Boran was tossing and turning in his bed. He had just returned from military service and tomorrow... Tomorrow would be one of the most important days of his life. He would pass through a portal for the first time, be evaluated by the system, and choose his class. His mind was constantly occupied with possible classes...
"Maybe a mage..." he muttered to himself. In his mind, he envisioned figures throwing fireballs, freezing enemies with ice, controlling lightning. He had read magic stories since childhood. To be like those wise, powerful characters from fairy tales... And physically, for real... "Wait, that would be an elementalist..."
He sat up in bed and looked out the window. A rift in the sky divided the night illuminated by city lights. "Or perhaps an assassin?" A warrior moving through shadows, silent and deadly... That sounded pretty cool too. After all, he had always scored the highest marks in stealth tests during military service. Even the instructors were surprised by his talent.
"I could actually be a healer..." he thought. After all, helping people was important too. Plus, a good healer would always be valuable. During his military service, when he ended up in the infirmary a few times, he had observed how the healers worked. It was incredible. They could mend broken bones and heal deep wounds in seconds. "Nah… it seems too boring."
Another idea came to mind: "What if I became an archer?" An elite warrior capable of making ranged attacks, each shot deadly... That wouldn't be bad either. He was always among the best in shooting practice during military service. Maybe that was a sign? "Could be a gunslinger actually..."
"Druid?" he murmured. A talent for controlling nature's forces, commanding wind and earth, even transforming into powerful animals by choosing the subclass... Or maybe an illusionist? A master who clouds enemies' minds and alters reality... "These seem too mentally taxing..."
He lay back down in bed, staring at the ceiling. Or perhaps a sword master? Fast, agile, and deadly... He had been quite successful in sword training during military service too. His instructor had called him a "natural talent." But just using a sword... seemed a bit simple to him. "Though I do enjoy playing warrior classes in games..."
"Maybe..." he began but couldn't finish his sentence. His eyes were getting heavy. Images of different classes danced in his mind: Necromancers, war mages, summoner, runemaster, berserker... Each with their unique characteristics, each with their own style...
He tried to think one last time, but his mind was starting to blur. Tomorrow... tomorrow everything would be clear. His eyelids grew heavier. As moonlight filtered through the window, gently illuminating the room, class images still danced in his mind. And finally, amidst all these thoughts, he fell into a deep sleep.
He jumped out of bed as soon as he heard his alarm set for 6 AM. Although he wouldn't pass through the portal until noon, he wanted to be there as early as possible.
He quickly showered, got dressed, and left his hotel room at the foothills of the Taurus Mountains. This region of Adana had become a tourist center in recent years thanks to the nearby portal.
As he walked toward the bus stop in front of the hotel, the first light of dawn was just beginning to show. When he reached the stop, several others were waiting - most likely candidates heading to the portal like him. Everyone wore the same tense expression.
The bus arrived right on time. Boran scanned his card and sat in one of the back seats. Looking out the window, he watched the city slowly wake up. Shops were raising their shutters, and the smell of fresh bread wafted from bakeries.
After about a 3-hour journey, the bus stopped at a point marked by a massive sign reading "Portal Zone." This was now one of the busiest parts of the city. A wide boulevard stretched before them, flanked by high security walls. Armed guards stood watch every hundred meters.
Watchtowers were placed at regular intervals along the walls. Blue-white lights flashed at their tops, and magical crystals scanning the area hummed softly. Boran knew these crystals could detect even the slightest threat.
However, despite all these security measures, the atmosphere resembled a large shopping mall more than a military base. Colorful store windows, cafes, restaurants... This was a massive complex designed for the families and friends of candidates waiting to enter the portal. Tourists were taking photos, children were eating ice cream.
As Boran made his way toward the security checkpoint, he glanced at the shops he passed. Weapon shops, armor vendors, stores selling magical supplies, herbalists selling healing herbs... Everything had been thought of. He could buy his first equipment here based on his chosen class after exiting the portal.
Additionally, because all portals were interconnected, many people from different countries were present here. Armor shopping was usually done here because the armor found in Turkey was superior to that of other countries.
Inter-portal travel, meaning teleporting to another country, was quite expensive for an ordinary person. This was a system mostly used by high-level adventurers. Only "gold," the common currency dropped by creatures inside the portal, was used for transfers. This allowed local trade to function smoothly in all portal regions.
When he finally reached the security checkpoint, it was 10 o'clock. While waiting in line, he watched videos playing on giant screens. The videos told stories of famous adventurers who had successfully emerged from previous portals. An elementalist who single-handedly defeated an ice dragon in the Frozen Realms, a necromancy master who stopped an undead army emerging from ancient tombs in the Cursed Forests... Each had become legendary heroes.
When his turn finally came, the security guard checked his ID and appointment document. They scanned him with a special crystal to ensure he wasn't carrying any weapons or dangerous materials. When everything appeared in order, they directed him to the waiting room.
"For now, just wait," said the guard. "When your name is announced at 12 o'clock, please go to gate number 3. Good luck."