARP with the same rules… All of the abilities are the same, right down to the incantation,” he replies, sheepish as a guilty child.

Ai nods. "I see."

"Create Leveling System.

Create Levels:

Level 0 = 0xp

Level 1 = 2xp

Level 2 = 4xp

Level 3 = 8xp

Level 4 = 16xp

Level 5 = 32xp

Level 6 = 64xp

Level 7 = 128xp

Unlock Base Class Level 0. Unlock Tier 1 Abilities, Level 1. Unlock Tier 2 Abilities, Level 2. Unlock Tier 3 Abilities, Level 3. Unlock Tier 4 Abilities, Level 4. Unlock Tier 5 Abilities, Level 5. Unlock Tier 6 Abilities, Level 6. Unlock Arch Class: Level 7.

Create System: XP Reward System.

One experience point awarded for spending 24 hours in a class.

Killing a small monster rewards 1 point.

Killing a medium creature rewards 2 points.

Killing a large creature rewards 3 points.

Killing a humanoid target rewards 1 point.

Experience may only go into the active class

"What do you want your active class to be: Mage or Warrior?" Ai asks.

Clyde ignores her question as he stands, bracing his chest. "Locking me out of the classes isn't fair to me. Let me determine my own ability and merit.”

"I never said you cannot wield every class, but you must show patience. You can be baptized within the temples of the gods. In fact, when you awaken, you may go straight to the temple of Amare to unlock another, if you so wish."

"I can’t. I was just excommunicated from the temple of Amare."

"Then I shall resolve your problem and grant you my blessing then,” Ai says, waving Clyde off.

"What is your blessing exactly?"

“My blessing, is my blessing."

Clyde shifts his weight, annoyed with her answer. "That makes no sense. Plus, why would I want a flat-chested, try-hard, edgy grim reaper's blessing?" he asked purposefully.

"People have died trying to receive my blessing!” Ai says furiously. “I cannot force it upon you. So, choose! Do you want it, yes or no?"

"Okay, sure." Clyde sarcastically replies. After a quick pause, he sighs. "But I still don't understand why I can't get all the classes now… I can go through the doors, can’t I?"

Ai nods. “However, unlocking more than two classes at this time would catastrophically damage your core. It formed but a moment ago.” Ai places her finger on his chest, drawing on it with soft white light.

“With the current system, you can awaken your classes at temples and have all abilities unlocked in 1,280 days or 3 and a half years, at the minimum, without slaying a single creature. Most individuals in the world learn their abilities through guilds and teachers, and-” she pauses mid sentence.

“Unlock Warrior.” The magic circle disappears, and Ai resumes drawing on his chest. “And many spend a great deal of wealth and time learning them. A normal human would learn all their class abilities in 4 years by spending a year's wage."

As she finishes, Clyde scratches his head. "You could’ve just had me unlock them the same way people do in this world," he says.

Ai finishes another round of light drawing on his chest. “Unlock Mage,” she commands as the magic circle dissipates.

She backs away from Clyde while shaking her head. "I could not. Your brand holder would pay for every ability at once if I used a currency sink system, as her wealth knows no bounds. Now, choose your active class."

Clyde braces his face on his hand to think. "Hm… That's a hard one." He sits down and ponders for a while, considering situations he may find himself in within the near future.

After a short time, Ai blows a heavy sigh. "Have you made up your mind yet?"

Clyde rubs his face. "No, I'm not sure at all. But for now, I guess I'll go with warrior. It has the best equipment. Plus, it was my first class in the LARP, so I'll make it my first here, too!"

Ai hovers her finger just slightly away from Clyde's chest, drawing with her mana and leaving a small trail behind. "There you are, a Warrior, and I have even gifted you one experience point."

Clyde smiles. "Oh, nice. I get 1 experience point already? What did I do to earn that?"

"Just a test on the system," Ai states. "One more thing."

"Yes?"

She places her hand on Clyde's chest, and it glows with a warm, piercing light. "I Bless Thee."

Clyde's vision flashes white. He shuts his eyes from the brightness, but it becomes even brighter.

"Awaken!"